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Post by tss on Jun 17, 2008 12:11:29 GMT -5
For the time being you can crush up some egg shell and sprinkle it on his meat. Just be sure to get the meaty bones and organs soon, since he has been fed raw for about 10 days now. I wouldn't go more then a few days without the organ and bone.
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Post by bigsis7 on Jun 17, 2008 15:04:17 GMT -5
OK! Thanks!
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Post by tss on Jun 18, 2008 10:05:50 GMT -5
I just wanted to add that even though I only feed my ferrets once a day they finish their food the next morning. They have food for about 10 or 12 hours of the day, they don't go a whole 24 hours without.
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Post by bigsis7 on Jun 19, 2008 17:16:39 GMT -5
Oliver had his first chicken leg yesterday!!! OMG! He loved it! Oliver wouldn't let me near it! I have pics that I'll post soon of him eating it! Wow! He amazes me at how readily he takes the meat.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jun 20, 2008 9:08:32 GMT -5
Administrators Note:
Whoo hoo! Go Oliver! This is great news! Congrats! We at HF are very proud at you for getting Oliver onto a more natural diet. When you gave him the leg, did he eat the bone at all?
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Post by bigsis7 on Jun 20, 2008 9:18:23 GMT -5
He chewed on it a bit, but wondered where all the good meat went!! He was very protective of his bone so I had to wait until he was sleeping to take it away. I'm going to clean some of the blood off of it so it can be used as a toy for him. Also I've been feeding him the meat in the bath tub now because it's easier to clean up in there and it's a bigger space for him to drag meat around in.
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Post by tss on Jun 20, 2008 9:28:41 GMT -5
It's awesome that he ate that leg!
You can let him keep the leg bone for a day or so incase he wants to chew on it. Don't let him keep it too long because the marrow in it can turn "ripe". Were you able to get him some organ meat?
It will probably be awhile before he starts eating whole legs, he is still young and hasn't gotten the hang of chewing up the bone yet. Until he does just give him the egg shell powder. You can make it at home by washing the egg shells left from you breakfast, then dry them and either put them in a CLEAN coffee grinder or crush them by hand.
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Post by tss on Jun 20, 2008 9:46:26 GMT -5
Also, you should only give up to one egg shell per palm full of meat. And make sure it is powdered as fine as possible so he can absorb the calcium.
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Post by bigsis7 on Jun 21, 2008 12:02:34 GMT -5
Ok! They didn't have any organ meat so I may have to special order some.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jun 21, 2008 12:46:59 GMT -5
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Post by tss on Jun 21, 2008 12:57:18 GMT -5
It may also be cheaper just to order from the store, most of the time if you ask they can get it shipped in along with the other meats they order.
Did you only look at Sam's club? I've never seen organs for sale at sam's but Wal-mart has them. Sometimes they are in the freezer section.
Also Hearts and gizzards aren't organs, hearts are a really good source or taurine but shouldn't count toward the 10-15% organ total.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jun 21, 2008 13:06:36 GMT -5
Also Hearts and gizzards aren't organs, hearts are a really good source or taurine but shouldn't count toward the 10-15% organ total. She's right  I just give my kiddos heart and gizzards on "organ meat day" to help keep their poop from turning to liquid. Liver (organ) is really rich and if I feed JUST liver, my kids get the runs real bad. The heart and gizzard help to keep their poop semi-firm. Would you like to explain what technically makes something an "organ", Maria? I know you explained this before and it was very interesting. I think bigsis7 (and others) might benefit from you repeating it again.  |
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Post by tss on Jun 21, 2008 21:17:44 GMT -5
When I weigh out my ferrets food to freeze it I just add the 10% of organ to it, they get organ nearly every day. That's just how I feed them, in the wild the majority of the time they would eat a whole prey animal including the organs.
"If it doesn't secrete feed it as meat", heart doesn't secrete it just pumps blood 24/7. Gizzards are a lot like stomachs, stomachs are muscles because the stomach itself doesn't secrete. Lungs are in between, they aren't rich like liver but they have more nutrition then meaty meat because they do secrete.
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Post by bigsis7 on Jun 24, 2008 12:36:39 GMT -5
Alright tss asked me to post Oliver's feeding schedule like meli so here it is! Feel free to comment and suggest anything!
Sunday: Organs and a possible egg
Monday:Boneless Steak (or pork)
Tuesday:Chicken with bone (leg, wings, thighs)
Wednesday: Boneless Chicken
Thursday:Boney meat (steak or chicken)
Friday:Boney meat
Saturday:Boney meat
This is the schedule for now. I will most likely add more to it as we progress in his diet. I do have a question though: Is steak with the bone in it ok? Thanks!!
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Post by tss on Jun 24, 2008 13:02:48 GMT -5
It looks okay for now! Any idea what the "boney meat" would be? if it's something like chicken necks alone it is a bit too much bone but if it's were, say a thigh then that is fine.
As far as steak with bone, beef bone it probably too hard for ferrets (if anyone wants to give their input it is welcomed!). You've also got to watch out because of the way most bone-in steaks are cut, they can be very sharp. I've never fed and bone in beef, I fed day old piglet and the leg bones were too hard to eat so I'd think it would be the same with bone-in steaks.
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