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Post by weloveourweasels on Jul 1, 2008 22:05:33 GMT -5
ok so I have included pic of my girls litter box. Is it litterally half full of urine. I am really worried because I haven't heard anyone mention this before. only the loose poop (which they have too) I scoop the box one or twice a day depending how bad it is and I just put this fresh litter in 2 days ago (so now it is all wasted which it usually lasts me a week) They like their soupie really thin so maybe I should just have them suck it up and make it thicker for them? I'm not sure what to do at all. Neither have played in 2 days and Rolo seems kind of shaky. This seems bad to me.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 1, 2008 22:09:58 GMT -5
Don't panic. Its okay I swear! Its TOTALLY normal From the upcoming Holistic Ferret WebsiteNORMAL: Your ferret is urinating more than usual, but is hardly drinking any water. Raw foods and whole prey contain MUCH higher water content than kibble. Kibble has lower moisture content than a hardwood floor (9-10% moisture) (cite source). When your ferret starts to eat natural food, he is getting most of his fluid intake directly from his food. This is how nature intended ferrets to obtain most of their fluids (cite source). As a result, your ferret will urinate more without drinking as much water from their water bowls or bottles; He is getting his hydration from the food. When ferrets first switch to a natural diet, they might urinate A LOT. This is because they might continue to drink the same amount of water that they did when they ate kibble, PLUS they are getting the extra water from their natural food. Your ferret should learn to adjust its water intake accordingly after a few days on a natural diet.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 1, 2008 22:11:03 GMT -5
Also normal:
NORMAL: Your ferret is sleeping more.
A slight decrease in energy is common during the first few days of the diet switch, especially if you use the soup method (See switching methods) to help transition your ferrets to natural foods. The soup is VERY high in water content and less calorically dense than kibble. So even if your ferret eats the same amount of food that he was eating when he ate kibble, your ferret will be consuming less calories overall. Less calories equals less energy (cite source). A ferret adjusts to this dip in caloric input by being less active. Sleeping and acting lethargic is necessary, because if your ferret were acting like his usual, hyper self, he would burn off all his energy. Once your ferret regularly starts to eat solid raw food (or whole prey) you will see an increase in energy because solid raw foods and whole prey, while high in water content, are definitely more calorically dense than raw soup.
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Post by weloveourweasels on Jul 1, 2008 22:20:05 GMT -5
*exhales deeply* ok I can breathe now thank you so much for your quick response. I need to buy A LOT more litter then (just used the last bit to fill up the other box) I have not once seem them drink out of the water dish since I started the switch. (aww those litter fu$%ers shat on my floor twice in places they normally don't shat. I'd say due to the fact I didn't realize their box was so dirty) Should I add their raw apple cider vinegar ( I bought some with the mother in it today) to their food since they don't really drink their water right now anymore? I think I'm going to take you up on your advise about the natural ferret group and reintroduce myself as switching to raw and hopefully I'll get a better response and lots of varied adive.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 1, 2008 22:36:58 GMT -5
BTW they WILL pee ALOT less once they regulate their water intake to match their water consumption from the food. Basically they will stop drinking so much water from the bottle (and start getting most of their water from food).
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 1, 2008 22:38:03 GMT -5
I would wait on the apple cider vinegar. Just add it later, once they start drinking from the bottle again. and good for you for going back to NaturalFerrets, let me know how it goes (I do my best to pop in there as much as possible).
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Post by weloveourweasels on Jul 1, 2008 22:46:41 GMT -5
Would it be ok to just use it to clean their ears with? (I wanted to add it to help with the ear mites which are getting better anyways) And once their switch is complete (they are on raw/ whole prey) will they still have this much urination or will it kind of regulate itself?
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 2, 2008 5:35:17 GMT -5
I dunno about using the vinegar in the ears. I would look at the ear mite thread (in the natural care section) and use that garlic-olive oil recipie. Yes, when they get on raw they will regulate and the excessive urination will stop
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