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Post by Heather on Jan 20, 2011 0:18:53 GMT -5
I've found that some of my guys are "not" keen on turkey. I don't know what it is but for some reason it's not one of the more favourite meats. I use it to mix more than actually feed it straight up. I do have a couple that really like it, so I do feed a small bowl but for the most part...it's one of those sketchy ones that they will eat if there's nothing else available but if they're not really hungry they will pass.
I found that once raw food started to work on my little ones that energy levels was one of the first benefits. It may be that they're also becoming more comfortable with their surroundings, thus allowing them to relax and play more.
Thanks, Calypso was really sweet but like I mentioned never really seemed to settle in here. She really had loved her previous people, it was one of those unfortunate rescues where surrender wasn't really an option but not wanted either.
ciao
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Post by angelfish on Jan 21, 2011 19:54:34 GMT -5
You were right. Turkey was an utter and complete failure. She didn't touch it all night and when I gave her a chicken wing in the morning, she attacked it like it was the last food she'd ever see.  Chicken seems to be her favorite right now. She's not too keen on the hearts or the liver on their own so I'm going to have to hide it in a blend I think. I've also been trying to convince her that ground beef is good too, but I haven't had much success on that end either. I've been thinking about introducing the whole week old quail I have but I'm not sure how exactly. I'm not sure she'll understand that a feathered bird is supposed to be food. Should I cut it in half maybe? |
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Post by Heather on Jan 21, 2011 22:35:41 GMT -5
Cutting it in half might be a good idea. I've never had the opportunity to feed birds with feathers on. Give it a try, it's what I've done to teach them how to eat furred animals so logically it should work. Another thing you can do too is play tug, if you can get her to grab it. Sometimes, making them believe that you want their food more than they do, fools them into thinking that it's really special and that if you want it then they have to want it more. Often the first few times, the animal just gets stashed but if you can get her to pull a mouthful or two off and actually eat the meat you will probably get her to eat them.
ciao
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Post by angelfish on Jan 22, 2011 23:52:45 GMT -5
We tried some ground beef again tonight, plain because I didn't get a chance to make soupie, and it was a hit. I did have to scruff and stuff the first bite and hand feed for a few minutes but by the end, she was eating from the plate by herself. She's getting really good at being receptive to new meats. I did not that she's not too keen on liver or heart. I tried to cut it into little pieces and mix it in, but she ate around them.  I also tried some Wysong I early today during playtime since it came in today. It was moderately successful. |
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 0:01:24 GMT -5
I found that I threw the organ meats into the food processor. Liver becomes a liquid...they can't eat around that   That's great that she's becoming more receptive to the different varieties of meat. She's becoming quite the little pro. Fantastic job. The wysong, is that the freeze dried stuff? Remember to rehydrate your dehydrated foods when you feed them ciao |
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Post by angelfish on Jan 23, 2011 0:20:41 GMT -5
Yup, I did rehydrate it. She had it in her cage for about 20 minutes too, but I'm not sure how long I can leave it out.
I have my updated order for Hare-Today. After a couple of weeks of trial and error I have a faint idea of what she will and will not eat. Rabbit is out of the question but birds are in, including quail, pheasant, and especially duck. She seems to LOVE duck. I'm going to try introducing chicken necks in addition to chicken wings for her whole bone days. I'm also going to try and get chicken backs for the bone days. Have you fed those? I've never even seen them (the farmer we get our meat from has them available on a pre-order basis). Do they need to be cut up or can I give them to her whole, like the chicken wings?
I'm also going to try and introduce some ground venison and ground lamb for her plain meat days.
So this is our new schedule:
Sunday: bone-in chicken wing/neck/back
Monday: commercial ground duck
Tuesday: chicken neck/back, ground lamb
Wednesday: commercial ground pheasant
Thursday: ground lamb, chicken neck/back
Friday: commercial ground quail
Saturday: ground venison/beef w/liver, heart, egshell
If I can get her to eat the whole quail, I'll switch it out with the ground quail most likely.
I'm also thinking I'd like to supplement the commercial ground with some additional bone. She's a growing kit and I want to make sure she's getting enough calcium. I think I saw a post about it earlier. I'm going to search for it again.
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 0:43:31 GMT -5
I don't know how long you can leave it out...Pm sherrylynne, she feeds it. Get back to me with what she says, so I know too I've fed chicken backs. I usually cut them in half along the spine. You can use either a large knife or scissors. My guys eat them that way (they're lazy :  You could try mixing the rabbit with something she likes to see if she will eat it that way or learn to like it. Your menu looks good so far. Does she eat all those proteins yet or is this what you're working for? Yes, babies require a heavier calcium level. They need it for their growing bones and organs. Great diet so far. ciao |
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Post by angelfish on Jan 23, 2011 11:06:25 GMT -5
She'll eat all that except the ground venison. I just ordered that as an alternate to ground beef on occasion.
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 17:26:38 GMT -5
She doesn't like it? or you haven't tried her with it?....the venison. Does she eat whole meats or are you just feeding the commercial grinds?
ciao
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 17:28:30 GMT -5
I meant to ask, how are your other little ones doing? Stools still icky?
ciao
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Post by angelfish on Jan 23, 2011 17:39:52 GMT -5
I just ordered the venison so she hasn't tried it yet. I'm not sure what you mean by whole meats. She does get the chicken wings and I'm going to add the chicken necks/backs. I don't know what other bone in meats I could add. Everything else is commercial ground or meat from the supermarket.
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 20:16:00 GMT -5
Sorry, by whole meats I meant chunked meat. It doesn't have to be boned meats, just whole chunks
ciao
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Post by angelfish on Jan 23, 2011 20:25:30 GMT -5
Taking a break from school work so I can tell you about my other two  Sugar and Spice are at 50% (or a little over) Zupreem and Meow Mix mixed together. They both eat well and Sugar has finally stopped vomiting, at the very least she hasn't hacked in a few days. They both have bird-seedy poo, though. Spice's is less formed than Sugar's but not yet what I would call diarrhea. I'm going to leave them at this mix ratio for at least a week, probably 2-3, until I see more formed poo from Spice, and then I'll up it again. I'm hoping to have them on 100% Zupreem by the beginning of March at the latest. At that point, I'm going to do 2 things, a. start switching them to Evo so that if Pita steals their kibble it won't be quite so bad and 2. start switching them to raw. I don't think switching Spice will be an issue whatsoever. I am, however, concerned about switching Sugar. She is an obstinate little one and adamantly refuses to try any and all food that isn't kibble; even if she actually likes the taste! As an example, she likes the taste of pumpkin but she won't eat it unless I scruff her and feed it from a syringe. I know she likes it because she'll voluntarily lick once she gets a taste but once I let her go she tries to run off. (On a side note, she LOVES the taste of liquid laxatone (which stinks to high heaven, in my opinion, when it comes out the other end) but she won't stand for the paste that comes in a tube *shrug*). I think it was Sherry that had a post about switching using freeze dried and I think I might give that a try when the time comes. Maybe having something that is similar in texture to her kibble will be easier to switch her with and then slowly add moisture to it as a way to get her used to it. |
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Post by angelfish on Jan 23, 2011 20:27:50 GMT -5
Oh chunks. Yup, Pita sometimes gets chunks of chicken and I'm working up to chunks of beef (stew chunks actually) that are currently in the freezer. She does great with the chunks of chicken.
I generally like giving her the chunks at night so she has something to chew on in the middle of the night.
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 20:39:12 GMT -5
You know. Considering your menu and that you're only switching one fuzz, you could graduate if you want. You have the knowledge to complete the switch on your other two little ones when they're ready or you can reapply when you're ready to do the switch or you can keep going and we will continue to work with Sugar and Spice when they're ready. Entirely up to you Get back to me and let me know ciao |
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