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Post by Heather on Jan 9, 2011 13:41:11 GMT -5
Name:Rah (AKA Sarah) HF Forum Username: RahRah 1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets? -The internet - My gosh its full of information! 2. Please describe the type of diet you would like assistance in switching your ferret(s) to. Be sure to include if you are interested in feeding whole prey (live or frozen-thawed) and if you are wanting to FULLY switch to a natural diet or PARTIALLY. If you are unsure what kind of diet you want to put your ferrets on, please express that and we can help you find the best type of natural diet for your ferret.
-I would ideally like to put them on a whole prey diet. I'm just not sure how easy that would be for me to personally watch >_< So I think a raw diet is where I want to be... haha 
3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet?
-Because everything that I read says its healthier for my fuzzies, and I want whats best for them.
4. Do you understand that switching your ferret to a natural diet can be a lengthy, arduous process? Its not an overnight switch. It can be a commitment of several weeks or even months. Your HF Mentor will be more then happy to assist you in switchng your ferret(s) to a natural diet, but you need to be equally as commited. If you aren't willing to tough out a potentially lengthy switching process, or if you have major life changes approaching (baby on the way, moving, starting school, getting married/divorced, etc) then it might be a better idea to wait on switching your ferret's diet until you have more time. Are you willing to make the commitment?
-Definently, I'm ready and patient to handle everything involved.
5. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names? Ages? Genders? Do they have any health problems? Are they overweight? Underweight?
-I have two ferrets
Calvin is just over a year old, and he is slightly overweight. He is also deaf.
Martin is a little under a year old and he has no problems what so ever, he's packed full of energy and curiousity!
6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc)
-They are currently eating EVO Ferrt food. As for treats and supplements, they don't really like much haha they like ferretone, purebites and thats about the extent of it..
7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened?
-No I have not.
8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share?
-Well, I'm 19 years old and live just outside Vancouver Canada, I work at a small local pet supply store, and in the fall will be attending John Casablancas institute to become a make-up artist.
Along with my fuzzies I have a chihuahua named Keegan, and a foster cat named Lucas =]
9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer?
-I have my laptop with me almost 24/7. Only time I'm not available is when I'm at work!
10. Please post a picture of each of your ferrets (if possible).
-Gladly =]
Hi and welcome to the mentoring program. In a little while your mentor (Hurricanekatt) will introduce herself and you can get started on a new adventure in natural ferret care and diets. Please remember to post regularly (daily or as per arranged with your mentor) so that your mentor can assist you move along safely in this adventure. If you experience computer difficulties or are going to be away, please notify your mentor and most of all relax and have fun . Your mentor is here to help you on this journey.
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Post by katt on Jan 9, 2011 16:44:41 GMT -5
Hi!  Here's just a little about me... Name: Katt HF Screen Name: HurricaneKatt Location: Anchorage, Alaska About Me: My favorite hobby is... studying. Just kidding. I like to do different types of art including drawing and painting. I recently started making dream catchers too. I enjoy horseback riding, playing with my critters, and enjoying time with my boyfriend. And the critters of course!  I am a premed student in Alaska graduating this May 2011 (weew! SO close! lol) with a Biology degree. I’ll be taking a year off to enjoy myself, work on my application, and visit Africa before applying for Medical School in the next round. I became a mentor because...I really like helping people (hence the whole wanting to be a doctor thing ) and animals. I am a strong supporter of a natural diet and probably bore most people that I meet to death ranting about raw diet and why it is the best way to go…this way I can rant to someone who actually cares! About My Ferrets: Koda – male, Real Canadian, just over a year old (he was about 8 weeks old when I bought him in December 2009), Sable. I gave him raw the second he came home and neither of us has ever looked back. He is a real trouble maker and is pretty well known around the forums as such. He is my first, and so far only, ferret and though I have not had him long he has forced me to learn and learn FAST! He has managed to eat several rubber objects (had to have surgery!), and is constantly finding new trouble to get into. Loves digging the carpet up, has a very serious oral fixation (if his mouth can stretch wide enough for his teeth to touch it – he will chew it), will rearrange the room to reach things, has learned how to levitate, and is an all around little monster. He is also very strongly bonded to my boyfriend and I, and can be a huge love bug. When the endless energy is finally burned off, he will curl up in our laps, give us kisses, and fall asleep. As you can tell, I have this problem where I can’t stop talking about him or taking pictures of him… We recently discovered that he has IBD and I am actually working with Mustelidmusk on adjusting his diet to keep his belly aches under control. Right now it is still hit and miss. Kneai: I JUST brought Kenai home towards the end of November. He is already eating 100% raw diet, whole prey, franken prey, meaty bones you name it! He was a tiny little bag of bones when I brought him home, but he eats like a pig and grows like a weed! He is already about as big as Koda!  And definitely a littleporker - he can barely make it out of his rice box because he is so bottom heavy. lmao He is a...mutt I guess. He's like half silver, half...something.  I think he would technically qualify as a silver mitt - I am hoping he lightens up a bit as he grows. haha He loves, LOVES toys but is Just beginning to figure out the whole stashing thing. Normally, he just runs around the room in random circles carrying his toys around.  He is a loveable, goofy little guy and has been helping to keep Koda company and burn off each others energy! He's definitely a little spaz - I though Koda was until I got Kenai! About My Natural Feeding Experience: I've been feeding raw since December 2009 when I brought Koda home. Thanks to this forum, I was ready for a fuzzball to come home with my freezer stocked with meats! I gave him a raw chicken wing his first night home and that was the end of that! He is fed frankenprey, f/t roents, and live prey. Right now his diet is somewhat restricted because of his IBD, but we are working on adding different meats back into his diet one at a time. IT is looking more and more though like he;'ll have to eat mainly commercial ground as it's easier on his belly. I still consider myself fairly new to raw diets compared to a lot of the other people on this forum who have been doing this for years. However, I have been reading and learning since before I brought Koda home. I am always on the forum, and various websites trying to learn more about ferrets in general, and especially raw diet. Koda is healthy, energetic, has super soft fur, and smells so good that people regularly comment, asking me what perfume or spray I sprayed him with! I love telling them: Thanks to a raw diet - he just smells that good naturally! Kenai just started on raw as of 2 months ago now and I am starting to see some of the benefits of the good diet in him too, but he still has some kibble-fur to shed out of. When he first came home he had been eating Marshall's kibble and his poop smelled...awful doesn't even come close to describing it!  Now he smells much better and is improving each day. His coat is already much softer and less scruffy, and he is growing and putting on meat like a champ! Type of Mentor: In Training! I feed frankenprey, raw meats, bone-in meats, ground meats, frozen/thawed rodents, live prey, and recently added (for treats and supplemental) freeze dried raw. I have never fed kibble so I can’t help a ton there on picking a good kibble… but hopefully we can get rid of it entirely anyways. My Specialty: Trouble makers! Especially only ferrets, and kits. I am excited to work with someone with 2 ferrets! I can't wait to get started with your boys! They are both super adorable. Martin looks a lot like my Koda, and Calvin is soo cute - I love deafies. One day I'd like to have one. |
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Post by katt on Jan 9, 2011 16:50:16 GMT -5
Let's start with your current feeding schedule. You said that you feed Evo. Do you free feed - like have food in the cage all day, or give meals, etc? Also, what kind of access do you have to a strange variety of meats? To start with you will want to get some meat, or meat and gravy baby food (LOTS of it! ) some boneless chicken - breasts or tenders work well, as well some canned pumpkin or squash baby food. If you get the pumpkin make sure it is NOT pumpkin Pie filling, but that the ingredients have nothing else listed but pumpkin and water. What kind of equipment do you have to use as well? Blender, food processor, poultry shears, anything like that. You will at least want a blender - a food processor might work if you don't have one, but a blender is easiest. I use a magic bullet and I LOVE it! Anyways, hope you pop in soon, I am excited to get started! |
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rahrah
Going Natural
Posts: 134
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Post by rahrah on Jan 9, 2011 21:03:15 GMT -5
Hey Katt, its great to meet you Yes, my boys are on Evo right now, generally I give them a scoop in the morning and they pick at it throughout the day. Access to strange meats - Yes, quiet likely. I know of a few local butchers that could probably point me in the right direction. But I'll have to go check it all out tomorrow to make sure. I'll buy some chicken and baby food tomorrow. I can get pure canned pumpkin from work- We sell it for dogs and such at my work (Work at a little local pet store) I have a blender, but its like a million years old... Or from when my parents first got married (LOL) So, I'll look into a better one- Or a magic bullet So yeah! Chicken, Gravy baby food, pumpkin. Awesome I'm so so so stoked for this! I don't think Martin will be too hard to get onto raw. I have my doubts about Calvin, but I guess we will have to wait and see! |
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Post by katt on Jan 10, 2011 0:04:47 GMT -5
Awesome! You may want to TRY your blender and see if it works. I do know though that the bullet is nice because the little cups are perfect for making fresh batches of soupies in small doses to keep it fresh, or large doses, and then you can just screw a lid on and stick it in the fridge. Saves some dishes. With a big blender I'm not sure how small of an amount it is possible to make. But I mean in the beginning of the switch they will be going through a lot of soupies anyways so even when making bigger batches you ill go through it - at least for a bit - fast enough to keep it fresh anyways. As they get farther though the amount of soup will decrease. When you get the baby food, look for all meat baby food. Check the ingredients to be sure. Once you have the stuff just let me know. Once you do you can start making some soupies! Usually the best soup to start with will be a mixture of the kibble, pumpkin (just a little), baby food, chicken (just a teeny bit to start), and water. You can also try to improve on the taste by adding a little olive oil or fish oil, and/or some ferretone. IMO though, simpler is better. The more ingredients there are, the less it will taste like chicken. lol At first use a good amount of kibble, and only a tiny bit of chicken, and a fair amount of baby food. The pumpkin is just to help with their poops while they are on soupies. Make it a little thin at first - about the consistency of a medium to thick gravy, but not too gloppy. You can control the thickness by changing the amount of water you add. To get them to eat the soup see if they like it on their own first. Get them to taste it (let me know if you aren't sure how to do this - sounds like you are though). If they really like it (most ferrets do) and will eat it on their own in fair amounts, we can skip a step. If they are a bit hesitant, then you may want to start by pouring it over the kibble like gravy. Basically the idea is to get them to be eating just the soup without kibble. Then for the soup itself, we will slowly replace the kibble with raw chicken, then start to make the soup thicker and ticker, then gloppy, then chunky, then use the soup as a gravy on the chunks, until they are just eating chunks, then increase the chunk size and start incorporating bones and such. For each new protein, we may or may not have to go back to the soup and work up, just depending on their reactions, but it will go faster each time and then we can use the chicken as the base. Say chicken with chicken and beef gravy. Yadda yadda. We'll get to that later. Anyways, be prepared to see some strange poops. Especially when we first begin and while they are on soup, their poops will tend to be softer and they may even have slightly runny poops for a short period as their GI tracts adjust. Keep an eye on it and if you see anything really concerning just ask. If it looks too runny, you can add some more pumpkin or powdered eggshell to the soup. Again, we'll get to that if we need it. Also, on a raw diet the poops will look nothing like kibble poops. Every poop will look different depending on what your ferrets ate last. Organ meats and richer meats like beef tend to produce much darker stools, and bones can often result in tiny chunks of undigested bone appearing in the poop. Whole prey poops look stringy and may have undigested bits such as small bones, teeth, nails, and fur, etc. Just keep an eye on them and you will get to know what is normal and what is not for your boys, even with each poop looking different. Please let me know if you have any questions at any point, and if anything I say is unclear don't be afraid to let me know. Let me know when you have the soup ingredients and if you try the soup and how it goes. |
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rahrah
Going Natural
Posts: 134
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Post by rahrah on Jan 10, 2011 0:17:15 GMT -5
Okay... So... One question so far >_> Baby Food. Is Chicken with Broth okay? From Heinz? It says it has Chicken, chicken broth and spice. If not can you recommend a particular baby food? |
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Post by katt on Jan 10, 2011 1:57:01 GMT -5
I would avoid that simply because of the spice. I but gerbers and gerbers organic usually. If you can't find any chicken and gravy or chicken without the spice then see if perhaps you can find chicken (or even another meat) and sweet potato or squash and then put in less pumpkin as the sweet potato will partially replace it in terms of fiber. If you can't find something along those lines let me know - and let me know what you DO find -and we can figure something else out.
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rahrah
Going Natural
Posts: 134
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Post by rahrah on Jan 10, 2011 2:20:00 GMT -5
So far, the best I've been able to find is turkey and sweet potato... Apperantly baby food lacks around my area. LOL I'm also in Canada, so I'm guessing that effects what products that I have... Gerber has nothing available in Canada that doesn't have some sort of vegetable in it. And Heinz has the sweet potato and turkey. Stupid Canadian baby foods  haha |
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Post by katt on Jan 10, 2011 4:39:47 GMT -5
Turkey Sweet Potato will work just fine. |
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rahrah
Going Natural
Posts: 134
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Post by rahrah on Jan 10, 2011 11:51:29 GMT -5
Awesome! I picked up some chicken last night, so I'll grab some baby food today, and some pumpkin. I'll attempt to make the soup after work - I just got called in No rest for the wicked |
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Post by katt on Jan 10, 2011 12:33:40 GMT -5
Have fun at work! ;P lol Let me know how the soup goes and if you have any trouble or questions. If he eats it ok go ahead and pour a generous amount over his kibble for tonight and again tomorrow morning. If he seems unsure that's ok too just let me know. |
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rahrah
Going Natural
Posts: 134
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Post by rahrah on Jan 11, 2011 1:26:57 GMT -5
Heyy So I attempted to make some soup And it worked. But the boys didn't seem all that interested. I didn't refill the bowl of kibble this morning, so they haven't eaten much today. I managed to get Martin to lick it off my fingers, and Calvin seemed to want no part in it what so ever. Martin even took a couple little tastes off of the plate. But other than that... Not a whole lot of progess  I'll pour some over the kibble, and leave it in with them over night, and we shall see! |
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Post by katt on Jan 11, 2011 5:59:23 GMT -5
Ok let me know how they do in the morning. What did you put in the soup with rough ratios? We may need to play with that a little. Keep tryin to get them to lick it off of your fingers too. Can't wait to hear how they do for breakfast! |
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rahrah
Going Natural
Posts: 134
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Post by rahrah on Jan 11, 2011 13:31:53 GMT -5
Kay so breakfast was... About the same as dinner I poured some over the kibble, they both looked at it like "Uh... mom what is this?" So, I got Martin to lick a bunch off my fingers, but Calvin wants no part in that. So I've left the bowl in there for now, and I'll go and try to finger feed Martin a little later, and see what we can get in Calvin. I put mostly Kibble in the soup, I think like a half a spoon of pumpkin, a spoon of baby food and a few little bits of chicken I guess I just gotta play with the portions of each to see what they will eat. |
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Post by katt on Jan 11, 2011 13:57:10 GMT -5
Well your proportions sound pretty good actually. Why not try getting them to lick the baby food plain, and then if they seem to like it, adding more. I have found that they tend to Really like the stuff. If we can improve the flavor of the soup to meet their picky standards initially, it will make it a little easier to get the ball rolling. Some other things that you can try to improve the flavor are ferretone/ferretvite, or olive oil. Do they have a special treat that they really like already? Have you ever used ferretone? If so, adding some of that (being generous in the beginning doesn't hurt, once they are eating the soup more we can withdraw the ferretone/treat) will make it tastier. If they don't like ferretone or ferretvite, but they have another treat that they like, give that a shot. Otherwise you can try some olive oil. If one doesn't work try the other, then both. Have you tried scruffing them to get them to eat? Mothers will do this to kits to help teach them to eat. Often holding them in a gentle scruff while you are hand feeding them helps a little. Make sure their butts are supported though or they'll focus on the scruff itself too much. I hold them in my lap, do a gentle scruff with one hand, and feed the food with the other. Sometimes as well they just need to taste it. If they are still refusing you can scruff them until they yawn, and using your finger (make sure it's covered in soupies first or you'll miss your chance lol) when they yawn carefully dab some on their tongue. You can also rub it on their gums/tongue to really help them get the flavor. I had to do this with Kenai to get him to taste a few things. lmao Just be careful about your fingers - you don't want to choke them if/when they squirm to get away from that strange taste. I found with Kenai that after repeating this a few times, he began to lick it off of my fingers in a scruff. Then off of my fingers not in a scruff, then out of a spoon in my lap, then the bowl in my lap, then out of the bowl on his own! Sometimes certain steps require a little...special attention. Is Calvin a Momma's boy? It seems that your Special Ferret tends to be the most difficult to switch and needs the most attention from mommy along the way. I know with Jackie, my other mentee, her Pixie is her special soul-ferret and needs special attention, my Koda is the same way (he will sometimes not eat just so I hand feed him! ) and Sherrylynne's Boris is notorious for weaseling into some special hand feedings from mommy. |
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