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Average Member
 
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Last Login: 8/12/2007 3:46:12 PM
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I juts got paid today, tomorow when i go to work i'll be picking up some chicken and such to start them up on my next day off (sunday).. I want to try and get the kibble bag as low as Ican before I switch them so I didnt waste $12 on a bag of food
-------------------------- Mommy of 5 lovley ferrets- Kiba, Sable, Amon, Aphrodite and Titus Over the Bridge- Podo, dec.06 
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Average Member
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Last Login: 9/15/2007 8:43:51 PM
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| I'd reccomend removing the kibble for four hours and then giving your crew a bowl of boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenderloins cut up into 1/2 square inch pieces. Coat them in ferretone and bread em with a fine power of crushed kibble. You can REALLY give em a good coating of kibble, that will help em be more interested. Don't dispare if they only look or lick the meat. After 24 hours if they have'nt eaten any, give them each a squirt of chicken babyfood (like 2.5 ml in a feeding syringe) and replace the meat with fresh meat. Keep up this process. Once they realize that if they don't eat the meat that they will only get a small squirt of babyfood once a day, they will be more willing to try it. Persistance is key. and don't get to ofrustrated if some will try it but others wont. I've only ever switched my ferrets two at a time (its just easier that way). PM me if you need any help, and don't forget about Natural ferrets. Also, don't give them any meat with bones or organ meat until after they eat 1 inch chunks of chicken with ease. Once they do that, toss em a chicken wing. and once they eat wings with ease give them a meal of organ meat. During the transiton it might be smart to give them a multi-vitamen, like 8-in-1 vitasol, because during the transition they WILL be missing a few nutrients, but they will have all the nutrients they need once they are eating meat, bone, and organ.
--------------------------------- Love, Giuli 
Check out my pictures/videos of all my "furkids" by clicking on the links below! http://lugnutandhendrix.myphotoalbum.com (The cats album is also here) http://samsonanddelilah.myphotoalbum.com http://willowandweezie.myphotoalbum.com http://apollopuppy.myphotoalbum.com Interested in natural feeding? Join NaturalFerrets! (Just click on the button below) 
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 8/15/2007 2:20:13 PM
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Average Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/15/2007 8:43:51 PM
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| Nope. Bones hold more then calcium and only giving calcium pills will cause imbalances. A better thing to mix into baby food would be crushed egg shells. Those have a perfect calcium/phosphorus balance. Crush em up into a fine powder and mix em in with the food. Try also to give her some chicken necks. They are very boney and should only be fed sparingly. But if she isn't eating bones regularly, including egg shells in her diet every day (you might waste alot of egg insides, but its worth it) and giving a chicken/turkey neck every week will help to round things out. Do you give her large pieces of meat on the bone? Perhaps she gets so full on the meat that she doesn't get hungry enough to eat the bone. Try giving her smaller chicken legs and ONLY give her more food once shes eaten all or most of the food (after 24 hours replace all food). I find that if I put one wing in for my ferrets to eat for breakfast, they will eat the whole thing. Then I put a new piece of meat in for dinner. If I gave a wing and leg at the same time (or a large wing/leg) then they would eat all the meat but not be hungry enough to eat the bone. Try my three suggestions: 1. Egg shells 2. Chicken/turkey necks 3. Smaller chicken wings/legs/raw meaty bones and let me know what happens. Also, does she eat the bones often but doesn't eat them only sparingly? Or does she hardly ever eat the bones?
--------------------------------- Love, Giuli
Check out my pictures/videos of all my "furkids" by clicking on the links below! http://lugnutandhendrix.myphotoalbum.com (The cats album is also here) http://samsonanddelilah.myphotoalbum.com http://willowandweezie.myphotoalbum.com http://apollopuppy.myphotoalbum.com Interested in natural feeding? Join NaturalFerrets! (Just click on the button below)
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/15/2007 2:20:13 PM
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What she usually does is nothing actually. I leave her a chicken wing over night and it will remain untouch in her stash area. The next morning I shred it and give it to her and she eats the meat. Then I give her the bone and nothing. She does eat bones but it's mainly from pigeons or quail and some of the small bones from the rabbit.
So she does not eat bone regulary. At first she did but lately she hasn't. So I tried what you said about getting the bones and putting it in the freezer and give to her later. She ate like 50% of it which is good I suppose.
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Average Member
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Last Login: 9/15/2007 8:43:51 PM
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| That is good that she is getting bone from her whole prey. I wouldnt worry too much. The chicken bones might be to much for her to handle. Try cornish game hen. They have softer, more pliable, more easy to eat bones. As for shredding the wing for her, I would just leave the wing in her cage. If she doesn't eat it, tuff luck. take it out after 24 hours and replace it. She'll catch on that if she doesn't eat the wing herself, you aren't gunna shred it for her anymore. That might help to encourage her to eat the bones. You can also include the eggshells in her meals. But like I said, the fact that she is eating the bones of her whole prey is a VERY good thing. Even though she wont eat the chicken bones, its not that big of an issue because she IS getting the calcium she needs. Include additional eggshells if you are worried about her calcium/phosphorous intake. I'd give one crushed eggshell per day at most.
--------------------------------- Love, Giuli
Check out my pictures/videos of all my "furkids" by clicking on the links below! http://lugnutandhendrix.myphotoalbum.com (The cats album is also here) http://samsonanddelilah.myphotoalbum.com http://willowandweezie.myphotoalbum.com http://apollopuppy.myphotoalbum.com Interested in natural feeding? Join NaturalFerrets! (Just click on the button below)
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 8/15/2007 2:20:13 PM
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Yeah I guess. I'll see what I come up with. I sincerely can't help myself shredding the meat for her. She does eat mice once every few days. Like twice a week or so. I suppose she is getting the calcium she needs. Speaking about nutrients, what food contains Taurine?
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Please support the cause of legalizing ferrets in California by adding this page:
http://www.myspace.com/legalizeferretscalifornia
Sign the legalizing petition as well:
http://www.petitiononline.com/CAferret/petition.html
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