Help getting started?

[carnivorouszoo]

I am VERY interested in feeding better for my rescued pair of ferrets. They came with some foul retarded HARTZ kibble. I immediately got the best cat food they had at Walmart (closest place to me). Its not THE best in the world but it IS better than what they were on which the only meat I remember listed was chicken bi-products at like 8th on the list I then went to drsfosterandsmith.com and ordered a kibble off of there before finding one that sounded good on ebay. So I have 2 bags of Better kibbles coming, and was just recently reminded of this group. I had looked into this group when I had Jak-Jak who passed away during a power-outtage that happened during a rash of bad heat. We tried so hard to help him through but he did not make it.

Now we have these two sweetheats, Jack and Dianne (named for the song playing during the drive home). Jack is a Dark Eyed White that we think has hearing loss but is not deaf. Dianne is a little sable. They turned 3 in January. They have not seen a vet since getting their first shots with their former owners 2.5 years ago. Yes YEARS. Dianne is thin with rough coat, and little muscle mass. Jack has a lush coat but on close inspection also lacks muscle. When we first got them home they had no idea why I left the cage door open and just slept. Second day I got Dianne to come out but she fell over a lot. 3rd day Jack came out, he fell alot and I ended up having to put him back in the cage because he was exausted. We have had them exactly one week. Dianne ate her first piece of the new cat food today. Before she would pick it up and put it by the litter pan lol!

Oddly Dianne eats more than Jack. Yet he seems in better condition?

I'm sorry! My point in writing was to ask for advice on how to get started. My vet is out for about another week so getting them to him can't happen yet and the other vet in town is a ferret IDIOT.

Now, I do have snakes, so I have frozen mice. I can easily get gizzards, wings and things from chickens. Eggs are not a problem either. I was thinking that to start I might want to take their kibble and use it as a base, add water and the raw parts. . .use the blender to make a mush to start? But do I go straight to feeding the mash from the get go? Or offer it for a few hours first thing and then clean the dish and give regular kibble? They currently only go to eat when I swap the kibble for fresh. They get one treat a day of a beef jerky type dog treat that came with them. First ingredient on that is Beef. I only give a small piece. The girl is more open to "new" foods but I think he would follow her example.

When I cleaned their cage upon arival it was coated in poo and urine. I had to wash all of the bedding that came with them and found one hammock a hanging risk. I am now making them hammocks from old sweatshirts. I can't wait to see if they like them!

[carnivorouszoo]

I made some duck soup and added 3 hopper mice. I froze it for future use. I just don't know how often to offer it.

Also I was considering offering pinky mice to start for whole prey, how long can they be in the dish before I consider them not going to be eaten and remove? How many should I give for 2 ferrets? Do I start with just one each?

I just got the Drs Foster and Smith kibble for them in the mail. Blended it with their other kibbles and refreshed their dish. Dianne went to the dish and started eating. I noticed she was eating the new stuff more than the old. I'm happy she went for it, but Jack didn't seem interested in an evening meal. I'm worried he might be getting hit with shelter shock, or maybe I have overwhelmed him at this point. I will try to back off a little bit.

Thanks for any help.

[carnivorouszoo]

They have ahd their semi-raw duk soup twice now and the girl is pretty much the only one eating it. I will keep offering it though. I won't move forward until they readily take the soup.

[Darlene Connon]

Have you tried putting the soup on your finger and putting it on his mouth? After a bit he should start licking it off your finger.

[carnivorouszoo]

I have gotten him to take it off my finger after shoving a little "chunk" (I make it a little thick) in his mouth, but I do not like having to do this as he gives me EVIL looks for at least an hour afterwards. But for his good I will keep doing it

[carnivorouszoo]

I think my boy has gone into shelter shock. He is only eating when I put soup on my finger and sit with it in his face not letting him run off. I have to wake him and physically remove him from the cage to get him up and going. There is no hair loss, but I've noticed a decrease in bathroom habbits which of course is due to all the sleeping and not eating. I will continue to give soupies and will make him take some from my finger for a few minutes each hour. Or should I do each half hour?