Our new ferrets!

[Guest MOLLY]

Porridge ...they are meat eaters, i dont think porridge is really suitable. Just get them onto raw meat asap, mine were eating it before their eyes even opened.

Are the kits together or seperate?

MOLL.

[ferret15 0]

Porridge ...they are meat eaters, i dont think porridge is really suitable. Just get them onto raw meat asap, mine were eating it before their eyes even opened.

Are the kits together or seperate?

MOLL.

 

moll i agree raw meat is best

but i think you may have missread the post she said she has been feeding jameswell beloved as a porridge mixed with kitten milk

Edited June 26, 2007 by ferret15

[Guest MOLLY]

Ahhhh that makes more sense then Thanks

MOLL.

[Kay 3,709]

i really think they should still be with there mom, its a learning curve we all learn, i was dumped with 4 kits who had barly just opened there eyes about 10 yrs ago. the kits cried , hissed & basically should have still been with there mom

 

Its easy to bring them on all you need to remember is they need meat & plenty of it , they need to feel secure so baring in mind they have been wrenched from there siblings & mother putting them in a huge hutch or cage is basically not what they need for the min, the hising is cause the tiny one is scared , he needs time to mature & adjust to its new surroundings.

 

Feed then a good meat based diet & i guarantee within a week they will double or even tripple in size & confidence if nothing else its an experience you should learn from & enjoy

[Guest ARTEMIS]

d

Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[ferret15 0]

i dont think the person you got them from has been truthfull to you but it shouldnt be to much of a problem as moll said get them on raw meat asap it will do them the world of good the first time you feed them meat they will go at it like they have never been feed it will help them grow much quicker than the jwb and milk just make sure they have fresh water on offer which im sure you have and dont be suprised if ther pooh is a light brown colour and runny tommrow as the milk and jwb will do that

[Guest ARTEMIS]

d

Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Kay 3,709]

They are 8 weeks old. jesus they are very small if thats right. i picked my two up last july & they were 8 weeks old & three times that size & all i did was supply 4 meals a day & water, didnt supply milk have never fed a ferret milk fullstop

[jultaylor1972 2]

i really think they should still be with there mom, its a learning curve we all learn, i was dumped with 4 kits who had barly just opened there eyes about 10 yrs ago. the kits cried , hissed & basically should have still been with there mom

 

Its easy to bring them on all you need to remember is they need meat & plenty of it , they need to feel secure so baring in mind they have been wrenched from there siblings & mother putting them in a huge hutch or cage is basically not what they need for the min, the hising is cause the tiny one is scared , he needs time to mature & adjust to its new surroundings.

 

Feed then a good meat based diet & i guarantee within a week they will double or even tripple in size & confidence if nothing else its an experience you should learn from & enjoy

Good advice there.

[ferret15 0]

sorry if i offended with the water thing just typing as i think, what i ment was water only stop the milk even if they are only six weeks their mum would of started to cut the milk supply by now and they would be eating solids please dont think we are all geting at you we just all want to give the best advice we can so that your ferrets have a long happy life.

[skycat 6,174]

Can you not get them some whole fur and feather? Rabbit and pigeon. If you can't, then get some butcher's mince and add a pinch of SA37 each time you feed them. Please don't give them complete unless in an emergency and you can't get anything else for them: at this age they need all the natural food they can get.

We never let our kits go until they are 10 weeks old minumum: think cat rather than dog as far as development goes. They should have been still with their mum at this age IMO. Though I'm sure they'll do fine with you: just take it very steady and expect them to sleep a lot and don't expose them to too much too soon. Handle them twice a day but I wouldn't keep them out a lot of the time as they need sleep and time to get over all the new and scary experiences they're going through.

As far as the hissing is concerned that's just fear: put your hand into the hutch and let them explore it (your hand) without trying to pick them up. Better still, if you can, sit with them and let them explore your feet, legs etc in what to them are familiar surroundings, just as you would with a litter of very young pups. Let them dictate the pace of learning: they'll show you when they're ready to do more and venture further afield.

Best of luck with them.

[Guest ARTEMIS]

d

Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Kay 3,709]

Thanks!

 

I DO have water - in both a bottle and a dish also - to make sure they know how to get the water (incase they cannot work the bottle out!).

 

I have a bit of raw chicken I can feed before I go to get the mince (after dropping the kids at school - on foot, which is an hour long round trip!), if they can cope with the chicken? Lots of pics here of similar sized ferrets coping with rabbit, so I guess so?

 

I know the "breeder" had them on "pets at home" ferret nuggets. He did not mention if he was also giving them rabbit or anything.

 

Their poops were perfect when we got them though - I checked that after reading up on what they should be like!

 

Will get an improved diet sorted asap! Looking forwards to them bounding about with lots of energy very soon!

 

 

Kits will attempt to eat meat ideally rabbit or chicken or mince from 3 weeks old, the kit i have here is 2 & a half weeks old and its already got a couple of tiny teeth so when you offer the meat it should be raw & fresh obviously

 

Its basically a case of feed more than they can eat in one sitting, say a pound of mince quartered as a days supply of meat at this stage, easily got from the butcher or tesco or somwhere like that.

 

They wont eat what they dont need, also leave a dish of the dry food and they will pick at it when there ready , it also ensures if they do get a bit peckish theres a bit of something in reserve.

 

Handle after they have been fed , makes life a lot easier with full bellys, water dish & bottle is good, i would put 2 seperate meals for them as the tiny one looks like its had to fight for the food hence the size difference , making sure the teeny one gets its share, if not you will get squabbles & will have problems handling if the small ones not getting enough .

 

Basically apply logic to all you do with them, dont expect much for the next few weeks, wait till they have got used to the new diet & there new surroundings, there babys after all, make sure the kids hands are nice & clean before handling as thats when bites occur when the kits can smell food , so my advice is time a feed before you pick the kids up from school, there going to want to handle them the second they come in from school

 

dont hessitate to post up any worries theres tons of peeps on here with a wealth of experience & knowledge who will offer advice

 

Kay

[Guest ARTEMIS]

d

Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Guest ARTEMIS]

d

Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS