Skinny nursing jill

[Furrosious ferreter 431]

I would avoid the rats if wild... as they might have eaten poison.

Congrats on getting all 11 to this stage,

To yourself and the mum.

Genes are strange... theres a thread on here white kits and parents are polecat coloured.

Weldone again and good luck in the future.

FF

[The one 7,756]

45 minutes ago, Our team said:

My Jill still only on kibble and chicks she's doing fine .. But we hating this weather ..   When they ready to feed I'm using kitten food and ground kibble  then when they propper ready  day old chicks  and after that they should be all gone... Them I'm gunna feed her up with all the game she can handle... And kibble 

Good luck there no kittens and the big teeth are for eating meat but you pump your kitten food and kibble into them 

[Lee farrington 179]

9 hours ago, Winterwitch said:

All 11 babies are growing fast. I’m feeding them continuously. MEAT, minced rabbit, pigeon, rats etc. Meat will always be best for mustilids of any kind.

BUT, I will offer kibble too, some of the homes I have lined up for my babies are going to have them as pets and not workers and they won’t all have access to meat  and that is up to them, as long as they are being looked after and loved, it’s the owners choice what they feed them. By offering variety, it will be an easier transition for the new owners. But mine primarily eat meat, even in the summer. I just remove leftovers when they spoil. 

The purpose of this thread was for me to get some ideas of things that I can offer my Jill that are nutritionally dense and will keep her going while she is feeding 11 babies. Some of the suggestions have been helpful, some less so. 

She is putting weight back on and the kits will be 4 weeks tomorrow so I think we are out of the danger zone. 

I was hoping to have a polecat in the litter, as the Jill had polecat siblings, but the parents dna won out. Genetics are fun. 

 

They look great. Well done.  I know it's your first litter and it can be over well meaning.  

[vfr400boy 743]

They are looking good! 

Mine are on meat now goat yogurt with SF50 sprinkled on and soaked  ferret biscuits 

[ferret lady 56]

On 11/06/2019 at 11:16, Our team said:

Yes I know that. Like I said day old chicks  thats what there mother in wild would be teaching them  easy prey this time of Yr and baby kit rabbits in Warren's.  Plus she would no doubt catch a big bunny and they all chow down on it. But she would be teaching them easy catch foods and birds nest. So they know the crack.  I'm just copying that.  like I said there eyes ain't open yet  should be this week..  And while she was in kit in the wild she wouldn't leave them long  as she lactating.. She would go for easy prey and take them back for herself.. I'm just kibbling her out cos it's got all nutritional and vitamin values she must have... 

There's a quote I've found to be very accurate:  "Ferrets survive on kibble, they thrive on raw."   I switched from feeding top quality kibble more than 15 years ago to feeding a raw/whole prey diet.  Not only did  the overall condition of the adults improve, as well as their coats and muscling,  but I was amazed at how much better the kits developed on a natural diet.  You are aware, I hope, that day old chicks don't have any nutritional value.  

 

Edited June 14 by ferret lady
correction

[BEARINATOR 1,532]

34 minutes ago, Our team said:

I've looked and looked  right across the spectrum even feeding to lizards and snakes day old chick are good.. I get week old chicks... They do me fine in my busy life at moment. Along side good quality kibble. 

Snakes and lizards should only get day old chicks as the odd treat, they contain little nutrition for reptiles so for lizards you need to dust them in calcium and a multivitamin 

[Lee farrington 179]

Ferrets are not raptor, snakes or lizards 

[socks 23,189]

2 hours ago, Our team said:

Yes I know. I'm just proving  chicks are a good source of everything.. As explained.. And for any meat eating species.. 

Chicks are a good source of fukc all .......

[forest of dean redneck 7,608]

2 hours ago, Our team said:

Yes I know. I'm just proving  chicks are a good source of everything.. As explained.. And for any meat eating species.. 

Chicks are just feather n bone and if it's only thing Fed leads to problems well documented in birds of prey and reptile forums.

[The one 7,756]

1 hour ago, Our team said:

Note wrong with these feckers.. 

Be okay for show ponys feeding that crap doubt they will have the stamina for a good honest days graft 

 

[The one 7,756]

for probably  less money that cute wee useless chicks , you would get a good box of chicken carcasses 

[The one 7,756]

12 hours ago, Our team said:

I've looked and looked  right across the spectrum even feeding to lizards and snakes day old chick are good.. I get week old chicks... They do me fine in my busy life at moment. Along side good quality kibble. 

Its not what suits your busy life its about what suits the ferrets needs 

[The one 7,756]

3 minutes ago, Our team said:

I get em for nothing bag of250

 

 

Theres a good reason you get them for nought there good for nothing 

[socks 23,189]

7 minutes ago, Our team said:

Cheers socks... We will see... 

I can guarantee you that my ferrets could not work seven days a week living on day old chicks .....

 

[The one 7,756]

you just need to get organized ive still two freezers full of pheasants probably enough to last till they start  shooting them again and the big freezers got rabbits , chicken carcasses in it . You know its easier to go to the slaughter house and get £100 of dog meat during the summer than it is to get good ferret feeding grub