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ferrets


ala-m-
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Just got couple of ferrets (a week ago), they had been on dry ferret food only and are still both underweight and not thriving. Been busy shooting pigeons with hmr so feeding them to ferrets. Mine will only take it if cut into little bits. They don't know what to do with it if left in feather but that might be a legacy of the previous owners feeding regime. It hasn't killed them yet and as my neighbour gleefully picked up a dead swan from under power lines and fed it to his ferrets i don't think there should be a problem. However i was told once that you should imagine a ferret eating naturally what you feed it. Think of all those ferrets catching cows to get the minced beef they get fed on. :yes: Hope that helps (not sure it would me)

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whats the reason for not feeding them rabbit with fur on ??

 

My experiance they don't eat it and it starts to stink?.

 

I just chuck in what ever I shot during the day, at one point my ferrets where eating nothing but partridges that had died in the rearing sheads (during catching up)

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Yeah pigeon is fine, as is most of the game. Rabbit, Hare, pigeon, pheasent, partridge, squirrel, chicken have all been given to my ferrets and they love it.

 

I think its best to give a natural as possible, leave the fur/feather on just gut it and place in with your ferrets and you will find they will eat everything else from the head to the feet and the next time you go in to their hutch just remove the fur/feather-

 

Obvisously don't through a whole rabbit in for 1 ferret and it will never get through it in the time it will take for fly to get on it and lay eggs, especially now the warmer weather is coming. It gives them something to do- have to work at the carcass to get their meal rather than going to a bowl and picking a cube of meat.

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the only thing that may cause a problem with feeding shot stuff to the ferrets is the lead shot that will still be in it, i wouldnt want me ferts eating size 6 shot

 

I can assure you my ferrets have eaten dozens on no6 pellets over the years, and have never seen any ill effects.

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just got two eight month old ferrets today (jills) how much food would you advise on giving them each day?? plus would you put a bowl of water in (they have a water bottle)

 

I'd chuck in a bowlfull of food and let them eat it all till they get another one. Ferrets are usualy very good at not over eating and will only eat when they need too.

 

As for the water, I'd avoid water bowls and stick with water bottles (image below). With bowls they tend to knock them over and make a massive mess, which can be a very risky buiness as ferrets suffer from dehydration very quickly- even moreso if they are on dried food.

 

Get soemthign like this.

 

320classic.JPG

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got one already bud cheers! wasnt sure if it was a good idea for them to bath or something?? so put a decent bowl of food in and if they eat it all next day put a bit more in until i can see that they leave a bit and i know that their getting enough!?!? is it best puttin a small hole to their bed area at the mo the cut out is quite big, just thought so its less drafty. would the two of them be quite happy with one decent sized wabbit each day!?!?!?

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PERSONLY I QUIKLY SKIN THE PIGEONS INSTEAD OF PLUCKING TO REMOVE ALL THE POTENTUAL MITES ECT WHAT BIRDS can CARRY BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY CONTAGOUS TO FERRETS ASWELL AND ARE HARD WORK TO RID A ANIMAL FROM IF YOUR UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THEM ON YOUR FERRETS. I DONT SKIN RABBITS FOR FERRETS GUT THEM THOUGH OR I FIND GUTS GET ALL OVER THE PLACE AND STINK THE WHOLE COURT OUT.

Edited by Ferretertom
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just got two eight month old ferrets today (jills) how much food would you advise on giving them each day?? plus would you put a bowl of water in (they have a water bottle)

 

Your feeding enough if there is a little bit left after each sitting , young ferrets eat loads usually anyway :good:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm struggling to believe some of what I'm reading here.

 

Feed pigeons with feathers on. I have fed THOUSANDS of pigeons to ferrets over the past 10 years and have never once had any problem with mites. Not once.

 

Feed rabbits with fur on.

 

Whole carcass feeding is pretty much the only way to ensure that your ferrets are getting all the nutrients they require. Fur and feather is important to that.

 

Guts can be fed, I prefer to take them out, but that's purely to help me keep the court clean.

 

Follow these guidlines for pretty much everything you get your hands on and you won't go far wrong.

 

I'd only advise against feeding rats and mice. With these rodents, it's always safer to assume they have eaten rodenticide at somepoint.

 

Crows, magpies, rooks, rabbit, hare, woodpigeons, collared doves, pheasants, partridges, ducks, geese, deer (not whole, obviously), chickens ANYTHING.

 

I reckon that one rabbit between two ferrets each day is a bit much. Perhaps half a rabbit each day would be more on the mark. Just keep an eye on it, if they've eaten everything, good chance they need more. If they've left a little bit, you've got it just right.

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Ours live on cat food (tinned) and dry they're perfectly happy one of the hobs is a monster and works really well. None will touch un-cooked meat (the little snobs) though I'd like to get them used to eating rabbit to give them more of an instinct when working - The big hob didn't work very well until he made the connection between rabbits and food :unsure:

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My experiance they don't eat it and it starts to stink?.

 

I just chuck in what ever I shot during the day, at one point my ferrets where eating nothing but partridges that had died in the rearing sheads (during catching up)

 

IT SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN LONG ENOUGH TO STINK. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE STINKING FOOD.

any meat not eaten should be binned long befire it starts to stink

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