From:
ifixrex2000@yahoo.com
Date: 2002-07-17 13:14:59 UTC
Subject: RE: Ferret with Allergies
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7464160.1026911699571.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Mary,
We have been feeding our insulinoma ferrets Gerber stage 2 turkey baby food in an automatic feeder for a couple of years. We don't use the ice pak. We set it to open every 3 hours while we are at work. We mix in ground kibble during the times we are at home and can heat the baby food and then put the kibble in and serve it hot. But if you mix the kibble in the meals you set in the timer they get to dry to eat. Sometimes I know our ferret sleeps through both bowls opening and then eats both meals at one time. Even though the straight baby food gets a thin film over the top in the timer bowl, our ferret almost always eats the food. He always has dry kibble and cheerios available.
This timer bowl has been a life saver for us since we both work. THere is always the possibility that the insulinomic ferret won't wake up to eat the food, but at least it gives an option for feeding baby food without them eating it all in the morning before you leave.
Also, we bought a second timer bowl for those really desperate times when we are going to be gone for like 12 hours. We have not had trouble with the baby food going bad, but maybe we should be a little more cautious.
Hope this helps
Author wrote:
> My 7.5 year old male ferret(Zeke) was recently diagnosed with allergies(inhaled, contact and food. My ferret is on two medications (Pediapred and Hydroxyzine). My ferret will only eat if his food is mixed with Gerber Chicken Baby Food or A/D and the kibble food must be ground to a soupy oatmeal consistency. Can he eat the baby food cold and how often is he suppose to eat? We've been putting food in an automatic feeder and trying to feed him every 3 to 5 hours but Gerber told me that I shouldn't leave their food out longer than an hour. The feeder has an icepack below the food which I've been using.