People with ferret courts!

[Brimmer 220]

Right, I have 13 ferrets at the moment, all split up between 6 cages at present, (I have 8 big cages by the way, with mesh outdoor cages to go with them.)

 

I split the animals up so that each matches itself in the cage, so as not to hog the food. Even in these circumstances, one can sometimes get the better share of the food.

 

I'm not after answers like, feed them till they have stopped eating, as i know that overweight ferrets will just jack in, it's a fact, Fat ferrets do not do the job properly.

Nor am I saying starve a ferret, you will get lay ups then.

 

All I want to know, is how the people that have courts can regulate the food so one ferret is not hogging the food, whilst another loses out and does not get enough.

 

The courts are a great spot to get ferrets fit and active and sociable, but does every aspect of there life revolve around 'The Court'? or do they get fed seperatley?

[Kay 3,709]

I found the easiest way to tell if they were all getting there share was by handling daily , they loose weight quickly so it soons becomes apparent then just sort out who you think needs a little extra & you tend to sus out the pigs as well & as long as there not getting like tubs of lard leave them to it

[Brimmer 220]

Yep thats exactly what I do Kay, and it's easy to prevent any animal from losing weight (or gaining it) by monitoring each individual on it's frame by handling them.

 

Do people take them to one side and feed them? Even if i let 2 loose in the yard, one can always hogg the food.

[RAPID7LIAM 7]

I try to let my poley get a head start at the bowl while i handle albino because it's getting like a house end but he just grabs what food he can and stores it in the corner and comes back for more and hides it in the bed chamber, so when i do put the albino back in the hutch he justs mooches about and eats it anyway.

[Brimmer 220]

Sounds like one of the natural hoovers in life! I have a few of them! (I'm one myself!)

[Malt 379]

I had this problem when I had a pair at the start of last year. The hob was eating way more than he needed, and the jill was getting thin.

 

I solved the problem by bulk feeding them every other night. That way, the hob would eat until he couldn't eat any more, and the jill would still have enough.

 

It seemed to work after a bit of fine tuning, I had to cut the amount down when they both started getting fat!

[Brimmer 220]

I had this problem when I had a pair at the start of last year. The hob was eating way more than he needed, and the jill was getting thin.

 

I solved the problem by bulk feeding them every other night. That way, the hob would eat until he couldn't eat any more, and the jill would still have enough.

 

It seemed to work after a bit of fine tuning, I had to cut the amount down when they both started getting fat!

Makes perfect sense thanks Maltenby.

[Kay 3,709]

Yep thats exactly what I do Kay, and it's easy to prevent any animal from losing weight (or gaining it) by monitoring each individual on it's frame by handling them.

 

Do people take them to one side and feed them? Even if i let 2 loose in the yard, one can always hogg the food.

 

The only time i have ever seperated is if i have had kits here in the past & theres been lots of rivalry over food i just split into groups of 2's & fed like that for a week or so if they were really bad

[Kay 3,709]

I had this problem when I had a pair at the start of last year. The hob was eating way more than he needed, and the jill was getting thin.

 

I solved the problem by bulk feeding them every other night. That way, the hob would eat until he couldn't eat any more, and the jill would still have enough.

 

It seemed to work after a bit of fine tuning, I had to cut the amount down when they both started getting fat!

Makes perfect sense thanks Maltenby.

 

Thats another option put in more than they can possibly eat

[RAPID7LIAM 7]

Thats also what i've just started doing for the last week, feed them every other day and still let the poley in to get he's fill first, he might suss out soon if he leaves it in the corner too long it's gonna get eaten by the other.

[sue 1]

i feed mine every day

[Brimmer 220]

It's a balancing act to get the animals in fine form, splitting them up into pigs+pigs, lightweight + lightweight in a cage has worked.

They do get fat during summer, but this is more to me not really caring weather they are fit at this time of year.

[RAPID7LIAM 7]

i feed mine every day

 

So did i till me albino was getting fat, if i just leave it to do what it wants it might end up doing it's self some harm.

[will.f11 24]

Surely you will need a lorry to keep each one of them big dog ferrets in Brim

[doddsy1970 9]

I free feed mine with 30 ferrets its hars to regulate their food but they do have a large area to run about and keep fit. My personal opinion is that like people you get the greedy ones and the ones which think ive had my fill i dont want any more