Hey guys. Anybody feed their ferrets a whole prey diet? Right now mine are eating zupreem, but once im producing rats quickly enough I intend to switch them over eating 1 Medium prekilled rat a day each. But ive got a few questions about the logistics.

1) How long do I leave the food out for them? I dont want them to run around and hide dead rats everywhere so Im makung them a playpen to eat and sleep in. I dont want the food to rot, but I dont want them stuck in a pen all day waiting for them to eat it either yaknow?

2) How should I present the rat? Do I just kill it, and give it to them? Am I supposed to drain it of blood and chop it into bits and present it like wet food? etc.

3) How long will it take for the raw diet to start benefiting them? Ive got one ferret whose fat like you wouldnt beleive, and wont stop eating, another another ferret(a rescue who was SEVERELY underweight when I got him 2 months ago) who eats, but he just seems to be getting a potbelly instead of actually gaining weight.

Thanks for reading guys, I appreciate it = D