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Post by jeepmanager on Jan 23, 2011 20:57:56 GMT -5
Unfortunately I didn't take any pics as I wanted to have all hands on deck and didn't expect such a proficient little killer. Today Molly killed her first and second hopper mouse (I bought two to have the cat around to help her figure out what to do). Stewart (the cat) didn't even have a chance to check his out and they were both dead. Now that she's actually killed something instead of it being a previously frozen item she seems to be much more interested in hoarding them. She hasn't actually eaten anything yet, but she has been chewing a bit at them and when we let her out of the bathtub to see where her priority was, she went to her cage, grabbed a mouthful of kibble, spit it out, and came back to the bathroom to try and get back in there. Because she's showing way more interest then I could have hoped, we've sacrificed a towel that she's chosen to burrow in with the dead mice. I've shut the door to her room and turned off the lights. I'm hoping between the warm fresh kill, the nocturnal hunting/eating instinct, and the fake "tunnel" she might eat a piece or two before a couple hours pass and I have to feed them to the dogs. GO MOLLY!!!!!!!
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Post by Heather on Jan 23, 2011 21:05:22 GMT -5
Yay Molly . You go girl. Don't take her rodents away. You can leave them with her for quite a time. All things being equal she should eat the heads off those rodents first ciao
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Post by jeepmanager on Jan 23, 2011 21:13:02 GMT -5
How long can she stash the dead rodents before I should dispose of them? I figure only about 2-3hrs
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Post by jeepmanager on Jan 23, 2011 21:15:38 GMT -5
Sorry, one more question. She's stashed them in her little food hoard but has now gone on to life as normal. Will she return to them or should I just be really happy with the experience so far and pick this up with a new mouse tomorrow night?
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Post by Jackie on Jan 23, 2011 21:32:22 GMT -5
It's quite possible she'll return to them. Some ferrets just get too distracted to eat right away. Mine like to graze on their food over about 8 hours. I just leave their food bowl in an open area where they can easily access it. The mice should be good for at least 12 hours, but probably more.
Mine especially love to stash chunks of chicken wings and eat them a day or two later. It's pretty gross, but they seem to enjoy them.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 23, 2011 21:42:39 GMT -5
I usually leave the mice in with mine for about 24 hours. Normally, they are pretty much gone by then.
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Post by weloveourweasels on Jan 23, 2011 23:08:09 GMT -5
Yup she can have any whole prey (anything with fur or feathers) for up to 24 hours. The fur/feathers protect the meat from bacteria. She most likely does not want you to watch her eat and would rather go into a feeding den. Something as simple as a soda box works. She should then eat it soon.
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