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Post by jennifer5799 on Jul 12, 2008 16:21:20 GMT -5
Even mentors have n00b questions sometimes, so don't feel bad I keep seeing Giuli say that you should have at least 3 types of meat, and then list "pork, chick, beef, rabbit, etc" My question is this - Are rats and mice considered different types of meat? The diet of my ferrets mainly consisted of adult mice and rats, and young (but fully developed) chickens. That's 3, right? They got other stuff, too, but this was the staple. Just curious
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Post by josiesmom on Jul 12, 2008 19:35:01 GMT -5
Yes Jenn, Rat meat IS different from mouse meat. Mice are actually more nutritious than rats. see this chart: www.anapsid.org/resources/preynutrients.html it is good to offer a variety of meaty items so that your ferrets don't get fixated, which would limit their nutrient sources. Cheers, Kim
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 12, 2008 19:43:32 GMT -5
Exactly. Basically I say offer atleast three sources of meat (and that can come from whole prey or from meaty items meant for human consumption). While it might be possible for a ferret to get by on a diet of only 1 type of meat, by switching up the meats you feed you can ensure that your ferret is getting the maximum nutrient diversity possible, thus preventing major deficiencies and issues
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Post by desertram on Jul 12, 2008 20:05:14 GMT -5
i need to get some more new meat and try it i want to get some beef and see how they like it i have some game meat in the freezer so when i go to cook some i will share it with them hope they would like it though. when i bought 1 chicken breast our friend in the meat dept said is this for the ferrets lol i said yes it is
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Post by jennifer5799 on Jul 12, 2008 21:35:45 GMT -5
So then, my staple diet of rat, mice and chicks (with other stuff thrown i occasionally) was ok then?
Thanks, guys!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 13, 2008 19:39:02 GMT -5
Yup Only thing I can think of is just vary the age of the mice and rats (feed mostly adults, but throw in some pinkies/fuzzies/hoppers for added variety) If you want a variety of ages of chick, check out Prey4Pets (they have them from 1 day old to like 4 weeks old. Rodent pro only has them from 1-3 days old.
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Post by suds on Jul 20, 2008 20:54:08 GMT -5
I have to say the more I read on this site the more I love it ... It's great to see even the mods ask question's where everyone can see and learn from . it can not be said enough how great it is that all of you take the time to help so many others . A great group of people here and thanks to all of you for sharing this with us all ..
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 20, 2008 21:06:18 GMT -5
Aw thank you very much! We are all just ferret lovers that have seen how horribly kibble can affect a ferret (or dog or cat). We are simply doing all we can to spread the word about how to properly feed and care for ferrets. Many people think natural feeding is insanely difficult....it is not. We are here to help with anything you might need. We want to see your ferret thrive on its diet (not just survive!) and live a long, happy, healthy life
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