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Post by cristina on Nov 14, 2008 18:12:10 GMT -5
My little Mimi (less than a year old), has the horrible habit of stashing EVERY piece of meat she can get her teeth into. I humored it for a while since I thought it was pretty funny , but its gotten so bad to the point where she brings a huge raw chicken thigh (bone and all) to bed with her every night and I am sick of washing everything every day >:(so I am going to do the meat on a hook theme. My question/concern right now is the carpet.... I have picked up SOOO much raw meat from under the furniture that was raw (and the only way I knew it was there is because it started to smell absolutely foul some places and sure enough I would like a huge piece of meat like a week old!!! ) So I know my chances of contracting or even having salmonella anywhere are pretty high right now , and I need to clean the carpet to take it out incase its growing! What can kill salmonella that is also ok for carpet? what would anyone suggest I use, or even steps to take in making sure I dont have salmonella anywhere? ;D
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Post by sherrylynne on Nov 14, 2008 18:36:48 GMT -5
Although it's probably not as environmentally friendly, I'm a big believer in ammonia. I use 1 cup to 1 liter of water in my shampooer. It doesn't take more than a couple hours to dry if you don't soak the carpet, and once it's dry, there's no smell or residue. I just don't let the ferts out to run until it's dry!
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Post by spiritualtramp on Nov 14, 2008 20:30:14 GMT -5
Honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about salmonella growing and festering in your carpet. I'm not sure it can survive long without food. I don't have carpeting, but my kids do like to stash their meat in some places that I am not too happy about. Have you tried training them to use a feeding den? I am in the process of this and so far, so good!!
As for cleaning the carpet, I'm not sure. I use vinegar on my floors, as it's antibacterial and absorbs odors. I suppose you could use that on carpets too, and then once it's dry, sprinkle baking soda over the area and vacuum. That should cut down on odors, too.
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Post by luci on Nov 14, 2008 21:14:41 GMT -5
Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong, but like spiritualtramp said salmonella can't survive on something inorganic like carpet. My ferrets have stashed meat under furniture on the carpet and honestly I haven't worried about it. Mostly because the cats eat it if I don't get to it in the first five seconds they put it there. There's your answer... another raw fed animal to act as your clean up crew. Must be small enough to reach into ferret hidey holes.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Nov 15, 2008 23:34:31 GMT -5
I wouldnt worry honestly. My carpet is regularly covered in raw meat. I've never gotten sick and I lay on the carpet all the time.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Nov 16, 2008 10:59:36 GMT -5
The carpet in my ferret room is disgusting - it's this peachy salmon color too.!!! (The carpet need replacement10 years ago). As long as yo don't have children crawling around on the floor after feedings, the food cooties will probably go away with normal carpeting cleaning and time. The Key is preventing future stashing - feeding dens can help with this. Here is how I feed.. I provide two wet raw meals per day and supervise the eating. (I use feeding dens.) Between meals, I provide freeze-dried raw treats or freeze-dried balance/complete diets (Like STella & chewy's steaks or wysong's archetypal I. The freeze-dried stuff cleans up easily with a vacuum - and it just gets stale - it don't ot (at least not in our dry colorado climate. I agree that the stashing of wet raw meat is really obnoxious! -jennifer
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