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Post by tss on Jan 7, 2009 15:56:59 GMT -5
I know, I know... A mentor asking a food related question?? "gasp"...
Lillian, Ravi and Jillian all took to mice right away. Weezer never did, I tried right before we got Ravi and haven't tried since. I've tried splitting the bellies open and he still refused. He won't take rabbit pinkies either but he recently became very interested in them.
I figured I'd ask for advice since I'm going to try getting a bag of mice over the next few days.
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Post by bigsis7 on Jan 8, 2009 18:05:09 GMT -5
Well when I fed my Ollie I tied a string to the mouse, put egg yolk on it, and dragged it around like a toy, so if Weezer likes those kind of toys that might be fun for him.
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Post by tss on Jan 8, 2009 22:21:53 GMT -5
I can give that a try.. I'm not to sure about dragging a yolky mouse around on the hardwood floors but I still have some raw powders left over from his addiction so I can try coating the mouse in that.
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Post by bigsis7 on Jan 9, 2009 15:14:50 GMT -5
Haha yeah that might not work so well. I just dragged it around in the bath tub. Let us know how it goes!
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Post by Heather on Jan 10, 2009 0:11:40 GMT -5
Isn't funny some of the guys go straight and eat the mice and others look at you like ....you want me to eat WHAT??? The string thing is indeed a good idea. Actually, know of a couple of people who did the whole game of catch the dead mousy but they just served it dry, straight up (didn't bread or marinate it ) Have you thought about feeding some pinkies to start and work your way up. I had a couple who appeared to be very intimidated by the fur. Not that I would suggest mousy soupies but someone on line did that...put the mousy in the blender As you've already tried the gutting, I suppose that cutting it in half wouldn't be any different. I did that for some rabbits that I got. They were young rabbits but my guys (despite most of them having a couple of years of eating rats) just couldn't get past all that fur. So, I just cut them in half. One day they got the feet and tail and the next day they got the head. That seemed to go over much better than presenting them with the whole bunny. Just a couple of ideas and don't be down on yourself about needing a mentor when you are one. The best thing in the world is being able to say you need help even when you're the one normally offering it Good luck ciao
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Post by suds on Jan 10, 2009 13:31:25 GMT -5
sometimes something as simple as warming it up can intice them to try it put the mice in a baggie and sumerce it in warm water to bring the temp up to normal live body temp., Putting the mice in a blender or food proccer is not that easy and there is a distinct smell to it too so beware lol.
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Post by Heather on Jan 10, 2009 13:45:58 GMT -5
Whoooo that sounds like experience talking I couldn't do it. I just know it was suggested and it's always an option I have a hard enough time having to bring up one of the bins and allowing a couple of my guys to do a bath tub slaughter I'm such a woos. The only reason why I keep it up is the fact that they enjoy it so much (both the kill and the meal) and that paying someone to kill a mouse at $2 to $3 per mouse (buying pet store frozen) is just too expensive when there are 16 furbabies to feed. Ghenghis and Napoleon had the joy of slaughter today. I'm ok once it's done but I hate it when they botch a kill. ciao
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Post by tss on Jan 10, 2009 20:39:14 GMT -5
I tried the string thing but without the powder or yolk. At first Ravi and Lilly wouldn't even eat it but with someone squeeking it excited Lilly and got her started.. We did that in the bathtub but moved the operation to the cage and Lilly and Ravi started eating.. I held Weezer and bumped his nose with a half eaten mouse and he crinkeled his nose and licked it once then ran away. I might try pinkies soon, we are going back to the place on Monday but I think you have to buy 100 at a time... I don't remember how much they costed..
I will try warming one up too, but I probably won't attempt anything for a couple more days...
I will also (probably) try a live mouse too.. I don't know if I'll unleash all of them on one mouse or get them each one "shrug"
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 10, 2009 22:49:28 GMT -5
I started mine(even the one convinced that everything new is poisoning him) with chopped up pinkies for a couple of months, and just worked up from there. I chopped it frozen(much easier!) into 7-8 pieces, then 4-5 pieces, etc. Took a couple months, but they are now on large hoppers(intact!), and next week, adult mice!
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