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Post by whipple on Feb 1, 2009 22:11:47 GMT -5
So I gave the ferts a whole rabbit once. Nasty! Thankfully it was dead first. Anyhow, I think it was fed right before it was killed, dont ask me how I know. Anyhow, are rabbits supposed to have all the insides removed first, or do you leave it in and let them eat everything they want? Even undigested food? I would love to know for next time I give a rabbit.
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Post by sherrylynne on Feb 1, 2009 22:45:51 GMT -5
The only rabbit I can get has the head, fur, and guts removed. I get it from a raw feeding pet store. I would imagine you could give it to them intact, if they are used to that. Otherwise, I'd at least cut it open, so they know there are goodies inside all that fur!
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Post by harrisi on Feb 2, 2009 4:27:34 GMT -5
What you have to remember is rabbits keep un-digested grass/hays and poop inside after they are killed and I have found the ferrets take a liking to this (nice, no?) but I dont like them eating the grass, you also dont know what else they have eating wich could be anything poisonous to ferrets but that aside, I always gut rabbits in the field just after they are killed to A check the liver is healthy (the condition of the liver is one of the main indications of a healthy or sick rabbits ) and B stop/slow down the meat tainting. The only guts I leave in is the heart and lungs. They also get this 4x per week and I have no problems. Also - if you have it ungutted, then if you want to take out any certain guts or check the liver be aware it stinks worse then the rabbit itself! That is one smell that will stay with you forever.
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Post by Heather on Feb 2, 2009 13:30:00 GMT -5
I've fed whole rabbit and like harrisi, I removed the guts, and intestinal track (I get tired of finding the guts and intestinal track from the rats, I sure didn't want to find the insides of an animal twice the size). Mine weren't fresh but frozen so I just thawed a little and cut the rabbit in half and removed the stomach and intestines. It just came out nicely and didn't smell half as bad as it would if it hadn't been frozen. My guys loved it. You should have heard the squeeking, hissing and general bickering. Of course watching a rabbit being dragged off down the hallway with 15 ferrets in hot persuit is rather amusing too. ciao
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Post by harrisi on Feb 2, 2009 14:02:38 GMT -5
Of course watching a rabbit being dragged off down the hallway with 15 ferrets in hot persuit is rather amusing too. ciao We sometimes feed the rabbits just after dispatching when they are kicking and the ferrets are convinced they still have to "kill" it. Great to watch and the live feeders will eat it so it works great.
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Post by Heather on Feb 2, 2009 23:33:11 GMT -5
I"m sure my guys would love them to still be warm. I know they certainly enjoy their mice better if they're fresh. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for my roses and other shrubs we don't have any rabbits. With a large hunting population of wolves and coyotes in the area there are very few small animals in the area. We did have a resident ground hog but one night the wolf pack got him in our back yard. We never have any strays. Someone suggested that the lack of stray cats might be the work of a fisher which we also have but I've not seen one in our area. The mink and ermine are the only hunters of that ilk that I've seen in our area. ciao
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Post by sherrylynne on Feb 3, 2009 9:44:21 GMT -5
I hate to say it, but the lack of stray cats would def. be due to the work of the wolves and coyotes, not a fisher!
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Post by harrisi on Feb 3, 2009 10:50:15 GMT -5
I"m sure my guys would love them to still be warm. I know they certainly enjoy their mice better if they're fresh. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for my roses and other shrubs we don't have any rabbits. With a large hunting population of wolves and coyotes in the area there are very few small animals in the area. We did have a resident ground hog but one night the wolf pack got him in our back yard. We never have any strays. Someone suggested that the lack of stray cats might be the work of a fisher which we also have but I've not seen one in our area. The mink and ermine are the only hunters of that ilk that I've seen in our area. ciao Try talk to some butchers or game keepers, they will usually be happy to get rid of the rabbit carcass' once killed or falconers!
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Post by harrisi on Feb 3, 2009 10:50:45 GMT -5
I hate to say it, but the lack of stray cats would def. be due to the work of the wolves and coyotes, not a fisher! Yep, but when you think about it that is a good thing .
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Post by Heather on Feb 3, 2009 13:11:26 GMT -5
Rabbit is very difficult to come by here. I can get rabbit from the butcher but it's already dressed and frozen. I've never even seen it fresh and dressed. Years ago my father used to hunt rabbit, but that was a long time ago, much farther north than I am here. Hunters hunted more for food rather than sport (to supplement the food on the table) which is the hunters I know here Rabbits are too small, when you hunt for sport you hunt deer and trophy meats One of my suppliers was talking about being able to get rabbit in the spring, but they will be frozen. Oh well, my brats will just have to make do with eating fresh mice and frozen rabbits. It's better than kibbles in every way In regard to the fisher, they have been sighted just north of here, not many miles and they've been moving south ever since they brought them to a few parks to control the porcupine population (fishers are one of the few animals that actually hunt porcupines). Here's an excerpt out of an article about living with fishers **Do protect pets and poultry. Fishers are predators that prey on medium sized mammals and poultry. Fishers do view domestic cats and rabbits as food and will prey on them when hunting. They will also raid chicken coops and can kill numerous chickens at a time. For their safety, cats should be kept indoors at all times. Pet rabbits and poultry should be kept in tightly secured buildings or hutches that prevent access by fishers.** Areas that have these cunning little predators have no stray small pets and people who have allowed their cats to be outdoors, have lost them. ciao
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