Am I missing some thrifty secret? LOL

[bindiferret89]

I just joined Dogster because I'm interested in raw diets for dogs, cats, and ferrets, and I'm thinking about talking to my mom about switching my dog Shadow to a raw diet. I searched through their threads to find how much it costs to feed a dog Shadow's size (which would require about a pound of food a day, so 30lbs a month or so) and they're all saying they pay $30/month for 30lbs of meat!

My ferrets eat roughly a pound a day among the 5 of them when they're packing on winter weight, a little less in summer, but I feel like I'm paying way more than $30 a month! That's $1 per pound of meat. Am I missing some thrifty secret?

If I could get meat for $1 a pound, I could feed my dog AND all my ferrets for $60/month, which is still $20 less than I was paying a month for kibble.

[Heather]

You're not really missing anything but there are methods to make the whole buying thing a little cheaper. I rarely buy at a grocery store unless it's a really good sale. I managed to pick up these huge pork roasts for $1 per pound but had to buy it as a whole piece (about 20 or so lbs) I pay about $1 lb for a lot of my meat. I belong to a local coop which gets me a lot of the more basic meats. I just picked up 150 lbs of turkey hearts, gizzards and livers. It cost me $116. I can get a case of chicken backs and ribs for about $8 for a 45 lbs case. I'm getting a case of beef hearts this weekend for about $60 for 55 lbs. Now, I pay $6 for a pound of quail pieces and about $7 for a pound of rabbit pieces, but I get those at a specialty pet food store (it would be like buying from one of your online shops like rodentpro, except they don't carry mice ). I raise my own mice but that's not cheap (I'm too afraid to figure out how much that costs me but I do know it's cheaper than going out and buying the little cusses. Rats I pay $1 per rat. The thing to keep the costs down is owning a freezer or two. I have two of the largest freezers available for home use. I keep one in my garage and the other in my basement. At the moment they're both full.
ciao

[bindiferret89]

OK, just made about a zillion phone calls and I am so frustrated!

None of the butchers in my area slaughter their own animals or have leftovers from animals they'd be willing to give away or sell. One place even to me that was illegal, even for pet consumption, but I don't think that's true since nobody else mentioned it.

Grrr...I was hoping to find a butcher who would cut me a deal, which would cut my costs down.

I still have one butcher I left a message for about 20 min. from here and I even emailed the agricultural department at Penn State to see if they have any ideas since there are sooo many farms around here.

I also put an ad on craigslist today to see if anyone is cleaning out their freezers.

Guess we'll see what happens...

[sherrylynne]

Also check to see if there are any slaughter houses in your area. You can sometimes pick things up there cheap.

[lnsybean44]

I usuall buy turkey and chickens when they are under $1 a pound and stock up. I get beef under $2 per pound and stock up. I think the biggest thing is buying when there are sales and storing the meat. I splurge on occasion with rabbit, duck veal etc. But even then I wait until they go on sale

[Heather]

If you're talking to butchers might I make a small suggestion....go there, don't phone them. I talk to them in person. The worst case scenario, they think I'm absolutely nuts, best case .....I've had food for my furkids of over 3 yrs and some of the highest quality organic meat. They won't do business with you over the phone. It is against the law for them to sell or discount to you. Reason....some people will eat that stuff and if they got ill, they would be responsible. I don't know very many butchers who kill or even really butcher their own meats. I hit it lucky because the butcher I was dealing with would dress the deer shot during hunting season. My guys ate very very well. Unfortunately, for me, he moved to a larger city center. I did notice that it looks like someone may be taking over his shop....here it goes again....the crazy ferret lady begging meat for her furbabies
ciao

[bindiferret89]

Patience paid off...my dad connected me with a butcher where he lives an hour away from here who will give me organs and scraps for free! All I have to do is call them at the beginning of the week when they do their butchering and pick it up on the weekend. I have lots of family over that way, so I can visit them while I'm over there and make it worth the gas I'm spending to get there. Of course, it evens out since I'd be spending that money on ferret food at the grocery store anyway!

[Heather]

Good footwork
ciao