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Post by horse656 on Aug 15, 2010 10:18:32 GMT -5
i can just imagine that that. i got some pictures of Belle and Pebbles eating it. i think Pebbles prefers a late breakfast. i saw her eating it later. can they eat chicken feet? i wasn't sure so we didn't buy any. what types of fish should they eat? anything non salt water? i woudl think fresh water fish would be better for them? are duck bones too thick for them to eat? or are yours just picky about it?
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 15, 2010 22:47:08 GMT -5
Yes, they can eat any part of the chicken. As for fish, fresh water are definitely better, simply because of toxin build up. Small fish ingests something like mercury, which is eaten by a larger fish who's already ingested mercury, who is eaten by an even larger fish who has ingested mercury...you get the idea. And yes, the effect is cumulative. And since most fresh water fish are smaller, added to the fact that there tend to be fewer toxins in running water, they are generally just the better bet. And sorry, I forgot to answer that last one Wing tips are easy enough, and the neck and ribs. The rest of the bone is rather dense. Mine have been eating bone for two years, and still can't manage to break up the duck bones(other than those I listed above). They will, however, eat the knobby ends off all the bone, though.
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Post by horse656 on Aug 17, 2010 14:42:16 GMT -5
ok. so not a lot of duck bones in a row then. oh, I'm going camping on Thursday night to sometime Monday, or Sunday, so i won't be on until then. that's all i can think about for now.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 17, 2010 18:13:11 GMT -5
Ok, have fun, and I'll talk to you later
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Post by horse656 on Aug 19, 2010 7:36:36 GMT -5
they didn't eat last night, which is really weird. it was quail, and they liked it before. they get it this morning and organ tonight, so i don't have to take it out. but i'm still confused.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 19, 2010 10:55:55 GMT -5
Are the pieces larger? Or is it slightly "off"? Or even from a different supplier? And yes- that can make a difference, believe it or not If I get mice from my usual whole prey provider, they gobble them up. If I get them from the pet store because I've run out early- they'll eat them, but reluctantly, and not the entire mouse. Same with the grizzly salmon oil. If I get a different brand- they've got no interest Again- if the chunks are much larger than they are accustomed to, they'll simply move them around. Same goes if the meat is slightly off.
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Post by horse656 on Aug 19, 2010 11:27:47 GMT -5
no, it was the same quail in the package from before. maybe because it was just the whole half and not quarters. but i don't see why they wouldn't eat it because its bigger?
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 20, 2010 0:28:17 GMT -5
I've just started MAKING mine take larger pieces. Yes, they've been spoiled, and they flatly refused to touch anything larger than mouse sized bits . Shall we just say ferrets tend to be lazy feeders If they can get you to do the work of chopping it up so they don't have to, they will!
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Post by horse656 on Aug 22, 2010 15:10:31 GMT -5
yea, i think they also know that they get different foods each day, so i think if they don't want to eat it they'll wait for me to take it out and put different things in. so basically just keep trying with bigger pieces? are rinds ok for them to eat? obiviously raw. i'm not sure what they're off of though. pork or beef.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 22, 2010 16:58:03 GMT -5
As long as it's not from a smoked or treated piece of meat, it's fine. Good jaw action for them And for the size, yes, just keep putting in larger pieces. I've got mine up to whole drumsticks/thighs now. I still have to slash them to the bone so they hang off, but they are finally getting the idea
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Post by horse656 on Aug 24, 2010 9:46:13 GMT -5
ok. that's awesome is too much duck bad for them? they've had duck for a few days now. i've heard it's fatty? is that true? belle could use some more weight. but Pebbles is almost two pounds now. we'll see how much she weights at the vet today. they get heart tonight. and more bones tomorrow. i think I'll give them some chicken.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 25, 2010 0:16:24 GMT -5
The general idea is at least 3 proteins spread out for the week, so yes, if they were to get straight duck for weeks on end, they could, theoretically, have nutritional deficiencies. Having it a few days in a row is only going to maybe put them off duck for a month or so. They do get tired of having the same thing day after day
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Post by horse656 on Aug 25, 2010 10:47:56 GMT -5
yea i get that. they absolutely stopped eating the chicken for awhile when it was the only thing i had with bones in it. they're getting chicken tonight just to see if they want to eat it again,
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 25, 2010 21:54:00 GMT -5
And if they aren't ready for it yet, don't give up on it. Just try them with it again later. What other bones are they getting now, besides chicken, I mean.
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Post by horse656 on Aug 26, 2010 8:25:34 GMT -5
duck and quail. they haven't really eaten the duck bones, just chewed on the ends and the wing tips.
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