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Post by tayrawrrr on Dec 30, 2010 22:29:54 GMT -5
...to raw/whole prey? What I mean is, are there any NEGATIVE behavior changes documented when switched to raw/whole prey?
I've never heard of it, but a man I talked to today brought up an interesting point to me. He said that he was reluctant to switch his ferrets to a raw/whole prey diet because in his thinking, it could trigger more wild instincts, making them more aggressive.
This seemed unfounded, to me. You do not hear of cats or dogs becoming aggressive after being switched to a raw diet, and ferrets have been domesticated for a long time, just like cats and dogs have!
I just want to make absolutely known that I DO NOT agree with this mans opinion. When I get my own little fuzz babies, I will definitely be switching them to a raw/whole prey diet! But I found it an interesting theory worth sharing and hearing everyones thoughts on!
-Taylar
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Post by Heather on Dec 30, 2010 22:43:05 GMT -5
It is totally false. If anything I've had aggressive fuzzes who have become much milder tempered by the switch. It gives something for them to sink their teeth into....the so called taste for blood is a false tale. My dog loves eating venison, but he doesn't chase deer (he would like to, but he knows he's not allowed to...he is after all a wolfhound and running prey is something that is bred deep into his psyche). Ferrets know the difference between food and fingers (toes in socks are a different story but that has nothing to do with a raw diet....there's a reason why these brats carry the reputation of being toe-sharks;) ) That reputation belongs to kibble fed brats too ciao
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Post by tayrawrrr on Dec 30, 2010 22:49:18 GMT -5
Hahaha Yes, I had a lab who used to chase the deer! He was nuts, used to scare me to death!! I was almost 100% sure that it was completely unfounded, but it was something I wanted clarification on!! Thanks so much for the info!
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Post by sunnyberra on Dec 30, 2010 22:52:17 GMT -5
ahahaha, NO . That's the most commonly spouted fallacy, and it's exactly that. Ferrets don't become more aggressive, because it takes advantage of those instincts and uses them, instead of ignoring them or trying to supplant them with poorer alternatives. At least in that one area, ferrets are being as they're designed to be. I find that Pixie (who's the only ferret I have, now, that was on kibble for any appreciable length of time) is much calmer now than she was before. She's more cuddly, and she doesn't act as hectic. In fact, I noticed *that* behavioral change a few weeks into the raw diet. My guys play tug-of-war with bone-in meals, but that just serves as a chance for exercise and to work out/reinforce the hierarchy, and they never, never act aggressive with me, even when they're in the middle of tussling over a RMB and I stick my hand in.
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Post by sherrylynne on Dec 30, 2010 23:07:40 GMT -5
It's actually calmed my biters down
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taratee
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 255
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Post by taratee on Dec 30, 2010 23:37:53 GMT -5
Its calmed all of my ferrets down, made my baby boys more playful and made my old adrenal ornery girl not stalk all my other ferrets so far.
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Post by bluemoose on Dec 31, 2010 4:28:55 GMT -5
You'll hear that little myth for as long as you have raw fed animals. People are convinced that feeding animals (especially dogs) raw will give them a taste for blood and turn them into vicious killers. I personally have never heard of this happening with any animal. My mother tried to insist it would make the ferrets bite her toes more because they would mistake toes for prey
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Post by sherrylynne on Dec 31, 2010 11:40:44 GMT -5
Well, toes DO kind of look like wiggly little pinkies
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Post by shilohismygirl on Dec 31, 2010 12:56:54 GMT -5
After gnawing on bones and ripping at flesh, who has the energy to be aggressive? Mine have only become milder and milder. It's part of them getting older, but they love food fights and tearing at their food
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Post by justahannah on Dec 31, 2010 20:38:58 GMT -5
I will say my cats have gone from hunting and leaving the prizes for me to find to actually eating them now that they know meat is food...if that means they have a taste for blood, I prefer it to stepping on dead animals first thing in the morning
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Post by Jackie on Dec 31, 2010 22:37:26 GMT -5
Ug, I hated that! My cats would bring in little geckos which are really really gross! They'd be on climbing on my walls missing their tail. Before I realize it, I'm stepping on their still wiggling tail! Yuck!
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Post by Heather on Dec 31, 2010 23:25:44 GMT -5
That offers a whole different perspective on things I never have to worry about the mice being left behind...the ferrets always get them ciao
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Post by tayrawrrr on Jan 1, 2011 17:22:05 GMT -5
Thank you for everyones' replies! (:
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 4, 2011 16:03:01 GMT -5
awesome! I got nonsense like this when I decided to switch my dogs (pitbulls) ya know because they are already baby killers, so giving them raw will make them blood thirsty baby killers...ugh! I actually had a guy follow me around PetSmart one day while I was prego with Abigail, I was walking Jezzebelle through the store and he kept going on and on about how I needed to get rid of Jezz because she was a pit and she would kill my baby...ugh! The store manager couldn't do anything about it either I my self haven't seen any difference in anyones behavior that I would call negative since making the switch. One thing I have noticed is that the dogs are less likely to chew on random things left around the house because they are chewing on bones. As for the Fuzz I haven't seen a difference.
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 4, 2011 17:22:19 GMT -5
Ugh that guy sounds so stupid! I would have been mega mad!Nobody has any right to say those things to a person
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