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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 9:31:05 GMT -5
Ordering from a commercial raw provider such as HareToday or MyPetCarnivore is another option. If you have trouble finding hearts you definitely need to always have some taurine on hand. Also look for beef tongue. Unfortunately while it is a lot for the mixed package, when it comes to the overall diet 15 hearts really isn't very many. :/ They need a meal and a half each week of hearts. With only 15 hearts per pack of gizzard if you are buying enough to get enough heart you are quickly going to accumulate a LOT of excess gizzards. Try googling local butchers, Asian matkets, ethnic markets, and halal markets. Beef tongue is an acceptable substitute for heart if needed as well. Lots of people like tongue sandwiches so maybe that will be easier to find if you still can't find Enough hearts. Would lamb tongue work too?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 9:33:23 GMT -5
@deariie I still get that reaction all the time. "You're looking for WHAT?? For ferrets? " The best is when I want more chicken feet. Like they are surprised someone actually wants them. Lol
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 11:10:42 GMT -5
@dani I know, the meat guys are always like "Chicken HEARTS?" and then I go on and say "Yeah, and any other animal parts." and they just shake their head to say no. The chicken feet on the other hand are really easy to get here though. But I have yet to give that to my ferrets.
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Post by gfountain on Oct 16, 2014 12:42:47 GMT -5
@dani, the only tongue that we have accurate taurine information on is beef tongue. Theoretically, the tongue of any ruminant should be fine, but since we have no information on the taurine level of sheep tongue, we cannot definitely say it will replace heart in the menu.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 13:52:37 GMT -5
gfountain alright, I have one and have yet to figure out when to use it. @deariie Loki loves chicken feet. The first one he just liked stashing it and chewing on it. But recently he started eating the toes. But he lets it get jerkified first. It surprisingly didn't become smelly or weird. But I would hear him crunching on it by the couch, which is one of his preferred stashing places. I pulled out some and forgot to take them to my mom's house. She is ferret sitting for me this weekend while I am out of town.
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Post by gfountain on Oct 16, 2014 14:03:33 GMT -5
It's a muscle meat. You should have a couple of muscle meals each week that are NOT heart. Just stick it in there somewhere. :thumbsup:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 11:10:27 GMT -5
@dani that's kinda gross LOL Aren't there toenails still left on chicken feet? Does Loki eat that too?
I will definitely try to give mine some later on after I've got past the soupie stage.
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Post by katt on Oct 17, 2014 17:33:17 GMT -5
Ordering from a commercial raw provider such as HareToday or MyPetCarnivore is another option. If you have trouble finding hearts you definitely need to always have some taurine on hand. Also look for beef tongue. Unfortunately while it is a lot for the mixed package, when it comes to the overall diet 15 hearts really isn't very many. :/ They need a meal and a half each week of hearts. With only 15 hearts per pack of gizzard if you are buying enough to get enough heart you are quickly going to accumulate a LOT of excess gizzards. Try googling local butchers, Asian matkets, ethnic markets, and halal markets. Beef tongue is an acceptable substitute for heart if needed as well. Lots of people like tongue sandwiches so maybe that will be easier to find if you still can't find Enough hearts. Would lamb tongue work too? The only tongue we have taurine data on is beef unfortunately. :/
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 21:22:04 GMT -5
Can you order meat from out of state? I am not sure about this, but if so I have a source in Montana where you can buy 5lb bags of chicken hearts.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 20:28:24 GMT -5
@poncesmom katt Heather gfountainI found a huge pack of hearts at a super asian market about 40 minutes away! Can you guys tell me, is there a big difference between packaged hearts vs. freshly butchered hearts? Pic!
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Post by katt on Oct 22, 2014 1:04:09 GMT -5
No there shouldn't be any difference between freshly butchered vs packaged as long as they are not seasoned, salted, preserved, or processed.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2014 9:09:25 GMT -5
Yeah for finding hearts. I buy mine in packages, both the duck hearts and the chicken hearts. I look for the freshest looking hearts. I bought from a chicken farmer once. The only difference was the price, the farmer's hearts were more expensive.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2014 19:44:20 GMT -5
@deariie my family laughs at me but I cut the talons off. I have no idea if they \could\ eat them or not. I'm concerned about them cutting his mouth, or worse yet, something on the inside. So I don't want to risk it.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2014 22:20:05 GMT -5
My thoughts exactly! I will probably do the same.
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Post by katt on Oct 26, 2014 2:30:12 GMT -5
They can eat the whole thing.
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