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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2014 21:35:36 GMT -5
I do still want to feed bone but maybe only the whole ones 2 meals a week and then get ground from my pet carnivore. bella : Im going to slap myself for that one. knife sharpener----> check lol :face:
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 20, 2014 21:40:34 GMT -5
There isn't really a safer. You are freaked out right now (justifiably) but it really isn't something you should worry about. It happens, rarely more than once (they do learn from the experience). It's just something you've got to be aware of.
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 20, 2014 21:43:38 GMT -5
Also, I just read that you've been cutting up the bone in meats "small". I tend not to cut anything smaller than my thumb. That way it forces them to chew the bones. If you chop smaller than that they can either try and swallow them whole or not really chew on them to much. The more they have to chew the better.
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Post by Heather on Oct 20, 2014 21:43:44 GMT -5
How terrifying for you. Don't let the incident scare you. It happens on very rare occasions, most times it never causes damage. It's like shattering a tooth on bone (another fear). It does happen, it's very rare but it can occur. As stupid as it sounds, it's easier for them to handle the full sized bones vs short chopped up bones. Everyone's right, it's a learning curve. I had one boy, who was an absolute pro at getting smaller bones stuck on his back teeth. At first he would panic, charging around the house, gagging and retching, unlike your boy, it never punctured his skin but he would gag and eventually vomit. I would catch him and rescue him by sticking my finger in his mouth and flipping the offending bone chunk off his teeth. One day, I heard him retch and I knew...it was then I saw him roll over onto his side and flip the piece of bone with one of his claws. He never had an issue again with the bones getting stuck and requiring rescue. I watched one of the kits this year do the exact same thing. I was not looking forward to sticking my finger in his mouth. Turned out I didn't need to. With a shake of his head, he clamped down and shattered the bone like it didn't exist. The difference between raw fed from birth to being switched. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2014 22:00:25 GMT -5
Oh my... that is absolutely terrifying. I'm glad it wasn't something else or worse, I'm glad he's okay!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 9:09:45 GMT -5
I'm so glad to hear that Mayhem is okay. That must have been terribly frightening.
I was worried about bone in the beginning also. I crushed my bones into tiny, tiny pieces and then checked carefully thru for splinters. The I scissored the meat pieces into smaller pieces.
I have read from several of our experienced ferrents like Bitbyter, that's better to leave the pieces bigger. I was too afraid. We're on bigger pieces and there have been no scarey incidents. I think you had one of those raw incidents, like someone else said...a toddler choking on a green bean.
I'd go boneless for a few days and let Mayhem and his mouth get over this incident and then go back to his regular menu.
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Post by nancyl on Oct 21, 2014 12:34:42 GMT -5
Yeah, much better to leave bone in big pieces. I've never had to rescue anyone from a bone but Onyx is a pro at getting stringy meat stuck between his teeth. I leave him to work it out on his own since he could literally bite a finger off. They will learn from experience. Mine can gnaw a turkey leg bone down to a nub overnight. Chicken bones just disappear entirely.
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