Finding different proteins (and parts) in the UK???

[RedSky]

I've seen lots of talk about going to Asian Markets and a few links to online places to buy different things for people in the USA and wondered if anyone knew of anywhere I might be able to find things?
I live sort of between Halifax and Manchester/Rochdale (but closer to Halifax) and I'm struggling to find things for the ferrets. I have all the basics, like heart, liver, kidney, the 'normal' meats and bone in stuff. But I want MORE!
Specifically I want to find some more whole prey type stuff to try them on, I don't want to order from most reptile food places as shipping is ridiculous and I only want a few of each to try first. Any idea where I should be looking?


And can I feed pigeon? I've read in a lot of places that it shouldn't be fed because of diseases and parasites so shouldn't be fed raw to dogs or birds of prey but then I haven't seen anything specific to ferrets. I have one in the freezer that I got from the butchers (so sold to be cooked and eaten by people). 

[Deleted]

Did a search on forum for pigeon and found a message between miamiferret2 and Heather--not much info-- other than freezing for two weeks--maybe somebody will give u some info

[Deleted]

A quick search of Find Asian Markets near West Yorkshire UK brought up this:

www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Asian+Supermarket&find_loc=Leeds%2C+West+Yorkshire

Devon County Ferrets is about five hours from you, but you might go to their website and ask them. They are a breeder and might have some suggestions for you.

www.devoncountryferrets.co.uk/

[RedSky]

Thank you @poncesmom that is so helpful. Unfortunately Leeds is further than I can travel at the moment (healt issues) but once I'm feeling better if I head over that way I will definitely have to have a look. I've tried looking for ones closer to home but the closest is Manchester which is probably still closer than Leeds but too far for me to travel. Maybe waiting until I am better is going to be the only option here. Thank you again for finding that site.

I loved watching DCF babies, they were so so so cute. I shall ask and see what they say. In the future once I'm a much better and more knowledgeable ferrent I would really like a few of their babies, if they are still breeders by then.

[crazylady]

Hi pigeon is a fantastic food they mainly eat the breast and head ( if you get whole pigeon complete with feathers make sure to clean out crop )I wouldnt recommend giving them whole pigeon with feather in the house lol unless you want to clean up feathers for two weeks lol ( my guys take such joy in ripping off wings and dragging them into the bedding area to make feather beds lol ) some pet stores sell quail for snake owners have you looked at durham animal feeds ? they are pretty reasonable and sell a decent variety and they do a variety box ( or did lol) ask around there must be a game dealer or some hunters in your part of the world who can get you some cheap rabbits or pigeon or even pheasant in season take care bye for now
Bev

[RedSky]

Durham Animal Feeds is where I ordered our dogs food from. They are great and have a fantastic service. My OH and I are discussing plans for storage and buying raw from now on. Before I would place and order for about £100 that would last for 2 to 3 months (with additional bits from butchers and supermarkets) for Cookie. The ferrets so far have just shared his food but we had to let him go, he was in too much pain. So now just feeding three ferrets is so much less. What Cookie would eat for one meal last the ferrets about 2 days.
I'm wanting to find some whole prey items, everybody rates quail and cornish game hen as great foods, but I can't find any (without serious shipping costs). I don't want to buy a few quail for like £2 each and pay £16 to get them delivered. If I knew they would eat them all and wouldn't make a massive mess I would just order loads of rats, mice and quail for the ferrets and the snake. But the mice and rats are no cheaper than locally.
I might ask our local pet shop if the place they get their mice and rats from sells other things too and see if they can get some, without me having to pay shipping costs.

I have a pigeon in the freezer, it's been there for a few weeks so I'll thaw it and feed it tomorrow. It's featherless and headless (shame as they seem to really like the heads off things). I can also get rabbit and pheasant in the same way, no head, feathers or fur and cleaned out.

[RedSky]

I went onto the pet shop when I went to collect the car from the garage. She said she could order in 24 quail for me for £45, going to check against what it would be online and with p&p.
She recommended trying the butchers and the local Lidl so I did. Lidl have replaced all the unusual meats with pies... I don't think they can eat those haha
I spoke to the butcher and it's coming to the end of the season so he only have 2 pheasants in. I got one and he gave me two chicken carcasses too. They still have some meat left on, more of less a full neck with all the meat, just wings, breast and legs removed. One looks to have some kidney or something still attached but otherwise clean inside.
I've chopped up the carcesses and the pheasant into 4oz to 5.5oz sections as they usually eat less than 5oz between them during a meal and I tend to have some mince meat in the fridge for treats anyway.
I'm going to freeze the pheasant for 2 weeks as I've always done that with game, then try them. It still had feet attached so should be interesting...

[FerretsnFalcons]

Hi, new member here! Some pigeons are infected with parasitic protozoans called Trichomonas gallinae. It can even be found in chickens, turkeys, and raptors that prey on these birds. The parasite feeds on the crop, trachea, and mouth regions of the bird and large infections show up as lesions in the mouth and throat that look like cheese. The infestation is generally called Trichomoniasis,but is called "canker" in pigeons and "frounce" in raptors. Trichomonas gallinae are closely related to other members of the Trichomonas species that affect humans and cats, but there are no reports of Trichomonas gallinae spreading to non-avian species. So if you get a whole pigeon, it's really up to you to decide whether or not to remove the head, but if it has cheesy plaques in the mouth and throat, I would be cautious. Crazylady gave you some good info. Pigeon is a very nutritious and rich meat, I know I'd feed it to my ferrets if I could find some for cheap. Sorry I wrote you a novel about protozoa in pigeons, I guess I'm just really excited about joining and feel the need to overshare info.

[RedSky]

Hi FerretsnFalcons I love your profile picture.
Thank you for the information, it is always great to have someone so knowledgeable around and to have the actual name so I can do further research.

The pigeon is from the butchers, it's already had it's head removed. It's still sat in the freezer but when I finally defrost it I will check to make sure that the crop has been removed too, If it's anything like the pheasant I got yesterday it will be empty inside.

Thanks again.


Also, as a general update I had a look online again for quail and there is only one place that I could them cheaper, but it's £10 p&p. So I would have to buy quite a few quail (and I could order mice, rats and maybe a rabbit too) to make up the difference. I would still prefer to order just a few quail to make sure they are actually going to eat it. I don't mind chopping up a cleaned out pheasant but would rather not have to chop up a whole quail with all it's insides. If they will eat it as it is then thats great, if I have to make a cut to get them started, fine but really I'm looking for stuff they will clean their teeth on and something I can just chuck in the cage.

I've read that some people remove the guts from their whole food. Will I have to do that? I'm assuming with practise like everything else I would become better at it, but no idea how to start.

[FerretsnFalcons]

Thank you RedSky! Everyone on here is so nice. I've seen some falconry forums where there's not a single thread in which people don't get into heated arguments. It's also interesting to check out veterinarian forums, there are some heated debates on raw feeding. Anyway, I don't have much experience with feeding whole prey, but I think some people remove the intestines/stomach because otherwise their ferrets will shake it out of the quail, make a mess, and then not eat it. You could always feed an ungutted one in the bathroom or somewhere easy to clean and just see if they eat the digestive tract or make a mess, and then decide if you need to gut it or not. The first time I gave my ferrets a whole mouse they ate everything, stomach and all, but the next time they shook it out. There were guts on the ceiling and wall 5 feet away! Icky. I've seen a thread on here about preparing a whole prey chicken, maybe that could help you?

[crazylady]

Hi Redsky the main one to take guts out of are rabbits and chickens lol they manage fine with pigeon quail etc(just make sure with any bird the crop is empty) a cheap easy tooth cleaner is a bag of chicken necks from pets at home lol ( cost you a fiver but 1 kg goes a long way lol ) you seem to be adding in a good variety so I wouldnt worry just remember liver once a week only keep up the good work welcome ferrets and falcons ( I have worked rabbits with both and its a joy to behold lol ) take care bye for now
Bev

[RedSky]

Thanks Bev,
How would I check and empty the crop in a quail? I haven't got any yet but plan on ordering some next time I'm in town.

[crazylady]

look at the neck area think of your throat cut down the middle to the breast bone and open if you find grain or chewed up greens then the crop needs emptying just scoop it out throw it away and you are good to go easy as that ( and don't worry at most you will find two teaspoons in a quail lol )if they come minus the heads nine times out of ten the crop has been cleaned hope this helps take care bye for now
Bev

[RedSky]

Thanks, sounds simple enough.

[Deleted]

Hello hello! I was actually wondering the same thing. I'm moving to just outside of London in a few weeks myself. I've gotten used to ordering frozen whole prey in the USA and I was wondering if anyone has any advice on doing the same in the UK, or decent stores to look into ordering or buying frozen prey directly? I might just end up making friends with a local butcher otherwise, and buying up the organs and meats from them... but I do prefer the whole prey package because Gwin tends to prefer it!