|
|
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2014 21:39:20 GMT -5
I know I read somewhere that chicks and pinkies were not nutritionally complete and that you shouldnt feed only those, but I think it was in a switching thread and now I can't find it. Can anyone help me out?
|
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on May 19, 2014 23:52:05 GMT -5
Correct. Baby whole prey should be thought of as snacks or treats. They are very low in calcium and other minerals. Always feed adults if possible. I use juvenile rats as they about the same size as adult mice.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 20, 2014 0:41:30 GMT -5
thanks  |
|
|
|
Post by fretki on May 20, 2014 6:24:49 GMT -5
I do a "candy day" once in a while, and my ferrets get day old chicks, they love it!
...but I have to admit that I can get dead day old chicks really cheap, so it's hard to resist to not give them their healthy treats ;D
Sent from my SM-G900F using proboards
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 21, 2014 1:55:26 GMT -5
Just for reference, how old do quail or chickens need to be to be considered complete whole prey? My girls take adult mice eagerly now, thinking of expanding their whole prey menu.
|
|
|
|
Post by fretki on May 21, 2014 3:04:47 GMT -5
I take the beginning of egg production as adult stage: depending on the quail species is's about 35-60 days old...
Depending on the chicken species about 3-8 months old.
Sent from my SM-G900F using proboards
|
|
|
|
Post by goingpostal on May 21, 2014 20:08:47 GMT -5
Just for reference, how old do quail or chickens need to be to be considered complete whole prey? My girls take adult mice eagerly now, thinking of expanding their whole prey menu. When I buy quail, I get mostly 6-8 week old and I usually also buy some 3 week old for more of a treat meal and for the variety. I get weanling or small rats as my ferrets seem to hate the larger ones, guinea pigs I usually get med/large if I'm feeding 2-3 ferrets, or bigger ones for larger crews, I find the bigger ones I have to smash the heads in to get it eaten though. Pinky mice/rats or day old chicks are treat only, I might give them a chick every 10 days or so, mouse pinks up to a couple times a week, they are so small. I used to get rabbit pinks which I counted mainly as organ meat, they are very popular at my house. But yes, adult, breeding age animals should make up the majority of prey fed. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 10:50:17 GMT -5
I'm glad someone started this topic! So now I have the information I needed. I'll probably start with day old quail and work up to breeders, as I did with mice. My girls shoul take right to it.
I probably wont go with rabbit or guinea pig. I have a pet rabbit, don't want them getting hooked and deviding to break into his cage for a snack. I personally love rabbit meat but I can't eat Velvet's relatives while he's around. And I am friends with too many guinea pigs.
Quail though...I see the wild ones in my yard, and I'm like, "Y'all look delicious."
|
|
|
|
Post by goingpostal on May 22, 2014 21:34:52 GMT -5
It doesn't really matter if you feed rabbit and have a pet rabbit as far as safety goes. My Hannibal was kibble fed when he killed a parrot in his previous home. I also had several ferrets who would eat mice, but had no interest in killing live ones. Either they have prey drive or not. But it is understandable that many do not want to feed animals they keep/have kept as pets. I didn't bother working my crew up for whole prey, they already ate mice and I ordered full size guinea pigs, rats, quail, and chickens from rodent pro and they took right to it.
|
|
