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Post by kattadragon on Mar 9, 2017 13:01:40 GMT -5
Okay, that makes scene. Is there anything in particular that I should be reporting on?
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 9, 2017 16:17:27 GMT -5
Just how the switch is going in general (what stage everyone is at), are any of them (or you) having any issues, any questions you may have, are you having difficulting getting any specific meats, etc?
Weekly weights and some kind of progress report every two days or so. Is everyone ok with eating their organs? Is anyone still having issues with bone-in meats?
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 9, 2017 16:18:55 GMT -5
I haven't gotten any hits in my rodent breeding group but someone did suggest another local Washington group but I haven't had time to look into it.
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Post by kattadragon on Mar 10, 2017 10:18:54 GMT -5
If you want to forward me the information I can look into it. Dinner was a turkey wing, and they stashed most of it inside of 20 minuets. Breakfast was 5.2 ounces of heart, liver, kidney, and one egg. Dinner will be rabbit, since I have some cut up and defrosted. This whole having the menu pre made is so helpful!
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 11, 2017 0:13:50 GMT -5
Did they eventually eat the Turkey Wing they stashed or did you have to throw it out?
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Post by kattadragon on Mar 11, 2017 10:04:30 GMT -5
They ate about 2/3 of the turkey wing, the small end. I also made sure to mash up the bone a bit with the cleaver before I gave it to them, that seemed to help.
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 11, 2017 10:26:25 GMT -5
Yeah, anything larger than chicken or rabbit bones can be a little tough for them.
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Post by kattadragon on Mar 11, 2017 18:29:56 GMT -5
Should I not use the turkey since the bone is not something they can eat?
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 11, 2017 19:43:55 GMT -5
I would suggest it not be a large part of their bone-in meals. Occasionally should be fine. I'd try sticking to smaller animals. Chicken, quail, game hen, rabbit, and rodents.
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Post by kattadragon on Mar 13, 2017 8:53:17 GMT -5
Weights: Jack: 1162/1395/1282/1287/1320 Bill: 1134/1286/1179/1109/1137 Tiny: 652/765/752/783/800 Jezzy: 603/957/796/710/729
It looks like everyone is getting fairly consistent with their weights.
I noticed last week I tended to have organ meals together then muscle meats together. I will try to split that up this week. I have a lot more meat all read cut down to ferret size. The average serving that I prepared this week is about 4.2 ounces. I will continue weighing the food out and in.
This weeks meal plan:
Monday AM: Duck Monday PM: Heart, Egg
Tuesday AM: Turkey back Tuesday PM: 1/4 Chicken, 3/4 Beef, Egg
Wednesday AM: Quail Wednesday PM: 1/2 Heart, 1/4 Liver, 1/4 Kidney, Egg
Thursday AM: Chicken neck Thursday PM: 1/4 Chicken , 3/4 Pork , Egg
Friday AM: Duck Friday PM: 1/2 Liver, 1/2 Kidney, Egg
Saturday AM: Chicken neck Saturday PM: 1/4 Chicken, 3/4 Beef, Egg
Sunday AM: Turkey Wing Sunday PM: 1/4 chicken, 3/4 Pork, Egg
There is about one egg per day because of shedding season and I am trying to remove the chicken from their pork and beef.
I am going to see about ordering some whole prey (feeder mice and quail). The feeder mice are just a treat, but I hope to get them to eat the quail, after I remove the feathers and digestive track.
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Post by kattadragon on Mar 13, 2017 9:10:18 GMT -5
Chicken, quail, game hen, rabbit, and rodents
I have a question about this list.
My understanding is that Chicken, quail, and game hen are essential the same protein, is that right?
And that rodents are just treat sizes, or is that only feeder mice? if I use a "small" rat would that constitute a whole meal?
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 13, 2017 13:31:52 GMT -5
Things are looking good weight wise for everyone (good job!!).
Chicken and game hen are considered the same protein. Quail is definitely a separate protein. If you want to get whole prey as treats, I'd stick to fuzzies's or hoppers. The best way to think about whole prey is by weight.
I'd say anything smaller than 1 oz / 28 gr could be considered a snack. Anything over that weight and you are starting to get into partial or full meal territory. As I stated above, mouse fuzzies or hoppers are probably going to be your best snack sized whole prey. Rats get into meal size pretty quick. Day old quail chicks would work as a snack as well but that are REALLY expensive (not worth it in my opinion) compared to regular day old chicks*.
* I wouldn't bother plucking chicks but there will be some mess.
The ASF's (African Softfurred Rats) I feed mine are usually 1.4 oz / 41 gr to 2 oz / 56 gr in weight and that is enough for my girls for a day in the warmer months. In the height of winter, I have to double that.
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 13, 2017 13:48:26 GMT -5
Sorry, I think I misinterpreted part of your last post, lol.
So for whole prey,
Snack size rodents / whole prey = anything under 1 oz / 28 gr in weight. (mouse pinkies are really tiny and are like ferret M&M's, rat pinkies are larger).
Meal size rodents / whole prey = anything between 1 oz / 28 gr to 2 oz / 56 gr in weight for 1 ferret (winter feedings or large males may need more than 1)
Anything larger than 3 oz / 85 gr is probably going to need to be gutted and will either have to be shared between more than one ferret, chopped up or eaten by a large male ferret. I used to order medium Guinea Pigs in this size from Rodentpro and would gut, skin and chop them up (was a pain).
Lastly, baby / young rodents are considered snacks not just because of their weight, but because they aren't fully developed and lack the full nutrition of adult whole prey. Once a rodent is sexually mature they are considered "adults". So for Rodentpro mice, that would be adults and for rats that would be small size or larger.
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Post by kattadragon on Mar 13, 2017 14:28:04 GMT -5
So the feeder quail is not matured and expensive???
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Post by bitbyter on Mar 13, 2017 15:26:28 GMT -5
Day old quail (so just born) are really expensive compared to day old chicken chicks (100 day old quail = $75, 100 day old chicks = $40). Everything on Rodentpro's site is by age and weight. Quail you buy at the grocery store is adult size. Baby birds are more nutritionally complete than baby rodents as they hatch more developed than freshly born mammals. They still shouldn't be considered a meal, though.
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