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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 11:01:40 GMT -5
I saw this somewhere, and want to try it. I have a few questions, andfigured someone here woudl know. I saw an enrichment activity where you put feeder goldfish in a clear container or kiddy pool and let the ferrets fish for them. My question is: would feeder goldfish purchased from a pet store be safe for the ferrets to eat if they caught it?
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Post by Heather on Apr 11, 2012 11:06:18 GMT -5
I've heard of it being done but truthfully, they use so many chemicals in and around those fish that I would be hesitant to do so. I've heard someone mention that the minnows that you get at a bait shop haven't been treated and are safe. I hope others will chime in on this
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 12:42:14 GMT -5
I've done this with feeder goldfish, I have videos if you're interested.
I stopped doing it because while my ferrets enjoyed it, they weren't really eating the fish. Maybe a few bites, but for the most part they didn't eat them. It just seemed wasteful.
Then, I read about how there could be harmful chemicals in feeder goldfish, and then I really didn't want to do it any more.
I suppose one could raise their own feeder fish if they wanted to, and ensure that only natural water care procedures were used so there weren't harmful chemicals. Mollies for example are notoriously easy to breed, and guppies too, to a lesser degree. I use real plants and little or no chemicals in my aquarium, if it was large enough to breed a lot of fish, I might be comfortable giving culls to my ferrets. This might be worth considering, as I've already thought about having a larger aquarium and breeding some sort of fish.
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Post by Jeremy's Boggle on Apr 11, 2012 12:49:44 GMT -5
We have guppies that we raise chemical free and we've given a few to the turtle which brought about some emotional turmoil around here. I'm not sure I'd do it if the fish were not actually eaten and only tormented.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 13:30:17 GMT -5
That's kind of what I figured. I used to work at a pets store, over 20 years ago. Chemicals to remove chlorine and chemicals to treat various fish diseases. I wonder what the detox time would be if I got them and kept them naturally? Bait shop is a good idea too. I'll look into that.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 18:14:48 GMT -5
I have used chemical free minnows from a bait shop. Mine dont torment they instantly peirce the skull or break the neck. Its more of an enrichment activity for brain health. The do stash more then they eat. An idea would be to collect the stash and blend it in with some soup so it won't be wasted.
Sent from my SCH-M828C using ProBoards
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Post by Heather on Apr 11, 2012 21:18:10 GMT -5
Great idea.
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 23:59:01 GMT -5
Thanks  Sent from my SCH-M828C using ProBoards |
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Post by nanners on Apr 15, 2012 2:03:40 GMT -5
Also keep in mind the Mercury in aquatics.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 15, 2012 10:35:13 GMT -5
Also keep in mind the Mercury in aquatics. That's why smaller, fresh water fish are a better choice. However, minnows bred in a bait shop shouldn't be a concern for mercury. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2012 13:38:04 GMT -5
My guys have enjoyed fishing - for both goldfish and minnows. They'll usually leave the goldfish, but sometimes eat most of the minnows. Uneaten minnows go into soup mix. I stopped using goldfish because of the waste and chemical concerns.
I wouldn't worry so much about mercury - in bait fish it isn't likely as it would be in the larger predatory fish. Mercury builds up over time and bait fish don't eat the quantities of other fish (if any) that predator fish do for years.
The enrichment for the ferret is worth the effort on our parts. Its great to see them puzzle out how to catch the fish and what to do with it afterwards.
Cheers,
Kim
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2012 19:03:47 GMT -5
Really, really excited to try this!
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