Feeding whole rabbit

[Joe67 239]

I am interested to read some of you meat feeders are feeding several meals a day of meat rather than what I do just put it in at night & remove the next morning, I have never fed more than one feed a day with raw meat, once they have eaten what they want its removed till that evening, i dont feed dry food at all

 

 

thats what i do when ive got rabbit to feed the stinkers,back to alpha past couple days though.the hob eats just as much as the two jills,gready fooker

[socks 32,253]

feeding with meat once at night is all good as far as cleanlyness and husbandry is concerned but ferrets have a very short digestive tract meaning they need

to eat 6 or 7 times through the day so if you dont like flies then they need a dry meal of some sort to keep them going through the day .............

[fcuktheban 140]

I freeze the rabbits and gut,skin and prepare them before feeding when they are partially thawed. It is cleaner and easier and the smell isn't nearly as strong. I don't see the point in buying tinned food when you can get rabbit for free.

[rob190364 2,593]

feeding with meat once at night is all good as far as cleanlyness and husbandry is concerned but ferrets have a very short digestive tract meaning they need

to eat 6 or 7 times through the day so if you dont like flies then they need a dry meal of some sort to keep them going through the day .............

just a couple of questions on that theory....I feed mine the same way, give them meat last thing at night and then the next morning take it out. My ferrets are very energetic, in great shape, great coats etc.....how can that be if I'm not giving them what they "need"?? Obviously my ferrets can only eat at night, but they're running free in the yard all day long, they spend a fair amount of time asleep but in total a good few hours playing, running and exploring in the yard. If they weren't getting enough food they wouldn't have the energy for that, surely?

 

Also, I'm assuming they have pretty much the same system as other mustelids, does that mean stoats/weasels/wild polecats etc all catch prey 6 or 7 times a day? or do they stash prey and keep going back to it?

 

I wouldn't go back to giving my ferrets dry food again if you paid me, it just makes them lethargic and prone to being overweight, and to be honest, it attracts almost as many flies as fresh meat does anyway!

[Ideation 8,216]

feeding with meat once at night is all good as far as cleanlyness and husbandry is concerned but ferrets have a very short digestive tract meaning they need

to eat 6 or 7 times through the day so if you dont like flies then they need a dry meal of some sort to keep them going through the day .............

just a couple of questions on that theory....I feed mine the same way, give them meat last thing at night and then the next morning take it out. My ferrets are very energetic, in great shape, great coats etc.....how can that be if I'm not giving them what they "need"?? Obviously my ferrets can only eat at night, but they're running free in the yard all day long, they spend a fair amount of time asleep but in total a good few hours playing, running and exploring in the yard. If they weren't getting enough food they wouldn't have the energy for that, surely?

 

Also, I'm assuming they have pretty much the same system as other mustelids, does that mean stoats/weasels/wild polecats etc all catch prey 6 or 7 times a day? or do they stash prey and keep going back to it?

 

I wouldn't go back to giving my ferrets dry food again if you paid me, it just makes them lethargic and prone to being overweight, and to be honest, it attracts almost as many flies as fresh meat does anyway!

 

 

Do you feed them 6/7 times a day when working? Cos i don't and they are around dead bunnies all day, and don't much them.

[rob190364 2,593]

feeding with meat once at night is all good as far as cleanlyness and husbandry is concerned but ferrets have a very short digestive tract meaning they need

to eat 6 or 7 times through the day so if you dont like flies then they need a dry meal of some sort to keep them going through the day .............

just a couple of questions on that theory....I feed mine the same way, give them meat last thing at night and then the next morning take it out. My ferrets are very energetic, in great shape, great coats etc.....how can that be if I'm not giving them what they "need"?? Obviously my ferrets can only eat at night, but they're running free in the yard all day long, they spend a fair amount of time asleep but in total a good few hours playing, running and exploring in the yard. If they weren't getting enough food they wouldn't have the energy for that, surely?

 

Also, I'm assuming they have pretty much the same system as other mustelids, does that mean stoats/weasels/wild polecats etc all catch prey 6 or 7 times a day? or do they stash prey and keep going back to it?

 

I wouldn't go back to giving my ferrets dry food again if you paid me, it just makes them lethargic and prone to being overweight, and to be honest, it attracts almost as many flies as fresh meat does anyway!

 

 

Do you feed them 6/7 times a day when working? Cos i don't and they are around dead bunnies all day, and don't much them.

They simply don't need to eat that often, if anything my hob is a bit on the porky side....he'll lose it come winter but even then he won't be anywhere near underweight. He'll be just right ....amazing for an animal that isn't given food often enough!!!

[Ideation 8,216]

feeding with meat once at night is all good as far as cleanlyness and husbandry is concerned but ferrets have a very short digestive tract meaning they need

to eat 6 or 7 times through the day so if you dont like flies then they need a dry meal of some sort to keep them going through the day .............

just a couple of questions on that theory....I feed mine the same way, give them meat last thing at night and then the next morning take it out. My ferrets are very energetic, in great shape, great coats etc.....how can that be if I'm not giving them what they "need"?? Obviously my ferrets can only eat at night, but they're running free in the yard all day long, they spend a fair amount of time asleep but in total a good few hours playing, running and exploring in the yard. If they weren't getting enough food they wouldn't have the energy for that, surely?

 

Also, I'm assuming they have pretty much the same system as other mustelids, does that mean stoats/weasels/wild polecats etc all catch prey 6 or 7 times a day? or do they stash prey and keep going back to it?

 

I wouldn't go back to giving my ferrets dry food again if you paid me, it just makes them lethargic and prone to being overweight, and to be honest, it attracts almost as many flies as fresh meat does anyway!

 

 

Do you feed them 6/7 times a day when working? Cos i don't and they are around dead bunnies all day, and don't much them.

They simply don't need to eat that often, if anything my hob is a bit on the porky side....he'll lose it come winter but even then he won't be anywhere near underweight. He'll be just right ....amazing for an animal that isn't given food often enough!!!

 

 

Aye, that's what i meant, where is the logic?

 

I mean he's right about the short digestive tract and the fact that they like to eat small and regular.

 

But can do fine on a nights feed (small and regular over the whole night) and days not feeding. They just tend to sleep more during the day and be up more at night.

[rob190364 2,593]

feeding with meat once at night is all good as far as cleanlyness and husbandry is concerned but ferrets have a very short digestive tract meaning they need

to eat 6 or 7 times through the day so if you dont like flies then they need a dry meal of some sort to keep them going through the day .............

just a couple of questions on that theory....I feed mine the same way, give them meat last thing at night and then the next morning take it out. My ferrets are very energetic, in great shape, great coats etc.....how can that be if I'm not giving them what they "need"?? Obviously my ferrets can only eat at night, but they're running free in the yard all day long, they spend a fair amount of time asleep but in total a good few hours playing, running and exploring in the yard. If they weren't getting enough food they wouldn't have the energy for that, surely?

 

Also, I'm assuming they have pretty much the same system as other mustelids, does that mean stoats/weasels/wild polecats etc all catch prey 6 or 7 times a day? or do they stash prey and keep going back to it?

 

I wouldn't go back to giving my ferrets dry food again if you paid me, it just makes them lethargic and prone to being overweight, and to be honest, it attracts almost as many flies as fresh meat does anyway!

 

 

Do you feed them 6/7 times a day when working? Cos i don't and they are around dead bunnies all day, and don't much them.

They simply don't need to eat that often, if anything my hob is a bit on the porky side....he'll lose it come winter but even then he won't be anywhere near underweight. He'll be just right ....amazing for an animal that isn't given food often enough!!!

 

 

Aye, that's what i meant, where is the logic?

 

I mean he's right about the short digestive tract and the fact that they like to eat small and regular.

 

But can do fine on a nights feed (small and regular over the whole night) and days not feeding. They just tend to sleep more during the day and be up more at night.

I think people are forgetting the fact that when you put fresh meat in at say 8pm, and take it out at 8am....that's 50% of the day the ferrets have access to meat. They probably do keep going back to it over and over again during the night, and as a result have enough energy to last them until 8pm the following night. Sorted

[Ideation 8,216]

Yep mate, if you watch them, they scoff, sleep, scoff, sleep, scamper, scoff, scamper, scoff, sleep, all night.

[rob190364 2,593]

Yep mate, if you watch them, they scoff, sleep, scoff, sleep, scamper, scoff, scamper, scoff, sleep, all night.

It's funny cos I have this wierd thing where if I've had a couple of whiskies the night before I have to get up for a brew at about 3 or 4am or I can't sleep....I can see the hutch from the kitchen window and it doesn't matter what time it is at night, or how cold it is, my jill will always be stood at the bars looking in the kitchen (probably thinkin "what's that tw@t doing making a brew in his micky mouse undies again???" )

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

So the general voting is to feed a fairly large meal either dry or a carcass late at night (10pm ish) and let them crack on with it through the night? Removing any remainder in the morning.

 

What do the dry feeders do? Just allow access to dry food 24/7?

 

Thanks

 

Gaz

[Col_c88 41]

Probably all has been said on this post but, I always have a full bowl of dry food for them, Its a mixture of dog and ferret dry food, the only reason for this is so i dont have to buy so much to be honest. Ferrets (at least mine) only eat when their hungry so it wont go in seconds.. on a night time around 8pm ish,I put pigeon/rabbit/squirrel in, I alwyas freeze rabbits and squirrels first, I gut the rabbits and Squirrels but not pigeons. Other than being gutted there all whole.. fur head the lot. I usually leave this in until the next morning then clear it out unless its a cold day then theres no flies around..in which case i dont mind if they finish it off.. or its a pigeon in which case theres only feathers left They always choose the meat over the dry food... If im out of rabbit/pigeon its RAW chicken/minced meat/turkey all cheap

 

Occasionally I throw in an egg or a day old chick but not overly oftern, maybe twice a month.

Like I say ferrets wont just scoff food, they eat little but often so theres very little goes to waist.

A mate of mine keeps hawks aswell as ferrets and the ferrets pretty much get anything thats either been shot.. or the hawks dont finish off.

 

Mine are in great shape, and like I say, they always have access to food and water. Their strong, healthy and good workers too!

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I will probably do what you do there Col.

 

Bowl of dry always available. And supplement with rabbit or pigeon when available.Leaving carcass in overnight.

 

Do you throw the pigeons in whole fresh from the field then? What about other birds?

 

Cheers

 

Gaz

[Col_c88 41]

yea whole pigeon mate they demolish it i was actually suprised first time i did it, went to get the carcass out and there was just feathers. I've never fed them corvids as im sure they are more prone to carry disease.

If you look at MOST animals in the animal kingdom, there are very few that eat an animal that eats another animal (if that makes sence)

 

 

Though i know others on here and a few mates local do feed corvids to there ferrets.

[seany 54]

Gareth Ive never fed dry only rabbits and pigeons,chicken beef lamb the down side to this is flys you really need to keep on top of cleaning up in summer

hence i feed at night remove in the morning first thing.I use a spray bottle with diluted detol for the shite corner

 

ATB Seany