Dry Food.

[random 659]

I use scaffold scrim netting on the mesh to keep flies out and feed later on in the day as it cools down,get remaining out in the morning when im scooping the scat out,and check the bed as they do hide it! I mean that's how I deal with the fly problems if that's what the thread is for?? If its the cost of feeding I feed them what I shoot or ferret,or liver,egg,chicken cuts etc when I have no freezer feed!

[Leeview 787]

 

 

All mine except two are on rabbit/pigeon etc all year round (feed last thing at night) however I have two jills who will be starting their eighth seasons graft come sept,these two will not touch flesh in any form,so I have to give them dry.Tried to move them onto James Wellbeloved and Ferret Feast it just makes them loose and lose condition,they thrive on cheap Tesco dried catfood,which is what the breeder fed them on,thought I would wean them off it slowly onto flesh but they wont have it TBH if saw my ferrets you wouldn't be able to tell which are on flesh/dry,by choice Id much rather they were on flesh,but they don't appear to be suffering from the lack of it

put a picture up of your ferrets back teeth and you'll be able to tell which are fed on flesh/dry easily

Y.I.S Leeview

 

I haven't got a clue on how to put pics up Lee,Im not recommending the use of dry food....Im just stating that they can live quite happily on it,Ive tried stopping feeding them for a day or two in an attempt to get them on flesh ,in all honesty I think theyd die before eating it Whats more bizarre is when I have bred the two jills over the years the kits were weaned on carcasses which the mother would drag to the nest for them,and still wouldn't touch it herself...so they do recognise it as foodstuff I even tried mixing minced rabbit with lactose free milk to get them onto it,the remains on the dish looked like it had been sieved Their teeth by the way are in good nick,showing their age a bit maybe,but no decay and never had absceses etc

 

I've judged a few ferret shows in the past,their teeth are a vital part of their anatomy.Working flesh fed ferrets teeth are pristine,others fed on dry their teeth are caked in tartar from a very young age. Theres no resistance in dry food it just crumbles as they chomp on it,whereas flesh fed whole carcase everything including bones is gone just leaving the skin and teeth doing what they are designed to do

when I see lions,tigers and bears being fed on biscuits in zoo's then I may consider that enough research has been done to warrant me feeding dry food to my ferrets

Y.I.S Leeview

[northern lad 2,292]

As I said ,Im not advocating the feeding of it...but some think ferts will keel over on seeing the stuff As for Tigers I cant comment other than Tony the tiger,he thrives on Frosties,theyre grreeeaaatt

[nothernlite 18,023]

I feed dry all year round and know a few other people that do it there you go I said it lol plus my ferrets dont have names

Edited July 3, 2015 by nothernlite

[northern lad 2,292]

I feed dry all year round and know a few other people that do it there you go I said it lol plus my ferrets dont have names

Cruel b*****d All the gear and no idea

[nothernlite 18,023]

Had ferrets for nearly 40 years never had names for them just ferrets to me only there to bolt rabbits lol

[reddog70 236]

another way of feeding raw in the summer without getting the shavings stuck to it.... im thinking of kitts here....is to put them in a plastic carrier until their done then put the meat or carcass back in the fridge or cool place untill the next feed, this should hopefully cut down the risk of heat or fly spoliage and blockages from the shavings

[bowburnbandit 20]

My ferrets get both, tend to leave dry food in all day every day, proper ferret food not cat biscuits and feed them the raw meat at night time can be a bit of a pain searching the nests for stored food like.it took me a while to get them over to raw food and ferret biscuits as the first few weeks they would only go for cat meat and biscuits. I know plenty of blokes who fed there ferrets on cat biscuits only for there whole life and they lived to a ripe old age with no problems and grafted well. As long as you feed a good quality high protein ferret food i cant see the problem

Edited July 3, 2015 by bowburnbandit

[bowburnbandit 20]

sorry double posted

Edited July 3, 2015 by bowburnbandit

[torchey 1,202]

another way of feeding raw in the summer without getting the shavings stuck to it.... im thinking of kitts here....is to put them in a plastic carrier until their done then put the meat or carcass back in the fridge or cool place untill the next feed, this should hopefully cut down the risk of heat or fly spoliage and blockages from the shavings

 

Kits,food , plastic bag , don,t know about that one lol

[reddog70 236]

pet carrier i ment lol

[Fly The Boy 330]

Rabbits 7 months,then freezer is empty,dry cat nuts and pigeon when I can get them,how can you feed rabbit this time of year like to see the size of your freezer .If I did like some lads on here kill rabbits this time of year would have very little for the winter.Just cruel killing rabbits this time of year.Very easy to fill freezer with rabbits.One ferreting trip.How do you still have rabbits left from February,Shooting 3\4 rabbits is bull, there is not enough meat on them to feed an army of ferrets.

[Fly The Boy 330]

Have a big freezer,how many rabbits can you freeze?stop ferreting in February,you must have a lot of freezers to have rabbit till September.

[bowburnbandit 20]

I am lucky I have 2 large chest freezers in my out house and 2 at my folks in their garage keeps enough fish, rabbit, pheasant and pigeon to feed my family and my ferrets, well has so far but added 2 hobs to my collection so will see how I get on next year

[Fly The Boy 330]

Ferrets are in lovely condition, coat shining cat nuts with fish in it they love it,have 2 chest freezers still won't last till September,How can it be over run with rabbits if you ferret the place, a season or 2 would leave a few farms fairly shook,you top up when needed milky does.give me a season over their, leave it very shook,farmers must love you.