feeding liver and kidneys

[johnny boy68 11,726]

I've always fed my ferrets liver,kidneys and hearts from the butchers when I've no rabbit to give them.A fella I know who's been into ferreting longer than I can remember told me that liver and kidney has a very high salt content and is not recommended for kits......is this true and if so what would anybody recommend...John

[kevin from bristol 95]

i have just this morning fed my kits pigs liver , i don't think that the salt content is high enough to do them any harm ,have fed lots of kits liver over the years never seems to do them any harm ,i could be wrong but i've never had problems with the kits.

[Rake aboot 4,936]

Same

 

Never had any probs feeding liver . Mine would live on it if I let them.

ATB

[Jamie m 668]

I wouldn't feed it every day I would try and stick to chicken liver as an adition to the diet it's great especially for a nursing jill as it's full of iron I'd stear clear of intensivelly reared pork liver , I put it in in the evening when the temperatures cooled and the flys have gone ,

[kurtrog70 6]

I asked them same question a few months ago, i was told that liver is too rich to feed everyday.

ATB

Kurt

[johnny boy68 11,726]

I've always fed adult ferrets liver and kidney though not every day,I just found it strange when i was told that it shouldn't be fed to the kits.My local butcher minces it up for me so its easy for the kits to eat,I would give them rabbit but with the fly's you can't throw in a whole rabbit like in winter/autumn.Thanks for the replies...........John

[kevin from bristol 95]

flys are a big problem this time of year i put a fine net on the front of my hutches last summer and they still got in , i don't think they can be stopped so i feed little and often so nothings left for them, as i don't like the dry food, i feed the jills tuna in sunflower oil but squeze alot of the oil out and they love it i can't see no harm in that either

[kevin from bristol 95]

had a load of left over prawns from the old dear next door and the kits ate the lot in one hit , but i mainly feed all mine on chicken this time of year, thats not processed its fresh as by june i've even run out of frozen rabbit , i belive that they should have a varied diet but in winter its mostly rabbit and birds

[The one 8,483]

There is something about liver feeding it a couple of times a week is plenty ,christ if i can remember at this monent though

[Green Island Hunter 28]

Becarefull, too much liver will paralise kits back legs, as it has a very high dose of vitamin A.

Tiny bit now and then is fine.

Personally, i would not give it to kits.

I feed mine mainly rabbit and pigeon now and then complete ferret food.

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Becarefull, too much liver will paralise kits back legs, as it has a very high dose of vitamin A.

Tiny bit now and then is fine.

Personally, i would not give it to kits.

I feed mine mainly rabbit and pigeon now and then complete ferret food.

Thanks for that mate,i knew the old fella who told me wasn't prone to talking Bull**** i only feed it to the adults now and again.The kits are feasting on minced chicken and dried at the moment.......John

[Ideation 8,216]

I also avoid feeding pork products mainly due to the salt content of the meat and also with intensively farmed animals the liver and kidneys can hold onto trace amounts of some pretty nasty shit - ok for us due to the size of the quantity, but not so good for the wee ones. At this time of year i feed mine a lot of pigeon breasts - nice small size, they finish it in one and it has a good fat content. They also seem to love pigeon heads.

[max abell 196]

I also avoid feeding pork products mainly due to the salt content of the meat and also with intensively farmed animals the liver and kidneys can hold onto trace amounts of some pretty nasty shit - ok for us due to the size of the quantity, but not so good for the wee ones. At this time of year i feed mine a lot of pigeon breasts - nice small size, they finish it in one and it has a good fat content. They also seem to love pigeon heads.

funny you should say that about the pigeon heads cos when we put woodies in our court the ferrets always tend to

chew the heads off and eat them 1st before the bodies

[Ideation 8,216]

Yer its funny, i noticed that also. When i hang woodies in the court the heads disappear fast and not a trace is left, not even the beak! It just goes to show why feeding whole carcass is good as there must be nutrients and vits etc in the brain, eyes etc which they really need.

[allenyeates 3]

personally whole carcass feeding is the best way to go, I think. If the weather is hot I would use dried food as it cuts down on the amount of flies around the hutches. Whole carcass(pigeon, rabbit etc) is natures way for adults and kits and the amount of liver/kidneys etc is then in the correct proportions. Just my view but it makes sence to me. On the subject of flies, we pin net curtain over the run area. Not 100% but helps...