Not eating rabbit

[Ethan gunn 1]

Does it sound strange that my ferrets that eat fresh meat everyday won’t even sniff a skinned rabbit, they are amazing Jill’s and after a few days working I gave them a rabbit and they haven’t ate it in 2 days so I have to give them some tripe. I think it’s strange that they won’t even bite the rabbit even when I cut it up in chunks I wonder if they know the rabbit is diseased as my mates rabbits all have liver fluke apart from 2 which I took. They aren’t keen on pheasant but that’s game they love pigeon. Just thought I’d share it as I think it’s very strange that they killed rabbits yesterday then today won’t even eat them.  Just gave them tripe and they aren’t eating that either very weird since coming back they haven’t ate anything in days.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Ethan gunn

[socks 32,253]

Try them with some whisked eggs and goats milk …

[Luckee legs 467]

Got to say that's unusual. Now well fed adult ferrets are not going to eat all of a rabbit, they don't have teeth and jaws of hyenas and they definitely have preferences for easy to eat parts. That said if it's fresh they always have something. My experience is Ferrets don't eat meat that's going off so it's important to use fridge and freezer to manage quality. Unless it's a freezing day I portion control and bin any meat they don't eat in 24 hours. I do prep rabbits to maximise use by ferrets / dogs / humans. Providing the rabbits look healthy I will dump diseased livers and freeze the meat for several weeks. Not that keen on pheasants but ok on pigeons is normal. As socks said, egg and non cows milk is useful backup, I keep some bottles of milk for cats as backup. 

[Aussie Whip 4,097]

Wondering if they ate rabbit before. My dogs wouldn't eat rabbit after a hunt but scoffed it down a day later after thawing a frozen one from a previous hunt.

[leegreen 2,170]

In my experience, if your animals aren't eating stuff, they ain't hungry enough and if you are offering them alternatives, well you are going down the road of "my children don't like this and won't eat that" 

I feed lots of raw fish, and two of my dogs will turn their nose up at it. This is more than likely to happen if I have been feeding them say Chicken or tripe for a while or they havent been run for a few days. Same goes with Rabbit, they can just take it and leave it on the floor. 

The same picky dogs have to be "very" hungry to want to eat Pheasant, in fact most of them ain't keen on it.

Carnivores won't or don't need to eat every day, especially if they have reserves. I've seen it loads of times with dogs I look after. They can be fussy for a day of so, I just take the food away and they go without. It only lasts a day or so before they'll eat what your offering.