[harrkim120]

OK, so I have a friend that breeds rabbits as food for her reptiles. I've talked to her about buying some for my dog, and she agreed. I'm wondering since they are so small and there doesn't seem to be much meat to bone how much of this could I feed, and what parts? I don't really want to toss him the whole carcass...too much mess and I've found that Brady doesn't know what to do when he doesn't have direct access to the meat. lol

 

[jdatwood]

OK, so I have a friend that breeds rabbits as food for her reptiles. I've talked to her about buying some for my dog, and she agreed. I'm wondering since they are so small and there doesn't seem to be much meat to bone how much of this could I feed, and what parts? I don't really want to toss him the whole carcass...too much mess and I've found that Brady doesn't know what to do when he doesn't have direct access to the meat. lol

I'd probably skin them and then portion them up for him. Treat it as a higher bone content meal. You can feed the whole rabbit :wink:

 

[harrkim120]

I'd probably skin them and then portion them up for him. Treat it as a higher bone content meal. You can feed the whole rabbit :wink:

LOL...got any skinning tips?

 

[jdatwood]

Haven't skinned a rabbit yet but I bet you could find a video on YouTube showing you how :wink:

ETA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGWefUacuVM

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+skin+a+rabbit&search_type=&aq=f

 

[harrkim120]

haha...I totally didn't notice your examples until I went looking on you tube myself. :redface:

Many good videos, and I didn't realize how easy it is. Makes me feel a little bad though...so cute and fluffy!!! Hope I can do it when it comes down to it.

 

[RawFedDogs]

I would think you would want to get to the point you could just hand him an unskinned rabbit and let him go to it. Start by skinning the rabbit a few times until he is eating that good, then just slit open the gut a few times to help him get to the insides. Keep making the slit smaller and smaller until you can just feed him the rabbit as he came, unskinned and all. I think this would be an outside meal. It is at my house. He will eat fur and all once he learns how.

 

[harrkim120]

I would think you would want to get to the point you could just hand him an unskinned rabbit and let him go to it. Start by skinning the rabbit a few times until he is eating that good, then just slit open the gut a few times to help him get to the insides. Keep making the slit smaller and smaller until you can just feed him the rabbit as he came, unskinned and all. I think this would be an outside meal. It is at my house. He will eat fur and all once he learns how.

There's no harm in him eating the fur? Is there such a thing as too much?

 

[Jem]

nope. no harm in fur. If you say the rabbits are small, then probably one will be a good meal. Do you fast him a day during the week? Just feed him less the next couple of days. Dogs are meant to be able to go without food for a period of time. The fur will act as fiber...you will see furry poo! I always see coyote poop behind my house...looks like my dogs, just furry!!! :biggrin:

I would feed it whole! with or without fur. But I think I would have to work my dog up to eating it with fur.

 

[Todd]

yea, my is the same way. she won't really east a whole fish with scales and all. she just doesnt know what to do with it. any tips?

 

[harrkim120]

nope. no harm in fur. If you say the rabbits are small, then probably one will be a good meal. Do you fast him a day during the week? Just feed him less the next couple of days. Dogs are meant to be able to go without food for a period of time. The fur will act as fiber...you will see furry poo! I always see coyote poop behind my house...looks like my dogs, just furry!!! :biggrin:

I would feed it whole! with or without fur. But I think I would have to work my dog up to eating it with fur.

I don't currently fast him seeing as though I am only in the early stages of starting a PMR diet. However, like you suggested, I will most likely fast him the day after eating this. When do you guys think it would be a good time to introduce rabbit into his diet anyway?

 

[DaneMama]

yea, my is the same way. she won't really east a whole fish with scales and all. she just doesnt know what to do with it. any tips?

Try minimizing the scales and fins on the fish a bit and see if she will eat it. You can try running a sharp blade in the opposite direction the scales run to take them off (this is what is done when preparing fish for people).

I don't currently fast him seeing as though I am only in the early stages of starting a PMR diet. However, like you suggested, I will most likely fast him the day after eating this. When do you guys think it would be a good time to introduce rabbit into his diet anyway?

How long have you been on PMR?

What have you added in already as far as meats go?

We fast our dogs once a week or so, maybe once every two weeks. Usually when they have a BIG meal is when we fast them. If we are going on a trip somewhere or having someone watch them for us we usually fast them a day during that time to minimize their handling of raw meats.

 

[harrkim120]

How long have you been on PMR?

What have you added in already as far as meats go?

We fast our dogs once a week or so, maybe once every two weeks. Usually when they have a BIG meal is when we fast them. If we are going on a trip somewhere or having someone watch them for us we usually fast them a day during that time to minimize their handling of raw meats.

I've only had him on it consistantly for about a week now...before that I was tinkering with the whole kibble and raw thing until the kibble was gone. So far I've only done chicken since that's what most say to use at first.:smile:

 

[DaneMama]

Ah...way too early to add it in now. I would say that once you have successfully added in turkey, fish, beef and pork you should be fine to add in rabbit. Remember you are giving your dog at least a week per each new protein source, this can be shorter or longer depending on how it is handled...ie normal stools several days in a row.

Let your dog get used to all those different meat sources, since they are a bit cheaper in price. Just in case your dog doesn't particularly like rabbit. Some dogs don't like certain things...Bailey doesn't like whole turkey but turkey necks are fine

 

[harrkim120]

Ah...way too early to add it in now. I would say that once you have successfully added in turkey, fish, beef and pork you should be fine to add in rabbit. Remember you are giving your dog at least a week per each new protein source, this can be shorter or longer depending on how it is handled...ie normal stools several days in a row.

That's what I figured...I just got so excited when I found out that I could get fresh rabbit!!! :biggrin:

 

[DaneMama]

By all means get it now, if you can store it. It wont go bad in the freezer within a month or two before you are ready to feed it! Do you have a chest/standup dedicated freezer for raw? If not, I would highly suggest it. Even if its a small one. Why? Because that way you will always have room to store something long periods of time. For example, we got TONS of game meat this past fall...we are rationing it out so it lasts us throughout the year. If we didn't have the space to store it as well as all the other types of meat we have, we would have to had fed it all within a month or two of getting it.

And I do want to say that once you become an experienced raw feeder, your excitement will grow. You will find yourself an experience meat hunter and know exactly where and when to get certain things. You will feel compelled to help others switch over! But don't go into it too fast, or you or your dog wont be too happy LOL

Just take it slow and take gradual steps adding things in and you should be good to go!

 

[CorgiPaws]

Do you have a chest/standup dedicated freezer for raw? If not, I would highly suggest it. Even if its a small one.

Haha, we bought a 5cu chest freezer, and decided it wasn't big enough and just bought a 20cu standup. lol.
I advise going as big as you can!
I love it because it makes it easy to really stock up on good sale that you'd otherwise have to pass up due to lack of space to store things.
Like my (dare I say it AGAIN!) $.25 butterball turkeys! haha. I got thirteen!

 

[harrkim120]

Do you have a chest/standup dedicated freezer for raw?

I don't have one yet. Currently in the process of trying to find one. Luckily, with the rabbit I won't need one. I work with the woman that breeds them for her reptiles, so I can have a constant fresh supply if I want!!! So happy!!! lol :biggrin:

 

[DaneMama]

We now have 2 giant dedicated freezers. They can collectively hold close to 800 pounds of meat :biggrin:

They are both currently PACKED to the brim...I love it! We just got chicken from a distributor friend for $.30 per pound :wink:

 

[DaneMama]

I don't have one yet. Currently in the process of trying to find one. Luckily, with the rabbit I won't need one. I work with the woman that breeds them for her reptiles, so I can have a constant fresh supply if I want!!! So happy!!! lol :biggrin:

Jealous!!!

You should ask your breeder friend is she has any breeder friends in Denver that she can hook us up with...or just a way to find a breeder that isn't going to charge us an arm and a leg for rabbit! For cleaned rabbits (no fur) they are $2.64 a pound....bit pricey for us!

 

[harrkim120]

Jealous!!!

You should ask your breeder friend is she has any breeder friends in Denver that she can hook us up with...or just a way to find a breeder that isn't going to charge us an arm and a leg for rabbit! For cleaned rabbits (no fur) they are $2.64 a pound....bit pricey for us!

Ouch...that hurts even more with the amount of dogs you have.

I'll ask, but I can't promise anything. :wink: