Trying to relax about raw

[Rafiki]

What food sources are high in Vit A? And what is the recommended amount?

I have tried giving Jammu the fresh hearts but he is not that keen on it. And he will totally snub his dinner if liver is present. Today's batch (14 meals or so) contains approximately 3.2 oz thigh, .3 oz gizzards and about .5 oz beef chunks per meal. Sometimes the meals are just thigh meat.

They both get a couple of freeze dried duck hearts a day as a treat. I supplement the thighs with 1/4 T Mazuri for Jammu according to the instructions and I give Rafiki some added taurine (~1/8 tsp) every night as well. Rafiki eats Darwin for both meals and it is supposed to be properly supplemented but I know that taurine loses effectiveness by freezing so I give her a bit extra.

Should I be doing anything different?

 

[John Popp]

Taurine losing it's effectiveness with freezing has been largely overstated. Taurine's efficacy drops to about 95% after 90 daysf being frozen to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. so unless you are freezing food for the appocolypse and your underground shelter you should be fine.

 

[admin]

What food sources are high in Vit A? And what is the recommended amount?

I have tried giving Jammu the fresh hearts but he is not that keen on it. And he will totally snub his dinner if liver is present. Today's batch (14 meals or so) contains approximately 3.2 oz thigh, .3 oz gizzards and about .5 oz beef chunks per meal. Sometimes the meals are just thigh meat.

They both get a couple of freeze dried duck hearts a day as a treat. I supplement the thighs with 1/4 T Mazuri for Jammu according to the instructions and I give Rafiki some added taurine (~1/8 tsp) every night as well. Rafiki eats Darwin for both meals and it is supposed to be properly supplemented but I know that taurine loses effectiveness by freezing so I give her a bit extra.

Should I be doing anything different?

Sounds like you are doing a great job! I only add Taurine to my intact females when pregnant as they really need it...the others really love hearts and freeze dried liver and that is what they get...liver has a high concentration of Vit A, so should be given in very small doses ...

 

[Rafiki]

Good to know about the liver - it may be a good thing that Jammu snubs it! And really good to know about the taurine and and that it does not lose much effectivity due to freezing! Special bonus - it is really nice to know that I can give them hearts, a favorite treat, and know that it is so beneficial.

 

[Kristin]

I was looking at recipes and the ratios were 80:10:10-meat:bonergan with liver being half the organs.

 

[WitchyWoman]

I was looking at recipes and the ratios were 80:10:10-meat:bonergan with liver being half the organs.

The ratios are based on trying to recreate the ratios in whole prey and are used to guide people who are feeding frankenprey diets. Those that are grinding food or feeding chunks of meat with organs supplemented. 5% of liver from a chicken would be a small amount -- between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Quail, mice, rats would be even smaller.

 

[Kristin]

I was under the understanding that it was for grinding food as well. That is what I saw on the recipe sites and on the raw group anyways. But I think a lot of people chose to balance it differently so it wasn't every meal.

As I was looking at it, it was more complicated than I thought it would be...and it still cost a bit so I am sticking to their pre-made raw for now.

 

[WitchyWoman]

As I was looking at it, it was more complicated than I thought it would be...and it still cost a bit so I am sticking to their pre-made raw for now.

Have you seen the FB group Prey Model Raw Fed Cats? They have great info sheets and the group is knowledgeable. I think it's too complicated to grind or even feed raw chunks. That's why I like whole prey -- I don't have to think about it. Just plunk the body down on the floor.

 

[Kristin]

I can't do prey model...I have too much live prey

 

[Patti]

I would think/hope that raw food supplements such as Mazuri would provide the adequate amounts of supplements needed to slab or whole prey - no thinking at all except to measure the amount of supplement to add...

Patti
Jasirisana Savannahs