Post by Ed on Oct 17, 2004 11:02:34 GMT -8
Hi,
That's interesting Queen of the nile! I have an elderly female cat who loves dry food! plus i'm getting a Bengal cat this xmas, do you have any links i can read?
Re, the mealworms, and protein content in food.
I also keep several different exotic species and these do get livefood. Most exotics appreciate livefood, they are not domesticised, and natural instincts predominate. However in the wild, insects can sometimes contain parasites that inevitably shorten the lives of the animals that use them as a food source in the wild. (a good reason to regularly worm animals) The bird community have realised this for a while and that there are probably a number of pathogens present in mealworms that can affect a birds health and performance. Although it could be a dramatic comparison
, i guesss you could liken it to the smoker, who has smoked for 20 plus years but is still ok. However it still doesn't automatically mean that they are healthy for you. If using mealworms as a feed,i would always pick a reputable supplier, do not go for the cheapest source. Rinse the mealworms before using, and never feed dead mealworms.
I would probably say the safest source of protein would come from plant origin. I tend to increase the total content of protein by adding alfalfa pellets(very high in protein and calcium, but is also high fibre. The fibre binds with a certain amount of protein and calcium, and renders it unusable, so protein and calcium levels are lower than the values listed on the product. Also giving extra nuts, and seeds like sunflowers in the diet can safely bump up protein content for breeding gerbils. As long as the average protein content of the feed you are using is 15 to 16% of the total feed .that is ideal for breeding gerbils. excessive amounts can be dangerous. For geriatric gerbils the protein content can be lower, say 10-11%. Pet gerbils need approx.12% for good health.
Hope this helps,
Eddie
That's interesting Queen of the nile! I have an elderly female cat who loves dry food! plus i'm getting a Bengal cat this xmas, do you have any links i can read?
Re, the mealworms, and protein content in food.
I also keep several different exotic species and these do get livefood. Most exotics appreciate livefood, they are not domesticised, and natural instincts predominate. However in the wild, insects can sometimes contain parasites that inevitably shorten the lives of the animals that use them as a food source in the wild. (a good reason to regularly worm animals) The bird community have realised this for a while and that there are probably a number of pathogens present in mealworms that can affect a birds health and performance. Although it could be a dramatic comparison
, i guesss you could liken it to the smoker, who has smoked for 20 plus years but is still ok. However it still doesn't automatically mean that they are healthy for you. If using mealworms as a feed,i would always pick a reputable supplier, do not go for the cheapest source. Rinse the mealworms before using, and never feed dead mealworms.I would probably say the safest source of protein would come from plant origin. I tend to increase the total content of protein by adding alfalfa pellets(very high in protein and calcium, but is also high fibre. The fibre binds with a certain amount of protein and calcium, and renders it unusable, so protein and calcium levels are lower than the values listed on the product. Also giving extra nuts, and seeds like sunflowers in the diet can safely bump up protein content for breeding gerbils. As long as the average protein content of the feed you are using is 15 to 16% of the total feed .that is ideal for breeding gerbils. excessive amounts can be dangerous. For geriatric gerbils the protein content can be lower, say 10-11%. Pet gerbils need approx.12% for good health.
Hope this helps,
Eddie
