Turkey diet

[Scales Zoo]

So, I've been thinking about the San Diego zoo turkey diet.

It sounds like a convenient food to offer every 2nd or 3rd feeding.

The thing I'm wondering is....

Is it a beneficial supplementary food - or is it just a cheap "filler" food that some zoos, with many hungry mouths to feed, utilize.

I think I will make up a batch, and give it a try.

We've got herptivite and rep-cal, and I think I would rather use these, than Centrum tabs and bone meal. I may use some bone meal, and some rep-cal - as rep-cal was just meant to be a supplement, and good bone meal has good bone in it.

When I know how much each serving of turkey will weigh, I should be able to figure out how much herptivite to add (based on the animals weight)

Also, instead of buying ground turkey, we are going to get some Utility turkeys, and grind the meat ourselves (I think I'll do it quite coarse). After Thanksgiving (this weekend in Canada) turkeys get even cheaper. Right now, Utility turkeys are $0.99 / lb.

I'm planning on trying the food as a supplement (with the herptivite in it), every 3rd feeding or so.

On another note, I have an excellent recipe for turkey sausage. I know, it sounds a bit odd, but it is really good. We may be able to get turkeys even cheaper if we buy a few of them - make some sausage for us, and make some for the monitors.

Sheila wondered if we should put the mixed monitor turkey, in sausage casings for freezing. This way, the ground turkey would last longer in the freezer, and we could have appropriately sized sausages that would thaw really quickly in warm water (salmonella concerns).

I understand not to leave poultry in the monitor’s cage for too long as well.

So, what are the thoughts of the board on this one?

Ryan

[V.hb]

I dont think its a cheaper food source, as markb said albigularus has successfully reproduced on it over a 7 year period (mixed with rodents) The only downfall ive seen and have seen people also relate too was the runny stool and the smell.

I do know alot of people prefer it to rodents and claim its more benificial, so i was left in the dark myself. I wouldnt use it as a staple, but A couple times a week iam sure wouldn't hurt. Iam going to try it myself will keep you posted.

[Scales Zoo]

Runny smelly stool seems to go with birds. I wonder why that is.

I had thought about mixing it with shrimp, meal worms, rat pinkies, minnows, or something every second time I use it as a treat.

Ryan

[Kyle Barker]

Would it make a difference where you got it from? Im sure the "costco" type turkeys are filled with god knows what, compared with "ma & pa" how raise a few on their ranch type of thing. Would feeding frozen farmed turkey have any health risks?

Anybody have thoughts on rabbits?

[Steeve B]

Kyle my crocs go crazy over Rabbits, and they cost $2ea at a farm auction

[Kyle Barker]

Excellent.

[SHvar]

Over many years. I give it to my ackie once a week (about 2 tablespoons), but his diet is mostly insects. Ive tried it in small amounts with other monitors with only runny smelly stool compared to normal. Ive been told when they fed it at San Diego zoo to komodos and albigs it was tried as a whole diet and no rodents supplemented and compared though blood tests and stool tests (as mixed exactly in the recipe for reasons). The main difference through their testing was runny smelly stool, and they said they had reproduction at the time, yet it was asked if the test subjects had experienced reproduction. No they didnt, the animals that ate rodents experienced reproduction.
I just think common sense would tell it isnt as good as feeding a whole animal. I noticed they deficated less often and produced not so much a runny stool (compared sometimes to whole birds), but a brown puddle that seems to me like theres serious problem. Try it and see what you think but I dont think youll like the results much.

[Tim and Julie B]

Opps replied to the wrong thread! This thread was interesting though!