Redfoots eating turkey...beware...graphic

[ZippyButter]

ARKelly,

This info is new to me, so I can try giving my boxes some raw chicken or turkey. They have been fed cooked chicken once in a while but not the raw one. Very interesting. I did not grow up in a farm ( always wish I did) but I still learn how to prepare a chicken, duck for a meal from fresh ( you have to know how to cut the vein and to pluck its feather and clean every single organs of the poultry) Talking about this makes me hungry


Minh

 

[ArkansasKelly]

ARKelly,

This info is new to me, so I can try giving my boxes some raw chicken or turkey. They have been fed cooked chicken once in a while but not the raw one. Very interesting. I did not grow up in a farm ( always wish I did) but I still learn how to prepare a chicken, duck for a meal from fresh ( you have to know how to cut the vein and to pluck its feather and clean every single organs of the poultry) Talking about this makes me hungry


Minh

Of course, this is just my 2 cents, but I would not feed anything that has been cooked. What they eat in the wild is raw and I would be afraid cooking something would take away nutrients or what not.

As far as feeding bought chicken or turkey from the grocery store, that I could not say weather it would be good or bad. . I guess you would want to get something that is all natural and not full of preservatives and the like. Again, just my 2 cents. LOL

Maybe someone else would have thoughts on that?

ARKelly

 

[ArkansasKelly]

On a side note, my poor boxies never even got a chance to taste their turkey. My puppy, Panda Bear, broke into the pen and stole it. Looks like I need to do some reinforcements now. :-(

ARKelly

 

[ZippyButter]

ARKelly,

I tried to give some raw chicken to my boxies this morning, they snipped then walked away, so I fed to my Res and Painted, they gulfed it down in no time. I guess these boxies never had a raw chicken meat in their lives. I bought my chicken at Asian Market, the natural kinds that have the free ranged at the farm. They are pricey, but worth it.

Minh

 

[ArkansasKelly]

ARKelly,

I tried to give some raw chicken to my boxies this morning, they snipped then walked away, so I fed to my Res and Painted, they gulfed it down in no time. I guess these boxies never had a raw chicken meat in their lives. I bought my chicken at Asian Market, the natural kinds that have the free ranged at the farm. They are pricey, but worth it.

Minh

Minh,

Don't give up yet. I had a few boxies that would not touch their "meat" until it was rancid. IF you can stand the thought and the smell, leave it out there for a few days and see what happens.

Glad to know that the chicken will not go to waste though. I bet the water turtles were very happy.

ARKelly

 

[Redfootedboxturtles]

Just be careful with feeding raw chicken. Kelly you have an our door enclosure correct? I think that because of gems and stuff feeding raw meat in a small enclosure where the bedding isnt changed and the cage cleaned daily can cause a problem.

The same can be said about putting raw chicken into your water turtle enclosure especially if its a fish tank type set up. Salmonella can really become prominent in fish tanks where raw chicken is fed, even if the water seems clean and well filtered.

 

[ArkansasKelly]

Just be careful with feeding raw chicken. Kelly you have an our door enclosure correct? I think that because of gems and stuff feeding raw meat in a small enclosure where the bedding isnt changed and the cage cleaned daily can cause a problem.

The same can be said about putting raw chicken into your water turtle enclosure especially if its a fish tank type set up. Salmonella can really become prominent in fish tanks where raw chicken is fed, even if the water seems clean and well filtered.

You are right about germs and such. I did not even think about that. I was thinking only of feeding raw stuff when in an outside pen like mine. Thank you for bringing that up.

Another consideration is if you do have an outside pen and it is NOT animal proof, leaving raw meat in the enlcosure overnight would not be a good idea either. It tends to attract predators.

I apologize for not being more detailed. I have a tendency to be vague.

ARKelly

 

[ZippyButter]

Don't worry about samonella in the container of the water turtles, I feed them in seperate feeding container, as you all know RES and Painted Tort are messy eater. And I don't intend to feed these water torts raw meat often, they love little feeder gold fishes, roaches, bugs, worms, lettuce, crickets...and their pellets.. Thank you for reminding us of the danger of feeding raw meat to our torts.

Minh

 

[alice]

really interesting post, are theese your own turkeys your feeding them?

 

[70ridgeway]

im a bit confused at the moment im new to keeping redfoots and have been told to feed only cooked chicken,due to bacteria,so am i right in thinking small amounts of uncooked meat is ok ,great photos by the way and im sorry to question this but i want to get things right with my torts.

 

[Itort]

One point we keep in mind is Kelly knows these turkeys intimately as far as diet, housing, and health. Kelly raises turkeys for a living and therefore has total quality control.

 

[ArkansasKelly]

One point we keep in mind is Kelly knows these turkeys intimately as far as diet, housing, and health. Kelly raises turkeys for a living and therefore has total quality control.

Thanks Itort, just another tad of information I skipped over. As usual. I am so not good with words.

Alice: As Itort just pointed out, yes I do raise the turkeys I feed so I do know what goes into them as far as diet and such.

70ridgeway: I'm going to let someone else answer your question, if you do not mind. I guess I do not have problems feeding fresh meat to my guys because what they get is what I raise, but I am not sure how others feel about it.

I do NOT want to give the wrong advice by any means.

Anyone else have an opinion about feeding raw meat?

ARKelly

 

[ZippyButter]

ARKelly,

That's why this country is so great. One can gather many great ideas and opinions, then make decision about what is best for your torts. I've read some infos about boxies that live in the wild, they not only eat raw animal flesh but sometimes eat the carcasses of death animals. With our domestic torts, to prevent of passing germs, bacteria to ourselves and other people, it's always wise to wash our hands after handling them. I bet your turkeys taste better than other commercial brand !

Minh

 

[ArkansasKelly]

Well said Minh!

"I bet your turkeys taste better than other commercial brand"

Actually, they probably taste the same. I grow birds for Butterball. (big cheesy grin)

ARKelly

 

[Lil' Tortie]

Great Pics Kelly thanks for sharing. When looking at these you have no doughts they are meat eaters.

I am also shocked! Do you think it's good to feed my leopards and sulcata meat awso?

 

[ArkansasKelly]

Great Pics Kelly thanks for sharing. When looking at these you have no doughts they are meat eaters.

I am also shocked! Do you think it's good to feed my leopards and sulcata meat awso?

No, leopards and sulcatas are strictly vegetarians where as redfoots and yellowfoots are omnivores.

I am not 100% sure, but if the leopards and sulcatas did eat the meat, it might make them sick.

ARKelly

 

[70ridgeway]

i wasnt questioning the fact u feed fresh uncooked meat its that there is so much different advice given on feeding and raising tortoises,sometimes u dont know if ur coming or going i have 3 different types of torts and redfoots im only just learning about some say dont feed meat some say u have to cook and others use fresh uncooked it can be conflicting sometimes.But i will give it a try.

 

[Itort]

One other point to keep in mind is Kelly is feeding the whole bird. These are not plucked, cleaned, and butchered like in grocery. The nutriant value is probably higher and the birds are cleaner (its a closed package till the torts get it).

 

[jackflash]

WOW!!! I've read that in the wild redfoots have been known to hunt in packs to bring down small deer and livestock. Great pictures. They show a side of redfooot behavior that some owners don't like to talk about. Just kidding,I have two that are about a year old and a lot smarter than any of the N.A. box turtles that I've seen or kept.
Take care, jackflash.

 

[terryo]

WOW!!! I've read that in the wild redfoots have been known to hunt in packs to bring down small deer and livestock. Great pictures. They show a side of redfooot behavior that some owners don't like to talk about. Just kidding,I have two that are about a year old and a lot smarter than any of the N.A. box turtles that I've seen or kept.
Take care, jackflash.

Double Wow! I would love to read that article.