# SKUNK DIET Ideas and Opinions



## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

OK. I have had some great advice about skunk diet but everyone seems to have slightly different ideas so maybe we could discuss here.

I would have gone for a wild diet - i.e a mainly insectivorous one until Lou explained to me that even though wild skunks eat a high protein diet, their kidneys are often in bad shape.

Everyone seems to give cottage cheese/cheese/yoghurt for calcium but in very different amounts. I have now decided to try a smallish amount twice a week but plus half a chicken wing twice a week (so calcium from the bone also).

I am feeding raw meat & bone. Be interesting to see how many people feed raw vs how many feed cooked.

I am going for as much variety as possible and so far, since Saturday, I have fed:

RAW CHICKEN WING (1/2)
RAW SWEET POTATO
RAW CARROT (LOTS!)
BROAD BEANS IN THE POD
RAW BUTTERNUT SQUASH (NO SEEDS)
APPLE (NO PIPS) 
CANTALOUPE MELON
HONEYDEW MELON
A PETIT FILOUS YOGHURT
1/4 CORN ON THE COB
4 BITESIZE SHREDDED WHEAT

Interested to know people's opinions ref cooking food, how much and % they give, when they feed etc.


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

Hi 

We have always fed our chicken cooked ( baked ). Most sites promoted cooked meat, so being newbies thought it safer to follow.

Hope you don,t us mind adding a few foods to your list that we feed.

Cauli
Broccoli
Tuna ( in brine )
An assortment of cereals ( natural )
pasta
rice
Giant Moreo Worms as a treat.

Should be a good thread, look forward to everyones ideas on feeding.

Best wishes


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

kodakira said:


> Hi
> 
> We have always fed our chicken cooked ( baked ). Most sites promoted cooked meat, so being newbies thought it safer to follow.
> 
> ...


Great stuff. And what about calcium? Do you feed yoghurt/cheese regularly?

Be great if people could add in any fruit/veggies/other food although I think there is another thread just for listing foods skunks can eat.

I'll add papaya because a little birdy told me its great to feed regularly. Sure lou will be along soon.

Hoping Reiyuu will join us too as she has some great diet advice and experience with too much calcium.

Emmaj? Ask Hav if he would like to add his fave things on:2thumb:


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

We give a spoonful of cottage cheese / natural bio yoghurt per skunk and alternate nightly.

Keep torts so have experience of calcium ratio's etc, so diet is hopefully well balanced. 

We do give occasional treats such as scramblrd egg ( no milk, butter ) mixed with a little honey. The very occasional piece of cheese and occasionally satay the corn on the cob with a little peanut butter.

I think the occasional treat does them good, adds variety can reduce boredom with having the same foods. Of course these are just our ideas and as newcomers to Skunk ownership we hope we are doing the right thing.

Best wishes.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

My thoughts exactly! I am a newbie too and was not feeling very confident until I spoke to lou because there are a lot of ideas about ratios and what to give/ what not to give.

Skunk diet is the toughest one I have come across. Rabbits are delicate too in the dietary department but they are easy! Rabbit mix and adlib hay.
Don't give anything else and you won't go wrong.

I think we are all still learning here so its just opinions really.

I have always been an advocate of wild diets. My ferrets eat raw. Whole carcasses where possible. I fed my dog B.A.R.F and all my rodents have a fairly natural diet. My rabbits do not because it is way to hard to get right. 

All that said, if wild skunks are often not healthy then all we can do is pull our ideas together as keepers. My vet once made the point, it is ok feeding dogs on a wolf diet but wolves often die by the age of 5 because their teeth are worn or broken from all the bones and they essentially starve to death.

Hence, wild diets may not always be best.

Tis all opinion and down to each keeper.


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## loulou (Jan 18, 2006)

I will PM anyone thats interested in our diet happily, but will not stick it on the forums as its not what people would called a "proven" diet (taking words from the glider world now) and is something not everyone would feed.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

loulou said:


> I will PM anyone thats interested in our diet happily, but will not stick it on the forums as its not what people would called a "proven" diet (taking words from the glider world now) and is something not everyone would feed.


 
Nice one. I didnt post your advice on your behalf LOL 

Via pm is great too :2thumb:


Don't think many people will want to publish their actual diet on here for fear of having a strip torn off em but was just hoping for some general discussion.

I have a specific question: Does anyone know if dried insects are safe to feed? 

Think I will let Bear dig for the odd earthworm (if my greedy chickens will share).

Woodlice are supposed to be a fantastic under-rated source of calcium and goodness too: victory:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

We give ours 5 out of the following per night;
Carrot
Swede
Squash
Coli
Brocolli
Green Beans
Kidney Beans
Butter nut squash
1/2 corn cob

Along with 1 of the following (never 2 nights running);
Cooked chicken or turky
hard boiled egg
cottage cheese
Petit folus

She also has weekly;
Super morios/mealies
crix
locust


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

And Punk Skunk is the healthiest lookin little skunky that ever there was!:flrt:

:no1:

Thanks Rain


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> And Punk Skunk is the healthiest lookin little skunky that ever there was!:flrt:
> 
> :no1:
> 
> Thanks Rain


Yeah, but she's still a little on the light side .... she just doesnt wanna gain weight (blooming women! )


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Rain said:


> Yeah, but she's still a little on the light side .... she just doesnt wanna gain weight (blooming women! )


 
Blimey wait til she meets Bear, he'll show her how to eat.

My lil fella eats like a HORSE crossed with a HIPPO crossed with something else that eats a lot. Well... you get the idea.


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## tillie (Jan 9, 2008)

George is fed:

I usually give 5/6 from this list and approx 240 grams a day

carrots
beans
swede
squash
turnip
brocolli
cauliflower
courgetts
parsnip
celery
all peppers
cucumber
sugarsnap peas
sweetcorn (now and then)

Usually 1 of these, (approx 30 grams a day)
papaya (great c/ph ratio of 4.8:1)
mango
apple
pear
banana
tomato now and then

1 of these (approx 30 grams a day)
chicken breast (cooked)
Tuna in water
cottage cheese
egg (boiled or scrambled) twice a week.
slugs
snails
crickets
mealies as a treat.

Yog every 2 weeks and I cant believe its not butter on brown bread (1/4 slice) once every 2 weeks. That works out approx 80% veg 10%fruit 10% protein.

I may start feeding raw chicken necks twice a week soon as recommended by another forum.

I also give a suppliment called Vita-skunk daily.


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## Lucy_ (Jul 9, 2008)

At the moments bams diet is still restricted due to her OD, and im not want to overload her too quickly... but before it happened we gave her the following each day...
carrots
manjetou (not sure on spelling lol)
swede
parsnip
broccoli
babycorn
bell pepper
sweet potato

we tried other veg like squash, celery etc but she doesnt like them, so every now and again i will try it too see if she fancies it, which is very rare that she does lol

fruit wise varies, i always giver her 2fruits in her meals, but only little bits, atm because of her sensitive tummy she is having either/or apple/pear once a day, and when she doesnt have the fruit she has a topper like natural yog or cottage cheese... 

but the fruits we use are
papaya
mango
apple
pear
banana
plum - in small doses

and as toppers i use
chicken breast (cooked)
Tuna in springwater
cottage cheese
egg - usually scrambled

and also mealworms to treat her.

i no there are other fruits and veg we use lol but for the life of me i cant think of them!!!!:bash: soooooo annoying!

but yeah, that is what bams diet usually consists of, but atm is rather bland for her bless her lol but she dont seem to mind!

Luce x


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Great stuff. Luce, I noticed you put tuna in springwater. Does anyone think tuna in brine would be bad news? Pretty sure I have only seen tuna in oil or brine at tesco.


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

We use Tuna in sping water, would think the brine would be too high in salt content if given for a prolonged period. Not an expert but I think it would be Ok as a one off, luckily though have not needed to try it.

If you have a local Asda they normally sell it and it is no more expensive than normal Tuna.

Best wishes


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## tillie (Jan 9, 2008)

I only use tuna in springwater too as was told not to use any other. Sainsburys sell little tins that weigh about 60 grams so they are just the right size for 2 nights protein.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

There is an asda i can get to when i visit my parents. 

Could give Bear a spoonful and my ferrets would soon polish off the rest!

Although, I have just bought sardines in tomato sauce 

Think I will try him with one of those once he has had a bland diet for a few days.


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

When I feed the Tuna I normally give half a tin per Skunk. Obviously this is place of other food items.

May be a good idea though to only give a little, as you say. You can then make sure they like it and does not cause a tummy upset etc.

Best Wishes


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## stoaty (Jul 21, 2008)

Hi there. I give all mine raw chicken wings and necks every so often. They keep them occupied and also keeps their teeth clean. Skunks shudn't get the tarter build up on their teeth as much as dogs cause of all the crunchy veg but it doesn't hurt to let them sink their teeth into something more meatier.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

stoaty said:


> Hi there. I give all mine raw chicken wings and necks every so often. They keep them occupied and also keeps their teeth clean. Skunks shudn't get the tarter build up on their teeth as much as dogs cause of all the crunchy veg but it doesn't hurt to let them sink their teeth into something more meatier.


 
plus bones = calcium :2thumb:

double whammy.


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

Lucy_ said:


> At the moments bams diet is still restricted due to her OD, and im not want to overload her too quickly... but before it happened we gave her the following each day...
> carrots
> manjetou (not sure on spelling lol)
> swede
> ...


 
This is pretty much the same diet i use for havoc an siku 

only difference is havoc aint fussy an eats everything lol suki is like bam lol so hav finishes off what siku dont eat ( i make havs portions smaller so he aint eating more really)


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## ichis-mom (May 25, 2008)

i give ichi some sa37 its full of all the vitamins and minerals she need but can be pretty pricey and is only available from vets


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## MrsP (Apr 13, 2008)

So far I've fed the following:

Brocolli
Cauliflower
Carrot
Baby corn
Green beans
Mangetout
Sugar snaps
Fresh garden peas
Tomato

Then a dollop of cottage cheese, few chunks of chicken, or a plain egg, scrambled.

He's had apple, but no other fruit yet.

He needs to lose 2 - 3 kgs so I'm being really strict with him, even when he comes up to me sniffing and snuffling and looking hungry.

The cauli was hilarious, he took bits of that and dragged it across the room backwards to eat it under the table! I said to him, "It's ok, I'm not going to nick it, I have PIE" :lol2:


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

:lol2:MrsP


ok guys, I have had lots of kind offers of advice via pm but going to post here incase anyone else is interested . . .

might be an obvious one this but last night I gave Bear a huge meal of 2 big whole carrots, 1/3 butternut squash, a big pod of broad beans, 4 little chunks of melon, 4 mini cereal pieces, cooked cauli (only cooked as it was leftovers) and an egg.

This morning it is GONE and I will have to give him some breakfast because he is only about 14 weeks old so I want to make sure he always has something to eat.

He really does eat like a horse and I think he would easily get overweight if I let him. So would I be right in thinking I should always make sure he has a carrot or some veg so he has something to nibble on but nothing that will add to his protein amount?

That said if he has extra veg in the day then the 80% veg I am trying to give will go up and stuff up the balance.

Help! I'm more muddled than when I started LOL


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

At fourteen weeks old I shouldn't worry about his weight to much Pouchie, they are serious growing machines at that age, just up his food by 10% and see where that takes you.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Fixx said:


> At fourteen weeks old I shouldn't worry about his weight to much Pouchie, they are serious growing machines at that age, just up his food by 10% and see where that takes you.


 
Thanks Fixx. Will keep feeding the 'growing machine' 

Its like feeding trees into a wood chipper lol


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## ssssnakeman (Aug 19, 2007)

Never kept skunks but when I was younger we had ferrets and polecats that we used to hunt rabbits.

Same family as skunks but I spose their diet must be different.

Ours used to thrive on some dogfood, (greyhound mix)..rabbit heads and 
any mice or rats that were trapped were disposed of very efficiently.

These guys never had an issue with calcium and their temperment was excellent.

As we had apple fig and plum trees and a vegi patch they got to eat fresh fruit and veg most of the year.

Cheers


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

Fixx said:


> At fourteen weeks old I shouldn't worry about his weight to much Pouchie, they are serious growing machines at that age, just up his food by 10% and see where that takes you.


That's more or less the same advice i have given.

When the grow as fast as they do,the amount of food at that age is not really a issue as they will burn the excess fat off with exercise.

John


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## ichis-mom (May 25, 2008)

i was just wanting to know its a little off topic but how much should my skunk weigh as my vet said she needs a diet but i dont know what her weight should be


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

ichis-mom said:


> i was just wanting to know its a little off topic but how much should my skunk weigh as my vet said she needs a diet but i dont know what her weight should be


Proper weight is based on the body length and bone structure of the skunk. Use your (and your vet's) best judgment when determining the best weight for your skunk.







This skunk only weighs 10 lb, but she is overweight and has damaged joints, bone loss, low muscle mass, and spends most of her time sleeping. Even 1 lb over optimal weight can lead to problems like this. 

This skunk is on joint conditioning treatment including glucosamine and colostrum, and calcium supplements to help strengthen her bones. She is given hydrotherapy and exercise sessions regularly to help strengthen her muscles. Her diet is limited to help her lose the excess weight. The bowl in this picture is about 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) in diameter.
Although a skunk may gain or lose 25% (or more) of their optimal body weight over the course of a year, it is best to maintain a pet skunk's weight at or near their optimal. This reduces stress and improves the general health for the skunk.
Fasting (one of five meals) to reduce the weight may be recommended by your vet. Very small meals three or four times a day may be used to aid in weight reduction. In addition, significant exercise is recommended for your skunk, even in winter.

This is about as helpful as a hole in the head but it does advise how to get weight down. Will see if I can find more info on how to actually come up with an ideal weight...


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

from what my vets researched they should weigh between 2 and 3 kilos 3 1/2 kilos being the max


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

Emmaj said:


> from what my vets researched they should weigh between 2 and 3 kilos 3 1/2 kilos being the max


Beet me to it,although from what i can gather it has been said between 2-4kg.

Just a thought though,not all skunks will be the same size as with other animals so how would you judge the weight with the size?

John


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

I keep finding 3 - 10 lbs but thats a huge range. Apparently it depends upon the size and bone structure of your skunk.

Lou gave me a great tip I am sure she wouldnt mind me sharing... Apparently they have a fat store at the base of their tail and if it gets more than 1/3 way down the tail its diet time.

Bear has a chunky base to his tail then it goes thin. I am going by that and just going by his general shape.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

LOL if he looks like the skunk in that picture I just posted he will be going on a diet :lol2:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

ssssnakeman said:


> Same family as skunks but I spose their diet must be different.


 Nope, ferrets and skunks arent in the same family... they were reclassified recently, no longer are they Mustelidae, they are now Mephitidae, along with all other types of skunk and stink badgers.


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## Lucy_ (Jul 9, 2008)

like em said, they should weigh at a max of 3 1/2 kg's and this is normally a males weight as females are generally smaller with their structure etc...
and as babies i wouldnt worry overly about their weight unless they have had issues like massive loss or gain.
i generally feed bam about 4-5 times a day 1-2times with a topper and the others just plain veg, because at a young age they will eat loads and burn it off so fast aswel so feeding more is important.

Once they are a bit older and you notice that either they arent eating all the food your giving (unlikely!!!) or they are getting a little chubby :lol2: then you know its time to cut the feeding down...

Luce


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## ssssnakeman (Aug 19, 2007)

Rain said:


> Nope, ferrets and skunks arent in the same family... they were reclassified recently, no longer are they Mustelidae, they are now Mephitidae, along with all other types of skunk and stink badgers.


Thanks for that, actually i should have remembered as i was told something similar last year. http://www.dragoo.org/Mephitidae.html lol.
So my ferret diet would be no good for a skunk?
Cheers


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

ssssnakeman said:


> Thanks for that, actually i should have remembered as i was told something similar last year. Dragoo's Skunk Page lol.
> So my ferret diet would be no good for a skunk?
> Cheers


 
I just feed my ferrets raw meat and bones. Oh and sometimes fish or an egg.

Can you feed ferrets fruit?? and veg?

LOL don't think mine would eat it anyway but I thought I read you should not give fruit. Could be wrong though.

Anyone know?


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

my fuzzbuts get veg from time to time.. actually its the skunks mix they get so it has a litte fruit in too..

sometimes they eat it.. sometimes they chew on it and then leave it.. sometimes they use it as a toy...

just depends really..

ferrets and skunks tho.. no, very different diet.. ferrets are obligate carnivores and skunks are more omnivores if anything.. so they need different things in the diet to fulfil their needs..

N


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

it occurred to me, as it does when you are chopping broccoli

that i should add a small footer to the above post..

i believe, in the main, that the bone content of a wild skunks diet would be very different in both size and structure to what most of us in the uk can get as chicken carcasses of whatever type.. be it wings or legs or necks..

i do occasionally give the skunks things like day old chicks.. mice.. rats.. gerbils.. sections of quail.. but from having look, shall we say, in depth, at a lot of the dead things i see.. i know that the bones in the above are far less splintery than the bones in most commercially produced consumer bought chicken..

i wonder if the problem lies with the fact that most of the chicken bones we see, are from birds bred to obtain adult size within weeks, hence the structure of the bone itself leads to weakness and sharper fracture.. as well as the size aspect.. most commercial birds are bred to be big.. the more meat the better per bird and this does reflect on the bone size.

it occurred to me that most skunks in the wild would tend to feed on the carcass of animals with a very different size and bone structure than the standard chickens you buy on the market today. for instance in life of mammals, one section deals with skunks who raid bat caves in the pitch dark for fallen babies.. unless wild skunks happen upon carrion, there is little with the size and texture of a commercial chicken that would compare amongst their known wild prey..

whilst i do think they are capable of pulverising a bone the size of one in a chicken carcass.. i do think that a proper wild carcass would have a better chance of not splintering.

i think this (as well as the documented cases of prolapses in skunks from both raw and cooked chicken bones) tends to mean i shy away from feeding chicken bones as part of the diet, but means i still feed the odd small rodent or hatchling bird without being too worried.

pacer prolapsed once.. about the size (width and length) of a smartie tube when i found him.. several hours of sugar paste, and me wearing a skunk like a glove puppet on one finger for a few hours to ensure things went back right.. and it was all good again. 2 days later.. he did it again though not as badly.. same treatment, although this time using a longer..umm.. probe.... and the next day he passed a bit of chicken leg.. about 2 1/2 inches long.. cut in half and jagged to a point from about halfway down. 

although he passed a little blood with it.. and had another tiny prolapse.. he thankfully was fiine as dandy from then on..

but yes, i will never feed chicken bone for that reason.. or any commercially bred bone of that nature.. i would rather give them smaller boned aniimals from time to time, than risk the sharp chunks you see in both raw and cooked commercially available chicken.

hope that helps explain my thinking on it.. i do have reasons for what i choose to feed or not feed.. i wanted to try and share the thoughts behind them rather then just stating what i do or do not do.


Nerys


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Hey Nerys,

Did Pacer prolapse after eating a cooked or raw bone? I presume cooked as I remember you saying you fed cooked meat.

Just to add to the debate about bones, do you think small bones could be as much of a risk?

I would have thought the spine and rib bones in a rodent would be as hazardous as fish bones for getting stuck in the throat or gut.

I always find myself in this toss up between trusting mother nature and her natural diet or playing it safe and thinking I know better lol

Maybe bones should be avoided altogether and whole carrots/veg used for teeth cleaning and the calcium from bones substituted with powder or yoghurt/cheese/insects. 

Apparently woodlice are great for calcium! Snails I am guessing would provide a double whammy of protein and calcium but if Bear eats a snail, I aint lookin!


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> Hey Nerys,
> 
> Did Pacer prolapse after eating a cooked or raw bone? I presume cooked as I remember you saying you fed cooked meat.
> 
> ...


Seems a little two faced asking Nerys for help when you think she is trying to control the skunk trade..?

Not my words,all yours.

John


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Grow up John and get off my thread. 

Nerys and I are adult enough to have crossed words without holding a grudge.

I have refrained from spilling the WHOLE story re the skunk and pouched rats. I have every pm you sent to me, I sent to you, you sent to ratster and I sent to ratster.

Would you like me to make those public?


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> Grow up John and get off my thread.
> 
> Nerys and I are adult enough to have crossed words without holding a grudge.
> 
> ...


Who needs to grow up?

John


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## ssssnakeman (Aug 19, 2007)

> ferrets and skunks tho.. no, very different diet.. ferrets are obligate carnivores and skunks are more omnivores if anything.. so they need different things in the diet to fulfil their needs..


Thanks for that Nerys.:2thumb:
You surely seem to know your stuff.


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

sssnakeman.. np.. i try.. you never stop learning tho 

& soz, not been on a lot, so not got back to you caroline...

(nb.. oh do bog off john..)

with pacer.. it was coooked yes, in fact i found the bit of bone in my drawer!! must take a pic.. seriously you will not believe he managed to get it out!!!

BUT, the example on skunk haven was a raw one... which is what got me thinking about bone structure .. and then the fact i keep my own chickens for meat and eggs.. got me thinking about how they are produced and the effect it has on the skeleton.. and what effect that in turn might have on the bones they are eating.. we all know about chickens with sores on the hocks as their frame is too big for the skeleton to allow them to stand.. but how much thought do we give to the bits we don't see and eat??

rodent bones and fish bones.. Mmm.. yes i know what you mean.. but i think from memory the actual composition of the bone is quite different?? i would think that skunks probably do get bones stuck in the throat and gut from time to time.. not to mention other things... again on skunk haven, there are instructions for doing the hiemlich (spell?) manouvre on a skunk too !! i guess for me, i think the rodent bones tend to be more crunchable.. and also more attached to the flesh around them.. small bone fragments in a skunks digestive juices i would not think stand much of a chance i have to say. fish bones tend to be longer and more slippary.. i have given them whole fish chunks from time to time it has to be said, and not had a problem. thats not to say you would never get one tho. it depends on the part of the skeleton too.. fish ribs are a lot different to fish vertebrae for instance.

snails.. yeah.. yum eh! i know they are not fussed about slugs.. dunno about snails, tho apparently, if you keep in a tub and feed lettuce till their poo goes green.. you know have been cleansed of anything bad in the gut, 
be aware tho that there are parasites such as flukes which spend part of their life cycle living within snails.. so.. i am not sure i would feed them or not! woodlice.. catching enough for a mouthful could be a time consuming task! and again i am not sure about the bugs they carry. again, yes, in the wild they would not worry about parasite load in the food.. but again.. dead wild skunks from heavy parasite loads are probably not really mourned or counted for that matter. 

i guess a natural calcium source is egg shell.. giving a whole boiled egg.. or a whole raw egg (shell on) can be a calcium boost.. tho a messy one if you use raw eggs !!! another way of boosting, tho i rarely do it, is adding the pure calcium carbonate powder you can get for reps into something like yoghurt.. mix it in and they lap it up. 

i have given mine from time to time a knuckle bone, like the dogs get.. the do seem to enjoy chewing on those.. i've not so far seen them break into little bits.. but will continue to be watchful..

hth

N


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Nerys said:


> (nb.. oh do bog off john..)
> 
> 
> N


:lol2: I have to say, it is getting quite tedious reporting all his stupid posts.


Thanks for your post re bones. There are some pics I took of Bear yesterday on the thread. 'Silverback or Swirl'.

You can't really tell from those but his coat is so shiny I am worried a magpie might try to run off with him LOL


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

i saw earlier yeah, over rorys shoulder i think, :2thumb:

to be truely silverback, the whole back needs to be white.. no colour at all..

chip is when the white is on the legs.. and swirl is where the white is on the flanks  or at least thats how i understand it..

he looks a sweetie still bless him 

emmas new boy siku, is actually.. or at least that i could tell when i saw him, a silverback albino.. you can just about see that all the fur on his back is the longer softer white that you find in the white striped part..

the hair within the stripe seems to be longer and slightly finer than the hair outside the stripe.. so.. the shorter and a little coarser hair is the hair thats coloured in a non albino skunk.. it makes silverbacks.. like Daves Chunk, and my Elsie and Pacer.. seem almost longer haired and more soft than those with back stripes 

N


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Maybe the black bit will grow into more of a stripe but he also has white bits on his legs so maybe he just wanted to be a SilverSwirl Chip?

:lol2:


If we ever get skunk shows over here I guess poor lil Bear will have to go in the 'pet quality' class bless him :flrt:


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

lol, joined by most of mine too i think 

both elsie and pacer have a few coloured hairs..literally just a few tho, in their backs.. i guess i could pluck them.. but.. i wouldn't want to do that to them lol lol

N


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

heehee we should have a little RFUK skunky show.

we could all post a pic of each skunk and put a poll so people can vote 

:lol2:

ps i aint got a clue how to do that tho:bash:


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## Talk To The Animals (Jan 10, 2008)

Yeah lets do that. I'm afraid nobody else needs to post though, because Hershey and Oreo are the cutest skunks in the whole wide world. Although Chunk comes pretty close.

I don't know any other skunks!!


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Talk To The Animals said:


> Yeah lets do that. I'm afraid nobody else needs to post though, because Hershey and Oreo are the cutest skunks in the whole wide world. Although Chunk comes pretty close.
> 
> I don't know any other skunks!!


 
:lol2: 

and the trophy goes to...:no1:


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