Post by tanaro2 on May 6, 2006 9:32:27 GMT -5
Rats. Rats are the only food source you need if feeding a redtail, period. They contain every vitamin and nutrient that your bird needs. You won't need any vitamins, you won't need any calcium supplement. I don't know why someone would spend the money on chicks, mice, rats, or rabbits. Actuallly rabbit wouldn't be good for your bird if strictly fed that diet. Rats in fact would be much healthier since you wouldn't have to vary or supplement their diet. Now, I can see where you would vary a redtails diet if you had access to a ton of chicks at little cost, then you would have to buy the mice to go along with it to give your bird the vitamins it needs. Now if your going to buy your food, don't waste your time on a selection of chicks, mice, etc. Buy the XL rats that Rodent Pro has on sale for $1.25. These rats are pictured above and can give a big redtail a full crop just feeding half of the rat. A Hundred of these things will last you over 6 months. Venison (deer meat) actually sucks to feed a bird. The only good thing about deer meat is that usually if you know someone who hunts deer, you can always get a ton of it and store it. You do not want to feed your bird more than two times a week using venison. If you do, you better supplement it with vitahawk and some sort of calcium supplement. I try to stay away from it if at all possible. Personally, I used deer meat often because I was given an abundent supply. I later found out that too much of it can cause problems down the line, such as weak bones. Not only can it cause your bird some problems (it can, not saying it always will) but you have to vary the birds diet and aslo start adding supplements which can be more time consuming and dangerous. Remember, too much vitamins can harm your bird worse than too little. I will say that during training and hunting season, deer meat for tidbiting would be ok. I just wouldn't feed her up on it very often. Also, you don't really save money buying mice since your bird is going to need more than one when eating. They are good however if you only need to feed your bird 2 ounces a day before a hunt. Still, I couldn't justify spending the money on some mice when I can stick into the bigger rats. Quail are also excellent but they are very rich and a heavy meat. The thing is you can get more feedings out of an XL rat than you could an adult (8 week) Quail. Plus an adult quail cost $1.64 (as big as it gets) and weighs 190.00 - 225.00 grams. An extra (XL) rat costs $1.25 and weighs 270-340 grams. You do the math. Now these figures and advice are based on the assumtion that you are going to ORDER your food from Rodent Pro or whoever. If joe blow down the road can supply you with chicks for next to nothing than by all means get them. Of course you will still have to order or catch fur for your bird. If your going to buy your food and you have or planning to have a redtail, just order the XL RATS. Save the money and be done with it.