Freezing whole prey items question

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Saya

I want to play!

Barked: Tue Jan 15, '13 9:56am PST


	I read freezing for such and such time will kill parasites, but does it kill parasite's eggs or whatever the make to produce young? Is 6months in very bottom of chest freezer enough time to kill parasites? Or should I toss for the coyotes to eat.. Is groundhog something you'd feed? I have two that been frozen for 6months now.

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Maxwell

I'm triple- superior MAD- now!

Barked: Tue Jan 15, '13 10:50am PST


	If I were lucky enough to have a groundhog in the freezer I would research the particular parasites that species gets and see if they are killed by long freezing. Don't groundhogs hibernate? If so is it possible some of the parasites they are subject to are less likely to be killed by freezing? Something to look into for sure. And if so you could be a super good dog owner and dissect the groundhog to see if those parasites are present. Looking online will give you the information you need. If the parasite is adult it should be easy enough to see in the gut or lungs or liver. If the infectious stage is present in muscle meat then might be harder to see, haven't looked into that. Worms have complex life cycles and go through a couple of different hosts and not all life stages are infectious. Not easy stuff. So please, go research for us! I have read every single thread on this forum and don't remember any info on this.

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Saya

I want to play!

Barked: Tue Jan 15, '13 11:59am PST


	I've done some looking into it hard to find info on dog owners feeding groundhogs. Mostly dogs that caught one and ate it before owner had time to remove it. : I seen info saying freezing such time and for so cold will kill parasites. Then other sites or forums saying no freezing won't kill it. I've fed whole rabbits after freezing for about four months I like to be over cautious and Saya has been fine she even eaten the stomach.. One rabbit I removed stomach and intestines to see how easy it would be to do both. Coarse it wasn't hard at all as rabbit is more easy. I was able to locate the stomach and intestines and get just that without removing the liver or heart etc. I did try remove stuff with the groundhog, but the hide is very tough. I'm going to try remove the stomach and intestines again once thawed maybe do it when semi thawed to help with it.. Yeah groundhogs do hibernate. The two I got were very healthy I didn't see anything wrong with them from outside and I've seen the two alive moving about they were healthy no odd behavior. ate a good diet of my fresh veggies out of the garden which I don't use pesticides or herbicides. I spent all morning and noon checking online so far no luck. I'm going to look into all the parasites groundhogs get as next searching point. I'll share my experiences when done.

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Maxwell

I'm triple- superior MAD- now!

Barked: Tue Jan 15, '13 3:51pm PST


	Good luck! All wild animals aren't infested with parasites either. In microzoology we checked a wild duck and there was nothing in the thing, perfectly clean and you know we wanted to see some parasites!

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Saya

I want to play!

Barked: Wed Jan 16, '13 10:05pm PST


	I did the one groundhog today it thawed out enough. I'll do second another time a groundhog is a lot of work. I got the stomach and intestines out perfectly I was surprised. I like it when things are easy. I took the hide off to tan for later groundhog fur is pretty nice really.. Saya had tiny piece of meat, fat and tiny bit of groundhog liver she also got a egg too. The liver looked good nothing bad from looks of it. I bagged the liver, kidneys and whatever else into a bag to feed later. Once I was done skinning it. I cut the two legs and arms off for easier to eat meal. Then cut the back area up, and left the rib cage intact the ribs have the heart, lung and whatever else is in there. Saya did like the meat, fat, and organs so I'm glad I don't want to waste the meat.. I plan to tan the hide once I prep the second groundhog which is still in the freeze I think I'll need some time to rest. It was cold today, but not too cold. When I've been in 15F or 19F weather, 25F and 30F seems warm. Boy was this an experience it was a lot of work, but I'm glad I waited till winter to do this as in August the wasps and flies were annoying. I need time to work on it and get it right as the hide it tough so I didn't want to screw it up too much. I'll take prepping it in the cold versus dealing with flies or wasps any day. Such a big meal should last a while. I plan to feed a leg of he groundhog tomorrow be interesting how she treats this.I did keep some skin on it. Should be nice and chewy. I cleaned the stuff I prepped the groundhog on in the garage. During that time I heard a coyote off in the field where they do veggies like corn or something. I need to buy some type of turkey either boneless or ground and gizzards and I should be set on food for while.

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Saya

I want to play!

Barked: Sat Feb 23, '13 10:10am PST


	I've prepped the second groundhog month ago I put it in bottom in the fridge as I want to get through with the first one before feeding second one.. Saya eaten up the two legs she has two arms left now plus the back end and ribcage.. Curious is gallbladder OK to feed or is it a no no? I fed Saya the organs from the first ground hog there was liver, kidney and I believe gallbladder.. It was in area it usually is so that is my guess. Saya ate all the organs offered. She also had rest of the groundhog leg she had it was just the foot part and tiny bit of leg. That was in January and she is still alive.. hehe Today I have the back end thawed going to feed that.

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Saya

I want to play!

Barked: Wed Feb 27, '13 3:20pm PST


	Saya finished the back end of the goundhog today. Yummy! She had egg and some caned sardines in am and then the bone in groundhog. She had some frozen mango, pineapple, strawberries as I was eating a big bowl of frozen fruit. She wanted what I had so she got tiny bit of each then she wandered to the door to watch the birds eat seeds.. She had a good hike so I didn't mind her eating bit more then she usually.

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Duke

I'm king of the- world!

Barked: Thu Feb 28, '13 5:14pm PST


	Duke is jealous! Oh, what he would do to catch the groundhog near our house that runs into its hole every time we get close . . . Although I'm not sure what he would if he caught it. He once caught a chipmunk on a hike, but he just stood there with it squirming in his mouth. Poor Duke had no idea what to do. He eventually dropped it. I think I made him nervous; it was no fun for me listening to the poor thing chirp and wriggle trying to get free!

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Sascha

Sascha - rather chase,- than eat

Barked: Thu Feb 28, '13 7:40pm PST


	Usually, we feed Sascha raw, almost frozen venison that we harvest and butcher ourselves. Strangely, she prefers it almost frozen rather than defrosted. She has already eaten the 4 bucks that we harvested this last hunting season and we were worried what we were going to feed her. I did find frozen vension medallions at a local Pet Supply store. Expensive, but I was grateful to find something she would eat. Given a choice, she prefers the venison we have harvested, but in a pinch, she will eat the medallions. She also likes whatever fruit we are eating, but we try to limit those with any kind of seed - such a grapes. Her eating habits have always been a challenge and ebbs and tides during the year.

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Freezing whole prey items question

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