feeding ground ingredients

[akane]

I am making a mix with ground flax. I wouldn't mind whole flax but ground flax in several gallon buckets for horses is the cheapest way I can get it. I've been just mixing it straight with sunflower seeds and electrolyte powder as the basic mix. I have added rolled oats or chopped alfalfa for various purposes. I'd kinda like to make it a full feeding mix with beet pulp more for guinea pigs (a grain free version for them as an experiment) but also good for skinny rabbits, the ND don't handle frequent litters as well as the larger breeds, and a blander diet than pellets for the occasional litter of kits that has digestive problems. They did great on the ground flax and oatmeal mix and hezaa put weight on and grew her coat back rapidly eating the basic 3 ingredient mix wet into a paste. The problem I have is that they don't ingest straight powder well and getting things wet, especially grains, risks bad bacterias and fungi as well as being messy when left in the cage. Any ideas for a binder that can be dried? Bentonite clay is used in hay cubes sometimes. Any way to bake a version without grains? <br /><br /> __________ Mon May 25, 2015 10:00 pm __________ <br /><br /> Hmm... these dog treats, mostly vegetarian, mention rice flour
http://www.lolathepitty.com/small-batch ... -biscuits/

http://www.lifewithlulu.com/2011/02/19/ ... og-treats/

The second has much more flax but the egg might need a substitute. I'd rather not feed animal products.

 

[Zass]

I would have thought that ground flax would act as a binder if wet and dried??
Not strong enough?

 

[akane]

It just crumbles back apart like if you mushed pellets and left them in the cage for a day. I know the whole seeds produce a gel substance but this ground doesn't seem to do that. I've actually found it listed as an egg replacement for that gel you get off it. I also found that 1 banana can replace 1 egg like in the banana peanut butter recipe so that might work in the recipe with more flax. Then it will come down to if it's cost effective enough. <br /><br /> __________ Mon May 25, 2015 10:37 pm __________ <br /><br /> Hmm... That creation would have an inverse ca. Possibly a really bad one. I'm not sure alfalfa mix hay and weeds would counter that.