Underweight?

[birdhands]

Hi Everybody, as usual- thanks for your attention and advice.

I have 7 8-week old Silver Fox kits who are only 1.5lbs each. They seem happy and healthy. It's winter and they've been eating only free choice hay and alfalfa pellets, plus some fresh bamboo. Is this normal? I know they'd gain weight faster on industrial pellets, but jeez, 150% faster?

 

[hotzcatz]

Try adding some grain to their diet? Hay, alfalfa and bamboo are all grasses and not overly nutritionally dense, aren't they? Dry COB (Corn, Oats & Barley without molasses added) may help increase weight gain without too much added expense? Depends on your location and feed store, though.

I've fed bamboo before without any apparent issues, although, I've also read somewhere that some varieties of bamboo have some sort of crystal in them that may be a problem. Not all varieties, though, and it was something I read about a decade ago so I've forgotten the details.

 

[kusanar314]

I've fed bamboo before without any apparent issues, although, I've also read somewhere that some varieties of bamboo have some sort of crystal in them that may be a problem. Not all varieties, though, and it was something I read about a decade ago so I've forgotten the details.

Silica is the issue with Bamboo. It will suck it out of the ground but releases it again when eaten, burnt, or rotted.