Discussing
diet with the Cornell exotics
vet this afternoon, I learned something new and scary:
She warned me to quit offering raw meat of any kind, or wild bugs even if they are free of pesticides.
I had thought worms were the only parasites my fur people could get, and they are relatively easy to detect and treat (we do fecals regularly.) However, there are hordes of nasty parasites that attack the liver or other organs, and are almost entirely undetectable until it's too late. The Cornell
vet was also concerned about salmonella.
So, no more chicks, pinkies, raw duck or rabbit, and no more drone bees or wild moths or any bug not captive bred.
They will miss these ultra-yummy treats, but it's not worth the risk.