Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thats a good point, Azira. They are skittish little creatures but you would think they would be ok together.

The chickens WILL eat the babies.
my mum has chickens, she had mice in a shed and i uncovered a nest when trying to get rid of them.
I gave the babies to the chickens and they tore straight into them, shaking them around like a dog does a toy to kill them/ make them an edible size.

it could easily be done, but would need to make provisions for the mothers to give birth in safety, etc.

Hi Guys,


Here in the Philippines we have little to no restrictions on pets and what you would do with them.

I had GP's before and they are nice pets, just be careful of the bite. They might bite you unintentionally. On the other hand when they breed and have babies you don't touch the baby GP's or the mother will abandon it to die.

If you have raised them and are sure of their living conditions then you could eat them I guess, the ones from the pet stores you may have reconsider.


MARK

Sure have I was seriously considering it a few years ago but despite my attempts at brainwashing them I was told (in no uncertain terms) that I'd go from being considered "eccentric" to becoming a "social pariah". It seems fishing and hunting are acceptable but this wasn't. Not sure how much I care about that these days though.
In my opinion it'd be weirder for a me as a grown man to keep them as pets than as livestock!

If I were legally able to raise rabbits for meat they'd be my choice but they aren't an option so it really only leaves GPs, quail/pigeons/chooks. And I can't have chooks here due to my microscopic back yard, GPs are getting closer and closer to the table...

Considering what we buy as processed meat nowadays, I think eating a backyard raised livestock would be better. and GP's won't be so bad. I've tasted and eaten weirder stuff.

I wouldn't have a problem eating Guinea Pigs, and I'm quite sure my kids would be into them as well. For the same reason that I have chooks, ducks, geese, peafowl and emus rather than quail, however, I think I would prefer something with a bit more meat on its bones than a GP.

For example, I reckon you would get bigger steaks from one of these buggers than from your average Guinea Pig. As far as I know we don't have laws precluding the consumption of rats. I don't care much about laws like that, anyway.

On another matter, I understand that rabbit poop is 'top shelf' manure for use as a fertiliser. I wonder where GP poop sits on the manure scale? They produce a heap of it (they shit above their weight, so to speak) so it is worth knowing its value.

I've spoken at length with my wife and kids, the Mrs said she would try it but wouldn't eat them as part of our weekly menu. I'm going ahead with it though, I have to at least try it a couple of time (breeding, growing, slaughtering, and eating them) before I can decide if it's something I'll do long term. Can't knock it till ya try it!

According to this website, GP manure is pretty much equivalent to Rabbit manure.

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/compost ... manure.htm

Those rats are huge...

I'm pretty certain you wouldn't be able to farm them here.

Thanks Matt, that is good to know.

If they bred those rats to be white it might make em more acceptable to my eye.

That grey color doesn't do it for me.

Same here!

Its a rat for crying out loud.

The fact that its grey white or pink doesn't make any difference.

Its the taste that matters.

Have a look at these. They are a delicatessen in Africa. Unfortunately I never had an opportunity to taste them but apparently they have a strong gamey taste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_rat