Trying to introduce new meat to my 2 dogs diets. I admit we had been feeding lots of chicken ( some pork ) for a little too long while we got things set up for new meats. They eat those two readily.

Thing is, we started raising rabbits and have a LOT of them. Butchered our first a while back. He will eat rabbit just fine.

She hardly touches it. It has been a week of offering nothing but rabbit to her and I'm definitely worried. Offered whole, skinned, first. Sat there like she was in misery in her crate, then went to sleep next to it. ( she eats whole squirrel so this is how I offered the rabbit ) Been taking it out after 15mins.

Three days of not even licking it and she finally ate a front leg off. Tried new rabbit, cut out organs, skinned and just offered limbs. Nothing. An entire week and she has eaten two rabbit heads, two small front legs and the front half of a rabbit. These rabbits weigh about 2-3lbs dressed so she is definitely hungry.

Also we now have tons of fresh fish. Various cleaned freshwater fish from the lakes around here. Neither of them will eat it but I am working on him to eat fish for the time being while she tries rabbit. He has barely eaten any of it either in the same time frame.

I read not to give up-that they wouldn't starve themselves to death, but I am worried after so little consumption in a whole week with little results so far. They act like this meat is completely inedible.

These are probably the 2 most refused meals.

I have no idea why, but get on any forum or e-mail list and there are TONS of owners having trouble getting their dogs to eat these.

Turbo will not touch rabbit. The last time I tried getting him to eat whole rabbit, his bottom jaw started quivering and he started drooling profusely. Haven't tried again.

I know your frustration, but with as much variety as I know you feed, I wouldn't worry about making either eat something they loathe. You've got very nice variety as is.

You might try every now and then, because sometimes they do change their minds.

Otherwise, I know it was frustrating to me to watch Turbo refuse something that I knew was good food. I just don't try anymore because there is so much that he WILL eat.

Added to Michael's good advice is a question about the mercury level in whatever body of water the fish come from.

Not just for dogs, but humans too: freshwater fish can vary wildly in heavy metal content, depending on where they are caught. Good to be aware.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA335644

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advice/

It's like my dogs with chicken backs.

They don't like them.

So, I don't feed them.

Thanks guys.

Thing is, we were trying to find a steady and varied diet. The hog deal fell through and we won't be getting anymore pigs for raw feeding. Squirrel we have only once in awhile when friends give us some of their hunting crop.

I'm aware of the mercury deal, we had only planned to add fish occasionally.

It is frustrating, Michael, cause we have TONS of rabbits and had a good thing going and she would rather starve herself than to eat them.

I guess we can just give them to him then, and keep looking for variety for her.

Ummm.... My two will take any and all left overs...

ooooo! me too, me too!

Lol, you guys..

It's more for me to eat! I had rabbit for the first time ever yesterday and man was it tasty.