I know the keepers at Melbourne Zoo fast the big cats for 2 days a week.
And if they refuse to come into the cages for their dinner then they miss
out for another day- apparently they don't refuse the next day.
The keepers use the same philosophy - these animals don't feed everyday and
when they do feed they have to work for it, not just trot into the dining
room. The vetinarians say that it has a marked effect on animal health.
Regards,
Baz.
----
From: Benes, Phil <phil at netquest.com>
To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au
Date: Friday, 25 April 1997 0:25
Subject: [RML] Fish Fasting
>FWIW, I always skip a day a week feeding all of my fish that are more
than
>a couple of months old. This was some advice I had received many years
ago
>and it has seemed sound. The person who told me this put it in
perspective
>by asking me who in the wild came around each day with a "Tetramin" can.
>In addition, if I go away for a weekend or even as long as two weeks, all
>of my adult fish go on a fast for this period with no problems what so
>ever. Most of my fish are kept in bare bottom, breeding tanks with very
>little "stuff" to find. They always find a way come through this with no
>observable effects other than they are sure glad to see me when I get
home.
> I would not advise fasting very young fish as lack of food for even a
day
>can have very negative effects.
>Phil Benes
>
>
> phil at mail.netquest.com
>
> Michigan Cichlid Association http://www.ole.net/mca/