Hi, Cherie:
 
Just want to help dispell some mis-information before it gets too far out
of hand.
 
Though the information about birds being hurt by eating rice thrown at
weddings was correct, it was not complete.  The rice in question happens
to be pre-cooked--or "Minute Style"--rice.  Standard rice that needs to be
cooked for 20 minutes or so, is just fine.  The pre-cooked kind absorbs
water much more easily (since it's just dehydrated, as opposed to uncooked
rice, which much be boiled or steamed before eating) and tends to expand
back to it's undehydrated size when water is added.  In a bird, just a few
grains of the pre-cooked rice can be deadly, since a bird eats until it's
stomach is full, then the rice expands to twice it's dry size.  Uncooked
rice takes much more processing (boiling or steaming) that what a bird's
stomach and provide, so the same problems doesn't exist with it.
 
The final analysis?  Buying the bulk long-grain rice and dumping it into
a large box for your furbutts to play in is completely safe--well, as
safe as most other activities that ferrets get involved in! :)  They will
undoubtedly get a few grains in their mouths and will most likely swallow
them (after attempts to chew them up).  However, the result will be of no
consequence and the rice will pass harmlessly through! :)
 
On a side note: The folks that mentioned the problem with the rice and
birds must have been to some rather expensive weddings.  I came to this
conclusion after seeing the price of pre-cooked rice and compared it to
regular rice.  The price is substantially higher for the pre-cooked rice.
For something that you are going to simply throw away, why would you pay
more for it?  The only answer I can come up with is that the guests are of
the "rich and functionally stupid" class! :)  Ain't it wonderful to be a
normal middle-class person?
 
Todd and the Fuzzbutt Rodeo Clowns!
 
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[Posted in FML issue 2970]