# how long to keep bones before they go bad?



## Shai

Got my pup some marrow today with meat on it. she chews on it occasionally but it will be awhile before it's finished. how long is it until RMB go bad?


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## dotfrag

Well if you're talking about a bone with some marrow in it... if she takes all the marrow out and it's just the bone, leave it. If she chews on it a bit and then walks away and doesn't touch it for a day, I'd pick it up after she leaves and put it in the fridge.

This way you keep the "meat" fresh and it doesn't just sit at room temperature. So ... if there are long stretches between when she chews it, just pick it up, put it in the fridge, and give it back to her at a later point when you think she'll want to eat it again.


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## Shai

the bone has marrow in it, but also some meat surrounding it. she nibbled on the meat for a while and left it with still plenty of meat on it.
should I still keep it in the fridge or put it in the freezer?


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## lhczth

I never worry about the marrow, but the meat may start to get sort of gross. I would throw it in the freezer and bring it out as a treat to chew on. Just be careful with dogs that are power chewers because these types of leg bones can cause teeth fractures since they are very hard.


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## Freestep

My dogs never leave meat on the bones, but sometimes there's marrow deep inside where they can't reach it--I've never worried about them going "bad". But since everyone gets a daily RMB, I do have to clean up the bones about once a week or it starts looking like an archological dig in the house.


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## onyx'girl

I agree with Lisa and after the bone has dried out, then it can splinter. I usually toss bones after a few chew sessions...they aren't that expensive to replace. I don't normally give the marrow bones, but the knuckle bones with cartilage and some meat on them. 
They are softer/spongier than marrow bones and the cartilage is nutritious.

Too bad the knucklebones are harder to find!


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## dotfrag

Freezer is okay, just don't ever cook the bones because that can lead to a LOT of splintering.


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## qbchottu

I freeze bones that aren't eaten completely. I've never had a problem with reusing used frozen bones


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