From:
Christopher
Date: 2001-04-04 02:38:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Digest Number 94/Obesity from Patric in Raleigh
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Chris Lloyd" <chris.lloyd2@b...>
wrote:
>Birds of prey add and loose weight very quickly so by weighing all
>food eaten and water drunk and then weighing the birds 4 times a
>day, he reckoned that smallest amount of meat that maintained body
>weight and condition must be the best food.
Weight loss and gain is a significant diagnostic tool in birds.
Unlike ferrets they don't survive very long at all on fat stores.
Every time I take my Macaw from his perch I palpate his breast to
check that he isn't losing mass. (I'm a bird poop watcher too, but
that's another list LOL)I'm not sure weight of the animal is as valid
in ferrets. Fluctuations due to photoperiod, stress, temperature and
activity would skew the results. As a non-expert the test seems to me
to prove only which prey animals have the highest concentration of
calories. Not which is more or less nutrionally complete.
I bet you would maintain your own body weight on less of a totally
cake and ice cream diet, then you would on a totally steak diet. We
can not assume cake and ice cream are more nutritionally complete
than steak or healthier for you. I still say variety is the spice of
life! Everything logical in moderation.
Still interesting information. Thanks Chris.
Christopher