Message Number: YG9193 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Lee R. Wilson
Date: 2001-12-06 13:36:00 UTC
Subject: Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Finicky Ferret

When I adopted my boy Cheese, he had been eating Shepard and
Green Maintenance diet, which is 35% protein. Cheese is a very
happy healthy youngster and I'm very pleased with his vet's
ferret knowledge, although she recommended switching him to
either Marshall or Totally Ferret as they are supposed to be
better quality ferret diets. My question/problem is, Cheese
isn't crazy about either one and is eating less often and less
heartily. I mix in the new food with the S & G, but he picks
out what he wants and discards the other. I guess what I'm
wondering is, is it worth upsetting his applecart for 3-5%
protein?
I also have a question about cat food. Cheese doesn't eat the
cats food or treats, although he will hide them, just in case
I suppose, but I noticed Purina's kitten chow has 40% protein
content...would that make it an acceptable food for a ferret?
I wouldn't switch Cheese from ferret to cat food, I'm just
curious and a bit confused about the food issue.
Thanks.
Lee Wilson & Cheese

----- Original Message -----
From: Celia Clinkinbeard
To: Ferret-Health-list@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 10:25 PM


Yes! Cokie eats Iam's cat food as her dry kibble (she has
kidney disease and needs lower protein among other reasons).
It seems every time I buy a new bag she refuses to eat it!
I really think they change the formula a little bit
constantly! The first time this happened I called and they
said that they had changed it (but apparently no cats had
noticed...).
I have gone out store to store examing those codes on the
bags trying to find one like the last one! (not very
successful). I finally put some of the new food into the
old bag (along with a few crumbs of the old food) and hope
the old flavor/odor rubs off on the new food. (Then again,
I don't want the old food to go bad and take the new food
with it! )She eventually will eat the new food, but it is
frustrating, and I get angry every time!! I wouldn't
expect that kind of formula changing from Totally Ferret,
though.

Cokie wouldn't eat Totally Ferret the first time I offered
that to her, but after she ate it mixed in soup for a while
(mixed with her regular kibble), she started eating it dry,
too.