Message Number: SG1700 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Zazzue
Date: 2002-10-06 16:58:27 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Cheap food
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <130164651596.20021006125827@twcny.rr.com>

My ferret hasn't eaten ferret food in years. She got a taste for cat
food and refuses to eat ferret food, and I've tried all kinds. Over
the last few months, her poops had been getting smaller and she
sometimes seemed to grunt. I was starting to be concerned that she
had an obstruction. But, when I went to the State Fair this year, I
got some samples of a all natural cat food that my cat seemed to love
and Rosie would also eat. She's been on this food for about 3 weeks
now and her poops are back to normal. She seems more energetic than
she has in months. She even played a little last night, which has
been unusual for her lately. She is an older ferret, so I've been
trying to make her last days as comfortable as possible. For a while
there, we thought that one day when we'd go to her cage we would find
her dead, as all she did was sleep. We figured that until she no
longer enjoyed her ferrettone, we wouldn't put her down. Then last
night, she was almost back to her own self.

I have to say, she never really bonded with me or my son. She had a
cage mate in which she was bonded to and about a year ago, Ebee died.
Rosie has seemed a little lost since then. But now, we have some hope
that she can again have a little fun.

Back to the cat food, the food was developed as an outgrowth of a dog
food company. The dog food company was developed because the owner
breeds mastiffs (I think, could be St. Bernard's, all I know is they
are BIG dogs), and needed quality food, and so started making it
themselves. The dog owners were so thrilled with the food that they
started to make cat food. It is high quality food and ALL the
ingredients are listed on their web site. No, I don't have any
connection to the company, but I've seen the changes in Rosie and my
male cat, who has gotten a lot friskier of late and I wanted to pass
along the info. You may be able to use it in place of the baby
chicken food. I was really impressed with the thought that went into
their food. If anyone wants the link to the site, let me know and
I'll send it to you, as I know there is no advertising allowed on the
list.

Zazzue

> When I first got ferrets six years ago I would buy bulk food at the pet store. One was made by Kaytee, a bird food company in Chilton, Wisconsin, another was Sun-seed, another bird food company. I
> don't believe that meat of any type was the first or second ingredient in either. Then I learned better, switched to Marshall and now have been using Totally Ferret and 8in1 Ultimate for the last
> four years.
> The chain stores, Wal-Mart and KMart carry small boxes of ferret food that is similar to the Kay-Tee, having only 30% protein and lower fat. I can tell the difference in the coats with the better
> food after switching over (very gradually) some rescues, and I would presume it is better for their overall nutrition, too.

> Carol O.