Message Number: YG13548 | New FHL Archives Search
From: caitlynmaire@earthlink.net
Date: 2002-06-04 10:48:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Re: The Food Issue

Hi, Betty,

> I don't know what goes
> into a whole chick either. I have no idea which farm this chick came
> from, what it was fed, what ingredients are known to be fed to
> chickens, but I also don't know what unknowns are in the food either!
> Can anyone precisely tell me how much antibiotic enriched diet this
> one piece of meat has in it? How much filler? How much feces or other
> material contained within?

One of the ways I limit these problems is by supplementing our special
needs ferrets with Bob Church's chicken gravy. (Some, like Pertwee.
have lived on the stuff when they weren't doing well.) I buy free
range, organic chickens from the local health food market. They provide
the name of the farm where they are raised, and are certified antibiotic
and steroid free and their feed is organic. Yes, they cost a little
more, but this is the only way I can make sure that my ferrets,
particularly those that are compromised, are receiving the healthiest
diet possible.

Regarding commercial ferret foods, some of the better ones (and more
expensive ones) do make certain pledges or certifications about their
ingredients. I also read the packages carefully. This is one of the
reasons I like Performance Foods and their Totally Ferret products. I
don't mind spending just a little more if the food is better.

All the best,
Caity