From:
houseferrets13uk
Date: 2002-06-05 05:31:00 UTC
Subject: Feeding Ferrets
Here in the UK we have many types of people. We have the types of who
will only use dry food and some who will not, then we have the others
who will feed cats, dogs or ferrets on raw food and some who will
not, we also have the type that accept the concept of raw food but
for one reason or another will not use it, we also have them that are
willing to feed both
As I have been breeding and rescuing ferrets, as well as other small
animals for over 30 years, I have fed totally raw diets to ferrets,
cats and dogs, but even after my advice to some of today's pet owners
they see a raw diet as something nasty and to be avoided
Put it this way, most pet food manufactures would go out of business
if we all went back to feeding a totally raw diet to our animals,
they are not in the business of producing food for a market that is
not there.
So who is to blame for what we feed our ferrets, cats and dogs its
not the pet food manufactures, as your animals are your pets it up to
you what you feed them, with ever the rule is there are exceptions. I
feed raw to all the kits, then they all are on a dry cat food by the
time they are of 12 months, I just find it less waist full and in the
end its the money in your pocket that counts, the dry cat food that I
feed is a breeders mix with 30% protein, my ferrets are doing well on
it and it is a fraction of the price of any of the dry ferret foods
If our animals are living to a ripe old age of 7+ then that is all we
need to worry about, it is through better management of today's pets
and better feeding that the life expectancy of these animals has gone
up, when I first started to rescue ferrets the life expectancy was 3
years and in the time I have kept them I now know of many ferrets
owners who now see 7 years as the lower age limit.
I dug out one of my many books on small mammals, this one was first
printed in 1983 and written by some one in the West Country,
quote "Feeding Ferrets. The traditional bread and milk can be
supplemented by offal or tinned dog and cat food". That is less than
20 years ago and we are still arguing over the best way to feed
ferrets, even though ferrets have been proven to be lactose
intolerant, we still have people who feed ferrets on bread and milk,
saying that working ferrets work better if they are starved.
This argument of how to feed our pets will go on for years, but I
would like you all to remember just one thing. While our pets are
getting the best food possible that we can find for them, some
children in less well off countries are dying of malnutrition.
http://uk.profiles.yahoo.com/houseferret13uk
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/house-ferrets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferretsrabbitsandmore/
http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/index.html
http://communities.msn.co.uk/UKHouseFerretsSmallPetsAssociation
My first ferret came along in the 50's "In 2002 I cut down on
rescuing, after rescuing animals for over 30 years and I still have
much to learn about ferrets ". "Definition of an Expert.?. Some one
who has been keeping ferrets for at least five years.. " Articles
written for National Magazine. Have you concerns about some one who
is fund-raising in the UK. Contact the Charity Commission phone 0870
333 0123. This document should only be read by those persons to whom
it is addressed and is not intended to be relied upon by any person
without subsequent written confirmation of its contents
[Parts of this sounds very similar in content and wording to a post just days ago, but I was startled by the new content that you had early rescues coming to you from those who expected 3 year life expectancies. We feed moslty kibbles of assortments available here in the U.S. and usually see life spans of late in the 7th year to middle of the 8th year, so similar to the 7 years which you achive with your raw diet. That's over a space of 20 years, with type changing as available and with the average lifespans here increasing in recent years by a bit under a year over our earlier ones. -- Sukie]