From:
caitlynmaire@earthlink.net
Date: 2002-06-30 11:45:00 UTC
Subject: Re: more on treats
Hi,
I suggest we are going to have to respectfully agree to disagree on
ferret diet.
Having said that,,,
>
> And why not use healthy treats if the ferrets enjoy them as
> much as the less healthy ones?
I am not in the lest bit convinced that primarily meat-based
commercially made ferret treats are in the least bit unhealthy.
> After all, us humans would be far better off
> if we reached for an apple or orange instead of a donut or bag of
> chips!
I don't think the analogy is a fair one. There are those among the
vegetarian community who would argue that meat and fish are unhealthy,
yet most experts would say that lean meats are fine and fatty ones are
not. Based on your statements, I would compare you to the zealous
vegetarians out there who truly believe that plant based diets are best
for humans. Are they right? That is a legitimate issue for debate.
FWIW, I don't eat meat :)
>
> And I'm not so sure even quality ferret kibble is the best thing long
> term for our ferrets. They contain far more carbohydrates than a
> natural diet.
I'm not sure about much of anything in life. Our vet recommends quality
kibble formulated for the nutritional needs of ferrets. He believes
that factors like a small gene pool and early spaying and neutering are
the main causes of the health problems we see in ferrets. A poor diet
can, of course, be a factor, but I do not believe that quality ferret
kibble is a poor diet at all, and neither does he.
More carbs? Sure. Our ferrets also don't live a lifestyle that is
comparable to their cousins in nature, so their nutritional needs are
certainly different. I also seem to remember that a European polecat
lives an average of a little over a year in the wild. I've got two
bouncy ferts that are just about eight here. They don't know they are
old. Yes, Podo has insulinoma. Kibble or just the beginning of his
years catching up to him?
They main argument against carbs seems to be a possibility of an
increased incidence of insulinoma. I have yet to have a young ferret
with insulinoma and don't really know of any, though I'm sure they
exist. Also, longevity of ferrets in countries that mostly don't feed
kibbled diets isn't longer.
> Why compound the error with more carbohydrates in the treats?
If I were convinced that there was an error to be compounded I'd make
changes. I remain totally unconvinced. Having said that, knowing that
ferrets are obligate carnivores, I still try to stick with treats where
meat is a main ingredient (almost always chicken) and which have at
least some real nutritional value, albeit less so that their main diet.
I also agree with a point you made but I didn't quote -- too many treats
is a bad thing, and giving a dozen treats isn't advisable, even if they
are the reasonably healthy ones.
> at least they love their chicken gravy!
They sure do. Interestingly enough, our vet has us feeding Podo and
Pertwee chicken gravy, but had us discontinue it for Ker Avon after
insulinoma surgery once his blood sugar normalized and his weight was
back where it belonged. He doesn't seem to believe in it for healthy
ferts, only older, sick, or compromised ones. I'll have to ask him why.
(Side note: We still believe Pertwee has chronic pancreatitis, and we
feed him gravy with a quarter teaspoon of Viokase-V added three times a
day. We believe that may be a big part of what has gotten him back to a
more normal weight. He still has free access to kibble, and our vet
prefers that he still eats plenty of it, which he does.)
>
> Caity, where do you get Brown's chicken jerky?
You don't want it. Too many carbs. It is comparable to those 8-in-1
treats you don't believe in but with a slightly higher protein value.
Having said that, Brown's treats are carried in this area by PetSmart,
Pet Warehouse, Southern States, and a number of smaller pet stores.
All the best,
Caity and the notorious nine