From:
WOLFYSLUV@aol.com
Date: 2004-01-09 22:09:27 UTC
Subject: re: How firm are wild polecat and ferret stools?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <118.2db0f6ac.2d308097@aol.com>
Yes, see this is what I've posed to at least two feed manufactorers. One
last year to which I got a very defensive and argumentative counter point.
The other was just a month or so ago, and I got a thoughtful pause. Hmm.
But is a wild carnivore's diet splatty and liquidy? I don't think it is?
I could be wrong. I have no education. I can just pull on observation.
Lets look at what I see. When my son Chet worked at the zoo for a year, he
reported of none of the carnivores having such a stool. But he did report it to
be plopier than say an herbivore. So lets not go by a young man. What about my
own observations. What about a lion's or any wildcats feces which is
stricktly live feed? Their feces is not liquidy is it? Not that I've ever seen. But
you've had vastly more experience in the zoo area. I'm old. (giggles). I
have "woofymoments" in addition. So who knows.
You know what? We can't even begin to have this conversation without
definint "loose". Right? So lets try:
Hard: Pellet like (Rabbits, goats)
Firm: formed (people, dogs, cats)
"Need a term here": semi-formed (this is where I picture most domestic
ferrets on a 34-36% kibble feed, just softer than canines)
Pudding/ploppy/spatty: very loose (need some animals here)
Watery or mucousy: ... well watery (some birds, some reptiles, animals when
very sick)
I think a pudding like consisency would lend to prolapsing of the rectum?
Or am I misinformed.
Sukie this is a brilliant topic. One I've been very curious about for
tons of time. What if somebody asked the Smithsonian zoo what the Blackfooted
ferrets feces there looks like (that is given they are on an all natural wild
diet), and what a polecats feces looks like?!
Wolfy