This was rejected for length reasons, so I apologize in advance if this
ruffles any ferrets out there!  I normally don't write much, both in
frequency and length, but, well, here goes!
 
[Moderator's note: There were a lot of wrapping lines which made the
server think it was much longer than it really was.  But anyhow, David
split it into two posts -- I combined the two here.  BIG]
 
>The brand name is Wysong, and the name of the food is Archetype.  It
>looks like it would be a good Insulinoma diet, but it's expensive, so
>I wanted to get some input before I try it.  (Since we lost Yozum, we
>don't have any insulinomics right now, but I want to try to get them
>used to it, just in case.)
>
>It's a freeze-dried food which can be rehydrated.  Since it is not
>heat-processed, it claims to contain the nutrients which are lost in
>kibble processing.  It "contains no grains, which unnaturally dilute
>the diet with high levels of carbohydrates.  99+% meat!"  It is also
>"free of additives commonly used to create color, texture, taste,
>stool consistency and shelf life."
 
Hello Becky!
 
The idea of feeding ferrets a raw food diet, it's not something unique to
ferrets.  There are huge groups of people who feed their cats and dogs a
raw diet, and you can find more by doing a search for 'BARF'.  That is an
acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods.  There is also another
definition of BARF, but the one above works for me.
 
I had a very sick and elderly border collie that was diabetic and had a
heart problem for years.  The vet said he'd live to maybe nine years old
or so when he was diagnosed with both the diabetes and enlarged heart.
This was maybe when he was seven years old.
 
Over the next few years, as I researched endlessly about my own health
problems, I decided to try some of what I learned towards my dog.  I
never did get him to eat a totally raw diet, but I did get him off grain
foods completely.  By doing this, I was able to reduce his daily insulin
shots down from around 30 units to about 7-8 units, on average!!
 
Just by feeding him something that is more biologically appropriate (by
biologically appropriate, I mean no corn, wheat, or other grains, which
is something that would be impossible for a wild dog to eat), I was able
to get him to reduce insulin dependency by 75% and, more importantly, he
lived to be thirteen years old!
 
Now for the really weird part that will gross people out :)
 
I myself became a raw foodist (and only foods that are natural for
humans to eat, for the most part), as it seemed to be the only thing I
ever came across that could possibly explain all my health issues (I
have subsequently figured out what ailed me).  My energy level increased,
sleep decreased, sickness became a thing of the past and my moods
improved.
 
With all this in mind, and my recent scare with one of my baby ferrets, I
started researching ferret health issues and ferret foods.  I too, just
two days ago, came across this Wysong food.
 
This food sounds almost exactly what I'm looking for, except for the
insanely high price they charge for it.  At $14.95 for 7.5 oz, I'd need
to be a millionaire to use this stuff for my three ferrets!  I did figure
out how to get 20% off that, but that's not good enough.  I'm going to
call them later today and ask them about volume pricing, as well as grill
them about the difference between their two archetype diets offered.
Type two doesn't sound nearly as good as the first, is much more
affordable (but you'll still bleed from it) than the first while still
sounding quite a bit better and more digestible than most other ferret
foods.
 
One thing I've found strange though is that so far, all three of my
ferrets hate the food I eat, except for the raw dairy, which they are
voracious about.  Yeah, I know you aren't supposed to give them dairy,
but they handle this stuff well (and I give very small amounts).
Actually, feeding my really skittish and nervous girl raw cream really
helps her mellow out.  Raw fats are vital for maintaining a healthy
nervous system, so maybe this is why she becomes much more approachable
and less skittish.
 
Here is a link to an article written by a vet that describes why this
diet is much healthier for ferrets (and other animals).
http://www.craftycreatures.com/forferretsonly/ferretschool_ferretdiet.html
 
If anyone wants me to post what I learn from Wysong, either post a
comment here or email me, and I'll gladly comply.
 
David
 
[Posted in FML issue 4456]