Bob, Have you seen this thread and although it is some time ago, but do
you recall what grouping was?
 
You specifically mention your not considering degree for inclusion of
the incidents, so that and my recollections from having been on the FML
since the very beginning of the list (as well as its predecessors) and
never recalling a serious incident with kibble till Shona mentioned one
recently leads me to believe that the kibble mentions would have been the
type which were (and still are) often mentioned: a quick choking incident
(which we have also seen with non-kibble foods when a ferret eats too
fast), and kibble stuck against the palate between the top tooth rows
(which we have also see with the cooked cartilage which our ferrets
adore).
 
Sadly, I cleaned out my mailboxes 2 days ago and don't have the addy
handy, but I searched it out and here is the past post of your's that
Shona says shows that kibble is among the top ten causes of death or
injury, but which I say was a logical inclusion because minor incidents
are and have been common.
 
It is DEGREE which needs clarification.
 
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0305&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R19853
 
If you recall that, please, respond.
 
Meanwhile, certainly, others can search since everyone is capable of
doing so and archives like the FML Archives are so easy to find and use.
For those who want to look but have not yet used the FML Archives the
address is in the header of every day's FML so it is easy as can be to
link to.  I have been doing so on and off without finding a serious
incident.
 
I've been around a long while: first the original rec.pets, then the
original rec.pets.alt, then the original rec.pet.alt.ferrets which led
to Chris Lewis first creating the FML (and now Bill Gruber has been the
moderator for much longer).  I've also been involved with some other
lists through the years on and off, and have been a co-moderator of the
FHL since its beginning, and I simply do not recall a report of a serious
injury or a death from kibble until Shona said that she knew of one.
 
Now, memory can be fallible, but if it were so common that there were
serious incidents with the rate where they would be in the top ten
WORRISOME accidents I'd obviously remember since I tend to recall far
more obscure things.  Not only that, but people in the lists would be
avoiding kibble in droves due to fears of choking just from their own
experiences or those of their immediate ferret list friends, and that
just isn't so.  That says a lot.  All of this leads me to take very
seriously your words, Bob, that degree did not play into the report
and to recognize that the difference is easily explained by the minor
accidents which are often mentioned.
 
I realize that is is asking a lot to ask if you recall particulars, and
recognize that you may not or the records involved may be long gone so
there may be no reason for you to reply.  That's fine.  If you recall
then you'll say so, and if not it's no problem.  People here are smart
enough to look stuff up and to access the experiences of their friends
and themselves, and then act accordingly.
[Posted in FML issue 4787]