>From: Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
>Past selective pressures DO narrow what is best under natural
>conditions for a species IN YOUTH AND IN REPRODUCTIVE YEARS, but
>once a ferret is beyond normal reproductive years there is not a
>natural selection situation which defines what is healthiest.
A carnivore does not suddenly become an omnivore as it ages. Dietary
needs may change in the form of the ratio of muscle meat/bones/offals,
but carnivores are still carnivores. I don't know how else to say
this,......... but you are grasping here.
>Ultimately, I think there will be produced foods designed for age
>groups, those with cystine problems (which may or may not be the same
>diet(s) as for those with kidney problems), insulinoma, etc.
Some of those very problems may not exist or would be lessened with a
species appropriate diet. Insulinoma is thought to be brought on by the
carbohydrate rich kibble diets. How about feeding a proper diet BEFORE
they get the disease, instead of modifying it after?
>It's not that I have anything against hypotheses, BTW; they are
>wonderful starting points but s ometimes under study the results turn
>out to be different than expected so when people ask for changes it
>really IS best if they base those requests on what is proven and if
>they want to also mention hypotheses put that the aspect is under
>study. Later, when final results are in and shown well enough to
>appear in journals then those aspects can be more emphasized, and
>when they later have independent confirmation, well, then they
>really are reasonably proven usually, aren't they?
Feeding kibble is a hypothesis. It is a hypothesis that carnivores can
eat and thrive just as well on an omnivore diet. A carnivore eating
like a carnivore is a FACT. People asking for changes is correct. It is
not the ferrets asking for changes, they know they are carnivores, it's
people that are asking the ferrets to change to omnivores. Ferrets ARE
obligate carnivores. No study needs to be done to make that a fact.
Like I stated the other day, this discussion has been backwards from
the start.
It is funny how we pick and chose our "hypothesis's". It's okay to
feed kibble, an unproven hypothesis, but species appropriate diets,
should be approached with caution. Vaccinating every year, an
unproven hypothesis, and in fact considered an unnecessary and
potentially harmful practice by all of the veterinary colleges and
organizations,(and proven by scientific studies to be unnecessary) is
accepted and pushed by a large part of the ferret community. Oh, wait,
those are cat and dog studies. Ferrets could possibly be the one
species with a totally different functioning immune system, so better
be "safe" than sorry. Unfortunately being "safe" is actually harming
our pets. We would rather feed them kibble and vaccinate them yearly
rather than take the very very small chance that they may get
salmonella or distemper. Immune problems brought on by over-vaccinating
and the chance of bad grains in the kibble making them sick or killing
them, along with the other non-carnivore appropriate ingredients is a
much better choice for our ferrets to live with. Having them live their
lives out with diseases brought on by these practices is so much more
reasonable. We have come to accept these diseases as being part of a
ferrets life. People need to stop making decisions based on their fears
or personal issues and make them for the ferret. Or at the very least
ADMIT that what is best(species appropriate) may not be practical for
everyone to feed. You will not sponataneusly combust if you admit what
is best for the animal is to eat what it is made to eat and digest, but
that may not be most practical way for most people to raise them. Stop
standing behind your "hypothesis" front, it really won't make you less
of a person.
We know ferrets are carnivore's Sukie. Do we really need a study to
prove they should eat like one? Seriously?
I am looking forward to reading more of Bob Church's thoughts on the
diet subject. His post yesterday was such a teaser!
~Amy~
[Posted in FML 5426]
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