Kim, I am sure you are correct when you write of the benefits you see
to your ferrets in feeding the diet that you use. However not all of us
have accomodation that is suitable for live/raw feeding and although I
would like to feed a more natural diet as you do this is not possible.

That said, I do take umbrage at your characterisation of kibble fed
ferrets as opposed to raw/ live fed.

>Now I see their gleaming smooth clean pearly white teeth, bubble gum
>pink gums; their breathe has zero odor, there is hardly any odor to
>their deposits those that came to me as vicious biters are now safe to
>handle or are down right cuddle- bugs I can feel their firm muscles
>and am delighted at their antics as they scale not just one step, but
>entire stairways, climb vertical ascents from floor to sofa top and
>leap from sofa to chairs; their nails are dense and strong and have to
>be clipped every 14 days. their coats are thick, sleek, soft and rich;
>their ears are clean I haven't had to swab an ear in > a year

All the above applies to my (kibble fed) ferrets.

My ferret long jump champion, Suki, clears 30 inches from chair back to
table several times every day. She also climbs up four drawer fronts
using her claws in the cracks between drawers and continues straight
up the wire cage front until she is six foot off the ground and on top
of the cage. This involves a overhang of 2 inches which she negotiates
with ease. Both of my ferrets are up and down stairs many times every
day, the down trip usually including a 13 step fight sequence. I can't
list all their climbing feats there are too many and don't mention the
many different ways to open various kinds of ingenious human cage door
locks.

They dont eat anything but food and the daily treat, they don't chew
anything except my hair. I haven't had to clean an ear in 3 years. I
have never had a ferret with tartar, as my vet would testify. Although
food is always available they would rather unscrew the lid from a
plastic jar where I keep kibble and do so every day (well they did but
I can't find where they've hidden the lid). They can hear me crack
their twice weekly egg and can move from sleep to climbing my legs
before I have put the dish on the floor.

It may be the mix of good quality kibble I use but things aren't as
black as you paint them

Tony
Ferrets rule OK. (Well, mine rule me)

[Posted in FML 6235]