I saw my ferrets before as kibble crunchers; saw their plaque and
tartar encrusted teeth with pale gums; smelled their fetid breathe;
wrinkled my nose and gagged at their deposits; observed their
attitudes; watched as they descended upon rubbery, foamy, items to chew
and gnaw; felt their flaccid muscles; was stunned some had no strength
or desire to climb even one carpeted step; clipped their brittle nails;
stroked their dry coats; cleaned their filthy ears; saw how they had no
interest in food- it didn't excite them to refill the food dish; they
didn't come running at the smell of the opening bag.

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 ( the mouse deposits I'd have to put directly under my
nose to even smell anything); I see them happily toting around bones to
chew and gnaw -- no longer do I worry they will fry themselves gnawing
on an electric cord (although the rubber keys of my TV remote and cell
phone still fascinate one ferret); 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 but I shoot for every
Sunday ; their coats are thick, sleek, soft and rich; their ears are
clean I haven't had to swab an ear in a year; food has a definite
interest to them now they swarm at my feet eager for the raw meaty
items, live prey sets them into a flurry of excitement and intense
concentration often causing bristled vibrating happy tails.

These are actual physical observable changes, changes noted not just by
myself but by former owners and vets so go ahead think me strange -- my
ferrets think I'm wonderful!

I, as their caretaker, do not want to offer them only what "might" be
required to meet their basic needs. AS their care giver I want to offer
them MORE than the basics, MORE than what is typical, I do NOT keep
them caged -- although I have cages in the house for them to enter and
leave at will. Most times the cages remain empty. Some are used as food
stashes, sometimes they'll nap inside tucked in a snuggie or sprawled
on a hammock or perch on top to observe their domain, mostly the cages
remain empty. My ferrets get MORE than just a mere two hours of
interaction after work with me- they get outdoor excursions, they get
to visit me freely, they get several playtimes through the day, they'll
even wake me in the middle of the night for a romp and I oblige -- I
don't shut them away.

Yes, I've seen where people have fed kibbles for years to their ferrets
but does that mean they are experts? I may not have the years of
ferretship that some people have, but my experiences with stepping
outside the norm and offering whole prey and live prey have definitely
enhanced my affinity for ferrets. There are many necessary nutrients
available from whole prey that you cannot get from kibble. The form
factor of whole prey and natural foods offers way more benefits that
can de added to kibble. Do I think that offering live prey is necessary
for good health? No, not for good health -- but yes, for optimal
health! And that is my focus- to offer optimal health for my ferrets,
not just normal. Yes ferrets can be considered MORE domestic than cats
or dogs because it is NOT uncommon for dogs and cats to go feral, where
as a ferret on the loose ends up starving to death or splattered by a
car or picked off by a bird of prey or even killed by that feral cat
or dog!

Ferrets are NOT dogs or cats -- cats and dogs HAVE the apparatus that
allows them to digest the plant stuffs rampant in kibble. Ferrets do
NOT. Ferrets are NOT Zoo animals- wild animals taken from nature or
born in captivity for the sole purpose of being on display for humans.
Zoos avoid feeding live prey for two basic reasons:
1) Cost and 2) Because there'd be a huge outcry from the bunny huggers
about how "barbaric" and "inhumane" it is for the prey animal. Many
zoos have several generations of animals born to them, but this has NOT
changed the wild animals' instincts or desires; being zoo kept has only
altered the availability for them to fuflfill their needs.

Ferrets although they have been domestic for thousands of years STILL
retain their instinct to hunt and those thousands of years of eating
live prey, whole prey and raw meaty bones is indication enough that
ferrets can retain their hunting skills AND still be wonderful
companions! Kibble has NOT been a part of ferret's domestication it is
only a recent invention for the convenience of humans, and something
that IS proving to be detrimental to ferrets health! On the one hand
you have thousands of years of ferrets hunting and eating live prey,
yet remaining endearing human companions; on the other hand you have
ferrets eating kibble for a mere few decades and still remaining
endearing human companions. What exactly needs to be studied here; an
appropriate ferret diet or present day perceptions of an appropriate
ferret diet?

No, not all kibble is created equal, I did offer some of my kibble
crunchers "better" ferret kibble during their transitioning phases,
and had to keep some on hand for my insulinomic ferret until his final
day. I did notice positive changes with the better kibbles -- I am NOT
denying this is true. What I will continue to maintain is that, for
Optimal health, live prey is what fits the bill!

Cheers,
Kim

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[Posted in FML 6234]