Hi all,
I took BIG's hint in a recent "what is best to feed query" and was
silent regaring what you all know I feel is best to feed. Although I
didn't post publicly on the FML, I did post directly to the questioner.
And also received a post directly from BIG weighing in with his
concerns over another "food debate" starting.
While I voiced concerns about censorship and wanting to help keep
ferrets healthy a cdertain person posted some long winded yammering
about vegetable soups and pulverized fruits being absolutely okey
dokey to feed to ferrets, a couple other people chimed in about the
fruits, raisins and other things they give their ferrets.
To this I responded directly to BIG about how misleading such posts
are and how harmful encouraging such feeding habits could be. Still
I refrained from posting directly to the FML and lo and behold what
happens - but at least ONE person who I've locked horns with actually
posted AGAINST feeding fruits and raisins! And several other people
have chimed in with the FACT that ferrets are indeed obligate
carnivores! Then a very knowldegeable and studious ferret community
member posted regarding ferret's anatomical proof of being an
obligatory carnivore!
So while I was champing at the bit to add my post against feeding
materials the ferret's system has NOT evolved to devour - all I
had to do was wait a bit and other people made that point clear.
Its beyond me how some people think that just because humans
domesticate an animal that all of a sudden that animal's innate
needs and evolutionary design has somehow been changed too!
There is more to nutrition than pulverizing broccoli and tomatoes,
blending it and mixing in chicken gravy and then calling that a
nutritious food for a ferret!
Besides the fact that ferret's oral health improves immensely when
offered apropriate, NATURAL forms of either raw meaty items or whole
prey (something that will not and CANNOT happen if fed a blended puree)
the ferret's digestive tract itself benefits from the gentle scrubbing
of the prey hair passing through the intestines (as opposed to
irritating scraping from grains and seed hulls); furthermore digestion
takes place at a cellular level and the cells of plants have a
different matrixthan cells of animal tissue and the ferret's digestive
tract lacks the needed apparatus and enzymes to properly utilize this
plant matter! You could blend and puree for hours until the blender
motor over heated and you'd still not break down the plant cellular
walls to a form the ferret could utilize!
This certain person further suggests cooking such pureed mess and
supposes this will offer the ferret a suitably adequate nutrient base
that is more suited to a "domesticated" ferret than what its system is
stll evolved to digest! Notwithstanding the FACT that cooking destroys
a high percentage of nutrients found in vegetables and fruits it still
does little to break down the cellular walls of that pureed mess!
The simple fact is ferrets, even domestic ferrets have evolved to eat
small animals as their nutrient source! Not plants!
I mentioned ti BIIG that sitting idly by while this ridiculous person
posted repeatedly about how perfectly healthy it is to feed ferrets
fruits and veggies and other onerous items was rather like being a
parent at poolside who has taken the time to teach her child to swim,
sit idly by while another ignorant parent simply tosses their kid
into the pool and telling the child to "sink or swim - figure it out
yourself!" Its hard to sit idly by when so many people encourage and
expound upon how they feed their ferrets all manner of foodstuffs that
not only do not benefit the ferret, but can cause serious harm to them!
WHen someone asks what we feel is BEST to feed, then I think it only
fair they get to hear from ALL quarters - not just one!
That's about all I'm going to add to that portion of one recent FML
query.
Based upon the heap of trash that E.L. posts and the absurd convoluted
ramblings he posts, I've gotten into the habit of lightly skimming or
completely ignoring his posts. (scrolling is a wonderful option). So I
completely missed his desecration of the Rainbow Bridge and one of our
very generous FML members. I'll admit, I don't read every one of Sara
ferret's bridg greetings - I can't - they hit too close to home and I
end up shedding too many tears!
I have three ferrets waiting for me to play with them there and dread
the day when more of my crew, now with me, will join their friends and
wait for me too. I'd much rather read about the antics and view the
goofy photos and videos posted. But I do appreciate what Saraferret
does and the solace offered by ALL the bridge greeters! Its a wonderful
selfless service they offer to many people greif stricken when their
cherished companion leaves for another grand adventure that we only
get one chance to accompany them upon.
From several of E.L.'s posts I have grave concerns about the ferrets
in his so called care! Are they in fract cherished, loved companions
or merely experiments for his twisted and tortured mind? He's written
of ferrets devouring each other, ferrets desperate for water, ferrets
being fed products intended for herbivores, ferrets staked out
vulnerable to all manner of larger predators, he's written of poking
deep into their ears and suirting ice water in their ears whenthey are
simply going potty!
This recent post, which I had to go back and find due to the FML
uproar, and one which I had skipped simply due to considering the
author; has me thinking that regardless of anyone's personal religious
preference, practically anyone who trully cherishes their companion at
least believes in some sort of after life. And if one doesn't then they
are at least polite enough to keep such views to themselves and show
respect for other people's views!
Apparently E.L. is the typical playground bully that is happy to
trounce upon the sadness of others and certainly doesn't have a polite
bone in his spineless body! He's in his glory now, because the entire
list is talking about HIM and . He doesn't care that we are not
speaking well of him.
If this was a regular style forum format we could all put him on
"ignore" and eventually he'd go aggravate some other list. Alas he
still gets to post here. BIG has his work cut out for him especially
since he apparently already filters E.L's posts. I've never said
anything REMOTELY repulsive as E.L. and yet I've been "censored"
simply because I believe in feeding what is naturally healthy for
ferrets to eat! I'm still trying to figure out the workings of this
list.
On one hand it claims to be a place that ferret folks can communicate
and share; on the other hand you are only apparently supposed to share
what everyone wants to hear or what everyone thinks is O.K. I am not
adverse to contrary ways of thinking - or swimming up stream, but I
don't post horrible things like E.L. repeatedly does! Does the fact
he's been around for years play a part in him being able to say such
things? Or is BIG trying to show us that there are truly warped minds
out there in our fluffy cute ferret world?
Does BIG send through E.L. posts to demonstrate the absurdity of some
members and to expose people to the need to make common sense choices
for themselves? Who knows? One thing is for certain E.L. has MUCH to
chew on now with his big ol' foot in his mouth! And he'll have
considerable irritated bowels with our collective FML boots up his
you know what!
Regards,
Kim
[Moderator's note: What Kim fails to mention is that she wrote and sent
me a GREAT rebuttal to Ed's post. It was very informative and discussed
nutritional needs, yet it didn't attempt to convince us that the *only*
way to feed a ferret is a raw whole prey diet. I encouraged Kim to post
it to the FML but it never appeared.
Funny thing is, personally, I am in favor of feeding whole prey. I've
told Kim that. I also explained why I feel it's counter-productive to
start another food debate now. For example, several people unsubscribed
as a direct result of the last food debate. People ALWAYS unsubscribe
as a result of food debates. People won't "reached" by driving them
away, nor will they be reached by endless repetitive posting, nor by
insinuating there are absolutely no alternatives. And since most of us
have just experienced a "food debate", we've all heard it already. The
only result of restarting such a debate now would be the annoyance of
the majority of subscribers.
All of this may sound a little crazy given the complaints I've had
in the last couple of days about E.L.'s posts though there are some
major differences, but that's a rant for another day. BIG]
[Posted in FML 6295]
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