Years ago just about the only knowledge you could find when you
bought a new pet was from the T.F.H. Publications library. 'All About
Hamsters', 'All About Siberian Husky's, 'All About Ferrets' etc. These
books were all I had to go by 30+ years ago when I bought my first
ferret. I pulled them out the other day...and kinda laughed. Some of
the info still would be fine today...and some not. This is from 'All
About Ferrets' by Mervin F. Roberts, T.F.H. Publications inc. ltd,
1977:
On diet: 'Ferrets kill and eat rodents, moles, birds, beetles,
grasshoppers, crickets, grubs and worms. They also eat berries, fruit,
vegetables, milk, cereals, bread, cake, fish, eggs, table scraps and
greaves. You don't know what greaves are? Well, that's right; your pet
will survive without greaves. But if you do have a source of really
good greaves, you should put them in a feeding pan and pour boiling
water over them and work up the mixture to a consistency of paste which
should be fed warm. In some parts of the U.S, greaves are better known
as cracklings.'

I don't think my ferrets would quite know what to do with
'cracklings'! :)

Here's a even more interesting diet mentioned in the book:

'In 1897, Nicholas Everitt told us that "when not at work, bread
and milk form their staple diet, " and that sometimes oatmeal is
substituted for the bread. Jills with brood were given fresh meat and
part of a cat's carcass, was sometimes provided instead of the usual
rats, birds, fowls and "duck necks and such like"'

Cats! Oh my!

About health...I find most interesting. It mentions vaccinating for
Canine Distemper and Rabies even back then, but the only 'sickness' it
mentions is the common cold, and a disease called foot rot. No mention
of cancers, no insulinoma, no adrenal problems, heart problems, etc.
Did they exist? But the Vet's had no name for the illness they came
down with? I don't know. I do remember, 30 years ago...one of my
ferrets lost hair...and the Vet diagnosed it as a 'hormonal' problem.
I guess...she was close on that. Looking back now, it was obviously
adrenal. (have pictures somewhere) She was a late alter....and passed
at 10 years old...with just fuzz on her head. No lupron....nothing.
Lived to be 10, eating Meow Mix and Iams Kitten. Also had one live to
be 11, she had the screaming seizures, again obviously Insulinoma.
But they had no diagnosis for that either. I'd never feed that food
now...of course. But it worked then! Besides, I didn't have any cat
carcass's handy. :)

Joan and the 7 Fuzzies :)

[Posted in FML 6905]