Ferrets will eat/ taste/ chew on all sorts of things - this doesn't
mean they should be allowed to repeatedly do this, nor should the
edible thing become part of their diet.
Ferrets are obligate carnivores; they evolved over eons by eating
whole prey, they've been domesticated as a result of their expertise
in eradicating rodents from human domiciles. They've been employed as
hunting companions to gather the main ingredient for hasenpfeffer stew!
They've turned in to great pets since the advent of poisons to control
rodents. This turn from working domestic animal to companion animal has
NOT changed their evolutionary innards - regardless of how much corn
based kibble they have no alternative but to eat.
Ferrets do have a sweet tooth, possibly an evolutionary safe guard
against totally starving to death and also because the majority of
toxic substances in nature tend to be bitter, while foods that can
offer short term energy have sugars in them. But ferrets do not have
the apparatus to constantly convert sugars to nutrients - hence the
issues with health when they have no choice but to eat starchy, sweet
things. Kibble mfrs realize ferrets are drawn to sugar and make sure
the kibble is sweetened to keep them addicted. Raisin juice, bananas,
apples, papayas, melons, carrots, blueberries, tomatoes, corn are the
"usual" fruits and veggies found in kibbles that have a high sugar
content but offer NO beneficial nutrients for the ferret, some proven
to be toxic to carnivores.
The argument often presented, by those that do NOT feed naturally,
about carnivores eating stomach contents, have obviously never observed
a carnivore actually eating its prey! The stomach and intestinal
contents are vigorously emptied by the carnivore shaking the crap out
of it! Also unless the carnivore is absolutely famished the predator
usually will leave the guts to the scavengers and insects, preferring
instead to feast on the muscles, sinews, brains, and high protein
muscles, fatty deposits and will crack open rich marrow filled bones.
Ferrets will show interest in all sorts of foods that humans eat -
because ferrets are driven around by that wonderful nose of theirs.
And if the nose smells it, the tongue wants to taste it. Its a simple
ferret fact. The issue with allowing them to actually eat the sweet
smelling things is that they'll not only want more - but you'll be
giving them empty calories and filling their belly with indigestible
things!
Some greens, especially the stalky portion have substantial fibers in
them. Ferrets do not chew their food like a cow, horse or us. They
shear off chunks, that then get swallowed whole. The problem with
fibrous greens would be the same as your ferret chewing on blankets,
the fibers pose the very real risk of creating an intestinal blockage
because they cannot be digested!
As a ferret caretaker its up to you to make sure that what they get
exposed to is not going to hurt them. Like a small child - YOU are the
one that needs to keep them safe. Just because they show an interest
in something, or want to eat something doesn't necessarily mean they
should be allowed to.
There are many more beneficial harmless things to offer them and to
encourage them to eat. Please keep in mind as Bob Church has noted
that what ever the ferret eats three times or more through the week is
actually part of it's diet - and is NOT simply a "treat". It doesn't
take much to go from simple special "treat" to diet when meals are as
small as what a ferret eats!
Cheers,
Kim
please visit : for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards60.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets
[Posted in FML 7253]
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