>Totally Ferret has done EXTENSIVE research to make sure their kibble
>is as close as possible to whole prey. DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST.

Then why do any requests for such studies go ignored? How can a company
only in business a dozen years have done "extensive" research?

I emailed TF at one point and asked what the carb to animal protein
ratio was of their food, what percentage of the total ingredients was
made up by the chicken by-product meal vs. the other top ingredients
which are all carbs (all plants, so mostly likely if you add those
ingredients together they would make up more of the total formula than
the "meat") and if their ingredients were human quality or not. I was
sent a reply by a rep saying she would have to forward my email to a
higher up. About a week later the "higher up" emailed me back. I was
told my questions couldn't answer my specifically because they don't
want their information to get out to competitors....but I was than
assured that TF was the best ferret kibble available, was carefully
formulated to meet all of a ferret's dietary needs and that they would
send a free bag od food to me to try.

If you are interested in learning how to identify quality ingredients
in kibble this is a good resource:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=betterproducts

I fed kibble with grains in it for my first 5 or so years of ferret
ownership. My kibble fed ferrets gave me the impression that ferrets
are sickly animals. Several developed insulinoma and others had various
health issues. I switched my dogs to raw food and thought a natural
diet has to be better for the ferrets too. So my ferrets were switched
to raw about 10 years ago - I haven't had a ferret with insulinoma
since and my ferrets are living longer, much healthier lives.

nikki

[Posted in FML 6242]