Thanks to all of you that have e-mailed me privately & thru the FML.  I
PROMISE I'll get back to each and every one of you...........eventually.
 
Lately I have felt like the butcher that accidently backed into his meat
grinder and exclaimed:
 
  "Ooooops!  I guess I've gotten a little behind in my work!"
 
I know I don't have a lot of Fert experience, but thanks to all of you that
have appreciated (and thanked me) for my coaching about my
"Why-Life-Is-But-A-Ferret" stuff.
 
I know much of what I contribute here is seen as non-sense and (Are you
listening, BIG?) I wonder if we may need a Ferret Tales (Tails?) mail-list
for the funny, ancedotal stuff so the stuffy (Pun intended, but please don't
take offense) people on the FML can get the GREAT info they need to make
life GREAT for their fuzzy friends.
 
I don't want to offend anyone here on this list, but some of you have sent
messages that make me feel like the non-sensical humor I contribute really
belongs somewhere else.  I actually understand that.  It has been hard for
me to pull out the "Hard Facts" that I need, now that I am trying to take
care of my new fuzzies.
 
Speaking of "Hard Facts", I do have a serious question for the FML group.  I
am VERY confused about ferret nutrition.  I have two fuzzies and one loves
Ferretone, the other doesn't.  That one also loves any kind of "treat" I
offer, the other doesn't.  OK.  I understand that that is no big deal, but
what about the food I put in their dish.  I came home from the pet store
with two "Ferret" foods.  One was in the yellow & black manufacturer's
package and is called "Nutro Max-Cat Kitten".  Missy & Bilbo will eat it if
that is the only thing in their bowl.
 
The other stuff was in a clear plastic bag and was marked for "ferrets" with
a price morked on it also.  Given their choice, this is all they'd eat.  I
went back to the store and asked for a lable with all the nutritional info.
This is what I got:
 
================== Sunseed Ferret Food ==================
 
Guaranteed Analysis
 
Crude Protein..............90 % Min.
Crude Fat..................12 % Min.
Crude Fiber.................4 % Max.
Moisture...................12 % Max.
 
Ingredients:
 
Meat & Bone Meal, Brewers Rice, Ground Corn, Poultry By-Product Meal, Fish
Meal, Wheat Middlings, Corn, Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with Citric
Acid), Distiller's Dried Grains with Solubles, Beet Pulp, Skim Milk,
Brewer's Yeast, Salt, Dl-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate,
Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement,
Sodium Selenite, Copper, Sulfate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid,
Vitamin A Acetate in Gelatin, Manganous Oxide, Copper Oxide, D-Biotin,
Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement,
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodod, Thiamine
Mononitrate..
 
=========================================================
 
PLease accept my apologizes for any mis-spellings or errors in that list.
My spell-checker didn't like a bun6ph of those words, and, quite frankly, I
don't blame it.  I don't recognize or understand half of it. (OK, ANY of
it!!!!!)
 
I also decided to get some "Ferret" treats and they suggested, Bandits.
This is what THAT lable says:
 
================= Bandits Ferret Treats =================
"Every Ferret Is A bandit"
 
Guaranteed Analysis
 
Crude Protein..............24 % Min.
Crude Fat...................9 % Min.
Crude Fiber.................2 % Max.
Moisture...................32 % Max.
 
Ingredients: Chicken By-products, LIver, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn,
Gelatinized Corn Flour, Chicken, Glycerin, Frutose Corn Syrup, Wheat Flour,
Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Propionate and Citric
Acid and BHA (Preservatives)
 
================= Bandits Ferret Treats =================
 
As I mentioned earlier, I am REALLY CONFUSED about ferret nutrition.  From
the info in the FAQ and the messages I have seen going across the FML, I'm
convinced that there is NOT any real consensus about what to feed ferrets.
 
I do not want to start a debate about ferret nutritition that will overwhelm
the FML, so I am asking those with opinions & info on this topic to please
e-mail me privately.  I'll compile and condense all the e-mails I get and
post it on the FML after sending each private e-mailer a copy for approval.
 
Thanks In Advance,
from an OVER (?) concerned new Dad,
Ken Loomis
 
PS.  Would I be better off just buying steak for these two fuzz-butts?  I
can buy it on sale cheaper than than these fancy ferret foods!
[Posted in FML issue 1493]