I am certainly glad it is on the shelves, but just because something is
on the shelves, as it were, doesn't mean it's the best solution.  There
are plenty of ferret foods on the shelves that are not fit to feed a
ferret, and as an example, working in a bird hospital, I have learned
that most of the bird food "on the shelves" is not fit to feed a bird,
either.  (Did you know that most pet birds should NOT be on a seed diet,
and even most pelleted diets available in pet stores are not
nutritionally balanced for most birds?) Just wanted to point out that
just b/c something is commercially available, doesn't mean it's a good
thing (can you say "Marlboro"?  not exactly healthy!  :-) )
 
I reiterate that there is nothing wrong with the live food approach, and
yes, ferrets are domesticated, but there is certainly evidence to show
that domesticated animals may benefit in more ways than one from live
food supplements, etc (activity, nutrition, etc) from things that maybe
cannot be gotten as well from a kibble diet.  (Just like juice is far
more nutritious when consumed right after being extracted from a fruit
or veggie than hours later.)
 
And though domesticated, they sure do still have some ancient instincts
left, as I'm sure anyone who has had a guinea pig or other small animal
attacked by one of our friendly fuzzies can attest to.  I think my
ferrets are wonderful and sweet and they get along with all the other
animals they have been exposed to, but I would never leave them to play
with a hamster, rodent or other small animal, b/c I know that that is
asking for trouble.  I also know people who have ferrets who have
discovered a mouse problem in their house b/c their fuzzies found them
first!
 
Just differences of opinions here as far as I can see; I don't think
anyone here that feeds a live diet intends to be cruel, and has been
pointed out by others, mice killed by a ferret don't generally die
slowly.
 
Anyhoo, just let's all play nice. :-)  We're all entitled to our
opinions.
 
Dooks,
April (who feeds kibble, incidentally, and whose ferrets mostly think
she's weird if she tries to give them real meat anyway)
 
"There's nary an animal alive that can outrun a greased Scotsman."
-Groundskeeper Willy, "The Simpsons"
[Posted in FML issue 3940]