Tryntje asked a couple questions:
Yes there are fat ferrets.  I can show you some if you don't believe me -
REAL BIG ones.  Really ferrets can be overweight - surprised a shelter
operater said otherwise.  Kits in particular can develop pot bellies -
though they often lose them over their first winter.  This seems more
true of whole hobs than other ferrets as well.  If you do have a larger
(okay obese) ferret you might want to switch from kitten to cat foods.
If it is only a slight kit 'baby fat case' than I wouldn't worry.  See
how the porkers look in March.  Baby fat should be slight bulges when
doing the tube test.  (Hang them holding them under their shoulders and
letting the rear quarters hang.)  Fat would be very noticible bulges
starting below the rub cage.  Obese would be a volley ball sized bulge.
(Softball for little jills.)
 
Mink food would appear to be healthy for ferrets - nutritionally.  We
know a breeder who uses it.  The ferrets are large and strong.  However
the ferrets are extremely willing to switch over to ferret or cat food
most of the time.  Mink food is fish based and doesn;t seem as palatable
to a ferret as poultry based food.  It DOES seem to have the dirty teeth
problem alluded to.  We have to work extra hard to clean the tartar and
junk off of the teeth of ferrets eating mink food.
 
Litter box squeezin's and Squirrels:
Ferret poop is a commonly used deterent for rats.  Ferrets (in polecat
disguise) are a common predator of European rats.  Native rodents and
rabbits don't know that ferrets (again as polecats) would like nothing
better than to eat them.  Our local field mice have no natural fear of
ferrets and even seem to like joining them in their cages.  Our American
blooded ferrets don't know any better and ignore the mice.  Wouldn't want
to see the mouse that wanders into the cage with our English ferrets
though.  And knowing them I wouldn't have to - they'd be devoured in
moments.  But squirrels (knew I'd get back to squirrels eventually) are
American species that are tree dwellers.  Might not recognize ferret offal
as the sign of a predator.  I don't know which American Mustelids would be
heavy consumers of squirrels - though I'm sure many of them would eat
squirrel of given a chance.  European rabbits are deathly afraid of ferrets
but American rabbits aren't.  Okay I didn't settle the bet.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1385]