>From:    T OSullivan <[log in to unmask]>
>
>The animals we are now seeing at shows are just to fat and once these
>animals are put up against the more natural ferret who should be slim
>and not obese the owners have to take abuse from other ferret owners
>who only know fat ferrets and have only kept them for a relatively
>short time.
 
It is natural for ferret kits to pile weight on during the winter months;
probably goes back to the ferrets' wild ancestor, the survival of the
fattest during the lean times ahead.  The kits lose the extra weight in
the spring, and, in my experience, never again reach the weight they
attained during their first winter.
 
>Some of my ferrets especially the hobs are large and heavy, yet I know
>how much they eat.  They are offered both dry and moist cat food six
>evenings out of seven and their water is replaced every evening.
 
You say 6 evenings out of 7... what do you give them on the 7th?
 
My own ferrets are fed raw meat: minced lamb, chicken wings, rabbit etc
in the morning.  They have dry food available at all times... after a
rescue ferret that has been underfed before arriving here realises that
food is available when they want it they tend to be self regulating and
do not stuff themselves stupid.
[Posted in FML issue 3972]