In Ref to this post;
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: live prey etc 
>
>The main problem with feeding any domestic animal live prey is that
>they often instinctively become more aggressive-

Beth,
Feeding live prey to any animal does not make them more aggressive.
In fact, I have heard many people state that feeding raw/whole prey
to their ferrets has DECREASED the "urge to chomp". When I first got
ferrets, I had never heard of feeding whole prey to them, until I got
private bred babies that were raised on whole prey ("micicles" aka:
forzen mice). I already had a young one that I adopted off of
Craigslist that I had never fed raw or whole prey to. After I brought
the babies home, my CL boy took to eating mice. Since then, I have
given all four of them live mice, which they dispatch very quickly.
None of their personalities have changed...none of them have gotten
more aggressive.

Domesticated animals have adapted to man made kibble because it's more
convenient for us, not for thier health. There is not one man made
kibble that is nutrionally complete. There are some good quality foods,
compared to generic or grocery store foods, but cats, dogs, & ferrets
(all carnivores) are healthiest when given a proper raw/whole prey
diet. All kibble foods have additives that carnivores are not meant to
eat.Fillers to bind the food, for example. Many kibble foods are made
with fruits & veggies, both of which are not good for ferrets, they
cannot process them. Some people argue that the rodents have fruits &
veggies in their system, there fore they do digest it....I can tell
you, many ferrets do not eat the intestines. I find the intestines most
often flung out of the cage. They recognize that it's not benefitial
to them. If you go to a show, for example, you will see a noticable
difference in ferrets fed a basic kibble diet & those fed raw/whole
prey. The ferrets fed a natural diet rather than kibble are MUCH
healthier. Stating that domesticated animals are better off eating a
manmade kibble does them a diservice.

I am on a forum that helps pet owners switch their pets to raw & whole
prey, NOT ONE person has ever reported their pet has become more
aggressive because of it...again, the comment is made that they see
LESS biting from them.

Many people (including myself) raise their own feeder animals. They do
not come from the wild, where parasites & diseases are more apt to be
found. There ARE dangers in processed foods...look how many pet foods
were recalled. Processed foods can go rancid if it sits too long as
well.

Yes, there is a possibility that the prey could fight back &
potentially injure the predator, as in nature. Your pet could also
choke (& die) on a piece of kibble. You could end up with a bag that
has a foreign object in the food that could seriously harm &/or kill
your pet.

Do you know that many foods have a natural source of Taurine? There's
no need to "test it to see" whole prey are what carnivores are
naturally meant to eat. (Meat, poultry, eggs & fish all have natural
sources of Taurine)
http://www.exrx.net/Nutrition/Supplements/Taurine.html
Many manufacturers that create the pet food, do their studies based on
what an animal would naturally eat. Some throw together stuff & call it
pet food, even if it has no nutritional value to the animal.

Many ferrets do not recognize live prey as a food source, because they
have been conditioned to eat kibble. Some, however do recognize it,
even if never fed whole prey. I've read many stories on people who have
lost pet birds, lizards, rodent pets to a ferret, even though they have
never been fed meat.

Four out of seven of my ferrets currently eat whole prey. If I were to
turn a live mouse loose in their room, those that have had raw, but
never whole prey would not pay attention to the mouse (because they
do not recognize it as a food source), my other four however, would
dispatch it & start eating it right away.

There are so many reasons whole prey is benefitial for them. One being
as the body (with fur) pass through, it acts as a natural prevention of
blockages. Given a choice, domestic animals that recognize raw/whole
prey as a food source will choose that over the kibble.

You have your opinion & I respect that, but to state that kibble is
better for them than whole prey is not true.

You stated
>it is no more natural for them to eatlive prey than it is for them
>to dig into the ground and live in aburrow at the stage of
>captivity they are now in.".....

If you talk to someone who has an outdoor enclosure, with dirt, they
will tell you that their ferrets will burrow.

The thing is, humans have forced the animals to live the way it suits
them the best, not the animals. If you see a forum that discusses
enrichment for ferrets, you will find people create more natural
settings for their ferrets to enjoly (dig boxes, kiddie pools, even the
play tubes many people have), simulate the ferrets natural instinct to
burrow. Outdoor enclosures are becoming more popular, to give the
ferrets

I do not hold it against anyone who choses not to feed raw &/or whole
prey, live or not. I do hate to see "myths" being spread around that
feeding raw meat, whole prey or live prey will make any animal mean.
Speaking from first hand experience, it does NOT make them mean, by
any means.

Respectfully disagreeing with you,
Heather

[Posted in FML 6226]