debi sadowski <[log in to unmask]>
>OK, I'm curious about something. I have read about our domestic
>ferret's cousins eating many things in their diets including worms,
>grubs, crickets even berries. I know many raw feeders are trying to
>feed as close as possible to the diet of our domestic ferret's cousins
>but these foods you listed:
>
>Ox Tails
>Veal
>Lamb
>Pork necks - NOT HAM! and NOT SMOKED!
>Salmon (no bones)
>Tuna(no bones) NOT CANNED!
>Yellow Tail (no bones)
>Sardines (canned in oil or water - bones ok
>
>are not part of their diet in the wild, so why would you feed it
>to them other than to see if it is something they might like as an
>occasional snack.
>
>I undestand mice, rats, small fowel, rabbits and even squirrel, but
>these other things no. Could you please explain?
Hi Debi,
Yes, I do try to imitate as much as possible what is reported to be the
diet of cousns to our ferrets - The European Polecat - which means a
LOT of rodents. BUT from what I've researched - they eat a lot of Voles
(basically riverbank mice) - so I substitute mice and rats of all ages.
They also eat Anurans ( frogs) - which although I've offered frogs legs
to mine - they won't touch 'em. Polecats have also been reported to eat
fish - that's where the salmon and other fish comes in. Besides Salmon
is high in Omega fats, tastes good and doesn't create a fishy odor to
their deposits! Yes they will eat the salmon skin too!
AS for the meat from larger animals I'll agree- that it isn't likely at
all that a ferret would hunt -although it could be very likely they'd
happen upon the carcass of a dead one and ferrets, like many predators,
can be opportunistic predators. I can totally see a polecat making a
good meal from part of this dead animal.
Don't forget that ferrets are also cousins to the Wolverine - and they
have no qualms about eating from someone else's kill or from a dead
animal!
Beef has a different range of B - vitamins too so that helps. I'll make
good on any chance I can get to offer my guys a chance to gnaw on a
bone, especially ones with lots of cartilage - like ox tails that will
offer their systems a natural source of glucosaminogycans to rejuvenate
their own joints and sinews!
I certainly don't want them imprinting upon any one type of raw item
or prey item any more than I'd want them to imprint upon one brand of
kibble.
Its the variety of food sources and ages that offers them a balanced
diet. They do have their favorites - but I cannot give in and feed
only what they relish - any more than I could give in to my incessant
craving for chocolate and think only chocolate would meet my dietary
needs!
Some raw feeders have been successful in getting their ferrets to eat
things like kidneys, tripe and head cheese - I have not. The point is
to experiment, offer a wide variety and offer it often enough to get
them over their initial, " ewww - I don't want it - give it to Mikey"
attitude. Sometimes you gotta let them carry it and stash the new item
a bit before they actually eat it.
Case in point: I recently adopted three more ferrets - all kibble
crunchers of course and cheap cat chow at that. But within mere days
they started eating the Wellness CORE (grain free, high meat protein,
high fat) and in a week were eating EVO Ferret too! One of them also
ventured straight into eating raw chicken wings her third day here!
This saturday is the second week in their new home and she is already
eating fuzzy rat pups! She toted a couple around for a couple days,
stashing them, only to have them found by my other ferrets, and then
she'd find their's - but today I spied her eating one! She completely
has by passed the minced raw steps most kibble crunchers have to go
through to transition. The carnivore is within them - it is just
repressed. I'm all for awakening that carnivore and offering them the
diets they were designed to devour! I know they can't go out and hunt
or travel like wild Polecats do so I'll have to do the traveling and
get the variety for fthem from the grocery store!
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Kim
[Posted in FML 6558]
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