I've been using Bob's recipe for years.  I add in some rabbit too, they
love it.  And I'm too lazy to go to the store every other day to buy a
chicken (the kids eat almost nothing else these days), so I usually batch
up and do about 6 chickens at a time.  Helps to have a big freezer.  I
just add a little more of the vitamin stuff.  Do keep the vitamin in!
 
>Also keep in mind that you can't feed ferrets on meat alone and expect
>them to be healthy.  Meat-only diets are horrible for *any* animal. They
>also need the nutrients that can be found in the bone marrow and the
>organs.  You won't really be able to replace the marrow (anybody got any
>ideas there?), but you can buy some packaged chicken livers or chicken
>giblets (or even turkey giblets) if you can find them.  Or beef liver.
>Whatever you can find, toss it in there, but make sure it doesn't have
>any additives.
 
ABSOLUTELY!  Anyone trying a mostly meat diet must include bones and
other organs, and the vitamin supplements.  With ferrets that have been
on the diet for some time, and new babies just learning, I actually find
they eat the bones themselves.  Not the big thick leg bones, but
everything else.  I just have to cut it in chunks.  It's worth trying.
For newbies to the diet or older ferrets that can't chew up the bones,
the Bone Meal is a great additive to use instead to get the calcium and
other nutrients.
 
>You might also consider using a pressure-cooker.
 
It makes it too soft for my guys.  Part of the advantage to this diet
is giving them good tough tendons and crunchy bones to gnaw on.  It's
a little more work for me to prepare, but it's good for them.  Why?  I
haven't had to clean teeth in three years and I have clean, healthy white
teeth with no tartar.  On five year olds.  Again, this will only work for
ferrets that already love the gravy and/or raw chicken (yes, I use raw
sometimes or close to it).  For newbies or the elderly, the pressure
cooker is very helpful.  But once they get used to it try making it
chunkier and see what happens.
 
>BTW, Rocky might not like the turkey at first, but work with him a little
>bit.  He will more than likely get used to it.  Ours did when I tried it.
>
>roger & the wolverine wannabees
>missing bear
 
Thanks Roger, great answer.  Good luck with switching Rocky to gravy, it
really has done wonders for my ferrets.
 
Ann Barzda
Hillcrest Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 4213]