Up front, this will be a series that will make some people mad or even worse
(no doubt). This is to be expected for several reasons, first and foremost
because while there is a lot in print regarding diets for most domestic
animals--and many zoo animals--there is actually very little published on
the nutritional requirements of ferrets (that isn't to say stuff isn't
known; just unpublished). This lack of information forces most of us to
extrapolate from other species, such as the mink or the weasel, or even
the cat. It also opens the door for a lot of disagreement as to what
constitutes a balanced diet. Also, people have strong opinions based on
what has worked for them in the past; those opinions can be held quite close
to the heart, and opposing viewpoints can be seen as an attack. Finally,
there are those who have a taken a few classes, maybe read a few books, and
they see themselves as "experts." I hope none of you consider grouping me in
that last category; I am not an expert, nor am I a nutritionist. I am
trained in the reconstruction of subsistence (or diet), for both humans and
mammals, and specialize in paleoecology, paleodiet and paleonutrition. That
is what I do. Well, after I measure the bones.
Some ground rules. Rule one, regardless of *your* personal dictionary, the
definition I offer is the one by which these discussions are based. This
rule is important because I have at least 20 biological/science
dictionaries, and they don't always agree. So I will pick a definition,
tell you what it is, and stick to it throughout the discussion. That way
we all have a sort of "terminology equality," and we don't get bogged down
in weeks worth of "theory = hypothesis" terminology squables.
Second rule. I ask that questions be held until they are asked for. Almost
every question asked about the adrenal series had an answer if the person
had waited for the next post or so. Also, hold attacks for the same reason.
One person attempted to attack a position that was non-existent in the
posts, which would have been clear if they had waited. This rule will also
keep us from bogging down in endless and useless arguments, losing the main
points. This is not an attempt to keep from being flamed; I just think this
sort of a complex issue should be completely presented before the shouting
starts, and this is a common rule of debate.
Rule three. We all have facts and opinions and experiences and whatever
that we all think are correct. There are several points that I argue in
which I could easily take either position and toss out gobs of factual crap
to prove my point. There will be times when both sides seem right and have
strong evidence, and I will attempt to discuss both of them in a fair and
reasonable manner. This means, I will be in major conflict with some of
you, regardless of my personal position. Be polite. I will not respond to
rude or insulting comments. The goal here is to identify a proper diet,
and to intelligently discuss the issues without resorting to immature,
manipulative or childish behavior.
Fourth rule. IF I fail to explain a term or concept, and you wish to
understand it further, please write to me and ask. If just a single person
asks, I will explain directly, but if a number of people ask, then I failed
to explain it properly and should fix it. My attempts to condense or
simplify for the FML format can leave things unclear or even incorrect. So,
since this is such a technical and "dense" subject, please tell me if
something goes over your head. And don't be embarrassed or shy; even the
experts misunderstand their own positions from time to time.
First, let me talk a little about diet and diet quality. A diet is the
liquid and solid substances consumed to maintain life; in other words,
everything you eat or drink that provides bodily nourishment. Quantity and
quality of diet determines the health and vigor of the individual, as well
as such things as reproductive ability, mental alertness, and resistence to
diseases. But there are some misconceptions about diet quality that should
be pointed out, because ferret lovers face them each day when selecting cat
foods to feed the furry little beasts.
Suppose you have a dry cat food that is 30% protien and 15% fat, and your
ferret has been eating it for some time and is healthy. But you run out,
and you are forced to buy a dry cat food that is only 20% protein and 10%
fat. Will it hurt your ferret? Probably not. When faced with foods of
low quality, the ferret (like people) will just eat more. So even though
one food is a lower diet quality, by eating more the ferret could still
meet all its nutritional needs and remain healthy. Now, I'm not discussing
excess calories nor the long term effects of additives; all I'm saying is
when faced with a low quality food, the ferret will simply eat more to meet
its nutritional needs, which also means more poop out the shooter.
There is a second aspect to diet quality that needs to be addressed, which
is the completeness of the diet in terms of essential amino and fatty acids
(I'll explain these more fully later). If either of these substances are
lacking in the long term scheme of things, nutritional imbalances cause
result in serious and life-threatening problems. Even short term imbalances
can be unhealthy. Having all the proper nutritional "parts" results in a
"balanced" diet; that is, one that fills all your dietary needs for growth
or bodily maintenance.
Therein lies the point of almost this entire discussion. Quality of diet.
To get to that point, we will have to agree on nutritional needs, quantity
of diet and quality of diet. To explain these, I will take you step-by-step
through a very tiny bit of biochemistry, a smattering of physiology, and
even some organic chemistry. We will even discuss some evolutionary theory
along the way. At the end of the trail, hopefully we will all have a better
understanding of the nutritional needs of our ferts. Unless this is the
twilight zone, in which case we may all discover how Bhoring I can really be.
Bob C and 20 MO Chow Chats
[Posted in FML issue 2307]
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