To Robb, who wanted to know about Sun Seed food, esp. compared with Totally
Ferret -
 
A dealer in my area recently decided to try the Sun Seed "Sunscription" Vita
Ferret Formula, and gave me a bag to sample and get my opinion.  Here are
some of the stats from the back of the bag, and from Totally Ferret:
 
**SUN SEED**                                      **TOTALLY FERRET**
Crude Protein (min) - 30%                     Crude Protein (min) - 36%
Crude Fat (min)     -  6%                     Crude Fat (min)     - 22%
Crude Fiber (max)   -  5%                     Crude Fiber (max)   -  1.5%
Moisture (max)      - 14%                     Moisture (max)      - 10%
 
First 10 ingredients:
 1. Meat and Bone Meal                            1. Chicken By-Product Meal
 2. Brewer's Rice                                 2. Rice Flour
 3. Ground Corn                                   3. Egg Product
 4. Poultry By-Product Meal                       4. Chicken fat
 5. Fish Meal                                     5. Poultry fat
 
 6. Wheat Middlings                               6. Wheat Flour
 7. Corn Gluten Meal                              7. Corn Meal
 8. Animal Fat                                    8. Herring Meal
 9. Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles         9. Beet Pulp
10. Beet Pulp                                    10. Chicken Liver Meal
 
Just looking at the bag, the protein/fat/fiber percentages (especially the
fat) on the TF are *much* better, and there are more meat-based ingredients
in the TF than in the Sun Seed.  Sun Seed also has corn-based products
listed 3rd and 7th (twice within the first 10), and a lot more of other
grains, which are harder for ferrets to digest than meat-based products.
 
When I opened the bag of Sun Seed, the first thing I noticed about the food
itself was a strong odor.  (Needless to say, yes, my ferrets loved it and
thought it was a treat.) Even when mixed with their other foods, it gave the
ferrets' stools a very strong odor.  I feed a principal mix of TF, Iams and
Mazuri, with other foods thrown into the mix on occasion just for variety.
My ferrets' stools have very little odor, and considering the ratio between
intake and output, they process the food fairly efficiently.  When I added
the Sun Seed, even for only a couple of days, not only did the odor increase
greatly but so did the amount of output.  When I removed the Sun Seed from
their diet, their stools went back to normal.
 
IMHO I would not recommend the Sun Seed.  I told the dealer I was very
disappointed with it, and why.  The other foods he carries are much better
(Totally Ferret, Mazuri, Iams, Science Diet, Eukanuba).  Turns out he was
rather disappointed with the food, also.  I don't think he'll be ordering
any more.  Personally, I would stick with the Totally Ferret, especially
since you've already been using it.  (please note: I do not work for, nor
have interests in, TF or any other ferret diet, nor do I work for any
distributor of ferret foods - I base this on what I've learned from many
who know more than I do, and on personal experience.)
 
Hope this helps.
 
Carla S.
WhyNot? Ferrets
Rio Grande Domestic Ferret Club
[Posted in FML issue 1769]