Well, speaking as someone with 27 years of ferrets in the family:
yes, Totally Ferret makes nicely balanced foods.

No food is perfect and none is a complete villain (except many cheap
pet foods, foods not made for carnivores, and unbalanced diets of any
type).

Kibbles wear teeth (but unlike an earlier hypothesis they turned out
to NOT cause gum disease as per later things I've had reputable people
pass on to me from the person who I think began the hypothesis. That's
okay. It's not important if testing substantiates or negates any
hypothesis -- just that the info is gotten, and being able to say,
"Okay, I got unexpected results." is downright classy and reputable.)

The only other anti-kibble hypothesis with any teeth (Forgive the pun.)
is that the carbohydrates *might* increase rates of insulinoma but
that has not been proven by even one study let alone independently
confirmed. That hypothesis began as a modification of one about
diabetes in cats (which has been recently disproven in some independent
studies. See: http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL5414  ) and the same
hypothesis about humans (with studies giving very conflicting results
and most of the supporting data from the hypothesis originator).

The problems with raw are infections. Most do not get them but some
do and at least three types of food borne infections are very hard to
treat once contracted. Also, at least two food borne infections have
caused lasting physical damage in assorted species, including two well
done and independent studies showing chronic kidney damage in ferrets
who have been through infection with one strain of E. coli bacteria.

The worst is an unbalanced diet, whether raw or cooked or purchased.
Meat is NOT sufficient by itself. Those who make at home have to
provide organs, skin, a calcium source, etc.

There are plenty of past posts on the topic in the FML Archives and
FHL Archives:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
(also found in the header of each day's FML)
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
(easily linked to from the FHL)

Just remember that nothing is perfect, balance the diet if homemade,
and learn the downsides and possible downsides of each thing you give
so that you can respond if the medical problem arises.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6059]