Tim, of Fowlers Ferrets writes that the US diet may be largly responsible
for many of our ferrets health difficulties.  It's not that we disagree
with this theory, but aren't we kinda stuck with the way we are doing it?
Let's face it - fresh meat does not just grow on trees!  Most of us live
where the keeping of livestock is prohibited.  Chickens can not be kept
in cities or towns, and there aren't that many hamlets left.  Organ meats
absorb the chemicals and medications fed most feed lot cattle, so I view
them as a risky food choice.
 
Some FML'ers dwelling in the US raise and feed mice.  The rest of us have
to pay from $1. to $2. a pop for feeder mice.  Some petstores require mice
purchasers to sign a waiver, stating they will not feed the mouse pets to
something else.  If I tried to buy a rabbit from someone to use as live
feed, I'd probably get run off with a 2 X 4 - at the very least!  We just
happen to live in a country where we murder each other with alarming
regularity, yet get all bent out of shape over someone wearing shoes with
leather soles!
 
I fed 1 mouse to a ferret, and both the ferret and I got ill.  In unison,
Welly and I said "I can't believe what I just did", and Welly threw up!
I wasn't in such hot shape for a while myself.  We just aren't conditioned
to dealing with carcass remains.  We're doin' good to be able to make
chicken (duck) soup for our ferrets - most of us have to cook the chickens
before we can grind them.
 
Lynn, you have chickens, do you feed them to Gator and Hawk?  When I float
my house down to Tarpon Springs, could you have a chicken waiting for my
ferrets, please?
 
It's probably a matter of playing the hand we've been dealt.  If any of
us knew of a farm with a rabbit problem, we'd probably be happy to help.
Heck, who even knows where there's a farm?
 
Georgia - the left coast one...
[Posted in FML issue 3316]