It is amazing how many people just miss the boat and flounder in the
water! My post was to illuminate some of the wonderful things that Bob
Church has studied and how the information he has compiled makes sense
and should offer a base for people to confidently step into the world
of natural feeding, as well as a recognition that Bob is willing to
share this information freely and on a one to one level. You don't
necessarily have to attend a conference or symposium filled with noisy
people where it can be hard to hear the guest speaker.

Bob has the ability to translate the language of scientific terminology
into words "regular" people can understand. Beyond this Bob has ALSO
feeds his ferrets an evolutionary diet and the health of his ferrets
(as well as other natural fed ferrets) prove out what skeleton after
skeleton and skull after skull of mustelid has revealed -- that animals
eating the things they were designed by Mother Nature to eat enjoy
optimal health! That no matter how "scientifically formulated",
veterinarian approved" , "Certified", "created according to the
National Research Council" a kibble is manufactured -- there is
simply no way that a kibble can offer the optimal percentages and
bioavailibity and quality of nutrients that an Evolutionary diet can
for the ferret!

Bob has invested his time, money and health into this wonderful study;
he has walked the walk and can talk the talk. He has implemented a
replica of the evolutionary diet in the care of his ferrets and has
offered guidelines and easy to understand reasons for ANY one to do
the same for their ferrets.

I, for one, wholeheartedly appreciate Bob's efforts. He isn't just
citing links to other people's work or gleaning the information from
a book or paper and then attempting to present it as his own. Bob saw
a need in the ferret community for PROOF of the effect of diet on the
ferret -- and he's gone out into the world to obtain the information
firsthand! This undertaking was not likely just for his own edification
or to stem idle curiosity -- those of us that feed naturally have
already experienced this and can already see and feel the benefits to
our ferrets; no, this study was likely an undertaking to PROVE to the
nay-sayers that what Mother Nature designed the ferret to eat is what
will offer the best health; not some concoction made up to create
profits from garbage and the dredges of what normally would be left
for the ants.

Mother nature has done the studies for us -- and the end design is the
ferret -an animal OBLIGATED to survive SOLELY upon the flesh, skin and
bones of other animals and in order that this predator remain vigorous
these prey items need to be consumed as raw whole items -- not cooked
into a goo then baked into cut kibbles!

DO I think that kibble will disappear completely as a food stuff for
ferrets? I could only WISH! But, no -- it won't -- the marketing has
proved it is here to stay -- all I can hope is that through continued
REAL research and POSSIBLY the REAL desire by manufacturers to provide
a MORE healthy product for the obligate carnivores they serve AND as
a result of demands from informed consumers that their recipes will
eventually eliminate carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. I can
HOPE that ferret owners will turn away from sweetened, artificially
flavored, carb loaded foods and treats and at the very least offer
their ferrets the chance to CHOOSE a better diet, or replace those
manufactured treats with a freeze dried meaty item, or dried chicken
or duck strip.

I can HOPE that breeders will respond to consumer demand to discontinue
the practice of early altering, or separating the kits from the jills
before the babies are properly weaned; and that the breeders will stop
forcing the introduction of carb loaded kibble to the kits creating
that imprint on foreign substance just because the kits are born with
an innate will to survive!

To those that think I am "cruel" for feeding live prey -- I merely
brush off your close minded concepts and comments. Until you have done
a thing long enough to see results- your views are insignificant! Would
I be upset if I saw someone feeding a ferret to a snake? Well actually
THAT snake would go hungry if the ferret was still alive and I was
anywhere near! But I AM a realist and there are likely MANY ferrets
that end up as snake food. Especially ones rehomed on places like
craigslist and local Pennysavers. I HAVE had mice, gerbils, guinea pigs
and rabbits as pets. Some animals are pets -- some are food, simple as
that. It isn't like I lurk at the local animal parks and pounce on kids
stealing away their pocket pets! But when I am out on walks with my
ferrets and people inquire what I feed them to keep their coats so
silky -- I don't hesitate at all and matter of factly state EXACTLY the
kind of diet they get. Often times there are children present and the
kids are fascinated by this information. I have NEVER ONCE had a parent
run screaming or cover their kid's ears to shelter them! The most often
repeated response is, "Really? I didn't know that! Well, it does make
sense -- look at their teeth!"

I have several friends in the ferret world that I fully understand they
cannot feed a natural diet. Mainly my friends that do rescue. Yes, it
does take some individualized efforts to get some ferrets to break that
imprinting code and in the case of rescued ferrets, especially when
there are dozens of them it just isn't feasible to allot that much time
to each ferret. I discuss my successes with dietary conversions with my
friends and they discuss their upgrade to higher quality kibbles with
me. Some have abandoned the cat chows all together and are feeding
the lower carb choices. They report a noticeable improvement in their
ferrets after just this simple change. When I visit Stinky Pete's
Ferret Retreat there is one rescue ferret there that knows I feed raw
and she immediately comes to me begging for a piece! I oblige and the
poof tail delight this ferret shows when devouring her rare treat
brings a smile to my face. She'd turn carnivore in a heart beat!

I am harboring one kibble crunching hold out that refuses to even
taste raw. Since I do NOT force feed a transition -- I'll continue to
purchase three types of low carb, no grain kibbles with supposedly a
full range of actual meat sources cooked into them. And DaVinci will
remain the one ferret in my crew with a dry, coarse, smelly coat that
sleeps much more than the rest, tires more quickly when playing and
will likely soon begin to show the onset of insulinoma as well as have
to go to the vets for expensive sedated teeth cleaning.


Open your minds people, READ the information Bob Church and others have
taken the time to compile, test the waters, then watch your ferrets
transform!

Cheers, KIM

please visit :
for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets

[Posted in FML 6888]