I have to admit for some stupid reason I have always assumed ferrets should
get ferret food.  I mean why would you feed a dog, cat food or a bird,
dog food?  However, now in my only living ferret's year fourth of life, I
realize I have been stupid.
 
We started out with two ferrets, Yoda first, then Jawa.  Then I aquired
Meeko two years later as a rescue.  But I will come back to him later, I
began with Science Diet kitten food.  I was convinced there must be
something better out there for ferrets.  So began my four year search for
the optimum food.  I checked ferret mailing lists including this one, read
articles, surfed the net; and decided on Sheppard and Greene food as an
alternative to the kitten food.
 
Everything started out well.  The only negative was I had to order the S&G
from the company themselves due to I couldn't find a supplier.(I didn't
know about theferretstore.com)  That was a pain, but I dealt with it.
THEN , Jawa started overeating all the time.  Through the course of his
life he reached almost six pounds at his heaviest.  Yoda's weight flucuated
as well, but not nearly as bad as Jawas.  I finally decided to put him
on the food for overweight ferrets, The second tub I ordered was ruined.
I noticed it didn't smell quite right, but I chocked it up to a sinus
infection.  Then after a few feedings, I dug around in the pail and
realized this food was molded.  On the top it was fine, but on the bottom,
it was disgusting.  Needless to say, my search started again.  I will never
use S&G again.
 
Meanwhile, we aquired Meeko who had been on Kitten Chow in the milk carton.
He had hardly no fat on him because of this.  I was very upset that he was
on this and over the course of the year I got him onto what everyone else
was on.  I regret that day more than you will ever know.  I wonder today
if I had kept him on the kitten chow, would he still be alive.
 
Back to my search, through the mailing lists, I decided on Totally Ferret.
Well, Jawa's weight forever fluctuated.  And he would eat all the time if I
allowed him too.  He was checked by a vet to see what could be the cause.
Nothing was found.  Yoda also was prone to spells of overeating.
 
I found Jawa dead in his cage one afternoon.  I let them out to play and I
noticed he hadn't moved from his spot on his towel.  I found it odd and
upon closer inspection I realized he looked too still.  I could n't bring
myself closer, so my husband inspected and said, "yes, he's dead."
 
Jawa wasn't the brightest bulb in the box.  He was always happy go lucky
stupid I always called him, but he was the prettiest ferret I have ever
seen.  And despite his shortcomings, I loved him to the end of this short
life.  He was three when he died.  He lied around a great deal though.  He
never acted quite like he felt good after he reached about eight months.
But like I said, no vet could find anything.  And on hindsight, I should
have taken his body to a vet to be checked, but I was in such shock, I just
wanted to lay him to rest.
 
Meeko began to gain weight too.  At first I was happy, but then I realized
it didn't look right.  He was pear shaped, and now I know he had fluid
more than likely.  But he started eating non-stop like Jawa did.  Before I
realized there was a serious problem developing he was dead too.  Now Meeko
was kept outside by his previous owner, on no heartworm preventative or
updated shots, so I feel his death could be contributed to heartworms.
But then again, I don't know because I didn't have a necrosy done on him
either.  He died on the weekend and I didn't know what to do with him,
plus I couldn't stand the thoughts of not lying him to rest.
 
Now I have the lone Mr. Yoda, who doesn't seem to mind too much being the
only ferret again.  I know he is getting up in age.  I also noticed he was
started to gain weight like Jawa and Meeko did.  I have since Meeko's death
swapped back to Science Diet only this time I am using the cat food since
Yoda is older.  Yoda's weight has maintained itself and he isn't overeating
like before.
 
I will forever wonder if it was those ferret foods that contributed to my
two ferrets death.  I am sure you all are thinking well you could have
found out, and that is true, but you must understand I couldn't bring
myself to it.  I just wanted them to be laid to rest.
 
Anyway, I don't know why I told this story of my ferrets.  I just read
about the recall on the TF and this story poured out.  I don't want to
cause anyone to rethink their food they are using.  Everyone has to do what
is best for their ferrets.  I just wonder if I really did what was best for
mine.  I guess I did in the end for Yoda.  I just wish I could have figured
it out a few years earlier.  All I want is for all of you to know, if your
ferret starts over eating and gaining weight, perhaps you should change
foods along with seeking medical attention.
 
Melissa Warren
Bossk       (fawn w/bl msk, wht mrkgs-4/01/97)
Lucas       (fawn w/bl msk, wht mrkgs-3/??/00)
Master Yoda (sable ferret w/blmsk, 1/1/96)
[log in to unmask]
Piedmont, AL  USA
Bossk's Den  http://pages.ivillage.com/pe/melissawarr/index.html
[Posted in FML issue 3205]