>I've read that fish is not required in a ferrets diet.  I read that
>their closest family member eats more rodents, birds, amphibians, etc
>than they would a fish.  I read that mink require fish, and that is
>where the myth began that fish needs to be in ferret food.  Now........
>am I right or wrong.  I'd like to know.  Did I fall upon some interent
>rumor, a good hypothesis, or did I run into the truth?  Which?
 
There are some EXCELLENT posts by the ferret-specialist vet, Dr. Jerry
Murray, in the Ferret Health List Archives (which are VERY easy to search
at http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/ ) on the IMPORTANT roles for health
maintenance that some of the fatty acids from fish can play.  Just type
in "fish" and "AFERRETVET", and you'll find his posts:
 
3, 12, 2002 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Update, Warning, And Insulinoma YG11849
1, 22, 2002 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] more on omega fatty acids, some YG10399
12, 8, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Answers on Melatonin usage YG9239
9, 8, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: Can anyone tell me how  YG7127
8,18, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Bob C and treats    YG6473
6, 1, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] RE: Flaxseed oil    YG4221
5, 8, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] RE: K/D vs Eukanuba YG3372
4, 27, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list]RE: Mad cow disease YG3005
3, 23, 2001 Kidney disease and proper foods     YG1651
3, 21, 2001 Re:good treats.     YG1558
3, 10, 2001 Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Corn over Rice     YG1074
 
On the other side, one would not want to give a diet that was mostly fish
without supplementing Vitamin E because in that case with someof the fish
yellow fat disease can be caused and kill the ferret, as may other but
slower possible nutritional problems.
 
Here ius a taste from a few quoted parts (I have his permission to
quote.) but do go read the entire things:
 
>As for diets: the higher the protein and the fat the better.  Low fiber
>and low carbohydrates.  Unfortunately your statement about ferrets being
>unable to digest corn is not accurate.  Your comments about fish are
>also not accurate.  Fish is highly digestable and a high quality protein
>source.  It actually has a higher value than chicken!  Plus it contains
>the important omega-3 fatty acids.  Yes fish does smell like fish, but
>it is a good protein source!  Wheat, Zupreem's main carbohydrate source,
>contains about 11.5% protein (actually higher than the protein content
>of corn ~9%).  Wheat also has a higher post prandial (after meal) gluose
>response than corn.  Better than rice better worse than corn!  As for
>treats: avoid raisins, cereals, bananas, and candy.  Cooked meats,
>cooked eggs, Hill's a/d, and Gerber's baby food (chicken and turkey)
 
>You are right both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty oils are needed in the
>diet, but it is the ratio of the 2 that is important.  In dogs and cats,
>the ratio of O-6 to O-3 should be 5 to 1 to 10 to 1.  It is likely the
>ferrets ratio would be similar to the cats.
>
>... The big picture is flax seed oil is good but fish oil is probably
>better. That is why Iams kitten, Eukanuba kitten, Totally Ferret,
>and Marshall's ferret food all have fish oil in them. (Marshall's
>also uses fish as protein source.)
 
>Omega-3s are also in fish oil, salmon, herring, and tuna.  They do
>indeed help with the fur coat and reduce itchiness of the skin.  There
>is a recent article in the Lancet (British medical journal) that reports
>Omega-3s may even prevent certain cancers in people.  If you want an oil
>supplement then flaxseed oil or fish oil is a good option.
 
There is MORE, so go read those!  DO note that he is careful to use
qualifiers like "may" when something is hypothetical; and then go with
what hypotheses you choose to follow after reading a lot of info, and
always recall that degrees and levels of items can alter the effects; for
example it may be that complex carbohydrates over a certain amount can
have bad effects but lower than that won't have bad effects -- but the
actual amount remains unknown.  Yes, you can do without fish and not
suffer as a result IF you supplement those fatty acids form another
source like flax seed oil, but be SURE to refrigerate that oil and keep
it away from lights and only buy a small amount at a time; it breaks down
rapidly.  (Eating the GI tract of frogs may be one way that polecats get
fish indirectly -- but that is ONLY a guess and could be way off.  For
all that I know of frog omega fatty acid components they may be direct
source.)
[Posted in FML issue 3947]