To Mark:
 
I read your article with great interest and have decided to stop lurking as
well.  I am not a nutrition expert but I do have a few questions regarding
Ferrets Choice.
 
>...The debate on corn is misunderstood by the average person, which is why
>I am trying to help.  Corn meal when put through the extrusion process is
>cooked at very high temperatures and under a lot of pressure.  This then
>allows a ferret to digest the Carbohydrates and Fibre required for optimum
>gut function with ease...
 
The way I understand it, ferrets do not need carbohydrates.  They are
obligate carnivores and need meat.  I think I remember Bob Church
discussing the causes of insulinoma and he suggested that the high amount
of grain in ferret kibble might be responsible for the disease.  The
pancreas is not used to deal with a high amount of carbohydrate and when
the ferret eats a diet high in carbohydrates, it could lead to insulinoma.
 
Also, somebody I talked to was wondering whether the amino acids found in
the corn are the type that the ferret really needs to grow and maintain
health?
 
I and friends I discussed this with also don't understand why fish is the
first ingredient in your ferret diet.  Is it to make the food cheaper as
fish is cheaper than chicken?  Or was the food derived from a mink diet?
I mean what is the ferret's closet relative's natural diet?  The polecat
lives inland and mainly eats rodents, small birds and similar.  Fish is
not easily available.  Mink on the other hand live by water and eat a diet
consisting mainly of fish.
 
I have tried Ferrets Choice but must say that my ferrets prefer a diet that
is based on chicken.  I have also talked to other people who fed Ferrets
Choice and they had the same results.  Of course some ferrets will eat the
food and like it.  I think the food is pretty good but would rather see
chicken as the first ingredient and fish further down the line and rice
flour being used instead of corn and also not as the second ingedient but
further down.  The oils are good and I would definitely feed the food if
some changes were made to it.
 
I would welcome some answers from you.
 
Best regards,
Rob
[Posted in FML issue 2709]