>From:    Jodi Finuf <[log in to unmask]>
>
>I am interested in feeding a raw diet.  Do you buy the ground turkey and
>chicken.
 
At least in my experience, the ground stuff is a bit nasty - because it's
all mushed up, you tend to get runny poops and such.  We buy the solid
stuff, making sure we have bones and gristle as well - an assortment of
carcasses (with a decent amount of meat still on), giblets, and offal
bits (we tend to alternate between hearts and livers, the latter clearly
being our boys' favourite food).  I've had people be amazed at the fact
that we include bones, but I'm of the "natural" school of thought - and
in any case, the ferrets have always loved chomping them up.
 
>You said you feed all they will eat.  How many times a day is it
>offered.  I give my six cooked chicken when they want it.  My kids are
>free roam and I would be concerned about them hiding a piece of raw meat
>somewhere and going back later to eat it.
 
Yeah, that's a problem XP We feed ours two or three times a day, and we
usually shut them in their room while they eat - and we do often find
they've hidden pieces and sneaked them into the lounge room later on.
It's not a big deal, though - we just give them back, or throw them out
if they're looking seedy.  We've never had them hide liver, though -
that just vanishes once it hits the plate :p
 
>You also said you feed raw beef.  Is this in hamberger form or cut up
>steak etc?  I think rabbit would be great because it is high in protien.
 
Rabbit is an interesting idea, and one I hadn't thought of.
 
>Do you also give them ferretvite for the taurine and other nutrients
>they need or is this neccesary.
 
To my understanding, no - this is their natural diet, and the supplements
are made to imitate that.  I'm not sure about all things, though.  I /do/
know for sure that taurine is naturally present in chicken, though.
 
>Do you free feed them any kibble at all?
 
Nope, hate it.
 
>My local pet store tells new ferret owners not to give them any form
>of meat or they will become aggresive.  I've tried to convince him that
>the chicken is good for them but he is firmly against it.  This is the
>same guy I overheard telling someone a ferret can live in a ten gallon
>aquarium and just eat cat food.
 
Well, this guy is just /wrong/.  My ferrets are the sweetest little guys
ever, and they've been on meat all their lives.
 
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[Posted in FML issue 5162]