>I think the reason people say this is because it can be DIFFICULT to
>switch a ferret from it's food, but it can be done in most cases by
>gradual mixing of the two foods.
>
>I do agree with your idea of feeding a mix of foods so that they will be
>used to all, in case one changes or goes out of business.
 
We have seen several ferrets attempt to starve themselves to death rather
than eat a food that's not what they're used to, no matter what.  I always
advocate switching any ferret to a higher-quality diet if possible--cheap
cat foods can kill ferrets--but make sure you do so very gradually, and
remove all other stressors from the ferret's life, especially for the
older ones.  We've had best results putting two dishes side-by-side for at
least a week, one with the old food, one with the new, and waiting for the
ferret to taste the new food.  Then we do a mix and store it in the same
airtight container--some people use clean coffee cans or tupperware--so
the smells mingle.  We keep giving the ferret both dishes, one with mostly
old food, one with mostly new, until we're sure they're eating well.  Then
we phase out the old food entirely.  With young ferrets, it can literally
be two days, and they're fine; the older ones can have a really hard time.
We had one ferret who refused to eat her own food if there was a single
piece of anything else in the dish... picky brat. :-)  And she was only 3.
 
So, while it is possible to convince ferrets to switch diets, and it's
definitely worth doing, use caution!  An older ferret who stops eating for
a couple of days will often feel sick, stop drinking, and that makes for a
scary situation.
 
Jen and the Crazy Business
[Posted in FML issue 3111]