To Matt Callahan and others.....
>reference to the Ferret World Web page entitled "What to feed ferrets"
>(http://www.csc.peachnet.edu/~rpoore/ferrets/food.html).  It states that,
>"If Totally Ferret is not available to you, a decent diet that is not
>expensive is: one-third Purina Cat Chow (original formula), one-third
>Purina Kitten Chow (original formula), and one-third Whiskas."
 
I do not know the author of this text, and I have been trying to get my
nutrition article up on Ferret World, but most cat food that comes from a
grocery store is unaccepable for ferrets.
 
A ferret needs:
32% or more protein,
18-22% fat,
and the first ingredient should be poultry, meat or it's by product (there
is nothing wrong with a carnivore eating meat/poultry byproducts.)
 
I prefer to mix several foods, but that is a personal choice and based
mainly on the flux of ferrets running through my shelter who come in with
unknown or faulty diets.
 
There are many good cat, kitten and ferret diets which meet the above
requirements - When a ferret gets to about 5 years of age or becomes portly,
find a food with a little less fat and 30-32% protein - many "natural"
kitten/cat foods fit this bill nicely.  If you have a household with mixed
ages, then mix the foods - the ferrets will take what suits their needs as
it is needed.
 
Pam Grant
[Posted in FML issue 1460]