Hi guys,
 
Just my opinion on the 8-in-1 thing.  While Yogis and the chicken bites
seemed tasty to the ferrets, I quite using all 8-in-1 products some time
ago.  First, because the yogis are nothing but sugar and I lost my first
ferret to pancreatic tumors (with insulinoma).  She was 5 when I got her,
and I had very little time with her, but she LOVED anything sweet -- even
if you didn't give it to her she could smell it from a mile away and
would try to get it from you or try determinedly to help herself.  So I
made sure no more sugar for any ferret in my house after that.  Mab is
just like Janis in this behaviour and the fact that she is very small.
I am worried she might have the same problem Janis did, but at least
I've had control over her diet from an early time...
 
The other reason I stopped was that I *think* that they are the ones
who came up with the weird cakey looking treats with little dots of
"marshmallow" in.  I figured any company who really made products good
for ferrets wouldn't (again) put so much sugar in their stuff.
 
It is amazing what companies will put on the labels of their pet
products.  Ex: I saw a big bag of "bird litter" that said on the package
"Great for Parrots"!  Do you know what was in the bag?  Cedar shavings!!!
My vet said that he has necropsied MANY birds with cedar shavings in
their crops.  THIS IS APALLING.  Think about it: just because something
is labeled for ferrets doesn't mean that it is GOOD for them.  READ THE
LABELS!  I believe that if there are regulations for pet products that
they are minimal.  I mean, if there was a big bag of cockroaches that
said on the outside "Great for Children!" would you feed it to your kids?
 
Some people say "But the ferret really *likes* it/them!"  Just because
your children really like cookies, do you give them 6 large cookies a
day?  Of course not!  My mother didn't give us anything containing white
processed sugar (no matter how much we begged) until I was around 8 and
my grandfather gave me root beer.  Now while this is slightly extreme, I
have to agree with it in principle.  Ferrets are very small animals and
it only takes a small amount of a "bad" substance to cause damage which
may be permanent.
 
Mab takes ferret food out of my hand as a "treat".  Now, Dustbin knows
food out of my hand is not really a treat, but accepts it anyway.
(Basically, WE act like it is a treat, so they accept it.) Before y'all
think I am self-righteous or what-not, you all know I have made my share
of mistakes.  You can look them up in the archives.  But the label
mistake I will never make because we are pretty much anti-treat around
here.  But if you do treat, read the label.  You'll be happier and so
will ferret-head.  Promise.
 
love and ferret hugs,
Christine
and Mab and Dustbin
 
=====
 
christine newkirk
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My Ebay items
ICQ# 3937465
Please visit my website: http://www.midnightferret.com
[Posted in FML issue 4630]