Xoie and Meg,
 
        Although I personally would never recommend kitten chow (until
recently I've preferred a mix of Iams and Science Diet), but I do know vets
who say any brand is fine as long as it's not some generic store brand.  I
tend to disagree but that's simply my personal opinion.  However, the reason
your vet didn't recommend commercial ferret foods when you first got your
Xoie is that until just the past *year* or so there were no good ones.
Period.  But now, with the advent of Totally Ferret, and perhaps Marshall
Farms Diet, there are some very good specifically ferret foods available.
I've heard little talk about Marshall Farms Diet, though I believe Dr. Brown
thinks it's good.  She definitely likes TF.  In the past, ferret foods were
formulated based on mink diets, but minks have a totally different
nutritional requirement.  These two recently developed ferret foods were
formulated with the needs of the domestic ferret specifically in mind.  I was
skeptical, but I've heard too much good, especially about TF, to not be
convinced.  I am sticking to my Iams and Science Diet for now, while I'm in
school and poor and get a discount.  But when I have a real life, I will
definitely start buying TF as well, and mixing all three, a method Dr. Brown
highly recommends.
 
Laura
 
Laura L'Heureux Kupkee
U. of Illinois Vet Med Class of `96
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[Posted in FML issue 1073]