>From:    Toshia McKelheer <[log in to unmask]>
>My two (Bruno and Tahoe)
>have been eating Purina Ferret Chow all their lives, they also get bananas,
>cheerios, fruit, veggies, etc.
 
First let me explain that fiber (that is *vegetables*) is very difficult and
most often impossible for ferrets to digest.  Any vegetable matter that
ferrets eat has the potential to cause serious health risks/problems.  You
must have missed Meg Carpenter's story of her ferret who can very, very near
death from having stolen and eaten *carrots*.  You see they can't be broken
down!  They sit there, often in whatever chunks the ferret chewed them into
before swallowing and they can kill your ferret.  The chunks, if they don't
"go bad" in the stomach, can cause intestinal blockage as they move into the
intestines.  Intestinal blockages, of any kind, kill ferrets, unless
emergency surgery is performed (properly, I might add).  Fruit that is not
very, very soft fruit (I mean soft as in *bananas*) can do the very same
thing!!  If you think you have to feed your ferret vegetables or fruit
(something they do not need in their diet, however) at least give them fruit
and vegetable *babyfoods* instead of other kinds of fruits and vegetables.
This way it is already soft and will pass through without causing harm or
death.
 
As for the Cheerios, well, there isn't anything much they can use in those
either since they are a grain product, but Cheerios do get mushy in the
stomach and should not cause harm if given in very, very small amounts.
Stay away from sugary cereals, sugar can affect them adversely if given
straight or in larger quantities like it would be in a frosted cereal or
such.
 
The Purina Ferret Chow on the other hand is, in my opinion, the absolute
worst ferret food on the market!!  I keep a file with food labels in it so I
have a copy here of the label to refer to.  (I believe you are speaking of
their "Lab Chow".) The percentages on this label read protein 40%, fat 12%,
and fiber 5%.  The ingredients begin: poultry by-product meal, ground
extruded yellow corn, dried beet pulp, soybean meal, blood meal, corn gluten
meal, soybean oil, etc..  The rest is not significant to making the points I
wish to, so I won't copy the entire label here.  Remember that the
ingredients are usually listed according to content so the first ingredient
is what the food contains most of, the second ingredient is what the food
contains the second most of, etc..
 
First of all, it is obvious by the percentages alone that this is an
inadequate diet because the fat content is way under 20% (from my studies,
20% is the minimum to look for in fat content), and the fiber content is
much higher than nutrition experts recommend for ferrets.  Secondly, if we
look at the list of ingredients it is quite easy to see that this food
contains a tremendous amount of grain products.  Plant proteins are
*included* in the total percentage of protein listed on the label...it is
NOT animal proteins necessarliy.  Watch this when reading labels.  40%
Protein looks great, until you look at the ingredients.  Ferrets cannot use
proteins from plant products like corn, wheat, rice, etc..  This brand/type
of food here, is mostly corn.  Ferrets need animal proteins.  Poultry based
foods are the best and most useable sources of animal protein for ferrets.
 
Another point to consider, based upon my research, ferrets must have a high
percentage of animal fat in the diet in order to digest/process/use the
protein in the food.  The fat provides the energy for digestion.  Even if
you had a food that was 40% pure animal protein but only 12% fat, the ferret
could not really benefit to the greatest extent from the animal protein
because it's metabolism would not have enough energy to digest/process/use
it.  Both high animal protein, and high animal fat is vital to a good diet.
 
When I first became involved with ferrets I fed that same food, thinking the
name meant it was good food and the 40% protein was a good thing, etc..  But
I can tell you for a fact that it almost killed a little girl before we
figured out it was the food making her sick.  Once we switched foods she
slowly regained her health and has been in great shape for a very long time
now.  This little girl, Tara, and her ordeal are what turned me into a
nutrtion fanatic!  I am not happy she went through all that and nearly died
several times, but I am very glad it forced me to learn the facts about
foods and proper nutrition.  Purina sells alot of petfoods, mainly because
they can do so cheaply, the reason for this is they use lots of corn in
their foods which is far less expensive than sources of meat protein.  I no
longer purchase Purina foods for any of my animals.
 
As a side note, Iams and Eukanuba foods are very similar to Totally Ferret
and are okay in a pinch, in my opinion, but they are still *catfoods*, and
not specifically made and properly balanced in minerals, proteins, vitamins
and amino acids for *ferrets*.  Totally Ferret is.  To quote from a
veterinarian and nutritional consultant..."The ferret requires some 65
nutrients and they are subdivided into seven (7) major categories -
proteins, fats, simple carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water." All of
these, except the water of course, are provided by Totally Ferret Food.
 
>My question is this: Is Totally Ferret the best main course food to give
>your ferrets?
 
From my experiences in using the food, and based upon my research *yes*.
 
>I also like to give them a little variety so should I alternate with Iams
>Kitten Food?  Any advise is appreciated.
 
Iams Kitten Food should cause no harm at all.  But I must aks, why do you
want to give variety if one food will supply all the necessary nutrients
your ferret needs and provides them with a very well-balanced diet?  Animals
are not like humans in that they need variety in their diet to stimulate
interest in food.  In fact, that's why some are hard to convert to foods
different than what they are accustomed to, ferrets choose foods by
recognition and familiarity.  If it isn't what they are use to, they don't
recognize it as edible, and refuse.
 
If any one is interested in the details of Tara's story, let me know and I
can send it to you.  Also, keep in mind that we are learning that it is not
too uncommon for ferrets to become *allergic* to poultry products (chicken
or turkey).  If your ferret is ill and no other reason can be determined or
nothing seems to help, contact me and we'll compare notes and perhaps save
the kids' life.
 
Trish
Director, Ferrets First Rescue & Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 1923]