(I hope Mr. Gruber allows this to go in.  While I've eliminated names and
email addresses, it's still word for word an email I recieved.)
 
While reading the FML, I picked up on one of the posters saying they bought
their ferret food at Walmart.  Knowing that Walmart ONLY carries Kaytee
Fiesta Ferret Diet, and the lowest quality 8 in 1 Select or Superior, I
contacted this poster.  I wanted to know if I was indeed reading correctly,
and asked if the poster knew of the effects of feeding a poor diet.  I
provided links to Ferret Central, and to Bob Church's Diet 101 Series, and
told this poster what I feed my 18 ferrets, and what I've learned in the 8
years I've been studying ferrets.  Apparantly I haven't convinced this
poster.
 
I've included the final email I got from this poster (address AND names of
ferrets have been removed. I replaced them with FerretA and FerretB)
 
(This is the initial response to my first email.)
 
>Where are you getting your information? About early death caused my
>Ferret Diet 8 in 1???  We have fed our ferret this for 6 months and she
>is very healthy.......my vet can vouch for that.
>
>I would like to know where you got this information before I go switching
>foods.
 
(This is the second email, after I provided all the links)
 
I've read all the stuff too..............and we have a vet who has looked
at FerretA, and says she is very healthy.  She is 11 months old (not
six.........we had her on totally ferret when we brought her home and at
about 5 months she stopped eating........period.  We tried Zupreem.......
she wouldn't eat it.  We gave her a sample of a friend's Ferret Diet and
she began eating again.  We gave her Totally ferret when we got FerretB....
because that is what they gave him at the pet store....... and she wouldn't
eat it.  FerretB wouldn't eat it......... but he ate the Ferret Diet out of
FerretA's bowl.  So we've stuck with this.) She has her vaccines and she
reacted fine to them.  She has a full coat........a great appetite.  We
give them both ferretvite every other day....... ferretone every other
day (we rotate them)and laxatone during shedding season twice a week.
 
Yes, we are new ferret owners and we are learning by trial and error.......
with the guidance of friends who own ferrets and the guidelines set by a
veterinarian.
 
I know that there are foods out there that have better nutrition in
them.........but I don't want to force feed them........or have them go
hungry because they won't eat what I give them.  We give them treats ferret
treats.........daily.........and we are doing the best we know how."
 
I am frustrated now, not knowing how to get this person to listen to
reason, and proven fact.  I know that I'm a faceless stranger, but I didn't
even provide my own information, I gave links to sites that have the same
information I would have given.  I suggested brand names of foods, tricks
to help the ferrets accept new foods....and NOTHING.....no more responses
to my email.
 
So I decided to come to you guys...shelters, post and tell this person what
kind of health you recieve ferrets in, ferrets who have eaten substandard
diets.  Ferret owners, share and tell us how much healthier ferrets can be
on a quality diet.  If you want to respond personally to this poster, send
me the email and I'll forward it on.  (I won't give out this poster's email
address.) I'm banging my head on the wall here.
 
I hope you're reading this.
 
Melissa and the 18 mousemunchin bonecrunchin gravyslurping Pocono Furrbutts
[Posted in FML issue 3254]