Georgia thank you for so eloquently explainging our position here. I feel bad and often think should my ferrets have pure meat. If so, what kind, and how to prepare it. if its raw in this country would it not have sominella, and possibly e.coli, etc. So then as you said, Georgia, the idea of giving a live mouse or something.. is difficult to handle. Now a thawed out froz feeder mouse maybe....but those are more than a buck a pop here. I still look at all the pure feed and chow and think...... gosh that just doesnt seem entirely natural..... I wish I could do better. Lynn I hope you tell us all what you do feed yours on occassion. You told me and I was so intriqued. I thought... what a good idea! What a good compromise if fresh meat, or live mammals are not an option. I had told you that the cousin of what you have given them is one of the most nutritionally complete foods for other animals. kay so tell us. Georgia.... do you really feed yours octopus? That would be economical (ok so squid would be), and nutricious. but would they smell more? Wolfy Please visit: http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv/ for information on ferret deafness: http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv [Posted in FML issue 3317]