Dear all, I would like to sum up something because I've got too many responses to leave without an explanation. Now I know it's a common dilusion, but in Hungary at present is believed that the following ferret feeding is right: According to a famous Hungarian veterinarian: the ferrets should be given 70-80% meat and 20-30% side-dish. The side-dish may contain thick-soup, vegetables, rice, pasta, boiled potatoes, anything we (humans) can eat. Feeding with kibble is not recommended. Kibble shouldn't be continuously available for the ferret. Feeding once or twice daily is enough for an adult ferret. We can give raw vegetables for the ferret. The ferret should get not just meat because it eats fruits in the wild as well. The ferret in the wild eats the digestive tract of the prey first, to get the vitamines and the vegetable-originated food, the fibre. The fibre is an important part of the ferret diet. (He actually tells more but it would be too long, you get the point) Everyone in Hungary believes in it (except from today, me, and later others :) ). This is because this vet told us, and he is said to be a ferret expert. Now I know that (thanks Sukie for the information): Polecat relatives don't tend to eat veggies and only rarely try some fruits in a seasonal situation. The amount in the GI tract of a prey animal is WAY below 20% of the animal's weight, let along caloric measure. Polecats aren't too big on eating the GI tract. What is in the GI tract of those prey animals is largely pre-digested. Ferrets do not have the capacity to sufficiently digest fruits or vegetables. Many vegetables and some fruits can cause fatal blockages and certainly cause intestinal irritation. It is postulated that sugars and starches may increase the development of insulinoma, a beta islet cell tumor which produces too much insulin, the functional opposite of diabetes. Thanks again, FML, for your help, Balazs Ps.: Now I only need to explain everyone who doesn't read FML and doesn't read English why I know this better than this vet... [Posted in FML issue 4717]