The CAUSE of cystine stones in ferrets remains unknown, and is part of what is being studied so it is premature to assume a genetic cause must be at the base of it, let alone a shared genetic cause, though that is certainly a strong possibility. There is also investigation into certain food types -- for instance, the vets on at least two of these cases have noticed that the individuals had dried peas in part of their high protein diet. Might those or certain other specific foods be ones that ferrets (some ferrets?) don't handle well? No one knows, yet, but that is among the possible causes postulated and is being investigated. Again, don't draw conclusions until the study is done. Setting opinions before having enough facts isn't a very grateful mind-set; it has a tendency to bite people over and over since not all hypotheses pan out. So, if a high protein diet is what you have decided you want to use, then -- sure -- go ahead, but do like everyone should, anyway, and periodically test urine pH. It's no biggie. Anne used to use this saying: " 'Assume' makes an 'a$$' of 'U' and 'Me'." So, patience while the study goes on, and just read all sides, make your own choices, and don't feel guilty about them or make others feel guilty about theirs. None of us has enough data to warrant coming on strong. It would be silly to repeat this in detail: here are the pros and the cons of both sides of the kibble vs. raw debate: http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm? gid=1423922&messageid=15060 (and there were some related topics recently there so read them since this is just the most recent) with summaries or vet links to both sides in these two posts (and I will mention upfront that both are mine): http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm? gid=1423922&messageid=15107&startid=15108 (summary, including what is hypothetical) http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG14923 (links) OR go to BOTH the FHL Archives (See my sig; I use that resource daily thanks to Pam and Eric's hard work.) and the FML Archives (See each day's FML header) which is also excellent and search for "raw". [I suggest also searching for BARF in quotes. BIG] Also everyone who is interested in diet should definitely ask your vets to let you read a copy of the Dec 2004 "Journal of Exotic Mammal Medicine and Surgery" article by Dr. Mark Finkler on the carbohydrate- insulinoma hypothesis which he originated. It's a great read and up to date; he keeps a very open mind about how little in actually known on that regard even though he personally likes the hypothesis. it could still go either way or even veer off in an unexpected direction depending on what is learned. Ferret diets and their related hypotheses have such an unpleasant tendency to have too many people treat them like what is important is belief, so I think it is important to write in ways that discourage that response to a post, though I certainly have not always been good about that myself, and a few times have been downright emotional in a misplaced fashion (though understandable in the circumstances, so place those past posts in context). More and more, though, as it comes out over and over and over how very little is actually known I have decided that usually in diet conversations there are more bad and more good points to either side than most posters say, that posters often treat diet as a religion or a debate instead of as a field of study. What will eventually be best once enough study is done is still unknown, and no debate or belief will ever change that -- only the eventually uncovered facts will. -- Sukie (not a vet) Ferret Health List http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth FHL Archives http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org International Ferret Congress http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 4976]