I see a lot of posts regarding "proper" ferret diet & acceptable treats (including the recent "raisin controversy") & feel compelled to give the FML readers something to think about. Although I am not a Vet, I have a college degree in a medical field & 20years of practical experience with human medicine. Here we go: Did you know that WATER can be harmful to humans? A condition called "hyperhydrosis" is the result of excessive water intake & can cause dizziness, nausea, hallucinations, coma & even death! Is water "poisonous"? No, but too much of ANYTHING can certainly be harmful. The finding of the Vet was that a large quantity of raisins appeared to be the cause of kidney problems. The key word here is "quantity". I often read these posts & wonder how many "treats" some people are feeding their critters. Our ferret eats just about anything, & while we allow her to sample our "people food", she never gets more than a ferret-sized bite of anything. Even "approved" treats are limited to 3-4 per day, & usually no more than 1 "sugary" treat like a raisin or dried apple. I urge all those who care for their fuzzies to just exercise some common sense & not to worry needlessly. (Incidentally, although we feed high-quality ferret food now, when I acquired my first ferret in 1982 there was so little info on them that the "ferret care" book I found recommended kitten chow. That ferret lived a long & HEALTHY 10 years on kitten chow supplemented with the occasional human food treat). I'm pretty much a supporter of the theory that a lot of the health problems we currently see in ferrets are genetic (the result of overbreeding to meet demand) & not the fault of the caregivers who do their best to provide a healthy & happy life for their pets. In summation, take a clue from the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" - "Don't panic!" Best wishes to all, Lisa (RPh) [Posted in FML issue 5190]