Sukie wrote: >Shirley, >Yes, ferrets are resistant to several dangerous food borne pathogens. >They *can* still get them, though, and when they do those illnesses can >be fatal, in fact, some of them, like bovine mycobacteria, always are >fatal one way or another. It's just that they usually don't get the >sicknesses. Sukie, There are risks with everything you do, but I feel the benefits of feeding raw far outweigh the risks. I *can* be struck by lightning, or hit by a car if I walk out my door today, but that doesn't mean I will not be going outside. Currently I have 7 ferrets, some eat raw and some eat kibble. My ferrets that eat the raw diet also eat kibble and visa versa. I give them that choice. No one here has ever been sick from the raw diet. I do make sure to take care when preparing it (common sense; IMO). I don't feed old meat, I don't leave it laying around all day, etc. Kibble can have its adverse affects also. For instance I have read of ferrets dying by choking on a piece of kibble, but statistically I am sure the chances of that happening is quite small. I suppose I could write about those cases, without providing statistics or the facts, however I wouldn't do that because personally I wouldn't want to scare people away from feeding kibble. For those who feed kibble, that's their choice and I would never judge them or use scare tactics to try to prove my point. Do you happen to have the statistics on ferrets getting ill from feeding a raw diet? If so I would sure like to see it. Thanks Kris [Posted in FML 5419]