Amy wrote: >A species appropriate diet is the best diet. No study needs to be done >to establish that fact. If an animal is designed to eat a certain >diet, and it's body is set up to digest and use that diet, that IS >the best diet. Welllllllll, yes and no. Past selective pressures DO narrow what is best under natural conditions for a species IN YOUTH AND IN REPRODUCTIVE YEARS, but once a ferret is beyond normal reproductive years there is not a natural selection situation which defines what is healthiest. It's the same for humans. Our needs change after reproductive years, and current research shows that what is optimal for many of the old- old differs from the early-old. Ultimately, I think there will be produced foods designed for age groups, those with cystine problems (which may or may not be the same diet(s) as for those with kidney problems), insulinoma, etc. The more information comes in the more options there are, and there is another factor which is starting to improve options but which people rarely think about. New equipment for food manufacturing is beginning to introduce a level of flexibility in food design which had not previously existed, and hopefully that equipment revolution will only improve over time. The more peer reviewed, published, hard data exists, and the more public demand there is for changes the better things get WHEN THE DEMANDS THEMSELVES ARE BASED UPON CAREFULLY PROVEN AND INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED CONCLUSIONS. I think that in all of those regards things will improve over time. It's not that I have anything against hypotheses, BTW; they are wonderful starting points but sometimes under study the results turn out to be different than expected so when people ask for changes it really IS best if they base those requests on what is proven and if they want to also mention hypotheses put that the aspect is under study. Later, when final results are in and shown well enough to appear in journals then those aspects can be more emphasized, and when they later have independent confirmation, well, then they really are reasonably proven usually, aren't they? For now, as Amy has done, it makes sense to make your own personal choices while respecting those of others, BUT ALWAYS ALSO KNOWING THE DOWNSIDES AS WELL AS THE UPSIDES OF ANY CHOSEN DIET, AND ALWAYS LETTING THE VET KNOW WHAT IS GIVEN. Licorice and Timmy's Tonic: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/message/90 http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/message/92 http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/message/88 Sukie (not a vet) Reminder: THE FERRET HEALTH LIST IS MOVING. To join, click on the joining link at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth and then follow the directions. OR just send a blank mail to the automated joining address: [log in to unmask] and then follow the directions. Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ [Posted in FML 5425]