Sukie wrote: > Whoa! Let's separate out some stuff now to be most fair! >Bedding material blockage happened in some peoples ferrets due to the >TYPE of material used: fake fleeces which do not break down, again, >not a food issue." This is absolutely a food issue! Ferrets that are fed a natural diet have their desire to chew satisfied and will NEVER, ever, in a million years chew bedding. Even if they eat their food on fluffy bedding that sheds, a natural diet is enough to carry the fibres through the digestive tract without causing harm to the ferret by a blockage. One of my saddest times on the FML this year was when a young lady posted that her mother's ferret had developed the LIFE-THREATENING habit of chewing bedding. She was ultimately persuaded that natural food was life threatening to her mother and chose to ask for a different type of help. And: >IBD is suspected to be caused by certain infections with ECE (even >silent ECE during kithood) being a big one. Not all parts of the world >have ECE. Now, AFTER it is present some of the individuals have a >harder time with starches, but vets don't suspect dietary causes; they >suspect infection causes. Sukie, I'm shocked! When was vets' OPINION worth anything if it wasn't backed up by peer-reviewed investigation? Suspicion by vets is not enough to pinpoint a cause. To my knowledge, naturally fed ferrets have NEVER suffered from IBD. Some cases of IBD have been *cured* when grains have been removed from the diet. Sadly, I was prevented from being able to communicate with a vet in the US recently about whether or not a grain-free diet worked on all ferrets. And: >Just as there are diseases which look more and more (some virtually >proven and others suspected) like they can be caused by periodontal >disease, there also are diseases which themselves cause periodontal >disease. Apart from starvation, in the words of one of our most respected politicians (not) "Please explain." I wish I could address more of the points that Sukie raised, but I am really short of time. Stop CHEERING! Cheers, huh? Shirley PS And Sukie wrote: >So, all it boils down to is to never assume that any one food choice >is going to be perfect. All have upsides and all have downsides. Small whole prey from a reliable source IS perfect. :-) Shirley [Moderator's note: I'm going to have to start sending some of these posts back if they are quite so repetitive. :-) Please let's end the topic if we've said it all. BIG] [Posted in FML 5432]