I'm sorry to say that the links to various studies into salmonella and raw feeding are not relevant to ferrets and a natural (or "species appropriate") diet. Nor are any links to a dog choking on a bone or suffering a perforated bowel (Was the bone pre-cut, cooked, inappropriate size?, etc). BARF is not a suitable food for ferrets and neither is any ground, cooked, added to or otherwise tampered-with food. Ferrets require food that not only has the necessary nutrients, but is in the FORM to promote good dental health. There IS a perfect food for ferrets! *Small whole prey*. This may be closely duplicated by appropriately-sized raw meaty bones with occasional offal. The risks of ferrets dying, or becoming ill, because of this, FAR OUTWEIGH the damage and agony to the ferret caused by a diet of kibble. I think that Amy's posts in yesterday's FML highlighted a very important point. While folk moan and groan about the hardship of having to pay for all of the surgeries, who is really paying the highest price in the name of convenience?. Shirley [Posted in FML 5427]