I thought I would provide 2 links that I think provide some excellent information. The first is a link to an article by noted veterinarian Dr. Susan Brown, titled "Rethinking the Ferret Diet". It explains what ferrets need to meet their nutritional needs, and offers ways of meeting these needs, whether you are feeding a raw or whole prey diet, or using commercially prepared foods. <http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=479&S=1&SourceID=43> The second link is to an article that discusses the pros and cons of various feeding methods. Whether you feed a commercially prepared diet, a homemade cooked diet, or a so called natural diet, there are downsides. The article looks at each method, and lists the main pros and cons. And, while the article is mainly geared toward the feeding of dogs and cats, the comments made can apply to other companion animals as well. http://www.petsynergy.com/overview.html My own personal opinion is that there is no one correct way to provide a nutritious diet for a ferret. I think that while it may be more challenging, a proper diet can be met with commercially prepared foods, including kibble. Kibble is harder on the teeth, and many of the ones currently being sold contain too many grains and carbohydrates for optimum health for a ferret. But, there are some foods that are acceptable and contain no grains. Feeding a natural diet or a homemade cooked diet can be very costly, and if you aren't careful, you can easily feed a diet that is not balanced. On the other hand, people who feed these diets claim that the extra spent on the foods is saved in veterinary bills. My own experience is that while the importance of diet should not be overlooked, there are many other factors affecting a ferret's health. I have used kibble for many years, and have had relatively healthy and long lived ferrets. Currently, I utilize a mix of all 3 types of feeding techniques, with some of my ferrets choosing to eat only kibble, and others choosing to eat only prey animals. I will admit to being new to feeding a raw diet, and so at this time, I can not really comment on which produces better results. Danee DeVore ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know! For more information visit: http://www.ferretadv.com ADV - Find out how you can help: http://help4adv.terrabox.com/ [Posted in FML 6058]