M N <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I'm not interested in hearing about the whole kibble vs. raw vs. live >debate. I've heard the arguments before. I just want some advice on >brands of kibble, supplementing with raw, and eggs and how to cook >them. Hi. My advice is to choose several kibbles that are grain free. Grains are known to cause certain health problems in some ferrets. There are studies that have shown that a diet that contains plant protein (and plants do contain protein - some more than others) can cause ferrets to develop bladder and kidney stones. Corn, wheat and rice contain as much protein as most meats, so if a kibble has 1 pound of chicken meat (usually weighed wet) and 3/4 pound of wheat, corn or rice (weighed dry), then that kibble is very likely getting more of its protein content from plant sources than it is from meat sources. Most of the time, meats are weighed wet, while the grains will be weighed dry. So, the same weight of a wet meat and a dry grain will actually be more grain. Plant proteins alter the pH of the urine, making crystals more likely to form. So, feeding the same amount of protein strictly from animal sources will be less likely to cause bladder stones, because the pH of the urine will be such that it will not promote crystallization of the magnesium ammonium phosphate. This information can be found in a number of places, but I am taking it from my Fox "Biology and Diseases of the Ferret". Most ferret bladder stones are caused by an improper pH in the urine, which can be caused by plant proteins. Metabolism of the organic acids in plant proteins produces an alkaline urine that promotes the crystallization of minerals. The normal pH of the urine of an obligate carnivore is too low to allow crystallization to take place. There is a type of bladder stone called a cystine urolith that is not caused by an abnormal pH, but it is not very common, and those are most commonly related to a genetic defect that causes excretion of high levels of cystine in the urine due to an inherited transport defect in the proximal renal tubules. Plant proteins can cause other problems as well. Grains, are often a source of food allergy, and food allergies can be responsible for causing IBD and IBS. Ferrets with IBD should be fed a diet that does not contain grains. Now, that can be accomplished in several ways. Here in the US, we do have commercially prepared foods that do not contain any grains. Some of the kibbles I recommend that do not contain any grains (and these are all foods I use) are: EVO - either the cat or the ferret one - http://www.evopet.com/ Nature's Variety Instinct (a cat food) - http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_cat Wellness CORE (another cat food) - http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_wellness_dry_index.html Orijen Cat and Kitten Food - http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/catkitten.aspx All of the above can be purchased online, so you do not need to worry about finding them in a local store. Under each food I gave a website where you can learn more about the food. Do not overlook canned foods. Again, there are some good ones available that get most of their protein content from animal sources, and contain no grains. Here are a few I recommend. Again, these can all be purchased online. These are not meant to be used as a primary diet, though, and should be used more to supplement and add variety to the ferret's diet. Wysong canned meats (called Au Jus) - http://www.wysong.net/ferret-food.php Merrick Before Grains canned foods - http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/bg_canned_dog_food_132.php EVO canned meats - http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1501 or - http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1662 Nature's Variety Instinct Canned - http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_cat_can There are also commercially prepared raw foods available. I use the Nature's Variety Raw, also. This you would need to find at a local supplier, but the website offers a "store locator" feature to help with this. http://www.naturesvariety.com/raw_productsCAT I feed my kids some egg, both cooked and raw. The problem with raw eggs is that the egg whites contain avidin, which will bind with biotin and cause a biotin deficiency, which can lead to hair loss. Cooking destroys the avidin. So, either feed only the egg yolks raw, or feed raw egg only occasionally. When cooking eggs for my ferrets, I scramble them and use a fish oil to coat the pan. You can get fish oil supplement at most pet stores. It is usually in the dog area, and is a supplement to help the skin and coat. Here is a link for the one I usually use. <http://www.grizzlypetproducts.com/salmon_oil/salmon_oil.html> You could likely also use something like Linatone (ferrettone) or olive oil to coat the pan for scrambling the eggs. Another thing to consider is dried or dehydrated meats. Many places offer these - usually for dogs. A dehydrated meat can be reconstituted with water, and the dried meats (jerky) provide good exercise for the jaw muscles. Finally, here is a link I often share. The article is geared primarily toward dogs, but much of what it says can be applied to cats and ferrets as well. It discusses various feeding methods, and the pros and cons of each. But, it also lists things to avoid when choosing a commercial food, as well as things to look for. To me, that is the most important part of the article. Here is the link, and what I consider the most important part of the article. http://www.petsynergy.com/overview.html "Avoid any artificial coloring, flavoring or preservatives especially Ethoxyquin, BHA and BHT which can cause liver problems and cancer. Animal Fat does not necessarily mean good quality oils, and can be by-products of animal processing, so be sure to look for specific oils like Flaxseed Oil or Salmon Oil. Avoid the following ingredients: Beet Pulp which has too much sugar and fiber and is a poor filler. Beef Tallow comes from the tissue of cattle in the process of rendering and is low in linoleic acid, which is needed for skin and coat health Corn and Corn Gluten Meal which is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the germ, it causes the kidneys and liver work overtime and Corn is thought to be the #3 common cause of food allergies in dogs Rice Bran which is the outer coating of the rice kernel, with little of the starchy part of the germ and is basically floor sweepings. Rice Gluten is similar to corn gluten with little good nutritional value. Sorghum is the ground grain of the sorghum plant and it is low in digestibility Soybean Meal is the product obtained by grinding the flakes which remain after removal of most of the oil from soybeans by extraction. It is "a poor quality protein filler and one of the main causes of allergy of dogs. Wheat and Wheat Gluten - filler and highly allergenic. Any other filler that you don't know the name of! Good Things to look for! Food Grade ingredients Organic ingredients No by-products Meat based not fillers" I hope this information is helpful. 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 6468]