Its always good to hear that one more ferret is getting a chance to be loved, but sad to hear they were neglected in the first place. I've run across a few rescues with matted fur and EVERY kibble fed ferret has coarse fur when compared to a raw/natural fed ferret. There just is no comparison to the texture of the coat of a naturally fed ferret with a kibble fed ferret. Yes, some kibbles are better than others but you only get the best coats, muscles, and lowest odor with natural feeding. The mix offered may be only slightly better than the cheap cat food because there may be a few more meat sources but at the same time their are a tremendous amount of plant products (even whole pieces of vegetables) being added. The enlarged belly is likely a direct result of the ferret having to ingest massive amounts of dry indigestible kibble in an attempt to gain nutrients. With no info offered on the alternative "local brand" one can only assume that being compared to Marshall's makes it a grain based fish meal type low grade kibble. For the monies being spent on that current mix an awful lot is just money being wasted literally in massive amounts of indigestible plant and grain items. Cost savings would be gained by trading up to higher quality grain free kibbles and even more savings would be realized by converting to raw/natural. The higher quality grain free means more digestible energy per ounce. Of course raw diets are the most digestible and nutrient dense. The oily coat could be in response to the drying effect of the wood chips. Or the oils typically sprayed on cheap kibble to entice consumption. All the intakes with matted fur get bathed with an oatmeal based gentle shampoo and conditioner. Lots of fresh clean blankets for self grooming. Regular brushing, massage, and romps in rice bins or outdoor dew bathes will polish that coat! [Posted in FML 7506]