Water is as important as food quality and proportions; perhaps more. Water is a natural solvent for many substances, and is critical in cellular function, metabolism, and nutrient transport (among uncounted thousands of other equally important functions.) Because the chemicals disolved in water can have a critical impact on the metabolism of various foodstuffs, a source of clean, uncontaminated water is essential. There is a lot of advice about water, and groups of people have lined up on both sides of the issue regarding fluoride and chlorine additives. I will not be pulled into that debate, any more than I wish to argue if color therapy works. People have a right to their own opinions, and as far as I am concerned, they have the right to subsitute any sort of water for tap water if they desire. So I will only explain the differences, and you can decide for yourself if you need to make changes. To begin with, bottled water is just that. Unless the label specifically states it is distilled, mineral, sterilized, filtered, or any other such term, you cannot assume it is. In a few cases, bottled water is nothing more than municipal tap water. Read the label. Spring water comes from a spring, and regardless of the packaging, is only as pure as the surrounding aquifer. So if the aquafer is polluted with gasoline, so will the water "springing" from that aquafer. Mineral waters esentially contains dissolved minerals, which, considering the fact that *all* water (except highly purified water) has disolved minerals, could cover just about anything. Mostly, depending on the source, mineral water traditionally refers to water containing phosphates, carbonates or sulphates and other trace elements. Distilled water has been evaporated into a gas (usually by heat) and then condensed back into water, which, depending on the number of times done, can result in as close as you can get to pure water. Ph neutral water has been buffered so the pH is neutral or as close to 7 as it can get; distilled water is typically slightly acidic because is absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, creating a mild carbonic acid, with a pH between 7 and 6 (acidic). The water in most larger USA cities has been chlorinated to kill bacteria and viruses, which is precisely why cholera and typhoid epidemics are so rare in the States. Before *anyone* argues chlorine is bad and should be taken out of the tap water, they should travel to a country where such epidemics take place, and watch the little babies and old folks die. I have seen it, and I support the use of chorine in water for just that reason. It is added to water bwteen 0.5 and 1 part per million; that is, 1/2 to 1 part chlorine to 1,000,000 parts water. This concentration is *less* that the amounts you get from naturally occurring chlorine in many plants, such as cereals (up to 20 mg per kg of dry weight). If your ferret is sensitive to chlorine, or you do not wish your pets to drink it, either use bottled water or simply let the water stand and the chlorine will naturally dissipate. You could also buy a chlorine neutralizer, which is added to water to make it safe for hobby fish, or expensive filtering systems. Chlorine *can* be a deadly toxin, but without it, your red blood cells could not effectively exchange carbon dioxide gas (look up "chlorine exchange") and you would die. Fluoride (usually sodium fluoride) is added to water in some cities because it is a proven defense against tooth decay. It is added to water at about 1 part per million. This is far more controversial, but the concentration is not beyond which is naturally found in many mineral waters, not to mention toothpastes. I don't think fluoride will evaporate from standing water like chlorine does because the ions don't normally spontaneously form the gas, but the other methods mention are effective if you wish to eliminate it. One side note; I have a vegan friend that used to rant about choride and fluoride, but ate cereal each day, and quaffed tons of mineral water. When I finally tired of the ranting, I determined how much choride and fluoride he was ingesting from his diet, and it turned out to be almost 10 times what he would get from tap water. This is not defending tap water over any other source; some tap waters are pretty bad, even by third-world standards. What I am saying is, before people start yelling about additives that have a *proven* track record in saving lives, they should see if they are naturally found in other sources. People or animals with chemical sensitivity are exceptions to the rule, of course, and the should avoid such water. As for the "natural vs unnatural" chemical source debate, I agree in many cases, such as with some vitamins, a natural source is probably best. This is not because I think the "artifical" source is poor, but because I think they can lack trace compounds found in the natural nutrients. I don't feel that way about elemental nutrients; pure sodium chloride (salt) is sodium chloride regardless if it was created in a lab, evaporated from the sea, or dug up in mines where it orginally evaporated from the sea millions of years ago. Elements is elements. Fiber and bulk are often used as synomyms, but there can be some differeces. Bulk can be anything; fur, feathers, clothing fiber, cellulose, saw dust, undigested skin or tissue. It refers to undigestible bulk which helps move the digesta down the bowel. Fiber tends to refer more to plant cellulose, and is what you get when you eat lots of bran. It acts in a similar capacity. All digestive tracts require bulk for proper elimination, cleansing, and nutrient absorption, even those of primary carnivores such as ferrets. In the real, wild world, polecats eat a wide variety of things which contain lots of bulk, such as fractured bits of bone and fur. Ferret and polecat digestive tracts absorb nearly all the proteins and fats from an animal carcass, which leaves behind a bacteria-filled sludge, held together with mucous. Without bulk, the intestines have a more difficult time getting rid of everything, which can be a factoor in intestinal diseases, maybe ECE, constipation, hemmorroids, and prolapsed rectums. Some foods add ash to the kibble mix, but ash is minerals, not necessarily bulk. Too much bulk has it's downside as well, and can cause the runs, gas, and it the anus drys out, cracked tissues and bleeding. Bob C and 20 Bulky Poopmeisters [Posted in FML issue 2322]