Ferret Food for Thought.

[Loving Ferrets]

I came across this very interesting article, written by a veterinarian, in regards to feeding ferrets commercial diets.

I have to say that I agreed with most of what Susan Brown, DVM, had to say. I won't be switching my ferts' diets to mice and chicks because of it, but it's always good to be informed.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=479&S=5

In the article, she addressed some concerns raised by lovingferret members regarding feeding ferrets a 'natural' diet.

She also recommends, as an alternative, the Ferret Archetypal brand: http://www.vin.com/WebLink.plx?URL=http://www.wysong.net . If you read the ingredient list, you'll be impressed, as I was. I've already sent in an email to find a retailer or distributor in my area.

[Phil]

i looked at that ferret archtypal brand on the link and it looks like fantastic ferret food. if i could find it locally here i might want to give it to bandit as a treat.

i would LOVE to "jazz up" bandit's diet a little if i knew a safe way to do it. all he eats are his marshall ferret treats and his marshall ferret diet. i guess since he was raised on the marshall premium that's what i should stick with. i'm surprised he doesn't get bored with the same food every day.

[Loving Ferrets]

We have Marshall food here, too. The only measure of its quality I've been using is the color and consistency of my kids' poop, and it looks good!

That archtypal is quite expensive and might be a little rich for someone with multiple ferrets, but the ingredients are very impressive...

Ok, here's the first 5 ingredients used in Marshall Premium Ferret Diet:
- Chicken by-products (organs only, Including Chicken liver)
- herring meal
- corn
- cod fish
- dried beet pulp

Archtypal:
- beef
- beef liver
- chicken
- chicken liver
- ground bone

So, there you have it. Marchall's food had two vegetable ingredients in the top 5, and we know ferrets don't digest vegetable matter.

Archtypal has only whole meat, including organ meat and bone in it - which is closer to what a ferret needs.

I've just sent of an email to a wholesale distributor in my general area, to see about getting a hold of some of this good stuff!
-

[KokosDaddy]

I have no idea if its better food or not, but I do know that its hellaciously more expensive that Marshall Premium. I have to have about 25-30 lbs of food a month to make sure everyone's belly stays full. At that rate, I'd be spending:

Approximately 4 cases @ $170.43 = $681.72 (They'd be eating better than we do! LOL)

Not that I would mind... but.... I think it is VERY overpriced... I'm hoping that this site is listing the prices at LIST, not Wholesale or at a retail rate. Otherwise, I don't know if it would be worth changing diets.... Unless they started talking as a result of the change... Then I'd be all over it, lol.

[Loving Ferrets]

WOW, that's very expensive.

Marchall Ferret Food is great quality and affordable. :P

I'm hoping I an get the other stuff at wholesale prices, so with only 2 ferts, it'll be affordable for me...for now

[Raw Vegan Momma]

I’ve come across that article and it is excellent. Joanne Stepanik (world renowned vegan nutritionist) wrote an article where she talks about caring for her carnivorous cat. She feeds it an animal based diet. http://www.vegsource.com/jo/qacats.htm

I’m gradually introducing raw foods into my fuzzies diet. I’ll eventually be giving them small prey. My next-door neighbor is a business owner. He raises and sells exotic snakes. He also sells live and frozen mice. I spoke to him earlier today and he told me I could have the mice for free. We are very neighborly. I'm always giving him fresh produce from our garden. He returns the favor.

As a Vegan I received one negative comment, on my blog, from one vegan who didn't believe in animals being the source of food for any living being. He told me I was not a "true vegan" since I fed my fuzzies an animal based diet. My response was if I were truly compassionate I would do what is best for my animals. Anything I'm interested in I research thoroughly. Nutrition has been something that has fascinated me for years based. (I also do consultations.) Based on my research I personally feel that my fuzzies will be healthiest the more natural their diet is.

The bottom line is I need to do what is best for my furbabies. Ferrets don’t have a cecum or appendix and they cannot digest vegetables or fruits.

[lilangel]

Am I the only one who feeds Mazuri? We love our Mazuri, and I've noticed since we got our rescue ferrets that their coats look a ton better since being on Mazuri (they used to be fed Marshall's). Our first ferret came to us being fed on ferret chow ( I don't know who the makers are), and the girl got it from a feed store. So in everyones opinions, what is a good brand to feed that doesn't break the bank?

[KokosDaddy]

That doesn't break the bank?

I know that I'd rather have a steak and a Sapporo, than a Coke and a Jumbo Jack....and that costs more and I'm happier afterwards... so I don't worry about the cost of ferret food. They're worth it and more...

8-in-1 is relatively cheap, but not the best food you can use. Mazuri isn't a bad food, and its not hellaciously expensive...

[BadgersMama]

We have always given our kids Marshall, and all of them have a wonderful coat, and good poopies. However, the past couple of months we have been mixing in Totally Ferret and they are digging it. As far as cost, there are some foods out there that are really over priced, you just have to keep in mind that just because it cost a grip of money dosen't make it good, you have to read the what's in it.

[fuzzylover]

I can't get my fuzzybutt to eat the Marshalls food at all, but he likes the one in the blue and silver bag, I think it's called Totally Ferret or somthing like that. I'm sorry I can't remember the name right now but I've just put in a 12 hour day at work, and my brain is a little fried. BTW I keep the food in an airtight container, so I don't have a bag I can just go look at..lol, that would be too easy. Anyway he seems to be doing real well on the food, of course he gets his eggs and other goodies too.

[Raw Vegan Momma]

Anyway he seems to be doing real well on the food, of course he gets his eggs and other goodies too.
Do you give him eggs raw, scramble, or boil them?

[K10Widow]

IMHO Marshalls is pretty is a pretty crumby ferret food. Too much vegatable proteins, it contains fish, and it's pretty expensive in comparison to other ferret, cat or kitten foods.

Now, I'm POSITIVE that someone will try to bock at me feeding high grade cat and kitten foods to my ferrets. Please remember that ferrets and cats are both obligate carnivores, which means that they have similar nutritional needs.


I currently feed:
-Natural Balance Cat (ranks 2 on chart) (at petfooddirect $1.81 per pound)
-Innova Cat (not EVO) (ranks 2 on chart) (at petfooddirect $2.16 per pound)
-Felidae Cat (ranks 1 on chart ) (at petfooddirect $1.59 per pound)
-Natural Gold Ferret (ranks 1 on chart) (at dookorama $3.20 per pound)

Compared to
-Marshalls 4 pound bag (ranks 4 on chart)
(ferret depot $2.44 per pound)
(theferretstore $4.25 per pound)

So as you can see there are many cat and kitten food that are not only better for your ferrets nutrition, but are also a lot less expensive.

The chart for reference on rankings:
http://everythingfert.proboards36.com/index.cgi?board=kristen&action=display&thread=1109195167

[KokosDaddy]

I doubt that anyone will "balk" at you for having an opinion here. To tell the truth, I'm sure that there might very well be a better food out there for our ferrets. Ours however, have imprinted on the Marshall's stuff, and although we may try different foods for them here and there - they always prefer what they started out with...

I would hope that no one here would have anything other than an opinion of their own to share in a friendly and uplifting manner. Flaming is not allowed here, and will be dealt with quickly.

[fuzzylover]

Do you give him eggs raw, scramble, or boil them?

I give him raw egg yolk. I wash the eggs before I crack them, separate them, and give only the yolk. I usually pierce the yolk with a piece of the shell, just because my fuzzybutt like it better when the yolk is already ozzing out of the yolk sak. Not that he's spoiled or anything :innocent:

[christine64]

Fuzzylover how often to you give them a raw egg?

[fuzzylover]

Fuzzylover how often to you give them a raw egg?

I usually give egg yolk a couple of times a week, if I have a lot of fresh eggs (fresh from the chickens, not the store) I may give them more often. I figure even if they have one every two or three days it be okay, since it is a natural type of food for ferrets.

[Raw Vegan Momma]

I've been thinking of giving my ferts raw eggs. I'll give them a few egg yolks each week.

My neighbor has chickens and he has offered them to me before. I used to have geese. They lay some large eggs. I called them the neighborghood watch geese" they would honk whenever anyone would come up our driveway.:p

[JuniorsMommy]

I've been thinking of giving my ferts raw eggs. I'll give them a few egg yolks each week.

My neighbor has chickens and he has offered them to me before. I used to have geese. They lay some large eggs. I called them the neighborghood watch geese" they would honk whenever anyone would come up our driveway.:p


Yea they do lay some really large eggs! I had geese when I was little and they used to chase everyone away from my sister and me. They would even chase my mom away.It was funny......