What kind of ferret food? (still learning ...)
Lady Phoenix
Well I'm going through all sorts of information and I've ordered the
Ferrets for Dummies book so I'm getting my education slowly but surely. I
was wondering though, what kind of food, (like brand name or type) do you
folks feed your ferret(s)? I know not to get dog food, but after that the
advice goes all over the country. Some say, just ferret pellets, some say
some types of cat food, others say expensive kitten food ...
Also with treats, just what kind should I get? I've gone to sites that
have all kinds of things like stuff from yogurt bites to dried fruit and
rawhide chews. I read a ferret pet manual from the ferret.org site and the
guy who wrote it said his ferrets even ate strawberry licorice. Is that
okay?? There's so much information and some of it is just overwhelming.
And on a final note I was wondering where would be a good place to put
my cage? I have a single floor three bedroom home and I was thinking on
placing the ferret's cage in my computer room since I spend alot of my off
time there but it's separated off from the rest of the house and a friend
just wrote and was told by this guy who sells parrots that the animal's cage
should not be in a separate part of the house but where you are a majority
of the time, like the living room. I thought since when I'm at home the
ferrets would be out and about, it would be fine and when it's time to bed
down for the night they would go back into their cage. I'm including the
letter she sent, so any input on this and the rest of my newbie questions, I
would really be grateful to hear.
>>>Hi,
Jody emailed back last night. He said it isn't the Teflon or the use of
Teflon that is poisonous it is when the Teflon pan itself is heated to hot
or burned- he said that the gases from the Teflon are usually given off when
the Teflon is heated over 500 degrees- or if the Teflon is cracked or
chipped off- then heated. He said it is best to keep birds and small animals
cages as far away as possible from the actual cooking site- and to be sure
to not cook with damaged pan- and best of all if possible- not use Teflon at
all. Just a little side bar- he suggested to both of us not to keep a social
animal such as a bird, ferret, or chinchilla- in a secluded room of the
house. He said that this could be damaging to their social skills- It kinda
gives them a complex and makes them nervous- when they can't observe the
household from the center of it. He suggests a living room( not too close to
the TV or a window) or a family room- He also said to keep them clear of
drafts and ducts or heat vents- Honestly I don't know where he expects us to
keep them- all that pretty much rules out my entire house.
Thank you everyone,
Lady Phoenix
Mary at Modern Ferret Magazine
>was wondering though, what kind of food, (like brand name or type) do you
>folks feed your ferret(s)?
8 in 1 Ultimate, Totally Ferret, Path Valley Ferret Food, Marshalls
(occasionally), Eukanuba kitten food (because Trixie really likes it and she's
the queen) ... there are others you can feed. You should feed a mix of foods.
> Also with treats, just what kind should I get?
You can get a different brand of ferret or kitten food to use as a treat.
Cooked meats, boiled eggs (though some feed raw stuff) -- things a carnivore
would eat. Avoid hard fruits and vegetables -- these can cause intestinal
blockage. Ferrets are not designed to eat plant matter. That said, many ferrets
like banana, raisins, melon -- and other soft fruits/veggies. Make sure they
are itty-bitty pieces. Do not give these things often. We also give Totally
Ferret Treats occasionally. Mostly, though, our ferrets like their own food fed
by hand (that personal touch seems to make it a treat!).
>I was wondering where would be a good place to put
>my cage?
You can keep them in the computer room if you'll be there. Ferrets sleep a lot,
so as long as they get a lot of playtime (several hours a day), they should be
fine. Our ferret cage is in the living room -- but we do that because they are
our family and we like to be able to watch them all the time (sleeping fuzzies
are TOO CUTE!).
Hope that helps.
--Mary & the Fuzzies
Mary R. Shefferman, Editor
& the Modern Ferrets: Trixie, Koosh, and Gabrielle
Modern Ferret Magazine - http://www.modernferret.com
http://www.ferretdesigns.com - T-Shirts & more!
Read my blog! http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary
Melissa Smith
> was wondering though, what kind of food, (like brand name or type) do you
> folks feed your ferret(s)? I know not to get dog food, but after that the
> advice goes all over the country. Some say, just ferret pellets, some say
> some types of cat food, others say expensive kitten food ...
third. I used to add Theferretstore.com food and Zupreem as well, but the
food spoiled before the ferrets could eat it all (since there's only two of
them). Plus, for some reason both of those food caused a reddish look to my
ferret's fur.
Mixing is a good idea because there have been several occasions where
companies have changed recipies and the food your ferret loved doesn't taste
right to them. With a mix of foods, they'll still keep eating untill you
find a good replacement.
My ferrets don't get many treats. I bought a lot when I first got them, but
they don't seem to be overly treat oriented. So they get ferretvite and
ferretone, and an occasional Sheppard and Greene or Vitakraft treat. Both of
those companies make their ferret treats nice and small for ferrets. They
occasionally get unhealthy stuff, mostly popcorn with the husks removed,
small tastes of chocolate and occasional large treats like Pounce.
Melissa Smith
KG
The best food you can give them is totally ferret, another one
Superior Choice sold by the Ferret Store. You can feed them eukanuba
kitten chow. There are some kitten chows that are better than some
ferret chows. The first three ingredients should be meat, preferably
chicken You want rice instead of corn for the first grain.
I feed mine Mazuri Ferret Chow. I don't think it's the best on the
market. With 20 ferrets we go through 10# of food a week. I can get
a 25# bag for $22. I can't match that price any where else in ferret
or kitten chow. I'm out of work due to healt problems
There are excellent food charts available of differetnt web sites.
Try HOFA's which has a food chart. www.hofa.org Ferret central will
give you lots of good advice.
Be careful with ferret treats, some of them aer full of sugar. So are
dog and catfood treats. We either use hard catfood, hard cat treats
like tartar control, yougrt drops for hamsters (cheaper than the
ferret version) or chicken flavored dog or catfood treats. Cheaper
than ferret treats. We also give bits of meat, tunafish and raisins.
KG
"Lady Phoenix" <suma...@portup.com> wrote in message news:<3e596ea7_4@newsfeed>...
Princebilly1sth
Sorry Kat, the best ferret food around is still a fresh rabbit carcass lol.
regards
Steve
Tammy
all mixed. This should last a long time since the smallest bag we get is
about a 5 lb or 7 lb. We have to little critters and that lasts us about 4
mo or so. Sometimes we exchange the The Ferret Store's Superiour Choice
for Marshall's Premium Diet.
As far as snacks we use Marshall Bandits Ferret Treats. There is Liver
flavor, chicken flavor, Seafood, and beef/bacon. Ours don't like the
beef/bacon ones. We also give them Yogies Treats and ferretone. They love
the ferretone.
You didn't ask anything about litter but here is my two cents worth. We use
cat litter, the no clump type, and on top of that we put wood pellets. The
wood pellets are really cheap. We get a 40 lb bag for about $4.00 at the
local fireplace supplier.
You could put the cage in your office and let them roam the livingroom.
Depends on how big the cage is as if you want it in your livingroom. We had
the first cage in our livingroom, but it was a little cage. When we got the
big cage we moved them to a bedroom adjacent to the livingroom so they
already had roaming rights to the extra bedroom and livingroom and my
husbands computer/workout room. Just make sure the rooms are ferretproof.
Good luck with your little sweetie.
Tammy
"Lady Phoenix" <suma...@portup.com> wrote in message
news:3e596ea7_4@newsfeed...
KG
is very antilive food. He's vetoed frozen mice and goldfish for the
mink.
They get canned catfood from time to time and chicken. Some will eat
meat, a few will drink beer and whiskey given a chance.
Simon (deceased) loved meat. I remember taking him to a street fair
and trying to keep him out of my gyro and found his fuzzy head in my
beer instead. We had to spend the rest of the afternoon keeping him
out of people's drinks that wanted to pet him. he was deaf so we
could take him to rock concerts. I miss him.
KG
princeb...@aol.com (Princebilly1sth) wrote in message news:<20030224131618...@mb-mo.aol.com>...
oldmolly
"KG" <kat...@voyager.net> wrote in message
news:9ad00fda.03022...@posting.google.com...
> I don't have anyone to fetch me rabbit carcasses. My farmboy husband
> is very antilive food. He's vetoed frozen mice and goldfish for the
> mink.
>
> They get canned catfood from time to time and chicken. Some will eat
> meat, a few will drink beer and whiskey given a chance.
>
> Simon (deceased) loved meat. I remember taking him to a street fair
> and trying to keep him out of my gyro and found his fuzzy head in my
> beer instead. We had to spend the rest of the afternoon keeping him
> out of people's drinks that wanted to pet him. he was deaf so we
> could take him to rock concerts. I miss him.
>
whiskey and beer. You are the worst kind of ferret ownber in my opinion and
your refusal to feed normal and natural food coupled with allowing it to
drink alcohol is animal abuse.
The fact that you are an idiot should be mitigating circumstances, but low
intelligence is still no excuse for abusing an animal.
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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Princebilly1sth
what the hells going on here. She was only funning for gods sake.
take a chill pill woman. Is the pain bad again. come up here for a cuddle but
wash your hair first.
steve
MC
on one of ferretdom/minkdom's more interesting people was entirely uncalled
for.
For one, very few American ferrets will eat meat. Most owners do not acquire
their ferrets early enough to get them past the imprinting of kibble.
Secondly, most Americans have a thing about feeding live or killed food. And,
I would hazard a guess that your fellow Brit's feel the same way, if they live
in the cities, rather than on a farm as you do. BARF mixes are available but
getting an older ferret to try it is pretty much impossible.
Thirdly, Although whiskey is a bit extreme, my crew, to the one, have all loved
beer. We don't drink alcohol in our household, but, we use beer for a lot of
cooking and when my wife pops a can, within seconds the Brat Pack is screaming
for a taste or demanding to be let out of their room so they come downstairs
and get some of that nectar of the ferret gods!.
Anywho...chill out fen woman...Kat is one of the good guys.....(She even has a
Mink named Onyx!)
MC
KG
I've been posting here for years.
I don't give my ferrets beer or whiskey to drink. I've had a few get
into our drinks while they were out playing. I have others that get
into pop,tea and coffee given a chance.
Steve was right. I was just telling stories.
I've leanred defending myself only gets me into more trouble.
I have 20 ferrets. They range in age from 2 yrs old to 11 yrs old.
I've had ferrets live as long as 12 yrs. I've been a ferret breeder.
I've been a ferret shelter. I gave both up when my fibromyalgia left
me unable to work or care for all the ferrets. I still rehab biters
for the local ferret shelter. I do educational days with the club
almost every month.
You can google my name and see if I'm an idiot, assuming you want to
take the time.
Killfile my name if I annoy you. this is the first time you've jumped
my case.
KG
"oldmolly" <oldm...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:<b3fm6b$1lga9k$1...@ID-165698.news.dfncis.de>...
oldmolly
>
> I've been posting here for years.
>
> I don't give my ferrets beer or whiskey to drink. I've had a few get
> into our drinks while they were out playing. I have others that get
> into pop,tea and coffee given a chance.
>
> Steve was right. I was just telling stories.
>
> I've leanred defending myself only gets me into more trouble.
>
> I have 20 ferrets. They range in age from 2 yrs old to 11 yrs old.
> I've had ferrets live as long as 12 yrs. I've been a ferret breeder.
> I've been a ferret shelter. I gave both up when my fibromyalgia left
> me unable to work or care for all the ferrets. I still rehab biters
> for the local ferret shelter. I do educational days with the club
> almost every month.
>
> You can google my name and see if I'm an idiot, assuming you want to
> take the time.
>
> Killfile my name if I annoy you. this is the first time you've jumped
> my case.
>
shitty day in pain and the meds weren't working. Just took a double dose 1/2
hour ago and had a hot bath and it is bearable. On top of that I have had
every moron in the county phoning me today it seems wanting to get rid of
animals. The best was the woman with a one year old spayed male dog.(?!!)
She is moving house and cannot/won't keep it. It growls at her child, she
has no transport to take it to a rescue kennels, didn't want to pay diesel
money for me to run it about, and it has to be gone by Friday or else!
In other words, got fed up with the pup she bought as a toy for her
kids,but didn't bother to train it, now, she just wants it gone quick with
no effort or expense to herself. She doesn't want any responsibility in
helping to get it somewhere else to live.
So I guess I saw your post and saw red. It wouldn't surprise me if some
fool did indeed give its ferret whiskey to drink.
Miggy Miller
>
> I've been posting here for years.
>
> I don't give my ferrets beer or whiskey to drink. I've had a few get
> into our drinks while they were out playing. I have others that get
> into pop,tea and coffee given a chance.
>
> Steve was right. I was just telling stories.
>
> I've leanred defending myself only gets me into more trouble.
>
> > You refuse to feed dead meat to your carnivorous pet, you allow it to
drink
> > whiskey and beer. You are the worst kind of ferret ownber in my opinion
and
> > your refusal to feed normal and natural food coupled with allowing it to
> > drink alcohol is animal abuse.
> > The fact that you are an idiot should be mitigating circumstances, but
low
> > intelligence is still no excuse for abusing an animal.
> >
That was a bit harsh. IMO.
-- Miggy Miller
Don't let life drive you crazy...
When its only a walking distance.
Princebilly1sth
anyway, i`m just off to pub with my ferrets and if Natalie thinks she is on
shorts again, she can piss off
;o)
regards
steve
KG
KG
MC <M...@ProgressiveSystemsInc.org> wrote in message news:<3E5B8D51...@ProgressiveSystemsInc.org>...
> UH..molly..you need to take your valium's this morning....I think your attack
> on one of ferretdom/minkdom's more interesting people was entirely uncalled
> for.
>
KG
I live with 20 ferrets and they are demanding little critters.
I live with chronic pain. Ohter than narcotics, nothing works for me.
I ran the ferret shelter for two years. I took in ferrets with all
the accomapnying lies. Sometimes you wanted to tell people to get out
just so they wouldn't lie any more. I spent more time on the phone
talking people out of ferrets rather than adopting to anyone who came
by. There are too many idiots adopting animals with no forethought.
I still rehab biters and some of the excuses I get for biters are
ridiculous.
LOL! I can't be a complete idiot if I socialized a mink into a
housepet. They are very unforgiving creatures and carry a grudge.
KG
"oldmolly" <oldm...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:<b3gnse$1lpg3u$1...@ID-165698.news.dfncis.de>...
> "KG" <kat...@voyager.net> wrote in message
> news:9ad00fda.03022...@posting.google.com...
> Sorry. I guess I lost my sense of humour. Steve was right. I have had a
Anna
need to stop the pain completely. I know. My doc insists that I'm on the
strongest they can give me...HAH! As it is, she's taken me off the Tramodol
and actually admitted that she thought they were crap anyway. She's got me
on eight 30ml Dihydrocodeine a day now...as if she thinks they are any
better....SMIRK...lol.
Take care Molly and please don't push yourself any harder, OK.
Anna
"oldmolly" <oldm...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:b3gnse$1lpg3u$1...@ID-165698.news.dfncis.de...
Anna
chicken, ham and beef. We got a packet of pre-cooked sliced beef yesterday
though and they ate some of it, the rest we found in the hammocks they don't
use.
Anna
"MC" <M...@ProgressiveSystemsInc.org> wrote in message
news:3E5B8D51...@ProgressiveSystemsInc.org...
oldmolly
"Princebilly1sth" <princeb...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030225173754...@mb-ba.aol.com...
pssst Steve, I don't touch alcohol. a pepsi and a bag of pork scratchings is
all I require of an evening out.
oldmolly
"Anna" <anna...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:RH17a.143$%G5....@newsfep3-gui.server.ntli.net...
> Molly, how you feeling today? Its a major pain not getting the meds you
> need to stop the pain completely. I know. My doc insists that I'm on the
> strongest they can give me...HAH! As it is, she's taken me off the
Tramodol
> and actually admitted that she thought they were crap anyway. She's got
me
> on eight 30ml Dihydrocodeine a day now...as if she thinks they are any
> better....SMIRK...lol.
>
> Take care Molly and please don't push yourself any harder, OK.
>
dreadful night, feeling the pain while I was alseep and waking with it.
Today 2 doses and I can still feel it. There is little the docs can do other
than offer me morphine or pethedine, which they have done but there just
*is* nothing else. I will not take either morph' or peth' as I will be too
zonked out and when my body starts to tolerate those, there is nothing left.
I will try my t.e.n.s machine later to get some relief and try to have a
sleep this afternoon. Nothing helps except laying down in a foetal position
and that would be fine if only I had a magic wand to do all the jobs.
Ah well, some days are shitty but that gives me a yardstick by which to
appreciate the good days.
Tramadol don't work for me either so it is dihydrocodeine. Doc keeps
moaning cos I take too many but wtf. I am 47 years old, still have a life to
live, been active all my life so far. If I have to go onto morphine, or give
up my way of life, I may as well be dead.
Anna
to be offered pethedine let alone morphine. A doctor prescibed me with some
pethedine for Gall Stone attacks but then when I was rushed in to hospital
the same night they took them off me. *bugger* :o)
They had me on Remediene Forte(supposedly the strongest before morphine)
for a couple of years and even when I was taking up to 20 a day(supposed to
be no more than 8)the doc wouldn't take me off them and then couldn't
understand why they weren't helping me.
But as you say, it makes us appreciate the good days more.
Take care
Anna
"oldmolly" <oldm...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:b3if0r$1m6tjo$1...@ID-165698.news.dfncis.de...
Princebilly1sth
I can just see it now, me and my Moll getting down to the jiggy section and her
saying " don`t go too fast, i`ll rattle"
If it isn`t headcahe its her back, her legs , her knees , her ferrets, her mice
, her crabs.
Make no wonder you have 4 exes you old dragon, your ready for the knackers yard
;o)
Steve
Princebilly1sth
My mates call me a" two pint piss queer".
Because the rare events i have gone out on celebrations, the most i have
managed is two pints of woodpecker cider......... and i`m shit faced. My eyes
go all fuzzy and i talk complete bollox ( no change there then) and want to
fight dwarfs and other small people who i reckon i could just about "take"
Can`t get any cheaper than that for a NIGHT OUT but i am a food coni, cionisue,
cioniseu.................expert
I love indian, chinese and the great sunday roast but my favourite meal of all
time is a couple of cornish pasties in a dish with oxtail soup poured on em
with 8 rounds of buttered bread.mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Now you know where the man breasts and love handles come from.
steve
Princebilly1sth
pssst Steve, I don't touch alcohol. a pepsi and a bag of pork scratchings is
all I require of an evening out.<
Do we have pictures of these said legs or are you just reacting to medication
again.
i reckon their will be more meat on a butchers pencil than on your pins.
steve
oldmolly
Haha my lad. I would have *you* dancing to my tune .Why do you suppose I
have had 4 men begging me to marry them?? I *must* be doing summat right.
oldmolly
decrepit you know.
Princebilly1sth
steve
Princebilly1sth
mmmmmmmmm
lol
steve
oldmolly
> prove it , send me a pic right this minute old timer
>
Nothing is for free.
Akasha
Similar question. My ferret eats pretty much standard Ferret chow --
Marshall Farms mix usually, with a variety of treats that are branded
as healty ferret treats.
I offered her a raw egg the other day, she would have nothing to do
with it. If I have meat around, I give her a nibble, she sniffs it and
runs away. My friend who is a vet says that many ferrets now are just
too domesticated and don't care about the "natural" foods you might
offer to them, and as long as they get a balanced diet they are fine.
But I thought it would be nice to give her some additional treats. She
won't eat them. She eats all her ferret chow though and gobbles her
treats like mad -- she likes the yogurt type treats and other ferret
mixes they offer at the store. Nothing "natural" has ever got her
attention.
A.
On 24 Feb 2003 15:38:11 GMT, modf...@aol.comferrets (Mary at Modern
Ferret Magazine) wrote:
>>I
>>was wondering though, what kind of food, (like brand name or type) do you
>>folks feed your ferret(s)?
>
>8 in 1 Ultimate, Totally Ferret, Path Valley Ferret Food, Marshalls
>(occasionally), Eukanuba kitten food (because Trixie really likes it and she's
>the queen) ... there are others you can feed. You should feed a mix of foods.
>
>> Also with treats, just what kind should I get?
>
>You can get a different brand of ferret or kitten food to use as a treat.
>Cooked meats, boiled eggs (though some feed raw stuff) -- things a carnivore
>would eat. Avoid hard fruits and vegetables -- these can cause intestinal
>blockage. Ferrets are not designed to eat plant matter. That said, many ferrets
>like banana, raisins, melon -- and other soft fruits/veggies. Make sure they
>are itty-bitty pieces. Do not give these things often. We also give Totally
>Ferret Treats occasionally. Mostly, though, our ferrets like their own food fed
>by hand (that personal touch seems to make it a treat!).
>
>>I was wondering where would be a good place to put
>>my cage?
>
>You can keep them in the computer room if you'll be there. Ferrets sleep a lot,
>so as long as they get a lot of playtime (several hours a day), they should be
>fine. Our ferret cage is in the living room -- but we do that because they are
>our family and we like to be able to watch them all the time (sleeping fuzzies
>are TOO CUTE!).
>
>Hope that helps.
>
>--Mary & the Fuzzies
>
>Mary R. Shefferman, Editor
>& the Modern Ferrets: Trixie, Koosh, and Gabrielle
>Modern Ferret Magazine - http://www.modernferret.com
>http://www.ferretdesigns.com - T-Shirts & more!
>Read my blog! http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary
Mary at Modern Ferret Magazine
>My friend who is a vet says that many ferrets now are just
>too domesticated and don't care about the "natural" foods you might
Ferrets imprint on food (that is, decide what is and isn't food) by about 6
months of age. After that, it can be a little difficult (and with some ferrets,
impossible) to convince them that anything other than what they've already
eaten in their lifetime is food. It has nothing to do with domestication. All
animals imprint on food. Our Koosh and Gabby are happy to eat or try just about
anything. Trixie very dramatically gags if she even smells something she
doesn't consider food. Some ferrets are more adventurous -- or they trust their
humans more -- than others. Bosco (RIP) would try anything I was eating.
Actually, he insisted upon it! Knuks (RIP) would try anything we offered her.
She didn't always like it, but she tried it.
Generally, if you offer your ferret meat or eggs (cooked or raw) or even live
food (mice, for example) when they are young, they will eat it.
I guess you could say you can't teach an old ferret a new menu. On the other
hand, if you offer the new food several times and maybe put something on it the
ferret likes (like a few drops of Ferretone, for example), you might just get
him/her to try the new stuff.
--Mary & the Fuzzies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary R. Shefferman, Editor
& the Modern Ferrets - Trixie, Koosh, & Gabrielle
Modern Ferret Magazine: http://www.modernferret.com
http://www.ferretdesigns.com: T-Shirts & more!
Kathouze
> On the other
>hand, if you offer the new food several times and maybe put something on it
>the
>ferret likes (like a few drops of Ferretone, for example), you might just get
>him/her to try the new stuff.
>
I always recommend Bob's Chicken Gravy.Adding the kibble at first makes it
taste familiar.Mine were total kibble hogs, and they're eating it with gusto.
>http://www.trifl.org/gravy.html
Don't you just love woozle juice? I do ferretone and olive oil 50/50,they love
it just the same.
Sandy and the Dook City Gang
Tempus Fuzzit
kathouze pictures
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=kathouze
Dulsineea
letting them out often. I have 5 fuzzbutts! AND PLEASE DON'T LET THEM GET TO
ASNYTHING LIKE erasers, or foamy things like rubber stamps...or handles on some
hair brushes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just have to have a piece of brush handle and a
rubber stamp remover from my Sugar Bear's belly as it was causing an
obstruction!
The Ferretstore.com is a great place to read about food.
as is this site
http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/AllCreaturesVetCare/disferret.html
good luck and ENJOY!!!!!!