I agree that ferrets are obligate carnivores (less than 7% of vegetable matter found in stomach contents), but I also don’t think you can just remove grain from a cat food and call it a healthier option for a ferret. There are no studies either way, so any commercial food can make claims that they are the better alternative as long as they have the marketing savvy and play up to people’s emotions and desires. Who’s testing them? Who’s doing scientific studies instead of relying on palatability tests or anecdotal evidence? It doesn’t tell us what is actually best, what helps ferrets live longer, etc. Especially when factory farms are breeding ferrets prone to tumors and other health issues to complicate longevity trends.

Carnivores eat the entire carcass, including vegetable-based stomach contents. I don’t think that adding corn to meat products makes it a balanced meal, either, but I think it could be an acceptable practice to feed some grains to give fiber to the digestive system. This can be done with sweet potatoes, potatoes and other vegetables, but for what reason? I think ferrets in the wild are just as unlikely to eat a sweet potato as a grain. This doesn’t apply to those animals that may have a sensitivity to grain, in which case you should look for alternative sources of carbs. A wide variety of food sources should be utilized if they are safe and nutritious for your ferret, cat, dog, reptile or rodent.

I am absolutely not a nutritionist, and I am not against grain-free, so I hope everyone takes this and applies their own experience to it. My main concern is to educate owners on feeding what they think is right for their pet. If their pet can’t eat grain, they should use a grain-free option. If they are concerned about costs, I’d rather steer them toward a high-quality, lower cost food than one that may make them “feel” better but not provide any better nutrition to their pet. Or worse, have them go with something low-quality just because it’s cheaper and they don’t realize how to find the more nutritious options.

I don’t feel there is a “best” food, but there are bad foods. Even the leading brands, like Evo, can cause digestive upset in some individuals. People should feed according to the condition of their ferret, and switch brands if they aren’t seeing the results they would like. Just replacing grains with potatoes and throwing in some blueberries isn’t going to make it substantially more healthy. Hopefully, more research will be done as to what does make the BEST diet for ferrets, and it may in fact be grain-free or raw. But more scientific studies are needed, otherwise too much is left up to interpretation.

Here are some well-written and descriptive discussions of ferret food written before “grain-free” became a buzzword. The first advocates raw, whole-food diet and the second a high-quality meat-based commercial food with at least 38% protein and 20% fat. Again, low grain is good, but what is gained by substituting other vegetables? We just don’t know – yet.

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

http://www.weaselwords.com/ferret-articles/new-ideas-in-feeding-ferrets/

I have to disagree with you spyral – ferrets are obligate carnivores. Grain free or as close to it as possible is MUCH healthier for the animal, than anything else. EVO ferret food is one of the best out there, followed by Grain-Free Zupreem in my personal opinion. If my guys would eat raw or at least cooked meats, they would be eating it. There are so many less issues with a grain -free kibble. You are concerned with the protein percentage, but you also must take into consider what the percentage is of – is it 50% of a cup? 50% of 3 cups?? There’s a big difference there. I’m not saying it is the best for EVERY ferret out there, but I think it definitely is a much healthier option for most. I can see where raw diets (or even live prey) or cooked meat can get tricky with making sure you’re balancing all nutritional requirements – this is where grain-free kibble comes in as a much easier choice for many people.

AND YES!!!!! Marshalls is STILL a factory farm for ferrets. Horrible conditions, treatment, and they keep breeding diseases into their ferrets! Stay away from Marshalls ferrets and other big companies like that. Do your research and get a ferret from a breeder that can guarantee the parents do not possess the common diseases ferrets are so prone too, thank you very much Marshalls!

Originally, the idea behind mixing was to cut down on costs and possibly add nutrients that may be lacking. I now think that it’s not a good idea, as each commercial cat/kitten food is formulated to be complete as fed, and mixing them can skew the nutritional balance. If that is something that has been working for you, I think it’s fine, but I think a good approach is to rotate between brands (if you feel the need to do so) over a 3-6 month period.

ZuPreem original (no corn) seems pretty good, while the grain-free formula is an option, I don’t know if it’s really necessary. There is a balance needed between the protein and fat, and the original fits into the “38% protein/19% fat” equation for ferrets. I think the grain-free craze can be taken to an extreme. It all really boils down to the guaranteed analysis, cost to the owner, and ultimately the health of the animal.

Evo seems great, but it is rather high in protein (50%) so I am not sure if this is suitable long-term or for older ferrets. Wellness Kitten Health seems to be a very reasonable brand to feed. I’m afraid all pet food manufacturers rely somewhat on “gimics” like adding bits of fruits and veggies that really don’t do much for pets. Don’t worry, they do add appropriate vitamins and minerals in a form that carnivores can digest.

Unfortunately, I’m a bit out of date on ferret nutritional requirements, so I’m not sure if any commercial food has a necessary component that others don’t. You could always use the ol’ FerreTone supplement as a treat to make sure you’re getting a good blend of fatty acids.

Good luck!

They are shortening other parts of the storyline (mostly around Jaime’s character) so even if it’s wishful thinking, there should be Brotherhood in GoT Season 2!