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Post by buzzonesbirdie on Aug 7, 2008 6:45:32 GMT -5
Ok I am late in answering this and I am sorry for that. Everyone on here has told you what you already need to know. And yes like Kim said most of us went through the phase of going from a bad kibble to a slightly less bad kibble to maybe a good kibble and then raw. With my first ferret she was being fed Meow mix becuase the shelter where we got her from was feeding that. So imagine my shock when i did research and found out i was feeding crap. NO one on here means to make you feel bad or bash you we just sometimes get really protective of the ferret that is being talked about. Please take your time and read through the different threads on here and learn what you can, It is overwhelming when you first go to switch but if you get into it with the idea that it will take some time and not happen overnight you will do well.
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Post by pear2apple on Aug 7, 2008 7:03:28 GMT -5
So what kinds of foods did you find?? I'm still undecided what freeze-dried to buy, though I need to find this stuff asap. It would be great to know how certain foods are working for you. And if you buy the NV raw frozen and have any problems getting your fuzz to try it, let me know and maybe I can help with ways I've been trying to switch Kiwi over.  |
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Aug 7, 2008 14:38:16 GMT -5
Post by razzlette on Aug 7, 2008 14:38:16 GMT -5
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Aug 7, 2008 15:25:46 GMT -5
Post by pear2apple on Aug 7, 2008 15:25:46 GMT -5
Rice is not good. Which is why I'm not so sure about the Wellness Cat. As free samples I see nothing wrong with them, but I would not buy a bag to feed on a regular basis. I have a ton of Wellness samples as well that I give maybe 2-3 pieces of kibble a week just as a "treat" to keep the ferrets trying new things. The more flavors they are willing to eat, the more likely I think it is I could switch their foods if I needed to. I'd say no to the Halo too because the second ingredient is PEA protein, not an animal based protein, so they cannot derive the protein they need from it. Again, ok as a sample, not as a staple. Although on onlynaturalpet.com HALO has freeze-dried treats that are perfectly fine to use. They are 100% salmon, or 100% beef liver, etc. Is NV Instinct the one with the whole pumpkin seeds? If yes, then no because they can cause blockages. Someone clarify. I do know someone feeds NV kibble, just not sure which it is. I'll look it up. Artemis not bad, first 4 are meats. Someone else comment? Also, for the medallions, one bag is lasting me like 2 months. Also, I mix lamb and rabbit together. Not to mention, cheap prices! Go to the NV website and get the coupon! BOGO free! NV Raw frozen is $17 a bag for me! I'll write more about portion size, or mustelidmusk or fire7chix also feed them and can let you know. |
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Aug 7, 2008 18:26:33 GMT -5
Post by razzlette on Aug 7, 2008 18:26:33 GMT -5
Also, for the medallions, one bag is lasting me like 2 months. Also, I mix lamb and rabbit together. Not to mention, cheap prices! Go to the NV website and get the coupon! BOGO free! NV Raw frozen is $17 a bag for me! I'll write more about portion size, or mustelidmusk or fire7chix also feed them and can let you know. You feed 2 baby's with the medallions right? So feeding one would last forever. I looked on the website and didn't see the coupon  I figured when I saw rice as an ingredient on the others and not the Evo it wouldn't be good. My dog was sniffing the bag when I walked in so he will be happy with what Zuko can't. I'm really looking hard into the NV its going to be better for him and be the same price as the bad kibble. |
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Aug 7, 2008 21:11:16 GMT -5
Post by pear2apple on Aug 7, 2008 21:11:16 GMT -5
I'll find the link for the coupon..... Since you only have one ferret, the medallions will last quite awhile. And then check wherever you buy this from, if they have one of those BOGO cards for food. When I buy 12 bags, I get the 13th free. And with this coupon, I will be buying 10 bags (or less depending on more coupons). Finally found it! www.naturesvariety.com/tryitBe aware, when you sign up for the coupon it is emailed to you, probably that day. Also, you have one month to use the coupon. Then in about another month, you get sent ANOTHER BOGO coupon! So its really awesome, you really save some money here! I started Apple on the rabbit, and just added lamb. They didn't have the venison in stock when I was there. But I am grabbing that, and I guess the beef next time. For getting him to eat the medallion, take one out of the bag, and stick it in a closed container in the fridge overnight. Try not to microwave at this point. Next day I take about half the medallion smash it up and then mix in like a spoonful of water. Then I warm it up 5sec or so just to get the fridge chill gone. Then I mix it up. (on a plate for easy access) If there is a lot of extra water, try to dump most of this out. They may drink up the flavored water until they are full instead of eating the actual food. I did this too in the beginning, and sometimes I still do without thinking. Then add Ferretone, Ferrevite, or salmon/olive oil on top to bring him over to taste. You shouldn't need to add this every time, but if he is reluctant to try it, its ok. You may need to put some on your finger for him to lick off for awhile. Or scruff him and stick it on his tongue a few times. I still do this! Once he starts eating on his own, or if he finishes the plate, you could add more to see if he will eat more. Apple eats about 1/2-3/4 medallion at one time. If you want to make a "soup" with your raw, try not to add any kibble. Somewhere I read that kibble takes longer to digest then raw so things move too quickly. Also, at first poops will look funny because you are switching diets. So expect a little runny poop, a little green, a little seedy, maybe some yellows in the beginning, but after awhile things should start to even out. Raw poops look different than kibble poops though, so it won't go back to how it was. |
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Aug 7, 2008 21:24:58 GMT -5
Post by wienercat on Aug 7, 2008 21:24:58 GMT -5
If you aren't ready to do fresh raw yet, at least look into some of the prepared "natural diets". One of the primary reasons for this forum is to get ferret caretakers to move away from kibble completely and to offer a more appropriate nutrient source which is of course animals and meaty bones from animals. There are better kibble choices available which will offer better nutrients for your ferrets. 8in1 is NOT one of them. 8in1 Ultra Blend Select is anything BUT select- with ground corn, corn gluten meal, molasses, raisin juice, and rice. 8in1 Ultimate dry has raisin juice and banana puree in it. Raisins are known to be toxic to carnivores and bananas have no place in a ferret's diet. 8in1's binder base is rice, which is also indigestible to ferrets. 8 in 1 Ultimate soft moist uses high amounts of corn products, gluten, syrup, glycerin and gelatin which are ALL detrimental to the ferret's digestive system. Your ferrets will become healthier if you avoid kibbles with corn products, gluten, wheat, rice, syrups, sweeteners and gelatin. WYsong Archetype, Innova Ferret, even Totally ferret Baby formula or their Turkey Venison Lamb formula are kibbles offering more bioavailable and appropriate protein sources than 8 in 1. I no longer feed any kibbles but when I did the research and discovered the problems associated with various ingredients, the 8 in 1 products were the first to get dropped from my kibble mix when I was feeding kibble. Other members on the forum have been using the Nature's variety formulated foods and can offer insight into those products. Another alternative to offering fresh raw but still better than kibble is to offer your ferrets dehydrated meats and freeze dried items. There are many products available on the internet and in better pet stores, and you can always freeze dry your own from fresh raw. There is NO better diet for your ferret than to offer it a whole prey and fresh raw diet. But you can always offer them improved nutrition by upgrading to better kibbles as a stepping stone to the natural diet. Offering plain lard, unseasoned meat grease drippings is also a great way to get calories and omega-6 fatty acids into your ferret. These grease drippings can be mixed into the kibble. A lard lick can be offered free choice in a dish. AS noted weight will vary from ferret to ferret. Hands on is the best way to determine if they are properly fleshed out. With that said it is quite common for kibble fed ferrets to weigh more, but not have proper body fleshing. this is due to the fact that in order for a ferret's digestive tract to attempt to glean appropriate nutrients from the foreign substances in kibble the ferret has to ingest practically three times as much quantity and at more frequent intervals. Typically this will distend their intestinal tract and keep it full of indigestible substances, thereby adding to their weight, but not nourishing their bodies. Because they aren't nourished properly, their activity level declines and with this decline comes obesity. Because they are literally "heavy with food" they don't move around as much and this adds to their obesity. Their muscle tone is flaccid. A fat ferret is NOT a healthy ferret. You can just about always pinpoint a kibble fed ferret as opposed to a natural fed ferret because the kibble fed ferret will have a decidedly bottom heavy appearance, or a potbellied appearance; even if they aren't in a sitting position. The natural fed ferret's digestive tract makes quick use of the meaty items and the digestive tract doesn't need to distend to accommodate huge amounts of food so the ferret's figure stays streamlined. Their muscles are well fleshed out and they rarely carry any extra ounces. Their activity level is amazing, especially when compared to a kibble fed ferret. They are exceptionally strong and well toned. Hope this helps! Cheers, Kim now wait... i was told that the 8 in 1 ultimate is ok for a fuzzy! mine were eating cat food.. then it took MONTHS to get raspy to eat this.... because i was told it was ok. Raspy is the ONLY one who wont eat meat at all. So with that said, i cant go thru another 3 or 4 months of transitioning her now... not with ana and sarsippy in the mix... |
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Post by weloveourweasels on Aug 8, 2008 2:51:02 GMT -5
If you aren't ready to do fresh raw yet, at least look into some of the prepared "natural diets". One of the primary reasons for this forum is to get ferret caretakers to move away from kibble completely and to offer a more appropriate nutrient source which is of course animals and meaty bones from animals. There are better kibble choices available which will offer better nutrients for your ferrets. 8in1 is NOT one of them. 8in1 Ultra Blend Select is anything BUT select- with ground corn, corn gluten meal, molasses, raisin juice, and rice. 8in1 Ultimate dry has raisin juice and banana puree in it. Raisins are known to be toxic to carnivores and bananas have no place in a ferret's diet. 8in1's binder base is rice, which is also indigestible to ferrets. 8 in 1 Ultimate soft moist uses high amounts of corn products, gluten, syrup, glycerin and gelatin which are ALL detrimental to the ferret's digestive system. Your ferrets will become healthier if you avoid kibbles with corn products, gluten, wheat, rice, syrups, sweeteners and gelatin. WYsong Archetype, Innova Ferret, even Totally ferret Baby formula or their Turkey Venison Lamb formula are kibbles offering more bioavailable and appropriate protein sources than 8 in 1. I no longer feed any kibbles but when I did the research and discovered the problems associated with various ingredients, the 8 in 1 products were the first to get dropped from my kibble mix when I was feeding kibble. Other members on the forum have been using the Nature's variety formulated foods and can offer insight into those products. Another alternative to offering fresh raw but still better than kibble is to offer your ferrets dehydrated meats and freeze dried items. There are many products available on the internet and in better pet stores, and you can always freeze dry your own from fresh raw. There is NO better diet for your ferret than to offer it a whole prey and fresh raw diet. But you can always offer them improved nutrition by upgrading to better kibbles as a stepping stone to the natural diet. Offering plain lard, unseasoned meat grease drippings is also a great way to get calories and omega-6 fatty acids into your ferret. These grease drippings can be mixed into the kibble. A lard lick can be offered free choice in a dish. AS noted weight will vary from ferret to ferret. Hands on is the best way to determine if they are properly fleshed out. With that said it is quite common for kibble fed ferrets to weigh more, but not have proper body fleshing. this is due to the fact that in order for a ferret's digestive tract to attempt to glean appropriate nutrients from the foreign substances in kibble the ferret has to ingest practically three times as much quantity and at more frequent intervals. Typically this will distend their intestinal tract and keep it full of indigestible substances, thereby adding to their weight, but not nourishing their bodies. Because they aren't nourished properly, their activity level declines and with this decline comes obesity. Because they are literally "heavy with food" they don't move around as much and this adds to their obesity. Their muscle tone is flaccid. A fat ferret is NOT a healthy ferret. You can just about always pinpoint a kibble fed ferret as opposed to a natural fed ferret because the kibble fed ferret will have a decidedly bottom heavy appearance, or a potbellied appearance; even if they aren't in a sitting position. The natural fed ferret's digestive tract makes quick use of the meaty items and the digestive tract doesn't need to distend to accommodate huge amounts of food so the ferret's figure stays streamlined. Their muscles are well fleshed out and they rarely carry any extra ounces. Their activity level is amazing, especially when compared to a kibble fed ferret. They are exceptionally strong and well toned. Hope this helps! Cheers, Kim now wait... i was told that the 8 in 1 ultimate is ok for a fuzzy! mine were eating cat food.. then it took MONTHS to get raspy to eat this.... because i was told it was ok. Raspy is the ONLY one who wont eat meat at all. So with that said, i cant go thru another 3 or 4 months of transitioning her now... not with ana and sarsippy in the mix... You only need to transition kibble 2 to 4 weeks not 3 to 4 months. It is so bad because of the banana puree and raisin juice 2 things that lead to insulinoma. Also it only has 16% fat which is way too little ferrets need AT LEAST 20% fat. besides I wouldn't even worry about it since your goal is to switch completely off the kibble anyways |
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Aug 8, 2008 23:46:06 GMT -5
Post by wienercat on Aug 8, 2008 23:46:06 GMT -5
well that's not what i was told on the ferret.com forum..... and fyi it took 3 to 4 months to get RASPY to accept new food. You gotta understand.. she likes something and wont eat if i switch. It took that long to phase out the old crappy cat food and bring in the ferret food. what she does is digs out the food bowl and picks out what she likes. then wont eat the rest. Ana and Sarsippy dont eat dry kibble anymore at all.
someone at the other forum posted a chart of ferret foods and said the first 5 ingredients need to be meat... no one said anything about bananas or raisin juice in there... and 8 in 1 has meat ingredients as the first 5, so it fell into the 'good' category. now you're telling me something conflicting. I've been giving this to my fuzzies for a while now, and am now a bit angry. so now i'm confused. what should i get? Raspy will NOT eat meat ... ONLY kibble. She has gone 3 days without food because she REFUSED to eat anything but HER favorite. I wont do that to her again. i know sarsippy and ana eat meat... and a bit of moist kibble with baby food and warm water.
tell me TWO brands of ferret food that are GOOD and i'll get them.. and no i wont buy Zupreem. I dont want raspy turning yellow.
thanks
edit: im looking at the ingredients of EVO ... apples and cranberries and alphalpha beans? WTF.... i thought fuzzies cant digest that crap?!
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Post by weloveourweasels on Aug 9, 2008 0:30:16 GMT -5
No need to be angry. I don't know which 8 in 1 variety you feed but the 8 in 1 ultimate doesn't have meat as the first 5 ingredients. These are the first 7 ingredients in order. Chicken Chicken Meal Ground Rice Chicken Fat Chicken Digest Raisin Juice Banana puree Rice being the third ingredient. www.ferret.com/item/8-in-1-ultimate-ferret-diet-crunchy-44-lb/The zupreme has ground wheat as the third ingredient and wheat flour as the fourth ingredient. But it has more fat and less fiber. Also does not have raisin juice or banana puree. I am curious as to why you think it will turn your ferret yellow? There are no artificial dyes, colors of flavors that could do this. www.ferret.com/item/zupreem-premium-ferret-diet-food-4-lb/The only 2 other foods I could recommend are Wysong Ferret Archetypal I which is highly expensive here are the first 6 ingredients Beef Beef Liver Chicken Chicken Liver Lamb Lamb Liver www.wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/PROD/FERR/WDFE1And Evo dry ferret stinkweasels.com/product.php?productid=16134&cat=0&page=1When you switch your ferret's diet, start by adding a very small amount of the new food to the old food. A good guideline to follow is a ratio of 1 part new food to 9 parts old. Over a period of two to four weeks, depending on how quickly your ferret takes to the new food, slowly increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of old food until the old food has been completely eliminated from the mix. (this is quoted from here) www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?c=17342&articleid=2069&category=627 |
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Aug 9, 2008 11:51:13 GMT -5
Post by wienercat on Aug 9, 2008 11:51:13 GMT -5
i just got mad because i spent so long getting raspy to eat the 8 in 1.... to do it again... ugh. but i'll do what's good of course!
Wysong cant be purchased on ferret.com, no stores carry it, and i cant account for the amount of food with shipping (if it was just the food, i'd buy anything). **EDIT** i just looked at the price of Wysong ... it doesnt come in pounds?! eek... ounces... and it's that expensive? holy moly!
Evo is sold here i know. I just want to know why there's alfafa sprouts in it...
Zupreem is known to turn a white ferret yellow, and Raspy is white. I read it all over the other boards.
so yeah someone tell me why there's alfafa sprouts in the evo? ferrets cant digest plant matter right?
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Aug 9, 2008 12:43:46 GMT -5
Post by wienercat on Aug 9, 2008 12:43:46 GMT -5
ok i just ordered 2 bags of the EVO.... dont get the one ingredient in there, but ok... so ill make that switch ASAP. TY.
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Aug 9, 2008 15:48:14 GMT -5
Post by josiesmom on Aug 9, 2008 15:48:14 GMT -5
According to a post on Ferret.com Innoa Evo ferret food may be discontinued! They say to use the Innova cat instead. Personally I'd rather see you use Totally ferret baby formula if you MUST use kibble. There is no where near the amount of plant stuffs in the TF baby and the fat content is better as well as the meat sources too! If you continue to use kibble you will NOT find one that doesn't use dome sort of plant matter- in order to create a kibble it HAS to have plant matter. The mfr. also adds plant matter because it cuts the cost drastically of making this stuff. There is only ONE processed kibble type food that I am aware of that does NOT use any plant matter and it is : www.pingfordsporridge.com/I have not tried this product because my ferrets have all switched so I don't have a need for kibbled foods. But the ingredients and analysis are impressive! I tried Wysong Archetype and it wasn't very well received by my kids when I was transitioning them. But it too has plenty of plant stuffs within it. HAve you tried offering your stubborn girl dehydrated pieces of meat or freeze dried meats and animal pieces? I think half the battle for most ferrets is getting past the fryness of kibble and recognizing that meat is wet. I used several different dried meats to help some of the more timid converts. I still feed dried meats too to keep them used to it. If your ferret is allowed free roam or even allowed to roam with the door to her cage open and the kibble bowl available, it is quite likely that she has several stashes about the house! So attempting to switch her with these stashes still available WILL take an extra long time because she can still access these and it may appear as if she isn't eating from her regular food dish. Its best to stick to your guns, let her try the guilt trip and let her clean up her stashes all the shile you keep offering her the new items mixed into her regular kibble. If it makes it easier weigh out her old kibble and after each day offer her several more pieces of the new and remove that many pieces of the old. It shouldn't take much more than ten days to get her switched over using this method. Once on the better kibble you can start introducing the dried meats. Use the same process to intro the dried meats. Use a variety of dried meats too. Even introducing meat shouldn't take that long either. Once the ferret is used to eating "meaty flavors" and REAL dried meats she'll have this taste in her head, so that the only difference now is the moisture level. Mix small pieces of meat ( ground meat works well) into her dish of dried meat and then sprinkle it on top. Sure, she'll likely move these pieces of meat and nose through to the dried meat but each time she pushes the wet meat aside or picks it up to move it, she WILL get a taste and smell and feel of the regular meat. Use the same process of decreasing the dried and increasing the moist and eventually she'll be eating a bowl of moist ground meat. Once they break out of that mindset that food has to be dry it usually doesn't take as long, if any time at all for them to begin exploring actual meaty chunks and other flavors of meat. Once the pieces of ground have been moved into actual pieces and chunks of meat you can strat introducing pieces of bone in, skin on meaty items. All in all the entire transition from kibble to better kibble, to dried meat to ground meat to chunks to whole meaty items hadn't ought to take much longer than two months, if that. Hope this offers some help! Cheers, Kim |
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Aug 10, 2008 0:36:45 GMT -5
Post by wienercat on Aug 10, 2008 0:36:45 GMT -5
According to a post on Ferret.com Innoa Evo ferret food may be discontinued! They say to use the Innova cat instead. Personally I'd rather see you use Totally ferret baby formula if you MUST use kibble. There is no where near the amount of plant stuffs in the TF baby and the fat content is better as well as the meat sources too! it isnt being discontinued. it's the larger sized bag that's discontinued. I just looked up Totally Ferret Baby Formula.... here are the ingredients: Ingredients: Chicken by product meal, Wheat Flour, Whole Dried Eggs, Chicken Fat (stabilized with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Poultry Fat (mixture of chicken and turkey fat and stabilized with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), Chicken Liver Meal, Catfish Meal (source of DHA**), Barley, Brewers Yeast, Fish Meal (source of DHA**), Whole Ground Flax Seed, Lecithin (source of essential Omega-6 fatty acid), Fish Oil (source of essential Omega-3 fatty acids including DHA**), Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Essential Vitamins (Oil soluable; A, D3, E, K: Water soluable; C, Inositol, B1, B2, B6, B12, Biotin, Choline, Folic Acid, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B-Carotene). Essential Minerals (Proteinated, also know as a chelate; Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Iron and Yeast Selenium; Chlorides, Sulfates and Oxides of Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Iodine), Taurine, dl-Methionine, l-Lysine, l-Carnitine. Ok first of all.... I dont feed Marshalls because it has FISH, and that makes them SMELL. This has fish... PEWWWW! This has wheat flour... BAD This has flax seed... not for nothing, but I cant even digest that... how can a ferret digest it I thought egg is BAD for a ferret all the time so what's so good about it? HAve you tried offering your stubborn girl dehydrated pieces of meat or freeze dried meats and animal pieces? I think half the battle for most ferrets is getting past the fryness of kibble and recognizing that meat is wet. I used several different dried meats to help some of the more timid converts. I still feed dried meats too to keep them used to it. Raspy wont try ANYTHING! She likes what she likes... i tried scruffing her and making her taste it, hoping once she sees or feels with her tongue it's food, she'll eat it.. nope. Like i said, she'd rather starve than eat what i give her. She's a kibble baby and that's that. If your ferret is allowed free roam or even allowed to roam with the door to her cage open and the kibble bowl available, it is quite likely that she has several stashes about the house! So attempting to switch her with these stashes still available WILL take an extra long time because she can still access these and it may appear as if she isn't eating from her regular food dish. No, she's not allowed to roam free all the time. When she is runnin around tho, the cage is always open. She has kept a stash inside the couch, but that's gone now and she's yet to replace it. Its best to stick to your guns, let her try the guilt trip and let her clean up her stashes all the shile you keep offering her the new items mixed into her regular kibble. If it makes it easier weigh out her old kibble and after each day offer her several more pieces of the new and remove that many pieces of the old. It shouldn't take much more than ten days to get her switched over using this method. She hated the 8 in 1 too and only liked her cat food. Well when she'd run around after i got her to finally accept the 8 in 1 *which took 3 to 4 months to switch her* she used to steal my cats food from their bowl which is in the living room. SO i got smart. I replaced the CAT food with the 8 in 1, so when she "stole the cat food" she was really eating ferret food. THAT is how i got her to switch... but she wont touch their moist food, or meat when i tried that. She will eat DUK soup, but it makes her poops smell SO bad, my bf said NO to giving them that unless they get sick. When i say smelled bad, i mean i actually GAGGED cleaning the litter box! Once on the better kibble you can start introducing the dried meats. Use the same process to intro the dried meats. Use a variety of dried meats too. We are so far off from this if ever. I have gotten Raspy to eat DUK soup, but she will only eat it for 2 days and then just stop eating completely. She wants her kibble, and that's that. It's just a matter of giving her the right one... Wyssong is WAY too expensive, so that's out, and Totally Ferret Baby doesnt seem so healthy either. |
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Aug 10, 2008 19:16:33 GMT -5
Post by josiesmom on Aug 10, 2008 19:16:33 GMT -5
Yes, I understand there are ingredients in the TF Baby Formula that aren't ideal- there is not ONE kibble produced that doesn't have inappropriate ingredients.
Marshall's uses a LOT of fish products and fish oils as well as corn products, because there is so much indigestible crap in there the ferret has to eat HUGE amounts of it- which equates to HUGE amounts of smelly poop!
I feed raw fish and freeze dried and dehydrated fish to my ferrets regularly. There is also cod liver oil in their oil mix I make. Their deposits do not smell. Because the fish being fed is totally assimilated their deposits are very small and not so frequent.
Egg WHITES are bad for the ferret if fed all the time, because they interfere with biotin absorption. But egg yolks are quite healthy for the ferret and easily assimilated. Carnivore care which is a powder mix often prescribed by vets for sick ferrets has dried eggs in it.
Ground Flax seeds do most likely go straight through the ferret and can be seen in a dissected poop as teensy bits of glossy dark brown to almost black specs. The flax seed is likely added because it is high in Omega Fatty acids and this will raise the product's numerical percentages- even if it isn't beneficial for the ferret.
When kibble is manufactured the recipe's total percentages are all that have to be represented, there is nothing in the laws or guidelines that stipulate the percentages of each ingredient need to be listed, nor what each ingredient offers in the digested product. Just because a kibble lists 35% protein does NOT mean that equals 35% AVAILABLE protein - just that 35% of the recipe has protein in it. Natural meaty items have totally available proteins, fats and nutrients.
The bottom line with ANY kibble is just that- the bottom line- how can they make a product to fall within their advertised parameters to be sold for the most money yet produced for the least money?
There is one dry processed product I am aware of that does NOT use ANY plant items that is Pingsford porridge. But they caution to not use their product as a daily maintenance.
Your ferret is very likely hooked on the sweet flavorings and fats coating the kibbles. This is an underhanded ploy to addict your ferrets to the kibble, which is ultimately unhealthy for them. I have yet to meet a ferret that will literally starve itself. You may have found one stash of her kibbles but she probably has a few more. Ferrets are always planning for that rainy day or "the end of the world" when no food magically reappears in their food dish.
Most ferrets that "refuse to switch" only don't switch because they hold out longer than their keepers do! As long as she doesn't have insulinoma you can wait her out- IF you have the will power! But if there is cat food available- she'll just eat that, as you have discovered. So in order to get her to eat new offerings you have to remove alternatives.
Three days is not that long for her to hold out, especially when she'll just raid her hidden stashes.
You could take the new offering and let it "steep" buried in a baggie of her favorite kibble. This will get the new offering smelling like her regular food and then she'll either accidentally eat some of this or she'll actually explore it.
AS long as she still has access to her old stand by food, she won't switch. To me it is preferable to offer them their regular food, mixed with the new offerings and then slowly increase the new while reducing the old, but it isn't necessary. You can switch them "cold turkey" too.
I just prefer it to be the ferret's idea to switch. I have NEVER, and WILL NOT "force feed" a ferret a new item. This to me is akin to abuse and will only create a negative impression within the ferret's mind. Any time she smells the food she was forced to eat, the bad memory will come back.
Ferrets are curious and go through the world following their nose- encourage them to explore with that nose and give them time to explore and their curiosity eventually gets the better of them.
I do not for an instant believe that ferrets are resistant to change- they are cautious of change as any small animal should be for safe self preservation. But ferrets are ultimate explorers- not just exploring their surroundings, but also with their food.
When I see repeated comments of "that's that", "She won't", "its too expensive", and comments about how other people influence your ferret's health ("my boyfriend said.... unless they are sick") I cannot help but think your mind is already made up that a switch is impossible and not going to work.
Do you take her to other ferret friend's houses? Preferably ones that already eat raw? Sometimes letting them be with another ferret eating naturally will pique their curiosity.
You can also encourage her to eat more enthusiastically by regimenting her feeding times. Instead of keeping a bowl of kibble out free choice 24 hours a day, ONLY feed her at the start three times a day. Let her eat until she leaves the bowl then take it away. Make certain there is fresh meat mixed into her regimented bowls.
She'll pick through it and eat her kibble. But the next offering still will have meat in it and she'll be a little more hungry.
I know of NO animal that will literally starve itself when perfectly good food is available to it. THey may not LIKE the food being offered at first, but they WILL eventually eat it. When starving horses will eat boards and bark and even poisonous plants to survive; dogs and cats and rodents will become cannibalistic to survive- ferrets going a couple days on a so called "hunger strike" hoping their favorite addiction returns will quickly dive into fresh raw chicken, ground meats and fish!
But the keeper has to have the mindset that the switch WILL happen, it WILL work and it IS healthier for the ferrets than allowing it to continue with its addiction.
Cheers,
Kim
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