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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 20, 2011 14:18:51 GMT -5
I came across a Craigslist add for a ferret so of course being the person I am I have to look...well the add says "she eats Purina One Kitten" UGH! So I email the poster and let her know that that food isn't the best, that they are obligate carnivors...yada yada yada if you can't feed raw/barf or whole prey at least feed a grain free quality kibble evo or something like it... yeah, so she gets all snotty (I should of expected it) "I did my researchand the people at the pet store and all over the internet said the food had to be at least 31% protien...blahblahblah Purina One is a great food blah blah blah" I email her back and let her know that no Purina One is not a great food they use ethoxiquin and all sorts of junk, not good for ferrets or any animal at that. told her to research the food look up every ingredient...gave her a list of grain free quality kibble told her not to tell people on CL that the ferret is eating Purina that will lead them to think that ferrets are easy to care for, which they are not, gave her some good websites to actually do research on and of course "Ferrets for Dummies" 2nd. not that any of it actually mattered... I just don't get people who buy or adopt pets with no intentions of really caring for it!
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 20, 2011 14:51:26 GMT -5
Actually, I was told from a couple pet stores to use the same food. But I went with Marshalls Food instead (which I know, its best if theyre on raw, so we are considering switching again). Point: Most pet stores are dumb and tell you wrong information.
Another example, I bought a degu about 3 years ago, which at that time not much was known about them as pets and there was no "degu formula" at that time either. So they told me to feed him guinea pig pellets and he would be fine. They told me some treat ideas too.
A few months later, I did research and found out there was a "degu formula" recently distributed and most degus cant live off guinea pig pellets for very long. Also, the treats they suggested had sugar in it, which can very easily kill degus!
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vkp23
Going Natural
Posts: 192
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Post by vkp23 on Jan 20, 2011 15:53:06 GMT -5
Yeah pet stores are stupid! I didn't even know ferrets ate meat much less were obligate carnivores til I did a TON of research before getting my fuzzies. And I'm STILL learning. Some times you can find a person or two in the store who own a certain type of pet and know a little more about them, but for the most part you can barely trust them as far as you can throw them. And some time's instead of being open minded about learning new things they may not have known before, most people hear what they want to hear and feel they are being told they are stupid or a bad person, instead of hearing that some one is just trying to help. No matter how nice you are, they feel put down. Just ignore them and hopefully this ferret will find a more knowledgeable home.
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taratee
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 255
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Post by taratee on Jan 20, 2011 16:08:24 GMT -5
if they were trying to get rid of their ferret they probably dont really much care for it pet stores make pets seem simple and easy, ferrets are way more like disabled children then pets. and i say disabled because even children get to a point where they take care of themselves there really was no sense in arguing with that person, and i wish i were where you were because i would have adopted her in a heart beat and just saved her from that situation
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Post by bluemoose on Jan 20, 2011 16:17:02 GMT -5
The worst is when someone's vet has told them a food is good for their pet (*cough* Science Diet *cough*) so of course they aren't going to believe you when you try to tell them processed corn doesn't make good pet food.
It's too bad that most vets give such terrible advice when it comes to nutrition. People expect that the person who has dedicated their life and career to caring for pets will know what they're talking about so most people don't bother to do their own research.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 20, 2011 18:26:25 GMT -5
Which is why my cats were on medical formula for so long, and with so many problems. Until I got ferrets, and actually started researching dietary requirements.
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Post by justahannah on Jan 20, 2011 18:49:02 GMT -5
Our kitties came from the Humane Society with a complementary bag of Science Diet for each of them...we stuck with it for a few months not knowing better, but my first tip off was the way they'd freak out if the bowl got anywhere near empty, it's like they'd go into corn withdrawal just contemplating going without. Then we got Mokkun (his food came in a baggie so I don't even know what he was eating), I did some research and we switched everyone to Evo with some Mazuri and TF mixed into his. Then we got more ferts, and especially with Ovana being so sick, more research was done, and we did the raw thing. Never going back, though Sasuke (one of the kitties) still freaks out if I shake something that sounds even remotely like crunchies...I can't even pour a bowl of cereal without him begging like his life depends on it. Everyone else made the switch with dignity, but it's kind of disturbing how affected he still is over a year later.
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Post by bluemoose on Jan 20, 2011 19:08:18 GMT -5
Same with my shelter dog. I actually started researching better pet food because he kept itching and he didn't have fleas. When I asked the vet he said he might have a corn allergy and recommended Solid Gold. So I switched from Science Diet to that and started researching dog foods. I gave him Blue Wilderness for a while until I happened across info on raw diets.
So when I was reading Ferrets for Dummies before getting my fuzz and it mentioned raw diets, I was very open to that possibility. I have to admit I wasn't big on the idea of whole prey at first but the more I looked into it, the more natural it seemed and by the time I got the fuzzies I had changed my mind. Then whole prey for the ferrets led to whole prey for the cats. Now everyone eats prey model or whole prey.
I really wish more people would bother to pick up a book before buying an animal. Even a google search is better than nothing but in my experience, books are more reliable. Not that there aren't books with false information but anyone can make a website, to publish a book you have to be willing to put in a lot more effort. There are many excellent books now days that speak to the importance of feeding obligate carnivores like cats and ferrets appropriate diets and the many harmful effects that are now being seen from poor kibble diets.
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 20, 2011 19:26:14 GMT -5
If I had the room I'd of gone and picked her up myself! The chick was asking $65 with all of her stuff... I tried to explain to her that vets and pet store employee's are trained by pet food companies so of course they are going to push the stuff that they sell...I understand kibble, but I don't agree with it. One would think that if someone loved their animals "soooo much" that they would want what is best for them, that's why as soon as I discovered that ferrets are carnivors I started the switch (Slink and Slither weren't even with me a week when I started the switch....) I don't know, it's all about being open minded and educating yourself and this chick just didn't want to hear any of it...it just bothers me....
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taratee
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 255
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Post by taratee on Jan 20, 2011 19:43:47 GMT -5
you should send her pictures of ovana... she was on cat food wasnt she?
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Post by justahannah on Jan 20, 2011 19:58:03 GMT -5
She was on Friskies...but the baldness was from adrenal disease which is thought to be primarily caused by early spay/neuters and lack of natural light cycles rather than diet (although switching did help her fur grow back faster/fuller/softer than if she had been meds alone), and her lack of muscletone was due to being cage bound for months at a time. The insulinoma she died from was definitely the cat food, but those symptoms were more behavioral (no energy, drooling, stumbling, seizures) and in lab work (low blood glucose), and that's a lot harder to portray in a picture. As much as I feel raw improved Ovana's condition and comfort at the end, I can't with a clear conscience misrepresent pics of her adrenal symptoms as the insulinoma ones just to convince people of the rightness of switching...all I can do is let them know that she had two diseases with two causes, but raw improved her quality of life in relation to both and could have helped prevent one.
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taratee
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 255
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Post by taratee on Jan 20, 2011 20:06:52 GMT -5
but cant malnutrition cause baldness and hair loss?
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Post by justahannah on Jan 20, 2011 20:15:57 GMT -5
They can, as can stress, but with Ovana it was definitely adrenal disease, she had the classic aggression and swollen vulva symptoms as well. One dose of lupron and her vulva shrank and she turned into the sweetest thing. I'm also thinking if this person is as stubborn as she sounds, I'm guessing even with a pic she'd think "Well MY ferret doesn't look like that, so there's nothing wrong." For many people, their personal situation has to go bad before they're willing to admit they're wrong, and even then sometimes they won't, just like the poor animals mentioned on the vegan food thread that starve and die because the owners won't look past their ethics at what science has proven is necessary for obligate carnivores.
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vkp23
Going Natural
Posts: 192
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Post by vkp23 on Jan 20, 2011 20:33:15 GMT -5
They can, as can stress, but with Ovana it was definitely adrenal disease, she had the classic aggression and swollen vulva symptoms as well. One dose of lupron and her vulva shrank and she turned into the sweetest thing. I'm also thinking if this person is as stubborn as she sounds, I'm guessing even with a pic she'd think "Well MY ferret doesn't look like that, so there's nothing wrong." For many people, their personal situation has to go bad before they're willing to admit they're wrong, and even then sometimes they won't, just like the poor animals mentioned on the vegan food thread that starve and die because the owners won't look past their ethics at what science has proven is necessary for obligate carnivores. OMG are you telling me there are ACTUALLY vegan people out there that really think they can successfully do like on "Futuramma" and feed a lion an all veggie diet!? What is wrong with some people!? Just cause YOU don't think it's right to eat animals doesn't mean it right for every animal to be like that! When are people going to learn that there is just some things found in meat that can not be replicated in plants? ESPECIALLY for an animal that is an obligate carnivore.
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Post by bluemoose on Jan 20, 2011 20:38:39 GMT -5
Oh yes. There are people who are absolutely convinced they can feed their dog, cat, or ferret a completely vegan diet and that it's actually more healthy than feeding them meat. People who read garbage like this and believe it: www.buykind.com/thestoreveganpetfood.html
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