Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Basic Ferret Feeding & Nutrition
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Ferrets are carnivores
Ferrets, like cats, are obligate carnivores (meat eaters). They cannot survive without meat in their diet. However, although fresh raw meat is part of the ferret's natural diet, it may contain harmful parasites and micro-organisms that create risks unacceptable to pet owners. Meat is only part of a natural diet: predators eat not only the muscle meat of their prey, they also eat the liver, kidneys, and intestinal tract, and crunch up bones as well. A diet limited to meat alone would cause harmful and eventually fatal nutritional imbalances.
So… what do I feed my ferret?Not dog food. Ferrets fed only dog food will eventually die of malnutrition. Obligate carnivores have special requirements for several nutrients missing from commercial dog foods. In addition, ferrets are unable to digest the high levels of carbohydrate in dog food. They need to get most of their calories from simple carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Ferrets have such a short intestinal tract they can't eat very much at a time, and therefore need a concentrated diet. They should get most of the calories in their diet from fat, the most concentrated source of energy.
Characteristics of a good ferret diet
A good diet for a ferret has to be:
- high in energy
- high in protein
- low in fiber
Until the 1980's, high quality premium cat foods or commercial ranch mink or fox diets were the only choices for feeding pet ferrets, other than preparing a ration at home by mixing raw or cooked meats with other ingredients. Although ferrets do well on some mink and fox rations, these diets are sold in inconveniently large quantities and are not available everywhere.
Specially formulated ferret diets are now available at pet shops. Most of the original 'ferret foods' were adapted from rations for mink, which have very similar requirements. The major dietary difference between mink and ferrets is that mink naturally eat fish, and ferrets do not. Fish is a major ingredient in all commercial mink rations. Some ferret foods are made with poorly processed frozen fish that give the pellets a flavor unacceptable to many ferrets. Kits that are offered this food at weaning will usually eat it and do well on it, but older ferrets accustomed to other diets often refuse to even taste it, and will starve if offered no other food. The newer ferret diets are formulated with palatability as well as nutritional balance in mind.
Premium quality cat foods sold in pet shops and veterinary clinics are not formulated specifically for ferrets, but most of them are palatable and all of them are nutritionally adequate for pet ferrets. Generic cat foods, sold in grocery and farm supply stores, are NOT good for ferrets. Generic cat foods cost much less than premium foods, but they have some important nutritional deficiencies, and are too low in fat. The ferret has to eat at least twice as much of the cheaper food to get the calories he needs. It is a false economy to buy these products for ferrets.
Veterinarian, Author, Internationally recognized expert on ferretsJudith A. Bell, DVM, PhD
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=11+1296&aid=498
Labels: Ferret, Ferret Cages, Ferret Care, ferret supplies
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Things You Need to Know About Your Ferrets Care
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Of course, everyone wants to own a happy and healthy pet and ferrets are no exception to the rule. Having a healthy ferret is such a rewarding experience but these little creatures are a little on the high maintenance side, meaning that they require certain things in order for them to stay healthy.
Ferret food is extremely important and can not be stressed enough. Ferrets need to have a high quality ferret food and can not settle for whatever is on sale or happens to be available. This might require a bit of planning on the part of the owner to make sure that funds are always available for this type of food and that when it starts to run low you have set aside the time to get the good stuff. The exception to the rule is that ferrets can eat a high quality kitten food in a pinch but it should be filled with plenty of fiber and be low in carbs. Meat should also be the primary ingredient since they are carnivores.
Treats are not necessary for your ferret but they are good during training and some owners just love the idea of offering a little snack to their ferret during the day. When this is the case it is important that the ferrets snack is of quality too. Ideally, a perfect ferret snack would be cooked poultry, cooked eggs, or treats that are made just for ferrets. Do not give them anything that is sweet and avoid raw vegetables and fruits as they are too difficult for your ferret to digest.
Ferrets need to be treated regularly for hairballs. As a matter of fact, during shedding season ferrets can have a hairball treatment daily and it should be given to them no sooner than 60 minutes after they have had a meal and never right before. Hairballs can be very damaging to ferrets, causing numerous stomach problems that could simply have been avoided.
Ferrets spend a lot of time in their cage but for a ferret to be at optimum health he should be out of his cage and enjoying supervised play time for a minimum of three hours per day. Ferrets should have a lot of things to play with because they are very smart animals and need to utilize their minds or they can become depressed and withdrawn. This kind of stress can cause your ferret to develop health conditions that could have been avoided. Ferrets need a lot of social interaction and affection.
Ferrets require very spacious cages and if you have more than one ferret then it needs to be even bigger. Cages that have more than one level are even better. The cage should be safe with nothing around for your ferret to chew on and it should be filled with all kinds of things that ferrets need to survive like their litter box, food and water bowls, soft bedding, toys, sleep sacks and a hammock plus a few tubes and tunnels for them to play in.
These are a few things that you can do for your ferret to ensure that he is happy and healthy. A ferret that is happy and healthy will be a fantastic pet but these things require some commitment on the part of the owner. Remember, not everyone is cut out to own a ferret!
Chaim Packer is passionate about helping others select, care for and love their new ferret. For more great information on ferrets care, visit http://www.ferretcarecenter.net.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Things-You-Need-to-Know-About-Your-Ferrets-Care&id=3787373
Labels: Ferret, Ferret Cages, Ferret Care
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Friday, February 19, 2010
Avoid the #1 mistake that KILLS new websites
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Today I have a new resource to tell you about that will stop you
from making the common start-up mistake that KILLS many new
websites...
It's called the "Ebusiness Start-Up Handbook," and it's a
must-read for anyone who wants to build a profitable long-term
ebusiness on a solid foundation.
Download it, and you'll avoid wasting massive amounts of time and
money getting your new business started.
What I like most about this Handbook is that it uses simple
language and lots of examples and graphics to clearly explain the
step-by-step process you need to follow to find a lucrative
online market with minimal competition.
Start your website *without* doing this critical groundwork first,
and prepare for a long and costly battle...
You'll struggle to attract visitors, to get ranked in the search
engines, and to convert the few visitors you do get into buyers.
Worse, you could find yourself going head to head with the
Internet's toughest -- and most well-funded -- competitors, like
Amazon.com and eBay.
The "Ebusiness Start-Up Handbook" was produced by the experts at
the Internet Marketing Center, who have generated over $100
million in sales online, so you know you can trust their advice.
I highly recommend you take the first step toward financial
independence by downloading this Handbook right away. You'll be
giving your new website its best chance of success.
Download it now at: Ebusiness Start-Up Handbook
Labels: e commerce, e commerce start up, earn extra money, earn money, earn money at home, earn money online, ebusiness, ebusiness ecommerce, ebusiness solution, ebusiness solutions, ebusiness strategies
Discover What Is The Perfect Business
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Business Marketing by Aredconsult
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