Feeding Ferrets Naturally

Table of contents :
Table of Contents
Preface 5
Section 1: Pet Food as We Know it
Processed pet foods 7
Clever marketing tactics 8
Rendering facilities & euthanasia drugs 10
Problematic preservatives 11
Veterinarian stances on fresh food diets 14
Section 2: What Makes a Carnivore
Biology of the carnivore 15
Pathogenic bacteria & raw foods 16
Carbohydrates and your ferrets 17
Debunking natural diet myths 20
Section 3: Nutrient Requirements
Water & energy 22
Protein 25
Fat 27
Carbohydrates and fiber 28
Vitamins 29
Minerals 31
Section 4: The Prey Model
The PMR ratio 33
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Importance of variety 40
Premade and FDR 42
Supplementing the diet 43
Section 5: Transitioning
Shopping lists 45
Safe handling and storing 47
Transition soup 49
Methods of switching 50
Detox period 52
Section 6: Creating the Meal Plan
Putting it all together 54
Feeding pregnant and lactating jills 55
Feeding kits 56
Feeding geriatric ferrets 56
Renal disease 58
Liver disease 60
Insulinoma 61
Mast Cell Tumors 62
Gastrointestinal diseases 62
Epilogue 64
References 66
About the Author 69

Citation preview

Feeding Ferrets Naturally

Bryn Katharine

Feeding Ferrets Naturally

Fresh Food Diets for Ferrets

By Bryn Katharine Cert. CN & FN

Certified Pet Nutritionist, Pet Care Educator, Blogger

www.thepupandpolecat.com 1 | Page

Dedicated to Howl and Tanji. I miss and love you forever.

2 | Page

Table of Contents Preface

5

Section 1: Pet Food as We Know it Processed pet foods

7

Clever marketing tactics

8

Rendering facilities & euthanasia drugs

10

Problematic preservatives

11

Veterinarian stances on fresh food diets

14

Section 2: What Makes a Carnivore Biology of the carnivore

15

Pathogenic bacteria & raw foods

16

Carbohydrates and your ferrets

17

Debunking natural diet myths

20

Section 3: Nutrient Requirements Water & energy

22

Protein

25

Fat

27

Carbohydrates and fiber

28

Vitamins

29

Minerals

31

Section 4: The Prey Model The PMR ratio

33 3 | Page

Importance of variety

40

Premade and FDR

42

Supplementing the diet

43

Section 5: Transitioning Shopping lists

45

Safe handling and storing

47

Transition soup

49

Methods of switching

50

Detox period

52

Section 6: Creating the Meal Plan Putting it all together

54

Feeding pregnant and lactating jills

55

Feeding kits

56

Feeding geriatric ferrets

56

Renal disease

58

Liver disease

60

Insulinoma

61

Mast Cell Tumors

62

Gastrointestinal diseases

62

Epilogue

64

References

66

About the Author

69

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Preface “When it becomes a revolutionary act to eat real food, we are in trouble.” -Dr. Mark Hyman, “The Doctor’s Farmacy”

One hundred years ago, the diet of ferrets consisted of stale bread and cow’s milk. At the time, this method of feeding was revered by many and viewed as the only way to both effectively and economically raise ferrets. Little did they know if they had nourished the ferret’s body by feeding a diet appropriate for their species, it would have produced more fruitful results and at a lower cost in the long run. The blame cannot solely fall upon the ignorance of the farmers. They did not know ferrets are lactose intolerant, nor that stale bread is not, in fact, a significant source of nutrition for a carnivore. Instead, it made more sense to save the meat for the family and toss the scraps to the animals. Thus, the wheel of change spins once again. We can grow, learn, and evolve our animal care when new and more efficient methods arise. The time of bread and milk is long past, but only to be replaced by another more formidable entity, processed pet foods. Some of what you will read in this book is considered controversial by pet parents and professionals alike. Many conventional veterinarians will adamantly advise that processed pet food is the only way to safely feed your animals. Just as it was frowned upon one hundred years ago to feed raw meat, pet parents are left scratching their heads, and forced to search elsewhere for the real truths. Like the farmers, you cannot really blame the professionals either, they are just repeating what they have been told in school for years.

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In fact, this book will dive into the many tight-lipped secrets and façades kibble companies hope will remain locked away forever. But to their surprise, no matter how many fancy phrases and images they slap onto their bags of artificial food, we are only becoming more and more educated with each new day. There was a recent headline circulating the internet that grabbed the attention of many fresh feeders; “Millennials are treating pets like ‘their firstborn child,’ and it’s reportedly causing problems for some of the best-known pet food brands.” We are learning more about pet health and nutrition every year. Processed pet food as we know it will be forced to make changes to accommodate the public’s growing understanding of the realities behind artificial food. Our domestic animals are declining in all aspects of their health. For many of us, it takes a personal experience to make a change. It is time we peel back the layers of synthetic premix and corn meals to see kibble for what it truly is; nothing but processed garbage. Our ferrets are carnivores, the purest kind. We need to begin treating them as such. Before you begin the book, please note that I am not a veterinarian, nor have I ever claimed to be. I am a certified pet nutritionist and I will be showing you how to feed your ferrets the way nature intended. But also know that we still have much to learn about nutrition and ferrets. Do not be afraid to ask questions and cross-check information. It is your own prerogative whether or not you want to follow the instructions and information provided in this book. Nonetheless, I am very firm in my beliefs on fresh food diets, and hope that you will seriously consider making this change for your ferrets.

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Section 1

Pet Food as We Know it “Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.” -Heather Morgan MS, NLC

Real food, real health, a concept not widely recognized within the pet world. Wrongly, the domestic pet is seen as a completely separate being from the wild animal. In zoos, it is commonplace to feed captive animals their biologically appropriate diet. The tigers get carcasses and the snakes get rodents. For many, our pets are different because they live in our homes, even though they have yet to magically adapt their biology for our convenience. Contrary to what pet food manufacturers want you to believe, just because our cats, dogs, and ferrets are domesticated, it does not mean their bodies have learned to efficiently utilize rice hulls, corn, and other similar ingredients. Much of what we do is at our own convenience. We tower over everything around us, especially small animals that cannot speak for themselves. If your ferrets could choose, they would always choose real meat over rice hulls and corn. Ferrets imprint on the food given at weaning. If your ferrets refuse real meat, it is not because they feel it is unhealthy (a real argument I have heard over the years). They are not choosing pellet food because they feel good after eating it either. They do so because it is what they know. They are animals with an innate nature to survive. If something is completely foreign to them, they probably will not try it without some coaxing.

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While I am a firm believer in listening to your animals and paying attention to the subtle cues that they offer, please do not take this as an indication that your ferrets know more than you or that they somehow know processed kibble is supplying them with more quality nutrition than that piece of raw chicken heart. Many children love greasy burgers and fries, but that does not mean we should be offering it to them whenever they ask for it. Ferrets are like kids, but for all of their lives. It is up to us to make nearly every decision for them. Pet food companies know we love our pets. They cater to our every desire using wild claims on their packaging (some of which are unregulated). Think about how many times have you seen the phrases; “Healthy, nutritious food” “Complete nutrition” “Protein rich” These claims make us feel like we are doing the best we can for our pets. Even if this so-called “healthy, nutritious food” only costs us $20 for a 50-pound bag. Companies love to use photos of delicious steak dinners and chicken roasts, as if that even remotely comes close to anything included in the food, because they know what we want to see. Pet foods that are “formulated to meet” do not even have to be fed to any animal prior to hitting the shelf. Foods that fail feeding trials can still be labeled as “formulated to meet.” Regulation PF7 Nutritional Adequacy by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) states, “The label of a pet food or specialty pet may include an unqualified claim, either directly or indirectly.”

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Various brands of food have been caught using imagery that looks nearly identical to real certifications. There is a “Made with Love” icon that looks very similar to the USDA Organic label. “Organic” brands may sell lines of food that are not certified organic or will simply use the word “organic” in many ways on the packaging while not actually being truly organic. Ingredients can be split to make the food appear as if it contains more animal protein. Grains can be broken up into various categories of different weights, so that they do not outweigh the meat ingredients, keeping it at the top of the list. This is only one example of the many work-arounds available to manufacturers. The USDA believes many food items to be inedible, and not safe for human consumption. According to Section 381.78(b) that includes: ✔ Poultry affected with tuberculosis ✔ Poultry affected with one or more forms of the avian leukosis complex ✔ Poultry with evidence of toxemic disease or abnormal physiologic state ✔ Poultry showing evidence of any disease or toxins that could be dangerous ✔ Any part of the carcass with a metastasized tumor ✔ Poultry contaminated by volatile oils, paints, and poisons ✔ Poultry infested with parasites All of the above are considered safe inclusions in pet food by the FDA. According to them, when these inedible foods are cooked and made into pet food, health risks are minimized. But if that truly were the case, they would certainly be marked safe for human consumption as well. 9 | Page

There are many drone photos available to the public detailing the shocking realities of rendering facilities. Images of trailers full of dead carcasses spilling out onto the putrid concrete are fully available to the public. There is interview footage from 1998, where the former president of AAFCO described that euthanized dogs and cats were being included in pet foods. He stated that any non-descript meat ingredient had the potential for consisting of dead cats and dogs. “Meat meal”, “bone meal”, “animal digest”, and “animal fat” are some examples of this. Around the same time period, there was also an article posted in the Earth Island Journal that talked about a rendering plant in Southern California. This plant was always stacked high with dead house pets and livestock. Nothing was wasted and instead used as “a source of protein and other nutrients in the diets of poultry and swine and in pet foods…” according to the American Journal of Veterinary Research. There is no question that rendering plants serve an important purpose. Something has to be done about the truck loads of dead animals, but whether or not they need to be added to pet food is a valid question. The article goes on to say some animals are shoved into the grinders with flea collars still on, spewing out organophosphates into the meat mixes. Cattle containing insecticide patches and antibiotics are used. Euthanasia drugs, ID tags, and surgical pins are all able to be included. Additionally, many veterinarians reported that dogs were having a strange resistance to pentobarbital. In 2002, the FDA stated;

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“Because pentobarbital is used to euthanize dogs and cats at animal shelters, finding pentobarbital in rendered feed ingredients could suggest that pets were rendered and used in pet food.” Multiple brands were pulled and tested for the presence of this drug and many were confirmed. In an attempt to avoid backlash, the FDA comforted pet parents by saying your pet should be fine as long as they do not consume enough of the drug. Pet food companies do not like that this has come to the attention of the public and have tried to squash any mention of this possibility ever since. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) sampled those foods for any remains of dogs and cats and found nothing. However, many feel it to be impossible to detect these things in a food so heavily processed. Since then, there have been multiple recalls from various brands containing this drug. Along with pentobarbital, there are many ingredients not required to be listed on the back of the bag: 1. Ethoxyquin 2. Aflatoxin 3. Carrageenan The use of ethoxyquin preservative is banned from most human foods for its potential linkage to DNA damage and reproductive disorders. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but many are swapping to safer alternatives like tocopherols. Ethoxyquin is also used in herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide products. It is often used to preserve fish meals in pet food, and the inclusion can only be determined by contacting the manufacturer directly (which most pet parents fail to do, as they are completely unaware). 11 | Page

Aflatoxins would never be something you would find on a label. Aflatoxin is a very deadly by-product of mold and can contaminate any ingredient grown in a field. As I write this book, we are currently experiencing one of the largest recalls of aflatoxin-infected food. So far, more than 110 pets all over the world have died. The deadliest part about aflatoxin is that it can be present even if there are no signs of visible mold. Meaning, there is no way for the average pet parent to detect this in a pet food prior to feeding it. This toxin accumulates overtime, and if it does not kill your pet swiftly, it can create lasting effects in the forms of chronic illness. Carrageenan is mostly found in wet food formulas. Research on carrageenan and wet foods concluded that more than 70% of canned pet foods contain the additive. A form called poligeenan is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible human carcinogen. In fact, it is often used in cancer research to stimulate inflammation. Exposure to heat, bacteria, enzymes, and acid increases the amount detected. Over the years, it has been determined that food-grade carrageenan increases free radicals, creates inflammation, and disrupts insulin metabolism. I have yet to touch on the grim realities behind the many common ingredients used in pet food right at the top of the list. As you will find after reading this book, not everything is as it seems in the pet food industry, and even the most basic of ingredients can be affected. Animals that are marked “4D” (dead, diseased, disabled, and or dying) are often rendered into pet food. Trivial wording is used to manipulate customers into thinking that this does not actually happen. ✔ Compliance Policy Guides (CPG) Section 690.300: “The pet food canning industry utilizes undecomposed animal and marine tissues from various sources. These include 12 | Page

products of the rendering industry such as various meat, poultry, and bone meals; meat scraps and offal from packing house waste, freshly boned-out animals; and occasionally meat from animals that may have died otherwise than by slaughter” ✔ CPG Section 675.400: “No regulatory action will be considered for animal feed ingredients resulting from the ordinary rendering process of industry, including those using animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, provided they are not otherwise in violation of the law.” These rules found in the Compliance Policy Guides override the federal law that prohibits the use of these animals in pet food. In most processed pet foods you will find a laundry list of synthetic additives at the end of the label. The kibble extrusion process is enough to kill any potential nutritive benefits the animal would have gotten after consuming the food, making it not safe to be fed without them. These vitamins are made from chemicals meant to mimic how the body absorbs them naturally. Synthetic nutrients are not well recognized by the body and are not as bioavailable. The body simply cannot be fooled to accept these simulated nutrients as the real deal, and can potentially negatively impact the health of the animal. Pet foods often contain “extra junk” like artificial dyes, flavorings, and toxic preservatives. I have already gone over ethoxyquin, but butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) may be found on the label. The National Institute of Health lists both BHA and BHT as known carcinogens based on animal research. BHA is associated with squamous cell carcinomas and papillomas, while BHT is linked to liver tumors. These are only some of the pet food industry’s deep secrets and I encourage all my readers to dive even deeper. Cheap ingredients and manipulative claims are only part of the 13 | Page

reason many ditch the dry. While some components of dry food may not appear harmful, when consumed for each meal, for an entire lifespan, complications are inevitable. Healthcare professionals for humans are constantly recommending a healthy lifestyle of whole food sources of nutrition and minimal consumption of processed foods and sugars. For conventional veterinarians, even the idea of adding some fresh foods to the diet is utter blasphemy. This was something I was always confused about growing up, while watching the dogs I knew become crippled with chronic ailments at such young ages. I never understood why prescription diets were being treated as a “one size fits all” to solve all problems both minor and serious. It was not until I had my own animals that I began to realize the twisted mindsets and clouded judgement that the majority of conventional veterinarians have over fresh food diets. This is not to say that veterinarians do not have a very important place in society (I mean, they saved my little Remy’s life when he needed intestinal surgery!). It is important to remember that the vast majority of them are not certified in nutrition. Coming straight from veterinarian sources, veterinary schools usually offer at least one nutrition course, and if they want to learn more, it is up to them to continue their education after graduation. Just like there are nutritionists for humans, if one needs help formulating diets or selecting foods, a pet nutritionist is the way to go. Very rarely are veterinarians also board certified in nutrition. Remember this, because if you do bring up an interest in fresh feeding at the veterinarian office, you will likely be faced with some contrasting opinions. If you experience this, reassure your veterinarian that you are doing all your research and that no stone will be left unturned. Oftentimes they are most concerned about the pet parent not feeding the right nutrients, which I will discuss in detail later in the book.

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Section 2

What Makes a Carnivore? “Ferrets are carnivorous and require a suitable diet. A diet that is high in good-quality animal protein and fat and low in complex carbohydrates and fiber is recommended.” -Dr. Tiffany Wolf, DVM, PhD

There are many types of carnivores. The ferret is the truest carnivore, also called; hyper carnivores or obligate carnivores. What makes them stand out above the rest is their definite need for animal-based proteins and fats. They tend to decline when placed on plant-based diets or fed too much carbohydrates. The first thing you may notice when looking at the ferret is their unique body structure. Lovingly dubbed, “noodle cats,” ferrets are built for the hunt. Their long, slender form is best for chasing rabbits from their warrens and moving at high speeds. The biggest mistake pet parents make with ferrets is treating them as rodents, or allowing them to coexist with prey species such as rabbits and rats. Oftentimes, the ferret will devastatingly kill and consume the prey species. This is completely normal for them to do, do not underestimate them. A notable difference between the ferret and herbivorous animals is their simple digestive system. Sharp teeth are used to immobilize their prey, while tough molars crunch through bone and tissues. They are not meant to grind food. The mouth also is lacking in

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the enzyme amylase and will not break down starches and sugars as well as an herbivore would. Carnivores have a short digestive tract. They are built to eat meat, which is highly dense in bioavailable nutrients for their species, and they have no need for multiple chambers to digest tougher plant materials. The magic happens within the stomach, where a plethora of digestive enzymes are found. Paired with a short digestive tract, it makes for an unfavorable environment for pathogenic bacteria. Many are hesitant to feed raw meats due to the concerns of pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella and E.coli. Do not forget that carnivores are built to consume raw meat for their entire lives. Not gently cooked, not from a can, but in raw form only. While it may be dangerous for you and I to eat raw meats, our domestic carnivores were created to survive and thrive on raw animal products. In addition, more pounds of kibble have been recalled due to Salmonella than any raw pet food, and it continues to be an ongoing issue. The link between pet illness and raw foods does not have much scientific (or even anecdotal) evidence behind it. Unfortunately, due to the remarkably intimate relationship of the FDA and big kibble companies, this information is pushed to the backburner. You and I are made to believe that raw pet food is the culprit of all Salmonella contaminations. Numerous warnings have been issued via the FDA on raw foods and pathogenic bacteria, but never have they done so in such a fashion for kibble. Going back to the anatomy of the carnivore; in the small intestine, macronutrients are digested and absorbed. The large intestine is responsible for processing fiber and water from 16 | Page

the food. Every part of your ferret’s body has a major purpose. It is important that what you feed them supports every organ in a healthy and functional way. I recommend watching documentaries on wild weasels. It is truly amazing to see their relatives hunt and run as they were made to. Ferrets are not meant to be locked in a metal cage all day and fed cheap food, despite how they are marketed by pet shops. In nearly all processed pellet foods, starches and carbohydrates are necessary to hold the product together. But they come with very serious costs to your ferrets. For one, these ingredients are simply not biologically appropriate for hyper carnivore consumption. Never would the wild polecat choose to consume corn in the field over an animal carcass. This is not just out of preference, but out of necessity. Carnivores can only digest carbohydrates at the extent of which they are processed. They must be ground, cooked, or even fermented for optimal digestion. Each carbohydrate has a glycemic index and glycemic load number. Glycemic index describes the potential risk of affecting blood glucose. To understand more accurately how a food impacts blood glucose, glycemic load is used by multiplying carbohydrate quality and the amount contained in that serving. For example, the glycemic index ranks pumpkin at about 75, but a glycemic load of 3. Meaning that small, infrequent portions are unlikely to have a serious detrimental impact on blood glucose. In addition to being used as a source of stability in pet foods, carbohydrates are also used predominantly as an alternative source of protein. In the case of corn, with a GI number of 52 and GL of about 20, it is used as a cheap way of bulking up food, erasing the need for more animal protein. There are many myths surrounding the utilization of corn in pet foods: 1. Very digestible 17 | Page

2. Unlikely to cause allergic reactions 3. Rich in nutrition These statements are commonly used by kibble companies to promote their products. Pet parents are becoming increasingly knowledgeable in pet wellness, and are now learning more about the detriments of corn in their pet’s diets, forcing companies to finally give their explanations at the least. The first claim is very easily debunked. As mentioned, grains are only digestible to the extent of which they are processed. Carnivores are unable to safely consume this product in its whole form. The very process of grinding increases the glycemic index, therefore heightening the risk of blood glucose spiking. Ferrets are very prone to a condition known as Insulinoma, tumors of the pancreas, that are linked to the ferret’s ability to regulate their blood glucose. Avoiding foods high on the glycemic index scale is absolutely paramount in preventing and managing this debilitating condition. It is also worth mentioning, there are no studies proving the digestibility of corn ingredients and ferrets. On the contrary, there are actually studies that show ferrets have lower digestibility rates compared to dogs and cats. The second claim is not exactly proven either, and certainly not for the long term. Unfortunately for the pet parent, kibble companies are only pushing for studies to promote their own foods. A very small amount of people are putting out the cash to investigate potential benefits of fresh food diets because who benefits from that information but the people? However, each year, more evidence is published to display everything we are claiming with fresh foods, so the future is looking hopeful.

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“Rich in nutrition” is misleading as the nutrition corn provides our animals is not entirely bioavailable. As mentioned, carnivores cannot digest corn in normal form, their body is not capable. The protein and fat offered from processed corn is not even remotely comparable to the protein and fat from fresh meats. The makeup is entirely different, and the mechanisms used by the body to process each are different. With grains, ferrets are forced to use the very minimal number of dedicated enzymes in their pancreas. These enzymes are meant to break down the miniscule amount of plant matter that goes through the system when eating prey on the forest floor and what is found in their digestive tracts at consumption. The ferret’s pancreas was not built for the heavy daily strain that is inevitable with diets of corn and fillers. If all of this is true, why are pet food manufacturers still including corn in pet food when there are certainly safer and more nutritive options available? Corn costs virtually nothing to use as a source of protein and fat in dry food. With no concrete evidence to invalidate it, corn and corn by-products are consistently chosen. In fact, the popularity of grain inclusive foods boomed in recent years due to the sudden surge of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) cases. Although we have yet to be able to conclude that all grain-free foods have a risk of creating DCM, experts are noticing a potential linkage with pea ingredients blocking the absorption of taurine, causing animals to become very ill. Unfortunately, many news outlets and conventional veterinarians took this situation and misconstrued it, getting many people back onto foods with grains (like corn!). Even though we have yet to come up with any information to prove anything, many are still pushing the idea that grain-based diets are safer.

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By this point you are likely overwhelmed by all the “back door” going-ons within the pet food industry. Kibble was never as simple as pouring into a bowl and going about your day like we once thought. There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding natural diets that I wanted to address before moving on. We have already discussed pathogenic bacteria, but the second most common concern is feeding raw bones. Many picture a ferret eating a raw bone, going through the system in whole form, getting entangled, and piercing organs on the way down. I get it, it is hard to imagine such a little creature crunching on a rabbit head. Here are some of the facts: ★ The gastric pH of the carnivore’s stomach is very low (very acidic - around 2 or lower) and is used to “boil down” raw bone, making it soft as it passes through the system. It also kills pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli. ★ It is an indisputable fact that ferrets were built to withstand the consumption of raw bones. Their natural diet contains anywhere from 10-20% edible meaty bone. If this were not the case, they would simply not be meat-eaters. All of their prey contains bone. The next misconception I have surprisingly run into a lot, is that raw diets make ferrets aggressive. I am happy to say that this is an absolute falsity. On the contrary, chewing raw bone actually stimulates dopamine receptors in the brain, calming your ferrets, and settling their heart rates. It is true that feeding raw may make your ferrets more lively by supplying their bodies with quality nutrition, but not more aggressive. Another popular concern amongst pet care professionals is that natural diets are unsanitary. This can certainly be the case, however this is relevant for any diet you choose 20 | Page

for your animals. Uneaten raw food should always be removed in a timely manner, and any surfaces touched by meat should be washed and sanitized immediately. All meats should be allowed to thaw properly, and not sit for too long in the fridge. Treat the diet like you would prepare raw meats for your own dinner. Wash your hands, your cutting boards, and your utensils. It is seriously that easy! My young sister helps me prepare raw meals and I am not afraid of her getting ill when practicing safe handling. This concern is not entirely relevant for just raw diets, but because they are packed in high quality protein and fats, some are worried about the development and or aggravation of conditions such as renal disease and pancreatitis. Of course, you should always check with your integrative or holistic veterinarian prior to switching diets, but a properly formulated raw diet will not have a negative impact on these conditions. Keywords are “properly formulated.” This can be done by a trusted certified pet nutritionist with ferret experience. In the case of pancreatitis, care should be taken to reduce inflammation. This can be done by avoiding or balancing fattier proteins, and ensuring that you are offering enough omega-3 fatty acids. The natural diet should be lower in fat, but higher in quality fats to mimic wild prey. A raw diet could certainly aggravate a condition such as this if you are only selecting fatty cuts and proteins, and not planning the diet to support healing. That being said, a properly formulated raw diet works wonders at pancreatitis management. There are plenty more misconceptions surrounding the natural diet which I will touch on throughout the book, but in general a lot of these concerns stem from simple ignorance. But as more and more pet parents raise their standards for the pet foods they buy, the fresh food industry is booming. The “new age” of pet parents is certainly not a force to be reckoned with. 21 | Page

Section 3

Nutrient Requirements “As the natural pet food industry increases, so the artificial industry, together with its harmful effects, should go into decline… No more slurping of canned stew, no more rattle of dry pellets; instead, the sounds of nature, the crunching of raw meaty bones.” -Dr. Tom Lonsdale, Author of Raw Meaty Bones

Before diving into exactly how to feed the best diet on earth, you need to have a basic understanding of what your ferrets require nutritionally. A massive mistake I see many new raw feeders make is to just follow the basic guidelines provided online, and stop there. In order to be the best advocate for your animals, you need to have a grasp on what exactly you are giving your ferrets and why. To begin, there are essential and nonessential nutrients. You may already be familiar with energy, water, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, all very important elements to a healthy diet and the same goes for ferrets. Energy The main energy source used by carnivores is fat. Fat is also necessary for the storage of fat-soluble vitamins, and essential fatty acids. The amount of energy in any given quantity of food is called energy density. When the food has a lower energy density, the carnivore

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needs to eat more of it to compensate. Think, kibble. There is a reason ferrets need to eat a lot of kibble compared to raw foods. The energy in meats are of better quality, and a better density than that of processed pet foods. To measure this density, we use something called a kilocalorie (kcal, equivalent to 1000 calories). Metabolizable energy (ME) is the most common method used, which is the amount of energy leftover for tissues after losses in the urine and feces have been subtracted from the gross energy. For homemade diets, an easier way of calculating ME values is the Atwater equation: (3.5 x g protein) + (8.5 x g fat) + (8.5 x g NFE) NFE is short for nitrogen-free extract, which measures soluble carbohydrate content. The reason the Atwater equation is preferable for homemade diets is because digestibility rates in human-grade ingredients is generally much higher than what is used in kibble. Energy density is the amount of calories in the food, which is greatly affected by the nutrient composition. It is shown as kcal of ME per pound of food and is used to determine how much you need to feed. If the energy density of the diet increases, consumption needs will decrease, though many animals will not be able to regulate themselves on their own when given a highly palatable food. Truthfully, the precise calculations of caloric intake is rarely done by fresh feeders for ferrets. I believe this is because the majority of ferrets have decent metabolisms and do not often gain and maintain too much weight. Their weight fluctuates throughout the year, but in general if a ferret is maintaining too much for too long, the volume is minimized. That being said, you are more than welcome to still utilize this concept. Water

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Your ferrets cannot survive without a reliable source of water, it is the most important nutrient ferrets need. The amount they need is dependent on age and percentage of body fat. Water also works as a solvent and medium that helps transport nutrients throughout the body. Additionally, it regulates body temperature, digestion, and milk synthesis. There are a few ways your ferrets can obtain water: 1. Food 2. Drinking water 3. Fat metabolism Ferrets are not water drinkers by nature. Meaning, they are used to getting most of what they need from their prey. Kibble is generally only 7-10% water, whereas prey animals typically run at about 70-80% water, which is why many pet ferrets are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration creates and exacerbates numerous conditions in the body, so when ferrets are not allowed access to fresh, raw meat, they are likely experiencing some level of dehydration. I do not think it is any coincidence that hyper carnivores such as the cat and ferret are so prone to bladder issues. Interestingly enough, most, if not all, of those animals are fed a dry food diet. On top of a moisture-lacking diet, ferrets can also lose water by elimination and sweating. If your ferret is experiencing a bout of diarrhea or vomiting, you must act swiftly to prevent dehydration. It is not yet known the exact water requirements of ferrets, and answers vary between sources, but it is said that they typically need about 50-100 milliliters per pound of body weight daily. For all animals, intake requirements will depend on a couple factors such as environment, activity levels, diet and more. 24 | Page

There is much debate on the best kind of water to feed animals. The most important thing to remember is any water you offer should be: 1. Odorless and tasteless 2. Free of toxins, pesticides, herbicides 3. Neutral pH 4. Low levels of nitrates and nitrites Avoid water from plastic containers. Macronutrients Macronutrients consist of protein, fat, and carbs. These nutrients make up the bulk of your ferret’s diet. Proteins are found in all living things, and consist of amino acids. For ferrets, there are 11 essential amino acids: Arginine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Threonine, Valine, and Taurine. Proteins can be found in both animal and plant sources, but are most valuable to your ferrets via meats and fish. Without steady sources of functional protein, your ferrets would have a difficult time creating antibodies, producing hormones, repairing muscles and more. In fact, they would likely not survive. Ferrets need all of the listed amino acids in the appropriate amounts to prevent shutdown of protein synthesis. Just because a brand of ferret kibble boasts, “high protein” it does not guarantee functionality and quality. That “40-60% amount of protein” in the bag could come from diseased animals, roadkill, or worse, plant sources. Ideally, the protein source selected should be high in biological value (BV). Some of the highest includes: 25 | Page

1. Eggs 2. Milk 3. Fish 4. Beef 5. Chicken All of the above rank between 79-100 on the BV scale. These proteins have high digestibility values and are the best choices for most ferrets. Keep in mind, many ferrets are lactose intolerant, so lactose should be avoided when possible. Regardless of what we know about BV, pet food manufacturers much prefer to use inexpensive sources of non-animal protein: 1. Rice 2. Soy 3. Wheat 4. Corn 5. Beans These ingredients range from 49-74, another representation that animal sources are almost always preferred for use by the ferret. Please note that the ranges may vary depending on the source of data used, but not by much. According to the National Research Council (NRC) requirements for kittens, for ferrets you can follow a requirement of at least 45 grams of protein per 1000kcal, but it is recommended to hit 56.3 grams per day. 26 | Page

Fats, also called lipids, contain double the amount of energy than carbohydrates, making it the superior source for bio-available energy. They also have the very important roles of providing the body with fatty acids and storing fat-soluble vitamins for use by the ferret. There are two main groups of fats called saturated fats and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats can mostly be found in animal products, whereas unsaturated fats are often in plant oils, and can be further broken down into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat (PUFAs). Omega-6 and Omega-3 are essential fatty acids (building blocks of fats), and you will need to remember them. ★ Omega-6 which include arachidonic acid (AA) and linolenic acid (LA), can come from both plant and animal sources. Meat examples include; chicken fat, oily fish, and grain-fed animal meat. Ferrets benefit the most from animal-based sources. ★ Omega-3 which include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), can also come from both plant and animal sources, but ferrets need them from meats and fish. Examples include; oily fish, green lipped mussels, and grass-fed animal meat. Ferrets require both Omega-6 and Omega-3 for optimal health. Unfortunately, many pet parents run into the issue of feeding diets too high in one or the other. Fats are very susceptible to oxidation, and care must be taken to prevent it from progressing too quickly. The diet you feed should be high in antioxidants to protect against oxidative damage. According to the NRC requirements for kittens, for ferrets you can follow a requirement of at least 22.5 grams of fat per 1000kcal, with the maximum being 82.5 grams daily. 27 | Page

We already briefly discussed carbohydrates in the diet, but to reiterate, hyper carnivores simply have no dire need for them. Ferrets are able to receive enough energy from the animal fats and proteins in their food to satisfy needs. They are simply unable to efficiently process and utilize carbohydrates in their natural forms. Some believe that carbohydrates are necessary to save crucial proteins from being used as an energy source, but that is generally not an issue in a diet containing quality proteins and fats in the right quantities. As mentioned, Insulinoma, a devastating lifelong illness in ferrets, is being linked to unnecessary carbohydrates in the ferret diet. In particular, caution should be made when feeding any food with a high glycemic index such as corn, rice, wheat, and potatoes, as these have the most risk at causing pancreatic strain. However, plants can offer beneficial phytonutrients that provide antioxidants, help support the immune system, repair DNA damage and more. I do not suggest adding substantial amounts to the diet, but I do believe in the healing power of plants for medicinal purposes. Fiber, while not technically a macronutrient, can have a place in the diet of ferrets. It is not a requirement, as edible bone works in a similar fashion, but small amounts of fiber in the forms of furry animals help to stimulate healthy digestion and detoxification. Put it all together and you get a baseline diet of at least 30-35% protein, 15-30% fat, minimal carbs and fiber (fiber generally kept to 1-5% of the diet). Micronutrients Vitamins and minerals fall under this category, and can come from a variety of sources each with their own benefits. In a home prepared diet, most of what is needed will be

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naturally found within the food. In processed pet foods, nutrients are often killed during the extrusion process and must be supplemented back in by the manufacturer. Ferret requirements per 1000kcal per day (min = minimum, rec = recommended): ​

B- vitamins ​

​

Vitamin B1 ​

1.1mg min.

​

1.4mg rec.

Vitamin B2 ​

​

Vitamin B3 ​

​

​

​

1mg rec.

10mg rec.

Vitamin B5 ​

1.15 min.

​

1.44mg rec.

Vitamin B6 ​

0.5mg min.

​

0.625mg rec.

Vitamin B7 ​

60mcg rec.

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​

Vitamin B9 ​

​

Vitamin B12 ​

​

5.6mcg rec.

Choline ​

​

188mcg rec.

637mg rec.

Vitamin C (non-essential) ​

No data for kittens/ferrets.

B-vitamins can be found in animal meat and organs. These vitamins are not stored within the body (aside from B12) and excess is flushed out through urine. Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat. Ferret requirements per 1000kcal /day (min = minimum, rec = recommended): ​

​

Vitamin A ​

20000 RE max.

​

250 RE rec.

Vitamin D ​

​

Vitamin E ​

​

1.4mcg rec.

9.4mg rec.

Vitamin K 30 | Page

​

0.25mg rec.

These vitamins are mainly provided via organ meat and fats in the home prepared raw diet. Microminerals are required in even smaller amounts. Ferret requirements per 1000kcal /day (min = minimum, rec = recommended): ​

​

​

​

Iron ​

17mg min.

​

20mg rec.

Zinc ​

12.5mg min.

​

18.5mg rec.

Copper ​

1.1mg min.

​

2.1mg rec.

Iodine ​

450mcg rec.

​ ​

Selenium ​

30mcg rec.

​

75mcg rec. 31 | Page

​

Manganese ​

1.2mg rec.

I do not calculate my ferrets’ meal plans down to the exact nutrients, and I do not bother with complex spreadsheets either. Truth is, while we do generally follow NRC requirements for kittens, no such thing exists for ferrets yet. Can we even be certain these numbers are totally appropriate for ferrets? No. Until the research is shared we cannot be entirely sure. Instead of spending the time to meticulously formulate diets each week following the above numbers, feed as nature intended. In the wild, the polecat may pick at downed carcasses, consuming only half a rabbit that day, and only insects and frogs the next. While many do choose to throw every meal into a spreadsheet to ensure nutritional perfection, it is by no means a requirement for healthy ferrets. Exceptions may be made for ferrets with very specific nutrient needs due to a health condition. Feed your ferrets as you would yourself. I have never paid too close attention to what I eat everyday. Instead, I make sure to consume a variety of whole foods and minimize my consumption of sugars and processed foods the best I can. That is not to say fresh food diets for ferrets are nutritionally complete on their own and without faults, which is what you will learn more about in the following section. You do not need to figure out the exact numbers, but there are still some important rules to follow to ensure nutritional adequacy.

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Section 4

The Prey Model “An educated, informed and well-researched community of pet owners can only put more pressure on the pet food industry to be better! When pet owners know better, they will only do better!” -Rodney Habib, Author of The Forever Dog

Now that you have a base understanding of nutrient requirements, we can work on formulating a species appropriate menu for your ferrets. I have never been a fan of excessive labeling, but for the purpose of education I will go over two names of the most popular methods of feeding the natural diet at home: 1. Prey Model Raw (PMR) For ferrets, PMR diets are revered as the ultimate way of feeding raw. PMR may include meals (or entire diets) of whole animals and fish or bits and pieces throughout the week, dubbed “Frankenprey.” PMR does not include any plant matter, though recently, raw feeders have been using the term, “PMR+” to include added supplements used to fill nutritional gaps. 2. Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) This diet is very similar but includes vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts, but is not often fed to ferrets. 33 | Page

The prey model raw diet is based around a helpful ratio we use to create meal plans; 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% organs. The ratio can be further simplified to 70% meat, 10% heart, 10% bone, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organs and 0-5% animal based fiber (optional) to describe all the necessary components. These numbers were created to loosely replicate what their wild counterparts would consume in the wild. The ratio is not complete in and of itself, and should not be blindly applied to every animal. For example, many ferrets do best on a diet of around 17-20% bone. Many of the ferrets that I have mentored, including my own, eat about 20% bone, which begs the question if ferrets should have their own custom PMR ratio. Nonetheless, many ferrets do just fine on 10%. 80% Muscle meat Muscle meat, also called “boneless meat,” consists of all meats aside from bone and organs. While it takes up most of the diet, the bulk should actually come from the raw meaty bone. I feed separate meals of pure boneless meat if I want to soften stools, or if I want to add some more variety. Like with any part of the diet, avoid meats that have been processed, seasoned, smoked, or cured. Raw fats also fall under this category, but should not be added separately unless the total fat percentage of the diet is lacking, or the ferret requires a higher fat intake for any reason. Some good options of boneless meats include gizzards, ground meats, lungs, breasts, green tripe and heart meat. Try to offer both white and red meats. Some reproductive organs like pizzle and uterus can also be fed (testes and ovaries are considered secreting

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organs). The general rule of thumb is, “If it does not secrete, feed it as meat.” Lungs technically secrete, but are separate from secreting organs in a raw diet. The amino acid taurine is supplied via many sources in the raw diet, but many choose to follow a base rule of 10% added heart meat to ensure requirements are being met. Fish and shellfish are also considered boneless meats even though they can contain organs and bone. I recommend feeding fish and shellfish each week to help balance the fats in the diet, as well as provide healthful vitamins and minerals. To keep it simple, you can stick to one meal of fish per week. Ensure the fish you feed is small, wild caught and low in mercury and toxins. Some examples: ➢ Sardines ➢ Pacific Mackerel ➢ Salmon I also feed shellfish once a week for fatty acids and trace nutrients like manganese and zinc. ➢ Blue mussels ➢ Green lipped mussels ➢ Oysters The above are good options to make up a small percentage of the meat portion in the PMR diet. All shellfish should be cooked prior to feeding, but if the mussels are sold half shell, no shell, or come in a can, these have already been prepared for you. If you choose the canned variety, choose low sodium and canned in water. If your ferrets are having a hard

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time with the taste or smell, start small, and mix it with foods they do enjoy. Note that fatty fish when mixed in will spoil the meal faster. Another thing to note while preparing fish and shellfish is to freeze them for at least two to three weeks prior to feeding to rid of any non-freeze resistant parasites. You do not need to do this if they are already cooked or canned. Additionally, some fish species contain an enzyme called thiaminase, this enzyme destroys Thiamine (Vitamin B1). If the fish is stored together with other meats in the freezer, it will begin to deplete the nutrient. This is generally not an issue if you are supplying enough of the vitamin in the rest of the diet, but because it is water soluble and needs replenishment daily, it is something to consider if you feed a lot of fish, which you should not be doing anyway. Sourcing muscle meats can be easy depending on your location. All supermarkets should have a selection of boneless items to choose from. In my experience, the most cost efficient meats in my area include: ➢ Chicken gizzards ➢ Whole chicken ➢ Flat steaks ➢ Pork shoulder ➢ Ground meats Try to source organic and pasture raised whenever possible. Reach out to local butchers and meat markets to see if they have any cheap cuts. Any meat from wild game should be frozen for at least three weeks prior to feeding, similar to that of fish and shellfish. Use caution when feeding meat from deer in areas 36 | Page

where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is prevalent, along with pork in areas where Aujeszky’s Disease is common. Avoid feeding meat from other carnivorous animals like raccoon, coyote, and fox to minimize risk of parasites and toxins. In summation, the bulk of the 80% should be from the raw meaty bone in the diet, along with 10% heart meat. 10% Meaty bone Raw meaty bone contains nearly every nutrient your ferrets need to thrive. They also work to clean teeth and release endorphins to calm your ferrets as they eat. The bone percentage in the raw diet falls at around 10-15% (sometimes more or even less depending on the ferret) but this is pure bone. The meat from meaty bone is calculated into the 80% muscle meat, which can be confusing as each cut will have a different meat to bone ratio. You can choose to balance the calcium and phosphorus raw meaty bone provides for each meal you feed it. This can be useful for senior ferrets, or for those having a hard time regulating stools. Generally, it is not something we calculate intensely for healthy ferrets, but you are certainly welcome to. First, you need to figure out how much meat and bone the item contains, and there are many helpful online sources that have it already listed for you. Example: A female ferret has a daily food intake requirement of 3.20 ounces (90 grams) and you want to feed 20% bone in her diet. This would come out to .64 ounces (18 grams) of bone a day. If you want to do chicken wings, they generally run at about 46% bone and 54% muscle meat. Take her edible bone amount and divide it by the bone percent of the item, and that will give you the total weight of chicken wings she would need to eat to meet her daily requirement. 0.64oz / 46% (0.46) = 1.42 ounces (40 grams). Your female

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ferret would need 1.42 ounces of chicken wing to complete bone requirements for that day. Depending on the chicken, a single wing may weigh anywhere between 1 to 3 ounces. You can see how calculating each ingredient could become very tedious and near impossible to get right at times. I suggest calculating the exact numbers only if medically necessary for the ferret, or you are having difficulty keeping the ferret’s stools regular (which can also be the result of various internal issues). Many have found success following a simplified schedule of 10-12 meals varied raw meaty bone in the week. Some options for ferrets include poultry necks (turkey can be too dense), poultry frames, wings, drumsticks, feet and heads. Feet and heads are quite high in bone, and should be paired with additional muscle meats. Avoid cooked, dehydrated, smoked and boiled bones. You should also not bother with any large animal bone (like cow or deer) and machine cut bones. The most cost efficient way of buying meaty bone would be to buy whole (can be cleaned) animals and portion them yourself. Raw meaty bone is meant to be eaten in its entirety. If you find your ferret is only eating the meat, they may not be fulfilling their calcium needs. In some cases, it may be more appropriate to supplement with calcium rather than feed whole, edible bone if the ferret has severe dental disease or cannot process whole bone for whatever reason. Whatever the situation, your ferrets require a consistent daily source of calcium and phosphorus. This can be done by offering ground bone mixed into the meat, human grade bone meal powder or calcium carbonate. Ground eggshells can be used, but they do not contain enough phosphorus, and may throw the diet off balance. Dosing is going to depend on the individual ferret.

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10% Organs (5% liver, 5% other secreting organ) Not all prey is built the same which is why the PMR ratio may fall short or too much in certain areas. The average prey animal contains 50% muscle, 12% bone, 3% lungs, 2% brain, 0.5% kidneys,