Modern Ferrets v's Old Days Ferrets

[rob190364 2,594]

Just wondering what peoples views are on this. I've had ferrets since I was 7 (25 years ago), when I first got a ferret and probably for the first 15 years of having them % of the food I gave them was bread and milk, the rest was meat scraps and an occasional egg. According to all you read about the best diets for ferrets bread and milk is totally wrong to feed them and yet judging by the other post on here about greyhound ferrets (I'd never heard of them before yesterday!) a lot of people used to also feed them on bread and milk and these slimmer ferrets were a lot more common. Is it just a case of when ferrets were fed with bread and milk in the past they weren't being fed the right nutrients and therefore weren't as well build as modern ferrets? If that's the case I'm confused because the ferrets I used to have years ago were at least as fit and lively as the ones I have now if not more so, surely that wouldn't be the case if they weren't being fed the right diet! I feed mine on James Welbeloved Ferret food, they only have a handful each per day and yet my hob especially is a bit overweight.

 

Did anyone else used to feed their ferrets on bread and milk? and if so were your ferrets lively and active aswell? I'm not saying we should go back to that but as I've just started working my ferrets I want them to be fit and lean, they're doing plenty of exercise both on a lead and rabbiting and yet they're still a bit porky for my liking!

[Kay 3,709]

Just wondering what peoples views are on this. I've had ferrets since I was 7 (25 years ago), when I first got a ferret and probably for the first 15 years of having them % of the food I gave them was bread and milk, the rest was meat scraps and an occasional egg. According to all you read about the best diets for ferrets bread and milk is totally wrong to feed them and yet judging by the other post on here about greyhound ferrets (I'd never heard of them before yesterday!) a lot of people used to also feed them on bread and milk and these slimmer ferrets were a lot more common. Is it just a case of when ferrets were fed with bread and milk in the past they weren't being fed the right nutrients and therefore weren't as well build as modern ferrets? If that's the case I'm confused because the ferrets I used to have years ago were at least as fit and lively as the ones I have now if not more so, surely that wouldn't be the case if they weren't being fed the right diet! I feed mine on James Welbeloved Ferret food, they only have a handful each per day and yet my hob especially is a bit overweight.

 

Did anyone else used to feed their ferrets on bread and milk? and if so were your ferrets lively and active aswell? I'm not saying we should go back to that but as I've just started working my ferrets I want them to be fit and lean, they're doing plenty of exercise both on a lead and rabbiting and yet they're still a bit porky for my liking!

 

 

can you remember on average how long a ferret lived when you kept them in the 70's

[rob190364 2,594]

can you remember on average how long a ferret lived when you kept them in the 70's

70's??? the cheek!!

 

usually between 6 and 8 years I think

[Kay 3,709]

can you remember on average how long a ferret lived when you kept them in the 70's

70's??? the cheek!!

 

usually between 6 and 8 years I think

Really thats supprised me , thought it would have been lower than that

 

Sorry a typo the 's

[rob190364 2,594]

can you remember on average how long a ferret lived when you kept them in the 70's

70's??? the cheek!!

 

usually between 6 and 8 years I think

Really thats supprised me , thought it would have been lower than that

 

Sorry a typo the 's

no worries, ha ha!

 

yes that's why I posted this, considering how bad that diet is in theory there are actually no difference between them and the ferrets I have now except for the fact they were slimmer and probably fitter....strange!

[Leeview 791]

can you remember on average how long a ferret lived when you kept them in the 70's

70's??? the cheek!!

 

usually between 6 and 8 years I think

I'd agree with that going back to the 50's 7yrs was average and they would nt be kitts when you got them from Abbotts Bros in Norfolk delivered by rail £2-10-00 for a hob and 2 jills

Y.I.S Leeview

[auld salmon 28]

i fed mine bread saps when i got my first one and her kits when they were old enough when i was 13 did them no harm and were lively enough and great worker think they died after about 5 to 6 years give mine saps now and they drink the milk leave the bread

[andy s410c 61]

If you want to get the clem(weight) off your ferts get them off the dry food.Fresh whole rabbit all the way this time of year for mine.I will give them dry food in the summer but not every day i find they'll gorge on it & the hobs pile the clem on.For me dry food for ferts is like Mcdonalds,tastes good,morish but not good on the waistline

[rob190364 2,594]

If you want to get the clem(weight) of your ferts get them off the dry food.Fresh whole rabbit all the way this time of year for mine.I will give them dry food in the summer but not every day i find they'll gorge on it & the hobs pile the clem on.For me dry food for ferts is like Mcdonalds,tastes good,morish but not good on the waistline

ah right, I didn't realise dried food makes them fat...i'll have to stock up on the rabbits to feed em!

[Malt 379]

My dad kept ferrets that regularly lived to about 9 or so on nothing more than bread, milk and the occasional tin of cat food & egg. I remember the state of their shit though, it wasn't a pretty sight. (not that any ferret shit is pretty looking! )

[andy s410c 61]

If you want to get the clem(weight) of your ferts get them off the dry food.Fresh whole rabbit all the way this time of year for mine.I will give them dry food in the summer but not every day i find they'll gorge on it & the hobs pile the clem on.For me dry food for ferts is like Mcdonalds,tastes good,morish but not good on the waistline

ah right, I didn't realise dried food makes them fat...i'll have to stock up on the rabbits to feed em!

It's down to the induvidual animals metabolism Rob much like us.I could feed 1 of my jills on dry 24/7 & she would'nt put much on,the other 2 would end up like barrels .The larger of my hobs would be like Mr Creosote "it's just a wafer thin mint!!" if i kept him on dry 24/7

[rob190364 2,594]

My dad kept ferrets that regularly lived to about 9 or so on nothing more than bread, milk and the occasional tin of cat food & egg. I remember the state of their shit though, it wasn't a pretty sight. (not that any ferret shit is pretty looking! )

that's another thing, it's only recent i've found out that cat/dog food isn't good for them and yet i've never had any problem with that either....wondering if all this ferret food business is just a marketing gimic!

[Raymond 618]

yeah i can relate to that. A little over 20 years ago as kids,we learned ourselves.We called albinos greyhounds. We called them bucks and does aswell.I had 7 ferrets,greyhounds.We done rats and rabbits all the time with them.There main food was bread and milk.Once a week a raw egg.A couple of times a week they got a bit of rough liver.Sometimes I would snare a bit of my mothers mince she had for the dinner.I dont feed them that way now.Alot of the pics you see of todays ferrets they seem to be a bit podgey.

[Kay 3,709]

I am not a fan of dry ferret food as i found it just made the ferrets fat basically

 

I know nothing off the pro's & cons of feedings sops or tinned meat , but i kind of think it cant be very good for there teeth living on am almost liquid diet or there backsides

[dogdigger 45]

my grandfather and my farther and myself when i was young all fed bread and milk and all had some good healthy working ferrets

 

the only down fall i can think of was the smell it used to scour them and made there wast runny

 

the dried stuff we use now has deodorisers and keeps the solid

 

dogdigger