Why?????

[lifelong cumbrian 1,826]

 

 

 

If they're being fed crap, why dont you take them and give them a better home?

BB if the kits are being fed crap IMHO the parents are also going to be fed this same crap Why? If the parents are working (as claimed) flesh should nt be a problem to get hold of all year round

Y.I.S Leeview

 

Hunting is instinctive behaviour, not innate behaviour. Ergo, if you are picking up kits, diet should not affect your hunting with them in theory. I understand there are other elements to it, but I would also like to point out that my ferrets are from a hunting background, and are effective and brilliant workers, but because I don't shoot or lamp as much as I would like, they sometimes get dry ferret food, not fresh meat. Especially in the summer, and with my time constraints, I can leave them for the odd day without having to worry about flies, and only need to check on them once or twice briefly. Basing a ferrets capability on it's diet is a little harsh, considering it may be the owner who is incompetent in looking after the animal... People have different methods, and if you think yours is the best, then you would take the kits on and pump them full of meat in order to get them to be better workers...

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

I had a good season last year. But only got 2 smallish freezers so gave alot away and my litter of kits wiped me out with feeding the mothers up before hand etc.

 

Freezer is currently empty except a few bits of minded meat for the dogs and a load of pork for me!

 

So ferrets are getting dry food at the minute. You shouldn't let that put you off wanting one of my ferrets though surely?

 

 

Them kits look in good condition mate.

[lifelong cumbrian 1,826]

I started this post to show how difficult it can be to find a good kit ie diet and handling and from good working stock and its bin intresting to read people's opinions on this subject.. I use J.W dry and meat through the summer reason being ive seen the results in so many ferrets over the years that still work at 8 years old and I know ferrets that have being feed on cat food live to 5.they may live longer this is based on what ive witnessed. So no I wont buy a kit that has being brought up on cat food and this is my point the minute I put on my classified ads no cat food feed I get nooooo replys which worries me. Has the day of a good breeder gone due to cost or am I that unlucky...

I feed raw rabbit 6 days a week and chudleys 1 day for a change. Don't like the idea of cat food, I cant see a problem feeding dry if you cannot get raw but it would be a last resort for me.

[mollski 16]

When I was looking for two polecats for me and my boys,everybody said they had handled them from day one,but half the time they tell you that ,just to sell them to you,some were in some right states living in shyt,dreadfull,these are my first two and next time I buy some I shall have a bit more of what to look for etc,ive picked up so good info on this forum,from many helpful people,mine are fed on chicken rabbit,and the dry food james well beloved

[lifelong cumbrian 1,826]

 

 

 

 

If they're being fed crap, why dont you take them and give them a better home?

BB if the kits are being fed crap IMHO the parents are also going to be fed this same crap Why? If the parents are working (as claimed) flesh should nt be a problem to get hold of all year round

Y.I.S Leeview

 

Hunting is instinctive behaviour, not innate behaviour. Ergo, if you are picking up kits, diet should not affect your hunting with them in theory. I understand there are other elements to it, but I would also like to point out that my ferrets are from a hunting background, and are effective and brilliant workers, but because I don't shoot or lamp as much as I would like, they sometimes get dry ferret food, not fresh meat. Especially in the summer, and with my time constraints, I can leave them for the odd day without having to worry about flies, and only need to check on them once or twice briefly. Basing a ferrets capability on it's diet is a little harsh, considering it may be the owner who is incompetent in looking after the animal... People have different methods, and if you think yours is the best, then you would take the kits on and pump them full of meat in order to get them to be better workers...

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

I had a good season last year. But only got 2 smallish freezers so gave alot away and my litter of kits wiped me out with feeding the mothers up before hand etc.

 

Freezer is currently empty except a few bits of minded meat for the dogs and a load of pork for me!

 

So ferrets are getting dry food at the minute. You shouldn't let that put you off wanting one of my ferrets though surely?

 

 

Them kits look in good condition mate.

 

[hugo1 31]

not being a expert in ferrets but all my mates and my dogs have dry and tinned food and they work fine so can't see how different it would be for ferrets

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

 

 

 

 

If they're being fed crap, why dont you take them and give them a better home?

BB if the kits are being fed crap IMHO the parents are also going to be fed this same crap Why? If the parents are working (as claimed) flesh should nt be a problem to get hold of all year round

Y.I.S Leeview

Hunting is instinctive behaviour, not innate behaviour. Ergo, if you are picking up kits, diet should not affect your hunting with them in theory. I understand there are other elements to it, but I would also like to point out that my ferrets are from a hunting background, and are effective and brilliant workers, but because I don't shoot or lamp as much as I would like, they sometimes get dry ferret food, not fresh meat. Especially in the summer, and with my time constraints, I can leave them for the odd day without having to worry about flies, and only need to check on them once or twice briefly. Basing a ferrets capability on it's diet is a little harsh, considering it may be the owner who is incompetent in looking after the animal... People have different methods, and if you think yours is the best, then you would take the kits on and pump them full of meat in order to get them to be better workers...

Couldn't agree more.

 

I had a good season last year. But only got 2 smallish freezers so gave alot away and my litter of kits wiped me out with feeding the mothers up before hand etc.

 

Freezer is currently empty except a few bits of minded meat for the dogs and a load of pork for me!

 

So ferrets are getting dry food at the minute. You shouldn't let that put you off wanting one of my ferrets though surely?

 

Them kits look in good condition mate.

Thanks mate. I try my best.

 

It's not too difficult to keep them clean, well handled and fed a good varied diet.

 

Plenty of excercise in a good size court with toys and obstacles.

 

Can't understand people who keep them in a poxy 2 foot hutch and clean them once a fortnight and feed them shit. Handle them once a week and moan they are nasty. Never right.

[Alcatraz 16]

Thing is 99% of people no cat food is veg starch and water its crap but so many still feed kits with it Im hearing freezer space, cost etc as reasons why they give them crap I pay £7.50 for 200 d.o.c.s £8.00 for james welbeloved £15.50 that will last over 3 month over the summer they get35% proteins they need, and the fat content (my docs are skinned and deyoked)

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Thing is 99% of people no cat food is veg starch and water its crap but so many still feed kits with it Im hearing freezer space, cost etc as reasons why they give them crap I pay £7.50 for 200 d.o.c.s £8.00 for james welbeloved £15.50 that will last over 3 month over the summer they get35% proteins they need, and the fat content (my docs are skinned and deyoked)

Out of interest mate why don't you feed the chicks whole as they come?

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Thing is 99% of people no cat food is veg starch and water its crap but so many still feed kits with it Im hearing freezer space, cost etc as reasons why they give them crap I pay £7.50 for 200 d.o.c.s £8.00 for james welbeloved £15.50 that will last over 3 month over the summer they get35% proteins they need, and the fat content (my docs are skinned and deyoked)

Errr Actually, people are saying dry food. This doesn't always mean cat biscuits. I said I feed mine dry, but it's ferret food. Different composition, hell it even smells completely different, and to be completely honest, in times of desperation, (twice) I have fed mine cat biscuits because I ran out of ferret dry. They produce similar waste on dry ferret feed as they do when fed meat, because they are similar composition in nutrients, just that one has less water content. However, the occasions they were fed cat food, they were different. Dry, does not mean bad.

[Alcatraz 16]

Some do give hole I just prefer giving them just meat and taking out the yoke as thats crap but its just personal preference mate.

[Alcatraz 16]

 

 

Thing is 99% of people no cat food is veg starch and water its crap but so many still feed kits with it Im hearing freezer space, cost etc as reasons why they give them crap I pay £7.50 for 200 d.o.c.s £8.00 for james welbeloved £15.50 that will last over 3 month over the summer they get35% proteins they need, and the fat content (my docs are skinned and deyoked)

Errr Actually, people are saying dry food. This doesn't always mean cat biscuits. I said I feed mine dry, but it's ferret food. Different composition, hell it even smells completely different, and to be completely honest, in times of desperation, (twice) I have fed mine cat biscuits because I ran out of ferret dry. They produce similar waste on dry ferret feed as they do when fed meat, because they are similar composition in nutrients, just that one has less water content. However, the occasions they were fed cat food, they were different. Dry, does not mean bad.

Im not on about dry cat food I talk about tinned I know nothing about giving dry cat food to ferrets or its properties.

[dogger 100]

had 16 kits kept 2 and the rest went like hot cakes to members on here why because there bred right fed right and well handled.the folk who got them are all happy with them

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Ive said loads of times on these "cat food" threads before, I honestly believe that variety is key with anything.

 

Yes in an ideal world, it would be whole carcass every day. Rabbit, Hare, Pigeon, Carrion etc. But we dont all have access to this 365 days a year.

 

Tinned cat meat 7 days a week is obviously not the best grub a ferret can get, but once a week isnt gonna cause any harm. I dont even feed tinned cat meat because its cheap (because it isnt), i feed it because they love it.

 

My kits always get a bowl of that cat milk you get from the supermarkets aswell a few times a week.

 

They have a bowl of dry available at least 5 days a week if not every day. This is usually alpha ferret complete, but my dad works next to a farm wholesale place and always gets boxes of tinned kitekat stuff (cat biscuits) for 10p a box so this is often mixed in with the alpha. If ive run out of both? They get a handful of gain 28. They dont seem to mind and certainly dont look bad.

 

Then they get whole carcass at least 3 days a week, rabbit, pigeon or hare usually.

 

They get a few eggs once a week.

 

They get tinned cat meat once or twice a week.

 

If i have defrosted the dogs too many chicken carcasses or lamb necks then they get whatever is left.

 

And they look great! To say " NEVER FEED CAT FOOD TO A FERRET" is madness. Its like saying "NEVER FEED PORK TO A DOG" which is one i got the other day. Yes as a sole food source it would be far from ideal. But in moderation, its all good.

 

Just my take on it.

Atb.

[The one 8,457]

 

Thing is 99% of people no cat food is veg starch and water its crap but so many still feed kits with it Im hearing freezer space, cost etc as reasons why they give them crap I pay £7.50 for 200 d.o.c.s £8.00 for james welbeloved £15.50 that will last over 3 month over the summer they get35% proteins they need, and the fat content (my docs are skinned and deyoked)

Out of interest mate why don't you feed the chicks whole as they come?

 

Because there just a egg covered bit fluff

[staffs riffraff 1,068]

 

 

Them 2 Jill's I got off you GAZ1989 are doing great mate got a nice silver hob in with them about a week older they never leave him alone lol

Glad you are pleased with them mate. They all seem to be doing well.

 

Have they stayed nice and tame?

They quite tame still but just typical lively Ferts non stop play with the odd nip but they will settle down mate