Ferret Footnotes

Monthly Newsletter of the
Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas

JULY 1996

WELCOME!
Greetings from The Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas
Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter

The DFW Chapter of the Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas (FLC) is now requesting annual dues from members, and a fee to cover postage/printing for a mailed newsletter. We hope you will want to become an active participant in the club.

Write and Thank the HSUS!
By now, FLC members have received their special Victory Edition of the Independent Voice, which fully covers the detail of the HSUS "Ferret Bill of Rights" in their revised policy statement on ferrets. Thanks go to Howard and Ann Davis of L.I.F.E. for donating the extra printing and postage.
Now it's time to return the favor: We need to express our appreciation and support about the changes that have been made. In particular, Martha Armstrong, HSUS Vice Present of Companion Animals, fought a tough battle to get the recent policy change, and we need to show her that the people in the ferret community really appreciate what she has done. The new HSUS policy has already proved to be a powerful tool for influencing lawmakers in our area (see Plano article, below). So send your thank-you letter to:
Paul Irwin, President
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St. NW
Washington, DC 20037
Please also cc: Martha Armstrong at the same address.

Plano June 24th City Council Meeting
Ferrets are about to be legal in Plano, Texas! At the June 24th Plano City Council meeting, we successfully presented our arguments, despite the misinformation presented by the Plano Council (ferrets are vicious baby attackers who will spread rabies and fill up shelters).

First on the agenda was Erika Matulich, FLC-TX president, who presented the latest in bite statistics (national, Texas, and local), and showed that on a "per-capita" bite basis, ferrets are far less likely to bite than dogs, cats, rabbits, or even humans. Next, Dr. Jerry Murray, DVM presented the results of the most recent rabies studies, showing that ferrets are extremely unlikely to carry rabies in their saliva, making transmission of rabies through a bite also unlikely. He also showed the council the 1990 USDA-approved rabies vaccine licensed for ferrets (IMRAB-3). Third on the speaker list was the FLC-TX legal coordinator, Debra Thomason, who summarized the Texas Department of Health rulings expected to be passed at the end of July. These rulings recognize the ferret as a domestic pet with an approved rabies vaccine, and provide for a 30-day quarantine period in a bite case. Then Kim Black presented her research on area shelters and humane societies, telling the council that whether legal or illegal, the financial, human resource, and time impact of ferrets on area animal shelters was negligible. Next, Marlene Indermark, LIFE representative, presented aspects of the domesticity of the ferret, and closed with HSUS and ASPCA policy statements on ferrets as domestic companion animals. Patty Israelson of STAR*Ferrets and the Beggars and Thieves Ferret Shelter presented her ferret Murphy and requested that the Council vote to make ferrets legal. Mary Sue Kelly of the Coalition for Responsible Pet Owners also requested that Plano ferrets and ferret owners be "decriminalized." PETA representatives elected not to speak. After some discussion, the Plano City Council Members voted 8-0 to write a new policy that recognizes ferrets as legal. Our presentation concluded at approximately 10:15 p.m.

At this time, the 5-member Plano Animal Advisory Board is responsible for writing the new policy. Patty Israelson will be disseminating information packets to the board members, but at this time we are otherwise unable to influence the process. The new policy may be voted on by the City Council in August. Until the new policy is written, voted upon, and approved, ferrets are still ILLEGAL in Plano! Please show caution with your pets.

Texas Department of Health Rabies Law Change
The commentary period for the proposed law change was officially over on June 7. Thanks to everyone who wrote in! The vote on the law should take place at the end of July; contact the ferret hotline for the latest information at (817) 498-1470. Debra and Scott Thomason are expected to be in Austin for this vote.

What is Next on the Legal Front?
After the Texas Department of Health vote, and after a (hopefully) successful Plano ordinance, our next goals are Fort Worth, Dallas, and Mesquite. Hopefully with successes in these areas, the rest of the metroplex communities will capitulate. Still to go are Addison, Allen, Beaumont, Carrollton, Coppell, Denton, Euless, Fort Hood, Killeen, North Richland Hills, and Rowlett. San Antonio also remains illegal. For those areas that are legal, many still require euthanization for picked up ferrets (such as Farmers Branch); this needs to be worked on as well.

JULY MEETING
Discussion Topic: Ferret Nutrition

The Discussion Topic for the July meeting was ferret nutrition, specifically focused on ferret foods. The discussion was led by Patricia Curtis. Over 30 food labels were analyzed, and the group was amazed at how few foods met the minimum requirements.

Introduction
Ferrets have special nutritional needs, so it is important that your ferrets eat a dry food that best matches their requirements. Just because a food says "ferret" does not mean it fills the needs of your ferrets. Reading labels and selecting the right ferret food can make the difference in health, lifespan, looks, and behavior. Ferrets have a quick (2-3 hour) digestive turnaround, so foods must have easily digestible, nutritious, high-quality ingredients to make sure the nutrients are absorbed in this short time period, and not eliminated.

Protein Requirements
Ferrets need a high protein (32%-38%) diet. Pet foods list these percentages on the label; however, just reading the percentages does not tell the whole story. Proteins should come from animal, not vegetable, sources. Ferrets have difficulty using or digesting vegetable proteins. The primary protein source for a ferret (and the first ingredient on the label) should be chicken meat or chicken/poultry by-product meal. Secondary sources of protein, such as meat meal, whole eggs, liver meal, or herring meal, should be listed 3rd through 5th on the ingredient label. Vegetable proteins such as soyflour, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, or cereal grains should be avoided; foods that list any of these as their first ingredient should NOT be fed to a ferret.

Fat Requirements
Ferrets also need a high fat (20%-23%) diet which allows them to digest the Proteins and provides for their energy needs. Again, sources of fat should be animal, not vegetable. Chicken or poultry fat should be the second or third ingredient in the list. Red meat fats (such as beef tallow) are not as desirable or digestible. Vegetable fats such as corn oil, lecithin, or vegetable oils do not allow ferrets to digest Proteins properly, and should not be listed in the first five ingredients.

Carbohydrates
A high-quality, simple carbohydrate should be listed second or third in the ingredient list. This should be in the form of brewers rice or rice flour. Corn and wheat flours or grains are more complex carbohydrates that are not as easily used by the ferret (they also contain more fiber).

Fiber
Ferrets do not have a large intestine with which to process fiber, so a low-fiber food is necessary. Fiber levels should be 2% or less, which eliminates many of the premium cat foods (3% or more fiber). Additional fiber means that your ferret will absorb less nutrients and eliminate more waste. The best source of fiber in ferret food is beet pulp.

Starch
A good ferret food requires a properly cooked starch to hold the nutrients together until eaten. Properly cooked starches are in "extruded" foods, which has a crunchy texture and interesting shape. Improperly cooked starches result in poorly digested foods; these are the "pelleted" foods that look like long, slender rabbit food pellets.

Other Ingredients
Taurine is thought to be an important supplement for vision. Another good ingredient is Brewer's Yeast, a good vitamin B supplement. Also look for low ash content (less than 7%). A premium ferret food should provide the rest of the necessary vitamins and minerals; space requirements do not allow us to cover them all here.

Dyes, Fillers, Preservatives
Dyes are unhealthy additives to a ferret food, and fillers just mean less food, less nutrition, and more waste. Avoid dyes and fillers. Many pet foods use preservatives such as BHT, BHA, and ethoxyquin (to keep fats from becoming rancid). At this time, there are no definitive research studies that show the effects of these preservatives on the health of ferrets. However, your may feel more comfortable avoiding these artificial preservatives in favor of natural preservatives such as Vitamin E and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).
Shape/Texture
Smaller, textured shapes (such as kitten-sized stars or triangles) are preferred. Ferret testers prefer these shapes, and the shapes are less likely to get lodged in the roof of the mouth. Again, pellets are not recommended, not just because of the physical shape and texture, but because of the incomplete cooking process. Of course, soft or canned foods should not be fed because these foods promote tooth decay.

Packaging
Heat, light, and moisture are all damaging to ferret foods. Plastic bags are not the best packaging because they let in light, and tiny pinholes let in air, which results in rancid food. Better packaging would be a double-lined bag.

Testing
The food you feed your ferret should have been tested and proven on ferrets. You may also wish to look for AAFCO certification on foods (lesser-quality grocery store pet foods will not have this certification).

Lifestage Considerations
Older or senior ferrets can become overweight if their activity level decreases. Foods with 31-33% protein and 16 18% fat may be better, but this has not been proven yet in studies. Most important, do not switch to a cat adult-stage food, a higher-fiber "lite" food, or lower fat food in an effort to keep your senior ferret's weight down. These foods will deny your ferret needed nutrition. Instead, increase activity levels, or feed smaller portions.

Switching Foods
Whenever you wish to change your ferret's diet, it is important to switch slowly. Mix the old and the new food, and gradually increase the proportion of new food so that after a few weeks, there is only new food. In extreme cases for very finicky eaters, you may have to liquefy the new food and feed through an oral syringe until the new food is accepted. In some cases this procedure is necessary when a ferret only wishes to eat a food that is literally killing the ferret.

Food Amounts
Food should be made available at all times, or "free fed." The only exception would be a severely overweight ferret who requires somewhat restricted food amounts. Supplements and Treats
With a good, nutritious, well-balanced food, supplements and treats are not necessary for your ferret's health. However, ferrets enjoy the occasional treat, drop of oil, or reward. Treats should be given sparingly, and all treats should avoid refined sugars, dairy products, or chocolate products. Treats will be the subject of a later discussion.

Conclusion
Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas members rated over 30 brands of foods fed to ferrets. Grocery-store brands were the worst, any type of dog food should not be fed, and even some foods specifically labelled for ferrets were of poor quality. Many premium kitten and ferret foods were eliminated due to their extremely high corn contents (multiple corn ingredients such as ground corn, corn meal, corn flour, and corn gluten) or fiber levels. Others did not have appropriate sources or levels of protein and fat. By far, the most superior food is Totally Ferret by Performance Food, Inc. In second place was Iams Kitten, and in third place L'Avian Plus Premium Ferret Food. These foods are briefly analyzed below.

Thanks to Trish Curtis, Pam Grant at STAR*Ferrets, The FML, Modern Ferret Magazine, and Dr. Tom Willard for the nutrition information.

Totally Ferret Food Ordering Information
Performance Foods, the manufacturer of the recommended, high-quality Totally Ferret Food, does not have a contract with a licensed pet food distributor in the Texas area (who then sells to dealers, who sells to pet stores, who sells to ferret owners). Because Totally Ferret is needed in our area, Performance Foods has agreed to allow a slightly discounted "club/shelter price" if we order in bulk quantities (200 pounds at a time) until a dealer is found. Legally, the food must be resold at the retail price. Patricia Curtis has graciously agreed to handle this endeavor, which includes order taking, bookkeeping, accumulating orders, handling shipments, and redistribution. We hope that the slight profit adequately compensates her for her time! Of course, any profits will go directly to the Ferrets First Rescue &;Shelter, for which funding is desperately needed. The combined efforts of Performance Foods, Inc. and the Ferrets First Rescue &;Shelter are put forth to provide you and your ferret the best possible nutrition available today, while also offering an opportunity to support an FLC shelter in a small way.
Any orders placed must wait until the 200-pound order size is reached, and then orders can be picked up at the next FLC-TX meeting. Orders must be pre-paid, as the shelter cannot afford to finance your purchase. If you wish, small orders can be shipped for the cost of additional postage (for example $3 per box of the 12.75 oz. size). Of course, if you are desperate for Totally Ferret, you can order directly from the company at 1-800-843-1738, but the cost will be higher and the shelter will not be supported. Totally Ferret will be available at club meetings and fun matches. Texas residents must pay sales tax.

MURPHY'S LAWS REWRITTEN FOR FERRETS
By Carla Smith (From 4/29 FML)

1.If it can be moved, it will be stashed. If it can't be moved, a stash will be established inside or underneath it.
2.If it moves by itself, it must be a toy.
3.The best toys are the things you don't want them to play with.
4.If it is edible, it will be stashed. If it is not edible, it will be eaten.
5.All plants need repotting, even if they don't.
6.If there is no way to get back out, it will be gotten into.
7.The newer or more expensive the carpet, the sooner it will be shredded.
8.The more you need something, the more likely it is to be missing.
9.The higher it is, the more fun it is to jump off of. Moreso if there's an audience.
10.The best food is always in someone else's dish.
11.There is always a corner somewhere that you never considered, and you won't find it until after your company does.
12."Ferret-Proof" isn't.
13.Saying "Absolutely no more ferrets!" is guaranteed to bring another one into the house.

FERRET OF THE MONTH COVER PHOTO

The July cover featured "Rustler," who is owned by FLC-TX member Marlene Indermark. Unfortunately the picture has been lost. Rustler, or "Rusty" for short, is a 2-year-old sable gib, who enjoys winning friskiness contests (at least when compared to his stuffed BFF pal!) The snapshot was taken in April, 1996 by Marlene, who also is a professional pet photographer.

Would you like your ferret to be featured as a cover photo? Or published in the new handbook? Send photographs to the editor (see page 2), and with a SASE, they will be returned. Be sure to identify the ferret in the photo, include any pertinent information, and mark the photo with your name and address.

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