The Pros and Cons of Each
There is a ton of debate (and it tends to get heated!) about whether to feed a raw or kibble diet. This post is intended to provide an outline of the pros and cons of each. There are factors that can be argued about both methods of feeding, but this post here is just meant to act as a factual guide.
In the future I hope to address more misconceptions about raw feeding. (There seem to be a lot out there!)
In the future I hope to address more misconceptions about raw feeding. (There seem to be a lot out there!)
Kibble Pros -widely fed and accepted -easy to serve, just dump and pour -less "gross" factor than raw -Kibble is available in almost any store -most ferrets (in the USA at least) have been raised on kibble so they are used to it | Kibble Cons -quality kibbles can be hard to find locally -limited availability of quality ferret kibble, may have to feed only cat kibble (high end brands can be ferret suitable though!) -possibility of recalls for salmonella contamination -abrasive to tooth enamel -does not clean teeth, so routine brushing is necessary -long term feeding of carbs can lead to insulinoma -Low quality kibble can cause increased odor |
Raw Pros -considered the most "natural diet", it's what ferrets are designed to eat. -When fed correctly, provides complete nutrition, no unnecessary fillers -Actually works out to be cheaper than most/all kibbles. -Less odor -No need for teeth brushing -Meat can be bought at every grocery store. | Raw Cons -the switching process can be stressful and difficult. Some ferrets are stubborn -the switching process can be time consuming. (note that once you are confident in meal planning and your ferrets are eating well, daily feeding is much easier) -If buying in bulk, extra freezer space may be necessary -To those squeamish about meat, it does have a bit more "gross" factor. -Freeze-dried/frozen commercial raw, and whole prey can be expensive -Many vets do not endorse a raw diet (perhaps due to the many myths associated with raw feeding) |