Those who have read our kit guide will know we believe in balanced diet, not adding supplements to the diet to make it balanced. With all that said we do routinely give a few supplements on occasion or specific circumstances. Let me explain
Firstly, our ferret oil contains wheatgerm oil. We add it for its Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids, high levels of vitamin E and antioxidants. Vitamin E in particular is good for supporting the overall function of the heart and immune system and it alongside the antioxidants can help prevent damage from free radicals, incorrect mitosis and thereby cancers. We also have Evening Primrose oil in the oil mix. This also has added benefits for the skin and coat, but we specifically add it for its ability to help smooth hormone fluctuations, making them less likely to have large hormone swings during phantom pregnancy’s.
On the subject of hormones, we add 2 things to our water. In the breeding season we add Chlorophyll to the water. This is a natural method of reducing signalling scents in urine and discharge. It is most commonly used in bitches (female dogs) for helping prevent male dogs from picking up her scent as easily or following her. We add it for the same reason. Reducing the scent of females in season can help keep the peace with the boys. It also has had the side effect that the boys don’t smell as much. They do immediately try to rectify that if you miss adding it though haha.
We also add apple cider vinegar to their bowls and fountains. It lowers the pH of the water making it less hospitable to bacteria and algae and thus keeping the water cleaner. We also add it to the general drinking water on occasion as it is a probiotic.
The other two general supplements we add are given more when we are feeding more farmed meat and less game or home reared. To understand why we must look at how the animals are reared. Home reared they are given the best food, the best life and given as long as possible to mature. Even when we buy quail from honeybrooks we go for the ex-layer quail, ones who have had a life. That’s not just an ethical choice, the meat has much higher levels of omegas in it due to the time for them to build up in the system. They also sometimes have premature eggs inside them which can be a nice surprise for the fuzzies. Game has similar benefits, again they get to live and grow naturally making the meat more nutritious, but they also get to move to the best quality food themselves that’s grown in the best soil. Now let’s look at farming. Farming is a business based on putting the least in for the most gain. It starts with the soil where chemical fertilisers which often run off are usually used rather than manure, which breaks down slower keeping nutrients in the soil and adds back some structure to the soil. Some animals are pasture raised but generally your meat will come from animals raised on animal feeds made from fast growing crops that have been processed and had chemical supplements added to it. Its dead food made cheap to make them grow. Then we have the breeds of animal themselves which are bred to grow very fast on a poor-quality diet, so they don’t get the chance for nutrients to build up in the meat. This isn’t true of all meat, some farmers pasture raise, some raise different breeds and some use manure as fertiliser (much more common up here than chemicals to be fair) but it still stands as a fact that meat today is generally not as nutritious as meat 100 years ago.
So we have two things we add to help this depression of trace minerals. The first is Codex grade Diatomaceous Earth. This is a silica-based fossil that is usually used as a wormer but the 15 trace minerals are also very good for strengthening teeth, hair and nails, and the development and healing of bones, tendons, skin, carriage and blood vesicles. So, in essence, it helps the body keep strong. The second is kelp powder. Usually used as a teeth cleaning agent it is a very good source of iodine, minerals and especially “marine” minerals, being those often washed off in chemical fertilisers. It’s also incredibly high in calcium, something a 6 week old butchered chickens’ bones are ridiculously low in. It is very possible to over feed seaweed powder though so use it sparingly.
Finally, we have our only add it to the oldies diet supplement; hawthorn berry powder. This is safe for younger ferrets, but we add it to help support the older hearts. It also improves blood flow which can just generally rejuvenate the body. We add a tiny sprinkling of powder to the oldie’s food once a day and you can see the difference.
And that’s it. Everything we add to the food, water and treats and why.
Bye for now xxx