The Facts About Your Ferret's Diet By Scott Reinheart

The main thing you need to know about your ferret's diets is simple: meat, no plants. The diet should consist of at least 30-40% protein, with 20-30% fat, less than three percent fiber, and low in carbohydrates. Ferrets simply cannot process protein from plants.

Your pet ferret's diet should ensure that food is available at all times, too. Ferrets have a very fast metabolism and a short digestive system, so they need to eat often. Often means at least every three to four hours. It is much easier, and better for your pet, to just leave food out constantly, along with fresh water. As a rule ferrets will eat only enough to meet their immediate needs, so you don't have to worry about them getting fat. If they do appear to be getting fat, take your pet to the vet to see if there is some medical problem. Lacking that, exercise is the best way to keep your ferret in tip-top shape.

The most important part is going to be your vigilance. You have to read the labels and understand what they are saying. The closer to the beginning an ingredient, the more there is of it. So if meat meal comes first, there is more of that than any other item. Beware, though, of split products, like soy flour and soy meal. You have to add the two together to get the true proportions in the food.

There are several quality ferret foods available now, but you have to read the ingredients. The better the diet, the more expensive it is. But it is worth it to see that your ferret has the best diet available to keep him happy and healthy.

Any time you want to change your ferret's diet, you must do so gradually. It's best to mix in the new food with the old and gradually increasing the new foods as a percentage of the whole meal. It is often best to begin your pups on a mixture of foods to avoid the 'new food negatives' later on. It is just good common sense to have two foods on hand that your ferret will eat, in case one of them is suddenly unavailable.

Treats should only be given in moderation, and those should be vitamin supplements and hairball remedies which ferrets love and which does them some good at the same time. Don't use them too often, but they can come in handy for training aids. Other treats that ferrets like in their diet are hard-boiled or scrambled eggs and little pieces of cooked meat. The only time you should use commercial treats is if they are meat based. You want to stay away from treats that are based on grains, vegetables, and sugars any time. Ferrets love sweets, but you have to be careful and not give sweets to them, even raisins and other fruits. Sugar is not good for ferrets, period.

If you cannot find a quality ferret diet locally, you may want to go online. Barring that, premium cat foods will suffice. But you have to make sure and use a kitten food that is high in protein. Once your ferret is four years or more, you can switch to regular adult cat food. Again, it is up to you to be vigilant and use only premium brands with the right mixtures of protein, fats, fibers, and carbohydrates. As a general rule you should avoid generic (or 'house') brands, since these are generally not up to the quality you need for your loving pet.

Scot Reinheart is a ferret enthusiast and author. He resides in Centerville, MD. He spends his time teaching others how to raise and properly care for ferrets. For more tips on ferret diet, visit his site by clicking here.

Gel Ant Farms - A Space Race Spin Off By John R Richards

Gel ant farms are just one of the hundreds of spin-off from the space program. We've always thought of space research as being a bit wacky. Ever since the Russians launched Laika the dog into space for no apparent reason (other than to get one over on the Americans) and since Alan Shepard used a six iron to hit a golf ball on the moon, we've been wondering what space research is all about.

Well, it turns out that ant farms also feature high on Nasa's list of worthwhile experiments. Since the space program began there have been dozens of experiments devised to discover how processes that rely on gravity, or are affected by gravity, operate when freed from that ubiquitous force.

From seeing how unfortunate spiders manage to spin webs to the growing of perfect crystals, they've all been tried. Some are successful and some aren't. But that's science, of course.

The mystery of underground navigation

And one of these experiments was the now famous Gel Ant Farm. Quite how ants manage to build and navigate their way through subterranean tunnels has always been something of a mystery. So, to try to discover exactly how they did it, scientists at NASA began a project to develop a transparent medium in which ants would be able to build tunnels, just as in soil but, all-importantly, through which they could also be seen actually doing it.

The gel also needed to be sufficiently stable to withstand the high G-forces associated with launch and re-entry. Any sand tunnel would collapse under these unusual forces. High G wouldn't affect the ants, of course, they are easily strong enough to take such forces in their stride.

Up it went the Gel Ant Farm on a space shuttle and the ants started tunneling in their transparent gel. As I understand it, the tunnels were a somewhat more wiggly than ones made in the same gel by the same species on earth so gravity was thought to play a part in the ants' subterranean efforts. But, as far as I know, we didn't find out much else.

Never mind though, the good thing is that we now have a fantastic selection of gel ant farms that are just great for kids to study and learn from. Some people say that non-stick frying pans are the only good thing ever to come out of the space program - not so - we now have gel ant farms as well!

Discover for yourself the fun you and your kids can have with a gel ant farm at http://www.antfarmcentral.com/gelantfarms.html

Ferret Supplies By Dave Russet

Once you are sure that you want to own a pet ferret, you will need to get yourself some ferret supplies. This is a short listing of items you will want to have to keep your ferret safe and healthy.

You will definitely need to get a quality ferret cage. Although Ferrets sleep a lot, when they are awake, they are extremely curious and will get into anything if left alone. A metal cage with an opening that can be securely latched shut is a must. You should not force your ferret to stay in cramped living conditions. The cage you purchase should have plenty of room for your pet ferret to run around and play but still have access to its food and a bathroom area. There are a variety of styles available in ferret cages. Some are single level and some are multilevel. What you purchase will be up to you, but remember if you're getting more than one ferret you will need more space. Also remember that you should set up your ferret cage in an area where it can see its new family. Don't lock it away in a separate room unless you want a stressed out pet.

Inside the cage, you will need some type of bedding that separates your ferret from the metal floor. You will want bedding that he can snuggle down into but nothing that he can manage to destroy and eat. You will also need food and water supplies as well as toys. All of these can be purchased at a pet store either online or at a retail outlet near you. Depending on where you are located, specialty ferret supplies may be easier to find on the Internet than near your home. Personally, I recommend food dishes that attach to the side of the cage and water bottles to avoid spills caused by playful ferrets.

There are many other Ferret supplies available, but these are some of the basics. You can always add more after your ferret has come home, but these few essential items should be waiting before he ever arrives.

You might also enjoy reading these articles about ferret supplies and ferret cages on my website.