| Minerals, Trace Elements, Amino Acids, Multis Friend or Foe Series by Crazy Lady Continued
Calcium Although calcium is not a vitamin but a mineral I feel it is important that it be mentioned in this series as the way it is used and absorbed into the body is often misunderstood. A lot of ferret owners believe calcium is only important for healthy teeth and bones. Calcium has many other uses too. The ferret's body also uses calcium to aid blood clotting and also to help muscular growth. Calcium even has a calming effect on the body and helps with the nerve impluses. It provides energy and helps to break down fat and helps maintain healthy skin! Calcium is a very important mineral in a ferret's
diet. Another idea a lot of owners have is that once the ferret's bones are formed then that is that - when in effect they are constantly being upgraded from day to day as calcium flows in and out of them. Signs of calcium deficency: There are many signs of calcium shortage and some may be simular to other illnesses so if in doubt have a vet check out your ferret. The signs are walking appears painful, in some cases the ferret may refuse to walk, dry skin, signs of muscle cramps, brittle nails and in extreme cases convusions. Where can I obtain calcium: Calcium can be obtained in many forms from health food stores. It can be purchased in tablet form or in the form of bone flour and sprinked on food. Owners who feed meat can obtain calcium from bone meal, raw bones, egg shells, milk, fish and seafood. It is beneficial to take vitamin d with calcium. Amino Acid Taurine Taurine is a non essential amino acid but it is very important to the
ferret's body. It is needed for fat digestion and the absobsion of fat soluble vitamins. Taurine is also important in ensuring that calcium and other key nutrients are used properly in the body. It is believed that taurine helps keep the brain hydrated and active. When it is given with zinc it also helps keep eyes and vision healthy. Signs of taurine deficency: The ferret may suddenly develop eye problems or appear to be having difficulty with fat absorption. Where to get taurine: Taurine can be found in milk in supermarkets (certain brands of kitten milks have extra added taurine). It is more beneficial if a little vit b6 is added to the milk to help the body synthesize taurine and other nutrients from the milk. Meat feeding owners can find taurine in milk, meat and fish. Trace elements Iron Iron is a trace element that is needed in a ferret's body to promote healthy red blood cells and firm muscles. It finds a home in the bone marrow, liver and spleen. Iron helps to promote a healthy immune system and to improve a ferret's energy levels. Iron can be toxic if given in excess and it is better if given alone. Signs of iron deficiancy: As iron is an important element there are many and varied signs of deficiency. A few are anemia,tiredness, poor stamina, ridged nails, brittle coat and digestive problems. Where can I get iron: Iron can be obtained from your local health food store but please USE IRON WITH CAUTION. Meat feeding owners can find iron in meat, poultry and fish. ZINC Zinc is an element that is important to a ferret for many reasons. It is important for a healthy immune system and it also ensures that hair, nails and skin are in tip top shape and that wounds heal quickly. Zinc is also used by the body to ensure muscles are healthy and that protein is synthasized. Zinc also helps control the amount of oil that is released through the coat. Signs of zinc deficiency: When levels of zinc are low in a ferret's body the following signs are often shown - ferret appears to become ill with everything from colds to ear problems, etc., hair thinning , brittle nails, loss of appetite, skin problems (dry skin, ulcers on skin, etc.). Where can I get zinc: Zinc can be obtained from a health food store but this must BE USED WITH CAUTION AS IT CAN BE TOXIC. Zinc is better given on an empty stomach but this can prove a problem with ferrets therefore it is often given from natural sources or combined in a multi vitamin form. Meat feeding owners can obtain zinc from muscle meat, poultry, fish, seafood
and eggs. Multi vitamins Multi vitamins are definitely the friend of the ferret owner. They remove the need to constantly weigh or measure out each vitamin and in turn they also remove the worry of giving a ferret too much each day and causing toxic problems by giving two vitamins which are not suited to each other if not in the correct amounts. How much is too much? Well that is a problem - we look at a human and the pill states take two per day so in reality a ferret only needs a fraction of one pill! My own personal way of figuring out the problem is simple - I grind down the pills to dust and once a week give each ferret a tiny, tiny pinch if I feel they are not obtaining enough from fresh meat (a lot of the vits are contained in their meat diet). If their body has enough vitamins the next day they present me with loose dark poop! A good indicator that everything is topped up! As with all things vitamins and supplements must be used with caution but I believe they do have a part to play in a ferret's life as the kibbles are far removed from what their body was designed for and vitamins can deteriorate as the kibble sits waiting to be eaten or if frozen certain vits are destroyed. So the tiny pinch of multi vit can often be simply replacing things they should of obtained from kibble but did not. These multi vitamins can more often than not be a life saver helping to balance a diet if used with care! 
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