I don't think all ferrets over the age of 5 need expensive procedures. I guess we will see with my four. My oldest is almost a year and a half.

Eating raw meat will not hurt a ferret. Their digestive systems are too short to catch any food related illnesses. The bacteria doesn't have time to take hold in their system before being eliminated. Compare their digestive systems to ours and you will see why we humans would catch salmonella or something similar. Ours is long and the bacteria would sit there for a really long time, allowing it to incubate and take hold.

Raw meat and whole prey items to wonders for ferrets. I haven't had a chance to go to the store to get meat so my ferrets ate kibble last night. (I felt soooo bad) My oldest girl who is, by far, my best hunter, looked at the kibble, then looked at me as if to say "Ok mom, joke's over. Gimme a mouse!" I'm currently trying to get my feeder colonies up and going so I can switch them to a whole prey diet. It will be cheaper to keep feeder colonies going then buying them meat every week. Chicks are good snacks, but don't make much of a meal. I plan to feed the following to my ferrets once I have my own house and have the room for these feeder colonies:

Mouse (already producing)
Rats (already producing)
Chickens
Rabbits
Button Quail
Gerbils
Hamsters
African Soft Furred Rats
Frogs