By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut.
Ferrets can make fun and engaging pets but do have some very specific dietary needs which need to be taken into consideration. Ferrets are classed as obligate carnivores – this means that they must have meat as the core of their diet and cannot be fed a vegetarian diet. They have a high metabolism and a short digestive tract which means they can struggle to absorb nutrients from food.
Carbohydrates and vegetable proteins cannot be digested properly because of this, which means they can cause health problems and should be avoided. High fibre ingredients are also unable to be processed as ferret’s digestive tract does not contain a caecum, which is a pouch connected to the junction of the small and large intestines and allows the digestion of complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates also break down to sugars and can lead to high blood sugar levels leading to illness. Some urinary issues can also be caused by inappropriate diets, in particular feeding dog foods etc. Protein and fats found in meat are more readily available for their body. Feeding regular and often is necessary but weighing them on a weekly basis is also a good idea to ensure any weight gain or loss is noticed early. Fresh water is always needed and should be regularly refreshed while monitoring the volume they drink to ensure any changes are spotted early. In the wild ferrets would eat their prey almost completely including skin, organs, and small bones.
Whole foods can be fed including chicks, mice and rats; however, it is both morally wrong, risks injury to your ferret, as well as being illegal to live feed in the UK. You can also feed things such as chicken wings, chicken breast, rabbit, game birds, lamb, and turkey. Raw bones can be offered to help with gnawing, dental health, and mental stimulation. Risks of raw feeding must be considered when feeding a ferret in this way. Cooked bones should never be offered as they can splinter, and ferrets should be supervised when eating any
bones. Raw foods can lead to a risk of salmonella and other food poisoning, to your pet but also to yourself. Ferrets need feeding little and often but enjoy hiding and storing foods if too much is offered – raw food must be removed after a short period of time to reduce the risk of it going off and making your pet ill. While not always the most palatable, this is the natural diet of ferrets and some good quality raw meat from good quality sources should
form part of their diet. Raw and cooked eggs can be offered as a treat but should not be given every day due to a risk of constipation. Because of these risks some people prefer to offer a complete, nutritionally balanced ferret diet. These are often like dry dog and cat foods and can be an easier to provide food (little and often). If choosing a complete dry diet then ensure that the first ingredient is meat protein and the amounts of fillers and carbohydrates are limited. This can then be left with them if raw food is being stored or not eaten immediately is a problem. As in the name, these diets are complete and can be fed as a sole diet. This does mean you can add extra foods in to provide variety but treats etc should be kept to a minimum as they can lead to obesity.
Exactly what food will suit your ferret best does depend on which life stage they are at. Young and growing kits will need to be exposed to whatever foods you intend to feed them in their life as at this age they will form bonds with food that can cause issues later. Different flavours, textures and smells are important to expose them too early. In general, ferrets will need more calories when they are growing, pregnant and lactating. They may also need tailored diets if they are unwell your veterinary surgeon can advise you at these times.
Any change to diet should be done gradually to avoid gastrointestinal upsets. Ferrets are intelligent creatures and feeding can also be a great opportunity to provide them with mental stimulation. Offering them different types of food can be a great way to do this, but we can also use food to increase exercise levels and ensure our ferrets do not become overweight. Hiding dried food in places around their environment, making them climb or do tasks to get food and the use of feeding toys to encourage them can really improve their activity levels and keep their brain active.
Before getting a ferret, consider how you plan to feed them, how you can keep the diet varied, safe and healthy as well as how you can use feeding to keep them mentally stimulated is vital.
