The Hungry Ferret Diet

No one has developed the perfect ferret diet for the proper — and healthy — feeding of the ferret.

Of course, it’s one of those situations in which you talk to five different ferret parents and you’ll get five different “ideal” diets for the ferret.

Of course, what people feed their ferrets depend on a number of factors, among one of the primary: personal preference.

Another qualifying factor in deciding how and what your ferret is going to eat is what’s available to it in your area.

Before you even bring your furry friend home, keep some of this information in mind. But the bottom line is this: it’s a learn as you go process.

The more you know about your individual pet ferret, the better you’ll be able to meet his individual health needs.

Now having said all that, let’s learn a little about just what pleases the hungry ferret.

Ferrets are classified as “obligate carnivores”. You already probably recognize the “carnivore” part of this phrase as meaning “meat eating.”

And the “obligate” part, is a really just as it sounds. They must eat meat! Virtually all of their nutritional needs, in fact, are supplied through a meat-based diet.

Why? Well, here’s where another scientific term comes into play, but don’t let it intimidate you. They must eat meat, because the are “hyper carnivores.”

This means that their anatomy . . . physiology . . . and even their behavior . . . have become adapted to a strict meat-eating lifestyle.

Well, What About Canned Food?

Canned pet food is available just about everywhere. It is economical and convenient. And that’s why it’s so popular among so many ferret owners.

If you’re planning on feeding your ferret this then, if canned ferret food is not available, grab the canned cat food.

Again, the ingredients you want to see are meat products. They should be listed right at the top. You don’t want this canned food to be hiding any additional grains or sweeteners.

Canned foods are mentally stimulating for your little furry friend. Also, canned foods come in a variety of flavors, so the tastes are varied for him. But even better, this type of food is naturally low in carbohydrates and high in fat and protein.

Now before you get too excited about this, keep in mind that canned foods are indeed nutritious but lack the “nutrient density” to be the mainstay of your pet’s diet. This type of food is made up of 70 percent water. So your ferret needs to eat more in terms of volume in order to obtain the same amount of calories provided by dry food (kibbles).

If you decide to buy kibbles(dry food), you need to ensure that the first three ingredients in the list are all meat products. Also make sure that that is does NOT contain corn or dried portions of fruits and vegetables, because your fuzzy friend cannot digest them.

Although, a big problem with kibble is that your ferret friend can’t chew it. Instead of chewing it, ferrets will swallow it in chunks. If you do give your ferret some kibble, here’s my suggestion. First, moisten the food for him. You can easily do this by sprinkling a few drops of water or chicken broth on the food.

You may also want to take it and microwave it very briefly. You’re really not trying to heat the food up so much as soften it some without making it the consistency of canned food. This helps to minimize the wear and tear on his teeth and definitely helps to improve his ability to digest it.

The best alternative, it seems to me, is to give them access to both canned food and kibbles.