- Ferrets are carnivores with digestive tracts that are not designed to process a great deal of vegetable matter. Avoid ferret foods with grain as the primary ingredient.
- The healthiest ferret foods have a variety of meat, like chicken, lamb or poultry meal as the first item in the ingredient list.
- Because percentages are not included in the ingredient list, it is possible that ferret food with an animal product first and a few fibrous ingredients farther down the list might actually have a majority vegetable product composition. Other animal products (such as herring, cod fish and liver) close to the top of the list demonstrate a more healthy ingredient list.
- Taurine is an important ingredient in ferret food, as it contributes to good vision and heart health in ferrets. Ferret owners who may be tempted to use dog food for their pets should think again, as it lacks this nutrient.
- The best ferret food contains no artificial preservatives or colors. Instead it contains vitamin E for natural preservation.
