Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Ferrets are born to dig. In the wild, they often dig through piles of dirt and, domestically, a food dish is often the only source in which to sink their paws. The ferrets can create a mess when digging through their food at home. The food often gets into the water, then the animals dig through the water, making a mess of their bedding or whatever else surrounds the dishes.
Ferrets, like many exotic pets, have specific dietary needs that must be met to maintain their optimal health. While it's not generally recommended that you give your ferret human foods, there are some instances when you can make exceptions. Although you should not give your ferret olive oil on a daily basis, the oil is safe to give to your pet in limited amounts to help fulfill its dietary needs and to keep it as healthy as possible.
Initially domesticated and bred as exterminators of mice and other small game, ferrets have quickly become a common household pet. They are intelligent and playful, and when well cared for they can live up to eight years. Ferrets should consume a strictly carnivorous diet; nonmeat foods can cause health problems. Veterinarians recommend feeding special ferret foods only.
Having a pet ferret requires commitment and careful consideration of its care. Playful and affectionate by nature, ferrets need proper nutrition to maintain their health. The variety of food available for ferrets in the marketplace may make it a bit confusing to know what to feed. Knowing what ferrets eat makes it easier to provide them with the right foods so they can grow and thrive.
Ferrets are obligate carnivores, which means that they are meat eaters. A proper balanced diet is necessary to maintain your ferret's optimum health so it is important to know what to include in its daily diet. Ferrets need a diet high in protein and low in fiber. An improper diet can lead to malnutrition and health problems.
The ingredients found in dog food determine the quality of the food and how healthy it is for your dog. Higher quality foods use fewer fillers such as corn and cereal grains, as well as few to no by-products. Lower quality food may be less expensive but may also be filled with high-carb fillers and meat by-products or flavorings. There are a variety of dog foods available to help with weight control, healthy coats and immune systems. Some are created specifically to be non-allergenic, and do not include the ingredients commonly found to cause allergies in dogs.
Ferrets are obligate carnivores (animals that must eat animal tissue to survive) and require a high-energy, high-protein diet. Muscle meat alone will cause nutritional imbalances that result in death, so a healthy diet should contain muscle meat (beef or chicken) combined with other animal proteins such as liver, kidney, beef or chicken heart, and animal fat. Ferrets are notoriously fussy eaters, so offer samples of several different kinds of food to make a tempting meal. Stay away from foods with high carbohydrate and fiber content because they are indigestible by your ferret.
Ferrets are mammals often kept as pets. Like many other domesticated pets, ferrets are carnivores. However, since raw meat could carry potentially harmful bacteria, knowing the different types of food you can feed your favorite will help ensure that it receives the proper nourishment.
Ferrets have been domesticated for around 2,500 years. They were once used primarily for hunting rabbits. But, over the years, ferrets have come to be viewed as family pets. When ferrets become sick, they require particular attention to their needs. Common problems with ferrets are low blood sugar and diarrhea. In addition, they need special care following tooth removal and after surgical procedures.
Ferrets are carnivore, and should be fed as such. They adjust to new foods best at a young age, as older ferrets will often ignore new food. Adding a new food should be done gradually, mixing it at first with the old, to give the ferret's digestive tract a chance to get used to it. Ferrets don't digest fiber well, and it should be avoided except as an occasional treat. The metabolism of a ferret is very fast, so food and fresh water should be available to them at all times.
Ferrets have digestive tracts that are too short to digest or even soften vegetable material. Ferrets can get perforated bowels from eating raw vegetables or even hard fruits, such as apples. Therefore, they need a mostly meat diet. EverythingFerret.com defines a high-protein diet as one that includes 34 percent protein.
Despite popular misconception, ferrets do not instinctively know what food is good for them and what is bad. They will eat anything they can get a hold of. Fortunately, there are many fine commercially made ferret food and treats available. But some human foods can be used as treats or as part of a balanced ferret diet.
Ferrets are a different and fun-loving pet choice. But because ferrets are illegal in some states and rare in others, a lack of information about them is usually the norm. Owners might be a little confused about the proper care of their pets, especially in the area of proper feeding and nutrition.
Watch an exotic animal health technician explain how to choose the right food for a pet ferret in this free online video.
