Ferrets are often fed with vegetables and fruits that are locally available by their parents. But the carbohydrate and protein content of those foods is often not enough for their good health. As ferrets are carnivores they can eat both vegetables and nonvegetarian food. There are commonly available foods that are eaten by the ferrets like the meat of lamb, turkey, rabbit, game bird, minced beef, chicken wings, and offal. They actually prey on creatures like mice, rats, and chicks.
But when you keep a ferret at home, you should be aware of the nutritional needs of the pet. It may not be ideal for you to get raw foods but this is the right way to make the pet get the nutrition like it’s natural habit. Providing them with commercial food is the right idea and this makes feeding the pets hassle-free. We are offering a few suggestions on the foods good for your ferret.
Contents
Best Ferret Food For Weight Gain
1. Instinct original grain-free recipe with real chicken
This food is mentioned as cat food but the criteria that it has match all the qualities required for the ferret food. As we all know protein should be an important part of the ferret food, this food is full of that. It comes in pellet form which makes it easy for the owners to give the exact amount of food to their ferret. This food does not contain potatoes, grains, corn, wheat, soy, or any by-product meals.
The food contains necessary minerals that will keep the ferret healthy from the inside, and strong in immunity. Intake of this food will ensure that your pet gets good and soft skin and fur coat. The source of the protein in this food is cage-free chicken.
Real chicken and raw food kibbles will keep the pet healthy and energetic. This is a delicious food that will make the ferret interested in eating. It contains 81% of real animal protein along with nutritious oil. It also has 19% vegetables but the ones that are not suitable for the ferrets are not in the list of contents.
Pros:
- Contains real chicken
- No soy, wheat, or corn
- Contains probiotics
Cons:
- The smell is like burnt food
2. Wysong ferret epigen 90- starch-free dry natural food for ferrets
This brand brings food for particular animal breeds and thus this is just the perfect food option for your ferrets. This is an extruded dry diet shaped like kibbles and the ferrets prefer to eat this very much. This food recipe contains a high level of nutrition. If you are curious enough to know the contents of this formula you must check the food package. This is a grain-free food and your ferret will get the taste and flavor of the natural food in this product.
It contains all the necessary elements for the ferrets like prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, and phytonutrients. Also, it has enough antioxidants along with vitamins and minerals. There is also a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids and other fatty acids which are good for the overall health and heart health of the ferret.
Pros:
- The right food for ferrets
- Contain pre and probiotics
- Contain enzymes
- Omega 3 fatty acids
Cons:
- Causes diarrhea in some pets
This food comes in select diet formula which is just right for the ferrets. This one is great in terms of taste and thus ferrets love to eat it. This food is also highly digestible and it contains real chicken as the source of protein. The recipe has been innovated by vets, nutritionists, and ferret experts.
The food provides the ideal balance of nutrition for the ferrets as there is also a necessary amount of minerals, enzymes, and vitamins. It contains 36% crude protein and 18% fat. There is also 4% of fiber which is a necessary element for ferret meals. Along with the food you should always provide clean fresh water to your ferret which will help them to digest food easily.
The stool consistency of the ferret will depend upon the water intake and amount of fiber present in the food. But this food along with the right amount of water will solve the problem of inconsistency of stool. The food is tasty for the ferrets and even if your pet is choosy about the food then also it will like this taste. This food contains dried beet pulp and as a preservative, it contains sodium propionate. It contains chicken by-products but that is limited to organs only.
Pros:
- An appropriate amount of nutrients
- Balanced food
- Tasty for ferrets
Cons:
- Contains preservatives and cornmeal
This is a complete food with the right amount of nutrition and this one also maintains the good health condition of the ferret. This food is highly digestible and it will also make the pet strong from inside. As ferrets need a unique type of diet which is mainly based on protein your pet would be benefitted by having this food in its meal. The food contains the right amount of nutrients and this will make the pet ferret a healthy one. This one is well digested and thus the pet would not have any stomach problems while having this food.
This food is made from real chicken and egg protein; it contains all the necessary protein elements which are good for the ferret. This food has got great taste and the food will not be refused by the ferrets any day. This food will ensure that your pet ferret gets long and healthy life and does not fall sick frequently.
Pros:
- Complete food
- The right amount of nutrition
- Easily digested
Cons:
- High priced
5. Steal and Chewy’s freeze-dried raw cat dinner morsel
We have started our list with cat food and we are ending it with the similar one. This is because cat food is great for ferrets if you pay attention to the details of the food recipe. Cat and ferrets have similar criteria for food intake and their digestive system, though not similar, yet crave protein and cannot digest much grain. The taste of this food is irresistible and it will be surely loved by your ferret. This is a high-protein food and it comes in morsels, which makes it easy for pets to eat it.
This food will not hit the pets with allergies and this will ensure that there would be no health issues when you will give this food to your pet. The food contains 98% poultry elements, and it contains bone and organs. There is fiber and antibiotics which will keep their heart and blood circulation alright. This food is great for all the life stages of ferrets.
Pros:
- Raw diet
- 98% poultry
- Gives antioxidant
Cons:
- Taste may not be liked by pets
FAQs
Can I feed my ferret raw chicken?
Yes, ferrets can eat raw meat. They can also have cooked meat. When you will give it raw meat it must be fresh and not frozen. The meat may contain bones as ferrets can manage to eat the bones altogether with meat. The bone gives them extra nutrition like calcium, minerals, and marrowbone.
Can ferrets eat milk?
Raw milk or milk products should be avoided by the owner of the ferrets as ice cream, milk, and cheese should not be given to the pet. They can easily digest meat protein but they are not able to digest dairy products. The enzyme that is needed to digest lactose is not created in their system.
Can ferrets eat rice?
Ferrets are carnivores and they cannot eat rice. Rice and sugar are complex forms of carbohydrate which is not easily digested by pet ferrets.
Can ferrets eat egg yolks?
Ferrets are able to consume whole eggs or just egg yolk. But owners usually avoid feeding eggs to their ferrets because the egg whites may cause biotin deficiency among the ferrets. When you give them the whole egg, however, the pet would not suffer from such a problem as the egg yolk contains a good amount of biotin.
Which foods should not be eaten by the ferrets?
Some common fruits like apples, pears, bananas, and oranges are not supposed to be eaten by the ferrets. Among vegetables it should not eat broccoli, Brussels sprout, onion, or green beans. Apart from that it should not have rice and chocolate, salt and dairy products, or even grains and nuts.
Can ferrets eat carrots?
No, a carrot is not ideal for ferrets. It can block their digestive tract and that will be severe for the pet. Also, the sugar content of carrots is sometimes high which makes them a non-ideal product for the ferrets.
Can ferrets eat bread?
Ferrets cannot eat bread as bread is made of wheat, which is a grain. Grains are, as we have already mentioned not great for carrots and they should not be given grains. Also, bread, which is a complex form of carbohydrate, would not be easily digested by them. So you should not give bread to your ferret.
More:
