Ferret Food

A raw meat diet for ferrets?

Good health is based primarily on good nutrition. Feeding your ferret is not at all like feeding a dog or a cat. There are fewer options available and some specialized dietary requirements.

The ferret has evolved over thousands of years as a true carnivore. The ferret does not require, nor should it be fed a diet that includes plant matter. Dietary requirements are essentially animal sources of protein, fats, minerals, etc. A diet based on rodents, birds, reptiles and insects would be ideal, however, in a domestic situation this necessarily becomes impossible.

The next best option is a human grade raw meat diet that is correctly balanced through supplementation. Such a diet affords the ferret the correct daily nutritional requirements. In order to prevent periodontal disease, and maintain a healthy therapeutic effect, a twice-weekly chicken neck or wing is a satisfactory option. This affords the necessary muscular exercise for head and jaw, the tearing and shearing action available only with a prey model.

Grains, vegetables and fruits are not well tolerated by ferrets, as they lack the enzymes to break down and metabolize these food sources.

How to feed your ferret?
(source : https://www.lovethatpet.com/small-pets/ferrets/food/)

Ferrets should ideally eat 2 to 4 small meals each day. Dry foods can be left out, but meat should always be removed it if is not consumed within an hour. This may vary depending on your ferrets age, for example:

Younger, more active ferrets require more frequent feeding (5 or 6 times per day).
Older ferrets, particularly those with pancreatic problems, require continual access to food.