What’s a Healthy Diet for Your Ferret?
A healthy diet is very important for your ferret’s long and healthy life. With improper diet ferrets are at risk of serious health problems. Ferrets cannot survive without a low fiber high protein diet as they are meat eaters.
Till mid 1980’s, for feeing pet ferrets, high quality cat food was the only choice. High quality cat foods are still viable option to feed ferrets, but now there are several choices of ferret foods available in the market that provides higher quality fat needed and at the same time lower content of carbohydrates. To achieve maximum life span ferrets need this combination of lower carbohydrates and fat.
It is especially crucial that a baby ferret gets this type of diet. When buying look for products that have minimum 35- 40% protein and 18-30% fat, need to contain 21 amino acids, 2% fiber, less than 7.0 % ash level, and good carbohydrate ingratiates like brewer’s yeast or rice flower.
Also be aware that some foods are prepared with poorly processed frozen fish and your ferret will not eat it. Some ferrets are so finicky/stubborn that they will refuse to point of starvation when such food is offered to them.
High quality ferret food may be more expensive than high quality cat food. But be aware that your ferret will eat minimal amounts of food, which should bring down the overall cost. Ferrets don’t need to take any supplements if they are fed with healthy diets.
In order to sustain a healthy life your ferret needs to eat at least twice a day to gain the calories needed. Remember their portions should be small as they are small animals. The food is only good for forty-five minutes if the ferret is fed a moist diet. Soon after the food should be removed. You can also consider a dry pellet diet.
A dry pellet diet can be left in the cage all day, as it is longer lasting. Dry pellets also help to clean the ferret’s teeth. Ferrets that have dry diet should have fresh water all the time. Ferrets prefer to drink from a water bowl than a water bottle. Make sure the water in the bowl is changed few times a day to ensure purity.
Giving your ferret treats can be useful with housebreaking your ferret. It is however not a necessity. The best choices of snack are cooked egg and meat. Fruits are high in sugar should be avoided. Candy, dairy products such as milk and ice cream, nuts & nuts products will cause nutritional problems and should also be avoided.
Some health problems include malnutrition, tooth decay, obesity, diarrhea, insulinoma, intestinal blockage and hypoglycemia. Use treats sparingly as it may cause your ferret to reject its normal daily diet. Ferrets don’t digest grains and vegetables well so they should be avoided at all cost. Onions are actually poisonous to ferrets.
Providing proper nutrition to your pet ferret is essential for its long and healthy life. It will make sure your ferret is happy and comfortable. It also minimizes any risk of serious life threatening illness.
Ferret owners have a reputation to show an ample amount of affection and love towards these frisky and funny pets but the best way to show love to your ferret is to reward them with proper diet.
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