Proper Nutrition For Your Ferret

In order for your ferret to maintain optimal health, he needs to receive the proper nutrition to balance his system. The food that a ferret eats will be in his system for four hours, and needs to provide sustenance for a very high metabolism. The high metabolic rate of a ferret causes him to eat between 8 and 10 small meals each day. The food he is given should be that which he can easily digest and turn into energy.

Ferrets, hunters by nature, are carnivores. Just because their ancestors were hunters doesn't mean that your pet ferret should go foraging for food. He needs to have food and water available at all times so that he can eat whenever he is hungry. Leaving down a quality kibble will keep him from stealing your dog's food - something that is not good for him! The commercial dog foods sold on the aisles of every grocery store simply do not have the protein or fat levels a ferret needs to live well. Allowing your ferret to eat this will result in multiple health issues over time, and will cause him to at the very least have course fur and an increase in odour.

Younger ferrets, because they are still growing and maturing, need a diet that contains higher amounts of protein than do ferrets older than three years of age. Some people feed their young ferrets kitten food. Probably the best idea would be to talk to your vet about their recommendations for feeding ferrets throughout their lifetime. Adult ferrets should be able to get by just fine with a quality adult ferret kibble. Dry food is best, because it helps keep their teeth healthy. Soft food is ok every now and then, but not as a regular diet.

While it may seem like the best thing to do to feed your ferret the same food all the time; it is wise to consider that this may actually cause a problem should the food you give him ever cease to exist. Your ferret can become very picky about his food if given the same thing month after month; year after year. Were you to ever have to switch foods, your ferret would most definitely refuse to eat the new brand. In order to expand the horizons of your ferret's taste buds, it is a good idea to switch foods every so often. When doing this, keep two things in mind. First, foods that are small chunks are best for chewing and swallowing. Ferrets tend to have problems with long pieces and triangular pieces of food. These get stuck! Second, when switching foods, do so slowly; ¼ at a time.

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Everybody loves a happy ferret! This is why owners can fall victim to their cute little faces asking for treats. While giving treats to your ferret is something that they love and something you can use to reward good behaviour, these should be kept to a minimum of no more than a teaspoon size serving each day. This can be broken up into several tiny pieces of vegetable like green beans or a few raisins or cheerios. Sometimes ferrets will take the treat and hide it instead of eating it. If your ferret does this, you'll want see where he hides it and retrieve it later. If he doesn't get to it right away, the treat could mould. If he eats it at that time, it could cause problems in his delicate digestive system. That's not a treat for anyone! One thing every ferret should receive as a weekly treat is a dose of hair ball preventative. Many come in flavours that a ferret will love. Because hair balls in a ferret require surgical removal, you'll want to be sure to do all you can to prevent them from occurring.

About the Author:

Scott Reinheart is a ferret enthusiast and author. He resides in Centerville, MD. He spends his time teaching others how to raise and properly care for ferrets. For more tips on ferret nutrition, visit his site by clicking here.

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