The ferrets are obligate carnivores who are compelled to eat meat and meat only. The best bet for ferrets is raw meat however other meat variants can also suffice. A unique fact to note here is that due to their obligatory relationship with meat-eating for survival ferrets can also eat whole prey, in other words, it can eat an animal mostly rabbits, mice and chicks etcetera raw. The most of a ferret diet is made up of meat content.
Foods made for kittens, baby ferrets etcetera can also be consumed by ferrets since these foods have a high rate of meat content in them also dried food can also be chosen as an alternative since even these foods are made up with high meat protein levels infused into them. Not only this but also with very rare occasions of feeding a ferret can also adapt to egg eating but these should be strictly very-very occasional with the strict prohibition of any kinds of food including fruits vegetables or any other type of food which has ingredients forming complex carbohydrates.
An ideal ferret diet thus makes of food which has a range of 32 to 38% of meat proteins loaded into it with a touch of 15 to 20% of fat intake.
Types of raw meats a ferret can happily eat
Though any type of food which is loaded with immense meat protein in it is welcomed by a ferret to have a meal upon below are certain variants to the raw meats which the ferrets can feed upon while they are hungry. Hence the best foods for ferrets are:
- Wings of the chicken or carcasses which are stripped
- Necks of the turkey bird
- A rabbit
- The game birds
- The pigeons
- Beef or minced beef
- A lamb or a lamb’s heart
- An offal
- Bones of raw animals
As whole prey animals, the ferrets can eat mice and rats and also for that matter the chicks too. Although feeding complete raw meat to the ferret pet might not feel to be ideal at first but raw meat forms a part of the ferret’s daily obligatory nutritional needs which replicates the ferret’s diet from its natural wild eating habits. Therefore it is important to buy good quality meat containing food for the pet along with the purchase of rodents from a seller that is reputable and licensed to sell them. This is because if the rodents are caught by self or bought from anywhere that isn’t hygienic or safe then the ferrets are more likely to dangers implicating to the consumption of rodents carrying parasites or infections by pests. Moreover, the food to a ferret shall be fed by own this is because ferrets do have a tendency to stock up the meat diet for later however these stockpiles can prove dangerous if not consumed within the shelf rate. The main reason behind this is that raw meat which makes the most of a ferret’s diet can simply stale within a few days and consuming this stale meat can lead to hazardous food poisoning.
A ferret and its obligate carnivore diet
The main reason behind the ferrets being obligatory carnivore is that these jumpy little modified weasels have a very short to moderate gut length which is extremely inefficient and ineffective in digesting the high-grade proteins and carbohydrates offered by the vegetables for this sole reason the ferrets are compelled to eat a diet which has easy to break chains of carbohydrates and proteins which can be easily digested by these pretty pets and also provides them with jolts of energy to remain playful around their owners too.
Thus it can be said that diet with high fiber contents might be of super nutritional value to humans for ferrets these foods have simply zero to little nutritional value as these furry pets cannot break these nutritional components into the ways which are nutritional. Moreover what without any questions is best for the ferrets are the proteins. Even the diet inclusive of high carbohydrates can cause numerous diseases in ferrets which can be harmful. Not only this but also the meat protein diet should also be restricted to only 2-3 times a day since the short tracts of these animals high metabolic rate is not made for systemic high influxes of food as the digestive system is already inefficient more intake of food will only make the process worse.
Foods that are not good for the ferret pets
Veggies and fruits should not be a part of the mainstream diet of a ferret. This is because as discussed ferrets are inefficient in digesting carbohydrates and vegetable protein. The reason behind this is the absence of cecum in these animals which makes for most of the gut of the animals and helps in digestion of the complex protein and carbohydrate chains.
Binging on veggies and fruits can lead to the ferret suffering insulinoma which is also called the cancer of the pancreas and on a lower danger rate these carbohydrates and vegetable proteins can also cause hindered reproductive ability, stunted growth of pouches, bladder stones, skin ulcerations and also gastroenteritis. Therefore the foods listed below should hence be strictly avoided:
- Apples and blackberries
- Lentils and beans
- Pears and raspberries
- Pigeon beans and pink beans
- Spinach
- Small beans and winged beans
- Lima beans and pinto beans
- Pears and bananas
- Broccoli and Brussel sprouts
- Blueberries and dates
- Onions and figs
- Guavas and kiwis
- Plums and raisins
- Sweet potato and green beans
- Oranges
- Peanut butter and chocolate
- Rice and peas
- Salt
Food routines of ferrets
The energy sources of ferrets are generally meat proteins and meat fat. For baby ferrets, fresh meat combined with goat milk or any other milk having low lactose count can also be preferred. The routine for the ferret feeding can be:
- For breakfast water along with fresh cut, meat can be served
- For lunch, fresh meat should be served
For dinner, fresh meat or any other above mentioned best ferret foods can be served and for suppertime milk along with bone and meat can be served.
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