# Ferret Help



## ShnakeyGirl (Sep 17, 2009)

My partner and I have gotten our first ferrets today, we have two gorgeous girls and a beautiful albino male. I have been trying to research their diet of things they can and cannot eat but I cannot get a straight answer at all. I was hoping that someone would be able to post a basic list of what they can eat, what they cannot eat and what is good for treats/snacks.

thanks in advance


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## abbott75 (Sep 17, 2009)

Can eat:
Meat
Whole carcasses
High protein cat food.

Can't eat:
Anything vegetable based.

That's it basically.


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## Hsut77 (Sep 17, 2009)

My Ferrets have been fed on good quality cat food for the last 8 years, and thay are still going strong. They can also be fed whole prey items like mice and rats. They need a fairly high protein and LOW fibre diet, so no vegies. You can buy ferret food at some of the bigger pet shops but is VERY expensive and almost the same as say Advance cat food. Use whole prey items or chicken necks for treats also beat up raw eggs and put in a bowl, mine love eggs!.

Hope that helps


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## pinkmus (Sep 17, 2009)

Well I have kept ferrets overseas and I do remember a few things. Not exactly diet but make sure (really make sure ferrets can get into anything) that you keep soap, detergent, lotions and foam away from them because they seem to enjoy eating soap lol and I don't think its too good for them. Make sure they get plenty of protein and animal fats in their food and only give vegetables/fruit sparely. Mine used to go nuts for rasins though so I guess it is a good treat just don't go overboard. Peanut butter is another thing you can reward them with or use as a distraction when you need to clip their nails etc...(best to do this when they're fast asleep). Sorry I can't really give a list but keep in mind that they are carnivores by nature! Remember that many commercial dried catfoods do not contain enough protein or fat.(for ferrets)

-Will


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## cosmicwolf4 (Sep 17, 2009)

I fed mine really top quality cat food, they got peanut butter when I was training them, they will do anything for it. I taught them to walk on a harness, fetch, sit and roll over with peanut butter. If they have a Kong toy for dogs, it keeps them amused for ages with food inside it and they are less bored.
Also if you aren't going to breed them, then get them desexed, they get health problems if they aren't bred


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## Hsut77 (Sep 17, 2009)

cosmicwolf4 said:


> I fed mine really top quality cat food, they got peanut butter when I was training them, they will do anything for it. I taught them to walk on a harness, fetch, sit and roll over with peanut butter. If they have a Kong toy for dogs, it keeps them amused for ages with food inside it and they are less bored.
> Also if you aren't going to breed them, then get them desexed, they get health problems if they aren't bred



Boys are ok if not desexed but females can get Aplastic anemia if they are not desexed and not bred, they will go into heat and not come out of it. Basicly their estrogen levels stay very high and depletes the red blood cells in the bone marrow. And this can be fatal.


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## ShnakeyGirl (Sep 17, 2009)

We're pretty sure we're going to breed them. They're all two years old (my partner was offered them by a friend from work who was getting rid of them and their enclosure) is this too old to train to walk on a lead etc?


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## cosmicwolf4 (Sep 17, 2009)

not if they are friendly, it just takes patience and gentle, but firm guidance and lots of treats


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## Jungletrans (Sep 17, 2009)

Mine loves dried dog food [ we dont have a cat ] .


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## ally.X (Sep 19, 2009)

i feed my two boys high quality cat food, and raw meat, and every weeek i give them a treat of lactose free milk(as they are lactose intolerant) with an egg yolk thats water down abit, but also if you are intending on breeding them make sure you know exactly what you are doing and have everyhting you need as breeding them isnt an easy job and can easily end in tragedy. 

hope that helps abit.


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## Cypher (Sep 19, 2009)

Chicken necks & wings & roo mince used to be a staple diet.
Small chunks of cheese as a snack/treat but not too often.


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## ambah (Sep 19, 2009)

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## ambah (Sep 19, 2009)

You can go for an all raw diet or dry food or both. 
I mix science diet kitten food with a cheaper home brand food. Makes the poo less.. messy. Any of them are fine as long as the protein % is up the higher end of the scale and make sure the main ingredient isn't corn meal or grains 
They love roast chicken left overs, little bits of cheese and peanut butter for treats and give them some raw chicken necks or wings every now and then to keep their teeth healthy.
I also make soup for my ferrets, you can find some recipies online, great for the colder months! 
Ferretvillage.com is also a good website for info! Can't wait for pics 
dog foods have ingredients that are bad for ferrets :/
make sure u don't leave hairbands around the house cuz they will eat them, lactose free milk only, egg whites ok cooked, garlic onion chocolate all bad but they can eat veggies, just most won't touch them, lol


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## ambah (Sep 19, 2009)

Oh my bad, posted twice :s


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## Blood Mason (Sep 19, 2009)

Mine were always fed on roo and ocassionally chicken. They didn't like mince though... had to be diced. They would eat dry cat food but the female would only eat it if it was left soaking in water to go mushy. We would also give them a raw egg every now and again and lactose-free milk for breakfast. They used to love grapes as a treat. 
One year when we had babies my dad gave them some icecream.... bad idea. They all had serious diarrhoea for 2 days. I'm guessing that was probably from the lactose.


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## Perez (Sep 20, 2009)

hey ive kept ferrets for ages... ive always fed them cat food... heaps of meat... but mine always seemed to love their fruit.... dunno why but especially peaches and plums... weird but...


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## reptilegirl_jordan (Sep 20, 2009)

Can eat:
Meat
Whole carcasses
High protein cat food.


Can't eat:
Anything vegetable based.

That's it basically.[/QUOTE]
This is correct and would like to add also ferrets dont eat fish type products.


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## ReptilianGuy (Sep 23, 2009)

heyguys, some asked for pic's, we havent had time to post pics really till now so here they are


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