Frisky Ferrets

Nutrition & Information
Updated 11/3/98

Ferret Foods and Nutrition
Treats and Supplements
TCs Duck Soup
Housing & Bedding For Ferrets
Are Ferrets Wild?
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Ferret Nutrition

Today we hear a lot of arguments over which food is best to feed your ferret, while some are better than others it is important to note that there is no one perfect food . Another important thing to remember is that simply because a products says "ferret" on it does not make it better than all kitten/cat foods. Also brand name does not mean a thing, it is the nutritional make up, quality & actual ingredients that make the difference.
First lets talk about the nutritional make up. Ferrets require a protein level of 32% to 38% , mid range is best. A protein content of over 38% could prove to be harmful for the kidneys of an older ferret. The protein should come from animal sources, not plant or vegetable sources. Ferrets also require a high fat content of 20% to 22% , this also should come from animal sources. Ash content should be no more than 7% to avoid the formation of kidney stones. You should also keep the fiber content at 3% or lower . As your ferret gets older you may want to bring these level to the low end of the scale, as he will not require the same levels as a younger ferret.
Next lets move on to quality & actual ingredients, these two things go hand in hand. Start by looking at the first 3 ingredients . Ingredients are listed in order of quantity. The first ingredient being the most and the last the least, the first ingredient should always be a form of meat other than fish. Ideally all 3 would be meat , although there are very few that are. Fish in general would be better to avoid, first because foods that include fish high on the list of ingredients are most likely designed with minks in mind not ferrets, another reason you may want to avoid fish is that ferrets that eat foods with a high fish base tend to smell like fish. Corn should not be one of the first 3 ingredients. Actually it is best to avoid corn in all forms altogether. Corn is hard for the ferret to digest . Another thing to look at is what form is the meat. Plain meat is better than a meat by-product, by-products have been rejected for human consumption, they include things like feathers, bones, & hooves (although these things do all contribute to the protein content). Ferret should only be fed dry ferret or cat food , an occasional treat of a spoonful of canned ferret or cat food is ok but not on a regular or frequent basis. feeding your ferret moist or wet cat food will not provide him with the proper nutrients and will lead to tooth decay.
Unfortunately cost does have to come in as a factor, spending top dollar on the most expensive ferret food and not being able to afford medical care when the ferret needs it is pointless . Feeding your ferret the most expensive food is not going to prevent him from becoming ill. However feeding your ferret a quality diet will lower his chances of having certain problems in the long run. Better to buy a mid priced food and put the difference towards vaccines and future medical needs.
Also I would like to add that you should try mixing 1 or 2 foods in with their main food (all should be of high quality and within the proper levels) this way if you run out and can't find your usual brand they are already used to the other food. This also would enable you to buy a higher priced food if you choose by mixing it with a lower priced one of high quality. However by lower price I am not referring to the generic brand at the grocery store. Most of the grocery store brands are good for cats but not so good for ferret since they are at the low end of the cats nutritional needs.

Always check your ingredient labels & percentages.


I do not endorse any one food, but if I had to pick the top three they would be Innova cat food, Eukenuba cat food & then Totally Ferret. Although these are all pricey and hard to find. Other goods foods are Iams kitten, Mazuri ferret, Diamond Pro cat, L'Avian ferret, Nature Recipe, Maxi Cat kitten & 8in1 ferret food, all of these also meet their requirements. By feeding your ferret a high quality diet that meets his proper requirement you will find yourself needing to change his litter box less frequently as there will be less volume.
Fresh clean water should always be available for the ferret. Ferrets can very quickly suffer from dehydration.

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Supplements and Treats


Unless you are feeding an improper diet vitamin supplements are not necessary for the healthy ferret. If your ferret is ill your vet may recommend you supplement his diet with vitamins but stick with the quantity the vet recommends as large quantities of vitamins over a long period of time can build up in the body and cause problems themselves.
During the colder months when you run your heat the air in your house may become dry. This dry air can cause a ferrets skin and coat to become dry itself. A few drops of Ferretone or Linatone a couple times a week can help maintain a healthy coat. Ferrets love the stuff but remember to much of a good thing is still to much! I mix equal parts of olive oil with the Ferretone to cut down on high vitamin A content.
Nutrical is a good supplement for young or ill ferrets. Ferrets also love it as a treat anytime! Nutrical is good for stimulating the appetite of ferrets, however it has a high sugar content so use it sparingly. You may want to give Nutrical and Duck Soup (this is a mix of many things used well a ferret is very ill) to your ferret as an occasional treat, that way he will be used to them in case he does get sick!
Ferrets can get hairballs like cats but unlike cats they do not throw them up. Many ferrets have needed surgery for blockage caused by hairballs. To help with this problem use a cat laxative like Laxatone or Petramalt twice a week during the time your ferret is changing his coat. They will love you for it! Again these things are great for ferret but use sparingly because of the sugar content and with the hair ball remedies you may end up with a ferret with diarrhea if you give him too much.
As far a treats, ferrets love anything "you" have but there are things they should not have. Nothing with a bone should ever be given. You should avoid treats high in sugar as ferrets have trouble digesting large quantities of sugar and this can lead to problems with the pancreas.
Some good "people" treats to share would be bagels & cherios. Chocolate should never be given to a ferret. Ferrets love fruits and veggies, but their systems don't. Ferrets do not digest fiber well at all, a banana in comes out a banana. They enjoy treats like banana, raisins, peeled grapes & blueberries. Oh, and they love mashed potatoes. Things to avoid are hard veggies like raw carrots these can actually cause blockage. The key to remember is that even a safe treat is not good if you give him to much, a good amount would be about 1/2 teaspoon of any treat per ferret. And 3 raisins is plenty for one ferret. Too much fiber can cause diarrhea which in turn can cause dehydration.
Most important of all remember to love your ferret everyday!


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T.C. Duck Soup

This makes 3 Pints
Mix all 3 together in a bowl and cover and store in the fridge over night. Pour contents of bowl in a food processor or blender, blend till smooth. Add each of the following ingredients one at a time blending between each one.


This combination of ingredients has done wonders for my ferrets and others in the past. It has a pleasant taste to a ferret and I have never had any problem getting any ferret to eat it. As long as you soak the food over night it blends smooth enough to easily move in and out of a syringe or feeding tube.
The Echinacia also helps to boost the immune system. Try to use a natural cranberry juice without sugars/corn syrup added.
This recipe makes 3 pints. It can also be frozen. When I have a sick ferret I also give a small amount to the healthy ferrets as a treat, this way they are used to the taste. I recommend making a batch up and keeping it in the freezer so that you always have some on hand you never know when an emergency may hit!

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Housing & Bedding


For your ferrets safety he should spend the time that you are away from home in the safety of his cage. For this reason you need to make his cage as comfortable as possible. Glass & aquarium type cages should never been used for ferrets , they do not provide the proper ventilation even with a screen top.
A ferret cage should be 36 X 24 X 18 or larger . A solid bottom is better on the ferrets little feet, however most cages have a wire bottom. If your cage does have a wire bottom there are many ways to make it more comfortable for your ferret. Some people cover the bottom with rug, but it is harder to keep clean and pleasant smelling. I cover the bottom of my solid and wire bottom cages with sheets, it takes 2 sheets to make it warm and comfy. Sheets can easily be taken out and washed once a week to keep the cage clean. If you don't have any old sheets lying around blankets or towels can also be used. It is very important to remember to check your new ferrets bedding because some ferrets will chew holes through their bedding and this can cause intestinal blockage requiring surgery . If you find that your ferret does chew his bedding try to find something he will not chew. One of my ferrets will chew on blankets but never on sheets so try swapping bedding types if they do chew on one type.
Pine or cedar shavings should never be used for bedding or anything for the ferret. These shavings can cause respiratory and other health problems.
You will also need a small litter box for the cage, a water bottle & a dish that securely attaches to the cage. Your ferret will also appreciate a hammock and/or a ferret sleeping bag to curl up in.
For bedtime ferrets prefer enclosed sleeping quarters. They may curl up within their bedding if it is made of cloth. They love ferret sleeping bags, which are very easily made. I highly recommend the use of a sleeping bag if you use rug in the bottom of the cage. They need something soft and warm to cuddle up in at night!
If you are just a little on the creative side you can come up with a wonderful playground with in the cage. Just with a few simple easily obtained items like a drier vent hose, large PVC pipe, large cardboard tube (which are easy to get and free! Go to your local carpet store or Home Depot, they just throw away the empty tubes, so ask if you can have one, they are great fun for ferrets!) With these things you can turn a plain old cage into a place your ferret will enjoy playing and exercising in!
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Aren't Ferrets Wild?
Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are not wild animals. They were domesticated by the Egyptians around 3000 BC. If a ferret got free it would not survive; it would die of dehydration or starvation within a few days. It is also likely that if they did not starve to death they would meet their end by predators such as hawks.
In over countries ferrets are still used today as hunting animals to catch rabbits and rodents. The ferrets do not kill the game their job is to go down in to the holes and flush it out so the farmers/hunters can catch it at the other end. This practice is now illegal in the USA and most of Canada.
Confusion about ferrets most likely comes from confusing them with their cousins the North American Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela Nigripes). Black-Footed ferrets are wild relatives of the domestic ferret. They live in Wyoming and neighboring states, and they are an endangered species. However, despite quite similar appearances, the Black Footed Ferret is very unlikely to be an ancestor of the domestic ferret, since ferrets were first domesticated in Egypt and only brought to North America comparatively recently. Domestic ferrets are generally believed to be descended from the European polecat.
If you have never met a ferret before, the easiest way to think of them is somewhere between a kitten and a dog in personality, but smaller and cuter. Some ferrets are cuddly, others more independent: they vary a lot, just like people. Ferrets are a lot of fun. They love to play!! Most ferrets never grow out of their playful stage. A ferret - or better yet 2 or more - can be a very entertaining friend for your family. They are smarter than cats and dogs. They are also very inquisitive and remarkably determined, which is part of their charm but also can be a bit of a bother when they repeatedly remove all the books from the bottom 2 shelves of your book cases.
They can be trained to use a litter box and to do tricks, and most of them love to go places with you riding on a shoulder or in a bag. They need to be kept in a cage when you are not home - for their protection, however they need several hours a day every day out of their cage playing.
Ferrets are wonderful pets but like any pet you should learn about the animal before getting one. If you have any questions about the domestic ferret please feel free to give us a call we will be glad to answer any questions you might have!
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