Things to Avoid in Your Ferret's Diet

Ferrets are obligate carnivores which means that they must eat meat to survive. On top of this they have a very short digestive tract and do not have the ability to digest plant matter which means that feeding them can be very tricky in the early days. Here are a few things to avoid in your ferrets diet.

Despite being meat eaters, don't feed your ferret a diet of raw meat only. In the wild ferrets will not only eat the meat of their prey, they also consume the internal organs and bones, all of this together provides a natural balanced diet. By giving them meat alone you are not only giving them an imbalanced diet but there may be parasites in the meat which can only be destroyed by cooking.

Do not feed them fruit, vegetation and plant material. Because of their metabolism and digestive system, ferrets are unable to gain any nutritional benefit at all from these products. They lack a cecum, which is the part of the intestine which is used to break down plant fiber. If too much of this is eaten it can lead to malnutrition, diarrhea and bowel obstruction.

Don't give them milk, ice cream, yoghurt or other dairy products. Ferrets are lactose intolerant and will only bring up what you have given them or if not, suffer bad diarrhea. You can give them small amounts of boiled or poached egg but make sure they have not been seasoned with salt or anything else.

If you are struggling to find ferret food in your area do not give them dog food instead. Whilst the nutritional value is good for dogs it contains more vegetable protein and less animal protein than your ferret needs to remain healthy. It also lacks taurine which is essential to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system and eyes. You can use cat food but it must be high quality so read the nutritional chart before purchasing it. Avoid cheaper brand products as these may contain less of the essential nutrients and more fiber and salt than is good for your fuzzy.

Onions, tomato skins, raw potatoes and eggplant should never be given to your fuzzy as these contain substances which are toxic to him as are chocolate and liquorice. The latter is especially dangerous if your ferret has a heart condition.

If your ferret has the run of the house you should also be mindful of what plants you have and where, as many household plants are toxic to him including daffodils, marigolds, prayer plants and ivy. If fuzzy is in the garden then make sure that he is not going to come to harm by keeping him away from these and other types of plant.

While it may be very fragrant to us and make our homes and offices smell nice, pot pourri may be hazardous to your ferret as well. The pieces of bark and other matter it is made of may be just the right size for fuzzy to carry off and play with but the oils which make it smell nice may entice him to eat it. Some of these oils contain toxins which will harm him, and the ingredients of pot pourri have no nutritional value whatsoever.