Your ferret is a carnivore. He needs a diet high in protein and fats. When searching for the perfect food for your beloved fuzzy, look for something that contains at least 30-35% protein and about 20% fat. The main ingredient (listed first on the bag ingredient list) should be a meat such as chicken or lamb. Not a ‘meal’ or ‘by-product’. You also want to avoid artificial colors and flavors. And look for something with a natural preservative such as vitamin E.

Because ferrets have such a short digestive tract, it is important to feed them easily digestible high protein foods. Do not use foods intended for other animals such as dog or cat food. They simply will not be able to gain the appropriate nutrition from these foods. They are usually high in fiber and ferrets just cannot digest them properly. Also avoid foods that list corn or any kind of ‘meal’ on the ingredient list. Not only are they not getting the proper nutrition, your ferret will be more prone to health hazards like kidney stones, dull coat and bladder stones.

Sometimes ferret owners want to give their ferrets a treat of actual meat. I don’t recommend doing this, but if you must, cooked chicken is the best way to go. Raw meat is dangerous as the parasite and bacteria can cause significant problems with your ferret’s health. Never give your ferret a meat bone of any kind to chew, as shards of bone can get lodged in or tear the linings of the digestive tract.

Always provide your ferret with fresh water and a constant supply of food. Ferrets don’t generally overeat. They eat 10-12 small meals a day and it only takes about 2 hours for the food to make it all the way through the digestive tract. Here’s a few foods I approve of (I did the research and the shopping for you! All you have to do is click!)

ZuPreem Ferret Diet:	8 in 1 Ultimate:

Ferrets love treats! The best treats to give him are the meat based made-for-ferrets variety. Raisins are an OK snack from time to time but avoid most fruits and vegetables. As I said before, their digestive tracts just aren’t designed for the fiber intake. Here a few suggested treats:

Cheweasels: these are fantastic if you have a chewer. They digest easily and satisfy destructive need to chew. Great for kits!	Healthy Chicken Fillets: These are just about the healthiest treats I’ve come across. The protein levels and ingredients are some of the best available.