The Healthiest Treats to Feed Your Ferrets

When those bright little eyes gaze longingly out of that adorable furry face, it can be hard to resist the urge to indulge your ferret with whatever temptation the little trickster is trying to tease you. But keep in mind that, as with everything in life, moderation is the key; no more than 5% of your ferret’s overall diet should consist of treats, and not all treats are created equal. As obligate carnivores, ferrets have very specific nutritional needs that differ from those of dogs, cats, and especially humans. They cannot eat the same type of food or treats that you or even your other pets consume on a daily basis and remain completely healthy. Ferrets need a high protein, high fat, low fiber diet with the main sources of protein coming from meat ingredients. They do not digest fruits, vegetables, grains/cereals, or fiber well, and should avoid sweet/sugar foods that can lead to dental problems, obesity, and an increased risk of insulinoma.

The following is a list of some great treat options to offer:

1) Meat: Freeze-dried, cooked or raw (If not already part of your main diet) Chicken, turkey, beef, salmon, organ meats like chicken liver or hearts, unsalted jerky (avoid seasoned or processed meats like luncheon meat, salami, or bacon).

2) small animals of prey (If not already part of their main diet) – mice, chicks, quail, rats, rabbits – preferably pre-killed or thawed to prevent injury to your ferret.

3) insects – (live/dry) Earthworms. Mealworms. cockroach crickets Live bait.

4) chicken or turkey porridge for babies – Stallions can get addicted to these things! It also works well as a temporary substitute for kibble if your ferret is sick or recovering from surgery and is a picky eater.

5) Eggs: raw or cooked without seasoning (remove the skin)

6) oils – Salmon, Emu, Cod Liver, Extra Virgin Olive or Extra Virgin Coconut Oils.

Vitamin supplements such as FerreTone, Linatone, Furatone, FerretLax, Laxatone, Petromalt should be avoided when dealing with healthy ferrets. Vitamin A toxicity can be the result of too many “tone” supplements.

7) Commercial treats for ferrets – The highest quality candies are free of sugar or soy ingredients. Here are some good ones:

– Wysong Daily Dream Ferret Treats

– Stella & Chewys freeze-dried

– Freeze-dried PureBites

The following are also fine in moderation, but are less preferred due to small amounts of sugar and/or soy:

– N-Bone Ferret Chews

– Cheweasel Edible Chew Toys

– Fuzzy’s Foamy Fries

– Brown’s Natural Chicken Strips Ferret Treat

Avoid most other “ferret treats” sold in pet stores; many are high in sugar, have fruits and vegetables as main ingredients, and contain almost no protein.

Do Not Feed List:

Vegetables, fruits, dried fruits (including raisins), alcohol, sugary drinks or juices, coffee and tea products, garlic or shallots, cereals, dairy products, seeds and nuts (can cause clogging), chocolate, candy, fruit snacks , peanut butter , natural chew toys not intended for ferrets (such as cow hooves, pig’s ears, or rawhide; these can cause intestinal blockages in ferrets), dog or cat treats.

If in doubt, don’t let your ferret eat it, even if he or she wants it! Remember… ferrets will eat a deadly piece of Styrofoam or plastic just as quickly as a tasty piece of meat, so clearly they aren’t always the best judges of what is and isn’t good for them. You have to be the smart one in the family and keep them on the safe path to a long and healthy life; even if it means preventing them from eating things that they are absolutely convinced they want to eat. Being the bad cop and limiting your ferret’s treats will pay off when he gets to enjoy the benefit of your bright-eyed bandit’s company for years to come.