Diet Options for Ferrets

Kibble

Kibble is the most common form of feeding in the US and Asia for its convenience and low cost, but many owners don't understand what goes into making kibble, much less the risks of feeding kibble. 

It's important to know the process of creating kibble in the pet food industry before deciding to feed it to your ferrets. 

Most meat found in kibble are what's called 3D or 4D meats, (D standing for dead, diseased, dying, and destroyed) as they are scraps and leftovers of animal tissues. These tissues go through a denaturing process, in which animal products 'unfit for human consumption' following the rendering process are chosen and marked/dyed with charcoal, fish meal, or chemical agents (byproducts).

Once the rendered and denatured animal tissues have been finely mixed with other ingredients, the kibble goes through an extrusion process, in which the paste is pushed through a pressurized, high-temperature tube to create the small kibble sizes. Thus, the digestible protein from the animal byproduct in the kibble is greatly decreased. 

Enter plant proteins: To regain the lost nutritional value from the cooked animal byproducts, companies will add plant proteins to boost the nutrient percentages on the back of the bag. 

Ferrets are not designed to digest plant matter and the plant matter found in kibble results in an excess of carbohydrates, which falsely elevates blood glucose for 2-4 hours before dramatically dropping again. 

It's important to remember that ferrets on a kibble diet must have it available at all times, as the carbohydrates in kibble will cause a spike and drop in blood glucose every few hours. This is where the universal statement: "Ferrets must eat at least every 2 hours" comes from. If ferrets are fasted from kibble, they will experience a dramatic drop in glucose that may risk death due to the high amounts of carbohydrates and lack of vital nutrients their body relies on to self-regulate. This rule does not apply to ferrets that are fed grinds, frankenprey, or whole prey raw diet. 

"Can I feed my ferret cat food?"

This is another common misconception that puts your ferrets at risk. While it is true that ferrets and cats are both obligate carnivores, multiple cat kibbles on the market contain unsafe amounts of fruit/vegetable matter and high levels of fiber. 

"What should I look for when choosing a kibble?"

When looking for a kibble, you must perform your own research prior to believing statements on the bag. Remember that Marshall's kibble, which is arguably the WORST kibble to feed your ferrets, states it is a "Premium" diet for ferrets and guarantees your ferret will be healthy on their diet. 

If you must feed your ferret kibble after understanding that it is not a biologically appropriate diet, I urge you to read the nutritional information and ingredients on the back of the bag before purchasing. 

• Ensure this kibble has a high amount of protein and fat (greater than 30%)

• The less fiber (less than 3%) and plant matter - the better. Remember plant matter converts into carbohydrates which are dangerous for your ferret. It is almost impossible to find a kibble that does not contain plant matter, but the least amount listed in the ingredients and the further down on the list the better. 

• The protein source must be meat-based, not grain-based. 

• Absolutely no grains, corn, peas, or legumes! Not only is this unsafe as it is plant matter, but it is also commonly linked to urolithiasis (bladder stones) as they cause the urine to be dangerously high in pH and encourage crystals and stones to form. 

• The fewer by-products listed, the better! Remember where animal by-products are derived from. (Top of this paragraph). Complete proteins that are listed in the ingredient list first are best. 

If you choose to feed your ferret a kibble diet, I recommend Wysong Epigen 90, preferably the Starch-Free Formula. Do be warned that many claim Wysong causes loose stools, although I didn't have that issue when I was feeding it. Wysong is not a perfect kibble by any means, as it still has plant matter and unnecessary preservatives and fillers, but there is no "perfect kibble" on the market and the risks of feeding kibble still come with feeding Wysong.  

Freeze Dried Raw (FDR)

Freeze-dried raw is an excellent option for those who do not wish to feed a raw diet but want to mimic its benefits. Depending on the company, some may still use 3D or 4D meats. If a breakdown of muscle meat:organ:bone is not readily available, contact the company prior to purchasing (Goal is 80(muscle meat):10(organ):10(bone) ratio to mimic whole prey). It's important to remember to feed a variety of 3-4 different animal proteins throughout the week. 

Rehydrated FDR is stable for 6-8 hours before going rancid. 

Navigating the market may be tricky for those who do not know what to look for when purchasing FDR. Let's discuss the pros and cons first: 

Selecting a FDR diet for your ferrets closely follows the guidelines I listed for kibble:

• The less fiber (less than 3%) and plant matter - the better. The least amount of plant matter that is listed in the ingredients and the further down on the list the better. 

• The protein source must be meat-based, not grain-based. Avoid byproduct protein sources. 

• Absolutely no grains, corn, peas, or legumes! Multiple brands produce FDR that includes fruits and vegetables and should be avoided.

I tend to only purchase 3 brands of FDR, although these brands still contain small amounts of plant matter and fillers. 

• Rawwble Cat Formula (Chicken, Turkey, and Beef). *Rawwble is comparable to Stella & Chewy's and is slightly more affordable.

• Stella & Chewy's Feline Dinner Morsels (Chicken, Pork, Rabbit, Turkey, and occasionally DuckDuck Goose). Avoid fish proteins as these are lower in protein/fat and can cause your ferret to have a "fishy" smell if overfed.

• Vital Essentials Cat Food (Chicken, Pork, Rabbit, Turkey, Beef/Chicken, and Duck). Both the "Mini Nibs" and the "Mini Patties" are acceptable and are owner preference. 

Raw Feeding 

Raw Feeding is the most biologically appropriate diet for your ferrets and is the gold standard diet for all ferrets. Because there is so much information pertaining how to properly feed a raw diet, I have dedicated an entire page to Raw Feeding. 

Click the link to read basic information about raw feeding. (how to, forms of raw feeding, etc.)

"Can I feed Kibble & Raw together?"

While kibble-fed ferrets must eat throughout the day to stabilize their glucose throughout the dramatic rises and drops caused by kibble, a raw diet stabilizes a ferret's blood glucose properly, thus nixing the need for freely available kibble. This is also why it is heavily recommended to fast a kibble-fed ferret for 1-3 hours prior to offering raw during the transition process. 

Combining kibble and raw not only defeats the goals of raw feeding but may also put your ferrets at risk. Here's why: 

1. Your ferret is still receiving unnecessary carbohydrates and plant matter from kibble, thus spiking their glucose and putting them at risk for Insulinoma.

2. You are throwing off the nutritional balance of a raw diet, risking an excess/lack of certain nutrients, thus risking health issues in the future. Ferrets may also pick and choose their favorite aspects of the offered raw diet, even further throwing off the nutritional balance. 

3. Feeding kibble and raw simultaneously puts your ferret at risk for severe digestive upset, as each food is processed differently than the other. A ferret's GI system struggles to process kibble, while raw is much more easily digested.  It is not uncommon to have severe diarrhea and possibly vomiting when feeding both foods, which can become dangerous if left unmanaged for too long. (It's not uncommon for raw to be the immediate blame for digestive upset, but this can not be further from the case if feeding a properly balanced and human-grade raw.)

Treats

While treats should be kept to a minimum, especially for our ferrets that love to eat, we always want to spoil our babies. We can also utilize treats for training and maintenance. 

• 1. Salmon Oil: Salmon Oil is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids, which are great for skin and coat health, as well as heart and brain health. It is the most commonly used treat for medications and nail trims, as well as transitioning picky ferrets to a raw diet. Important Note: Ferrets can only have a maximum of 1 teaspoon of salmon oil per week. An excessive amount of oil will coat their digestive tract and cause malabsorption and diarrhea. 

  2. Freeze-Dried Treats: These are the "healthiest" forms of treats that can be given. Remember an excess of these treats will throw off their diet and may cause nutritional deficiencies and obesity. Below is a list of freeze-dried treat providers provided by the Holistic Ferret Forum. 

• PureBites Freeze Dried Treats *

• Orijen Freeze Dried Cat Treats *

• Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Cat Treats *

• Sojo’s Freeze Dried Cat Treats *

• Whole Life Pet Just One Treats *

• Cosma Snackies Freeze Dried Cat Treats: 100% Pure Meat or Fish *

• Wild Freedom Freeze Dried Snacks *

• Thrive Pet Food Snacks *

• Wolf of Wilderness Raw Freeze Dried Snacks *

• Stella and Chewy’s Feline Freeze Dried (many S&C products do contain vegetable/plant matter)

*Note that freeze-dried TREATS are NOT a balanced meal, but great treats. Be sure to always READ THE INGREDIENT LIST of any product you purchase before feeding it to your ferrets.

3. Whole Whisked Chicken Egg/Yolk: Egg yolk is considered a treat as ferrets learn to love it and it can only be given sparingly. The main purpose of feeding egg yolks to our ferrets is to prevent hairballs, especially during coat change seasons. This is because the lecithin found in the yolk binds to the proteins that cause hairballs and allows them to pass before causing a blockage. Egg whites can not be fed to ferrets alone as it can lead to a biotin deficiency which will cause hair breakage and hair loss. 

Feeding Guide for Chicken Eggs: 1 whole egg per week, 2-3 whole eggs during shedding season. 

Feeding an excessive amount of eggs will throw off the balance of their diet and cause digestive issues. 

You can also feed whole Quail Eggs as they are rich in nutrients but are smaller in volume and can be fed more frequently. Ferrets love to roll them around and crack them.