It's important as pet parents that we attempt to understand the nutritional needs of our pets. With ferrets, that information is hard to come by. For your convenience, I've compiled most of what I know about ferret nutrition into one article! Unfortunately, the mass majority of pet parents do not pay any mind to what they feed their animals. Part of that is because of the way pet food is marketed. "Complete and balanced" is a marketing scheme used to manipulate costumers into thinking, feed this food and all will be well! This couldn't be further from the truth. Just because a food is formulated for animals, does not mean it's healthy or safe. Just like you would with your human child, you should absolutely be checking each label before you feed something. Here are just a few examples of recent pet food recalls due to an imbalance of nutrients or complications due to ingredient(s):
These are just a few examples of how food formulated for pets can be dangerous. This doesn't include the wide scale melamine contamination in 2007, responsible for the deaths of over 3,600 pets all over the world. After this incident, US pet foods have been tested and confirmed for melamine and cyanuric acid. (ref) It may come as a shock, but pet food companies don't have to have your pet's best interests in mind. In fact, it's cheaper for them to not care, and to include inexpensive feed-grade ingredients. These ingredients may go against the biological needs of the animal it's marketed for. The longer people remain ignorant of pet food label truths, the longer they can get away with doing this. Our animals can't speak, so we must do it for them. About MeBefore diving into the nutritional needs of ferrets, here's a bit about me. I have 16 years of animal care experience with various species from equine to the ferret. I've worked at farms caring for livestock, boarding facilities for dogs and cats, currently blogging and creating informative videos with a focus on ferrets and ferret nutrition. I plan to get back into professional animal care when I move this year. I've completed pet nutrition courses including the one I'm currently enrolled in by Southern Illinois University. Once I finish, I'm looking to enroll in even more. As of 2021, I have helped well over 130 ferrets transition to the natural diet. ☆Knowledge is ever evolving. I am no expert. That being said, all of what is taught is provided for free or via paid courses for the average pet parent to complete if they wish. You don't have to be a board certified veterinary nutritionist to have access to this information. Helpful Published Resources
Intro: Energy & Water RequirementsTo start, there are essential nutrients and nonessential nutrients. Ferrets require energy, water, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals for normal bodily functions. Energy:
The Digestive SystemFerrets are monogastric animals. They have only one simple stomach compartment to release digestive enzymes. The ferret does not produce enough amylase enzymes to aid in starch and carbohydrate digestion, they also have a very limited ability to digest fiber. The digestion process consists of:
Overall, the ferret has very small digestive compartments and intestinal transit time to push meat and bone through quickly, limiting the risk of pathogenic bacteria contamination. If they had a similar system to an herbivore or even an omnivore, they'd have a harder time passing through raw meats safely and efficiently. There's no doubt the ferret is a very strict carnivore, to say otherwise would go against science and fact. Unfortunately, many pet food manufacturers formulate foods for ferrets including grains, starches, and vegetables, foods that go against their biology. These companies are often seen touting; "ferrets can only eat meat!" yet choose to include multiple sources of plant protein and starches that go against their message. Macronutrient RequirementsMacronutrients include protein, fat and carbs. Carbs: The major energy-containing constituents of plants. Fiber doesn’t provide energy and is not digested directly, but instead broken down by microbes in the colon. Fiber should be under 5% in a ferret's diet. In processed pet foods, fiber is often in the forms of pectins, cellulose, rice bran, guar gum and more. Carbs are not necessary in the diet of the ferret, and can do more harm than good. The ferret should receive more than enough energy via quality fats and proteins in their diet. They lack the enzymes needed for efficient starch and carb digestion.
Fats: Fats, also called lipids, are very high in energy (~2.2x the amount in carbs). They also consist of fatty acids. The ones you need to focus on are Omega-6 and Omega-3 which are essential.
Excess Omega-6 can contribute to chronic inflammation and illness in the body, especially when feeding diets high in farmed chicken, duck and / or pork. Please consider supplementing Omega-3 via safe fish. Fats are very susceptible to oxidation. The diet you feed should be high in antioxidants to protect against oxidative damage. ☆ Ferrets require at least 22.5g of fat per 1000kcal, with the maximum being 82.5g per day. Protein: Proteins are found in all living things, and consist of crucial amino acids; the building blocks for protein. There are 11 essential amino acids for ferrets and cats. Protein can come from either plant or animal sources, but ferrets really benefit the most from animal-based sources, and have a very hard time utilizing protein from plants. Peas, for example, seem to have a potential link to bladder stones in ferrets. This is only one example. - Animal-based sources also often contain more protein, more essential amino acids, along with better digestibility values. - Biological value (BV) ranks these proteins via their quality. Egg, for example, is at 100 on the BV scale. Corn, a common ingredient used for protein in pet food, is only 54. ☆ Ferrets require at least 45g of protein per 1000kcal, but it's recommended to hit 56.3g per day. It's been determined by pet care professionals that ferrets require a diet of 30-35% protein, 15-30% fat, minimal carbs and fiber. (ref) When formulating the diet at home, all prey animals will consist of different ratios. On a dry matter (DM) basis;
With any diet, the ferret requires high quality and digestible protein and fat. Micronutrient RequirementsMicronutrients include vitamins and minerals, and can be further divided into; water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, macrominerals and trace minerals. As far as micronutrients goes, ferrets require just about the same things you and I do. In a natural diet formulated at home, vitamins and minerals are provided via the meat, bone, organ, and natural supplements. Many natural nutrients are unstable, and can’t endure the extrusion process of pet foods, thus they are added synthetically to the food. Water-soluble vitamins: These vitamins dissolve in water and include: Ferrets require per 1000kcal /day (min = minimum, rec = recommended):
Fat-soluble vitamins: These vitamins dissolve in fat and include Ferrets require per 1000kcal /day (min = minimum, rec = recommended):
Macrominerals: Required in small amounts by the body, but still in a larger quantity than trace minerals. Ferrets require per 1000kcal /day (min = minimum, rec = recommended):
Microminerals: Required in even smaller amounts: Ferrets require per 1000kcal /day (min = minimum, rec = recommended)
Some specific nutrient notes for ferrets:
In general, deficiencies will be more commonly seen in home prepared diets over processed pet foods. This is because the pet parent is entirely responsible to do their own independent research on pet nutrition consistently. That being said, kibble is not free from this risk. There have been numerous recalls due to vitamin toxicity and deficiencies in processed pet foods over the years. You should always stay up to date on any recalls. All of this information will feel overwhelming. I actually advise against putting a focus on getting every nutrient exact. This would require an appalling amount of time and will vary depending on each food fed. It's better to make sure you're hitting all the basis with foods that contain those nutrients. I only calculate supplements as close as I can to avoid excess. Weighing the Methods of Feeding Ferrets#1 Home prepared raw diet The best, and most natural form of feeding ferrets; backed by science. Ferrets have not evolved to digest grains and starches found in processed pet foods. In countries where this diet is more common; ferrets live longer, healthier lives free of dietary related disease. I have numerous articles on my website on feeding ferrets the natural diet. Cons? You're completely in control of their diet, making independent research absolutely imperative. This doesn't mean you need to be a nutrition expert! Treat the ferret like you would a human child. Don't stress over every exact nutrient. Variety is key. #2 Home prepared cooked diet Cooked diets require careful consideration and planning to ensure nutrient requirements are met, making this method tricky. Many nutrients are greatly denatured via the cooking process. Ferrets should also never be fed cooked bones. This diet choice is still preferred over processed pet foods. Cooked diets should still contain meat, organs and raw meaty bone. You can opt for a calcium supplement, but nothing will be as easily digested than the real deal. This diet option may require additional supplementation. #3 Processed pet foods
You could argue my bias, as I am a natural diet feeder. But these are conclusions I’ve come to based on my education in pet nutrition, extensive research into pet foods, and years of watching dogs, cats, and ferrets deteriorate in all aspects of their health on dry foods. I would love for there to be a safe, convenient form of feeding similar to kibble, but there is simply nothing at this time, and I'm skeptical there ever will be. That being said, you are free to feed whatever you want to your ferrets. But please be aware of the potential consequences. It's estimated 50-70% of U.S. ferrets will develop cancer over the age of 3. 9 out of 10 of those ferrets will develop it due to environmental/controllable factors like their diet. This is not normal, something needs to change. The Natural DietNow that we have the basics down, I’m going to dive into the natural diet for ferrets, the raw diet. Many criticisms of the natural diet have been long debunked: - Risk of pathogenic bacteria is still present in kibble. In fact, more pounds of kibble have been recalled due to salmonella than raw pet food (ref) - Risk of nutrient deficiency is not relevant for everyone. Most of us are doing our research and not just feeding chicken breast. Give pet parents more credit, please! - Risk of bowel obstruction is present when feeding any diet. In my time as a raw feeder, I have never heard of an instance of raw food stuck in the intestinal tract. You're more likely to experience a blockage due to chewed toys and bedding. In the wild, the polecat (ferret’s direct relative) eats a diet of small prey; birds, frogs, and hares with the occasional insect and or seafood. It’s near impossible for the average ferret parent to replicate this diet entirely; even whole prey animals like mice and rats are bred in rodent mills, where they are raised and kept in stressed environments and fed cheap feed. This impacts the nutrient quality of the meat, and makes it different from the wild whole prey diet. So even if you feed whole prey animals, extra care should still be taken to ensure nutrients are being met. On top of that, nutrients in the soils we use to grow feed for animals are depleting, and factory farming used to produce most meat in grocery stores also have a significant impact on meat quality. That being said, if you can only source meats from the grocery store for one reason or another, that’s okay! It will still be much better than the quality of ingredients found in processed pet foods. Try and aim for grass-fed, finished, and pastured meat whenever possible. For seafood, make sure it’s wild caught and low in mercury. If you want to feed whole prey, make sure it was ethically raised and fed well (you're better off raising your own prey if you choose to do this). The Base Guideline: 70-80% meat (10% should be heart meat) 10-15% bone 10% organs (5% being liver) 0-5% Animal-based fiber (optional) This guideline is not complete in and of itself, and should be adjusted for every ferret. For detailed information on all of the components of the raw diet, I have 4 Raw Troubleshooting articles: Meat Bone Organs Supplements I have yet to post an article on animal-based fiber. If you remember from earlier in this post, ferrets have a limited ability to digest fiber. Animal-based fiber (in the form of fur) helps clean the digestive tract and firm up stools. In the wild, polecats do eat some fur from their prey. Small prey animals are eaten entirely, also. Fur comes out looking like the same way it did going in. Fiber is optional. Calcium from the raw meaty bone is enough for ferrets to keep stools firm. Variety is one of the most important things to follow while feeding a home prepared diet. You should be rotating through animals and cuts every week. Try and shoot for at least 3-4 different animals and at least one should be a red meat source. Some examples: - Chicken, turkey, duck, beef. - Rabbit, pheasant, pork, venison. The better cared for the prey animal, the more nutrient dense it will be. Wild and free range duck will be closer to your typical "red meat." Certain cuts on poultry are dark meat, and more nutritious. Cuts should be rotated through frequently. I love buying whole poultry birds, and feeding all parts during the week. As far as whole food additions I feed:
I also feed a natural vitamin E oil supplement. 1 drop per ferret every other day. ☆Much of these "doses" of additions/supplements were made at my own discretion. Conclusions were made based on my education in pet nutrition and personal experience. You can see exactly what I feed on my Instagram. I feed roughly 10% of their body weights and that fluctuates throughout the year. Intake will vary depending on age, sex, time of year, and if they are pregnant or lactating. Right now, my young & active ferrets do well on a diet of 10-12 meals of varied meaty bone (like wings, neck, frames, leg, head, feet) 0-2 meals boneless meat (like loin, breast) and 2 meals of organs (heart, liver, other secreting organ(s). I calculate exact amounts via the base guideline shown above, and will build off of it. In addition, if I notice stools are too chalky and pale, I will reduce the amount of meaty bone fed. If stools are too loose, increase the amount of meaty bone. Switching to The Natural DietTransitioning your ferrets over to the natural diet can be difficult. Ferrets are known to "imprint" on their food fed at weaning, and most of the time that's kibble! I have offered a mentoring program that provided one-on-one mentoring for the transition, but recently decided to close it to allow more time for family and work. If you need some help switching your ferrets, feel free to join our free Discord server, where many active raw feeders can be found for help. In general, the rules are as follows:
⚜I hope this article helped further your understanding of ferret nutrition. Of course, there's still so much more to learn! I plan on continuing to share the things I learn in my schooling and research when it happens. Thanks for your support,
Happy feeding!
1 Comment
Pamela
1/9/2022 07:13:11 pm
Hi!
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