How much should you feed a ferret?

Answer 1

Ferrets eat depending on how hungry they are just like humans. They need to have food and water available at all times because they digest their food very rapidly. Also depends on the quality of food you give them. Cheap ferret food has a lot of grains, which they cannot digest and pass it on as waste.

From RachelWest:

Ferrets hardly ever overeat like cats and dogs may do. It is also important, knowing how common insulinoma is, that you provide high protein, high fat food around the clock. They eat small portions about 6 or 7 times a day.

Answer 2

Ferret Food costs vary, depending on brand, quality, quantity and the type (dry or canned). Expect to spend up to $200 on food a year.

Dry kibbled ferret food - a good quality ferret food is recommended for optimal health. Ferrets are strict carnivores - meat eaters. Expect to pay about $20.00 US for 7 lbs - Evo Ferret Food, Totally Ferret, Marshall Ferret, etc. It is better to pay for quality ferret food to avoid expensive medical veterinarian bills from cheap ferret food that will cause poor health, illness and disease, some products will also cause stomach blockage leading to a painful death. Kitten food is mostly corn products, grains and fillers, with will also lead to stomach blockage in ferrets. Avoid any grocery store products.

Answer 3

A ferret does not overeat and only eats what is needed.

A Ferret requires to have food available at all times, they have a very short digestion system, and need to eat every 3 to 4 hours.

• Ferrets have a extremely high metabolism. So a constant supply is required.

• Ferrets eat depending on how hungry they are just like humans. I currently own 3 ferrets and i put a dish of food in every morning and keep an eye on it. Currently however one of my girls has dumped the food out and is sleeping in the food dish curled up in a ball!!

• Ferrets hardly ever overeat like cats and dogs. It is also important, knowing how common insulinoma is, that you provide high protein, high fat food around the clock. They eat small portions about 6 or 7 times a day. Low quality foods can cause a ferret to eat more then they would eat of high quality food just to get the nutrition their bodies need.

• Ferrets only eat a small amount at a time, maybe a couple tablespoons, but they eat usually every hour or two because their metabolism is so high.

A ferret should be free fed, in other words, should have food and water available at all times. They have a very rapid digestive system, they digest food about every 3 to 4 hours.

How much does a ferret eat?Depends on the ferret - each one is different, their body weight is anywhere from 1 lb to 5 lbs. Ferrets have a very high metabolism, they eat and digest food every 3 to 4 hours. They should be free-fed and always have fresh food and water available at all times.

A ferret should be free fed - have food and water available at all times. They digest food in 3 to 4 hours, and eat numerous times during the day. Baby ferrets should have their food moistened with a little warm water (ratio 3 parts water - 1 part food until consistency of oatmeal after 3/5 minutes), when they first start eating solid food

Baby ferrets bought from a pet store might not be old enough to handle or digest solid food and could suffer from a prolapse rectum. Offer dry food moistened with a little water until they are able to handle dry food

refer to related questions for more information

Answer 4

A ferret should be free fed - have food and water available at all times. They digest food in 3 to 4 hours, and eat numerous times during the day. Baby ferrets should have their food moistened with a little warm water (ratio 3 parts water - 1 part food until consistency of oatmeal after 3/5 minutes), when they first start eating solid food

Baby ferrets bought from a pet store might not be old enough to handle or digest solid food and could suffer from a prolapse rectum. Offer dry food moistened with a little water until they are able to handle dry food

refer to related questions for more information

Answer 5

You should probably keep your food bowl full at all times since ferrets have a fast metabolism along with a short digestive system, and usually only eat enough to fit their needs. They won't become obese if you feed them good quality food.

Answer 6

i have 2 ferrets and i feed them can of cat food but they are not aloud seafood

eg: fish

for a little treat they love fruit like sultanas an dried fruit also...

EDIT:

Ferrets are obligate carnivores and cannot digest fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, and sugar. Feeding these items is unhealthy and can lead to disease later in life. Raisins and grapes are actually toxic to ferrets.

Kibble should have at least 35% protein, 20% fat, and have less than 3% fiber. At least 4 of the first 6 ingredients should be meat. They can eat fish like whitefish and salmon but avoid varieties high in Mercury such as tuna. Feeding fish does make their poo smellier so give it sparingly.

Cat/kitten food can be fed providing it meets the criteria above. Dog food does not contain taurine and is not good for ferrets

Good treats are meat based: cooked/raw meats (chicken, turkey, rabbit, beef), scrambled or raw eggs, meat baby food. Most ferret love Ferretone or olive oil.

Answer 7

With food available, ferrets will snack continuously. I give mine a handful in the morning and another in the evening.

If you let your ferret get hungry, it won't leave you any little surprises in the corners when you let it run. While it is out running, put food in the cage and it will return to its cage to get its food without a fuss.

Answer 8

It is always best to buy your ferret specialised ferret food, that way you can ensure that you are giving him/her all the nourishment they require. The back of the packet will tell you how much to give. Dry food is easy to store, lasts longer and is inexpensive. Avoid cat and dog wet food- especially dog food, as it is mostly water and wheat and will give your ferret very little of what he/she needs. Also, it is a good idea to give your ferret real meat like chicken and turkey. Both are cheap, and very nutritious for ferrets as they are obligate carnivores. This can be given to them every day or once a week as a treat, depending on your finances. I also advise buying a moulting/vitamin combination paste (Beaphar do a good one) which allows your ferret to pass the fur he/she has ingested whilst cleaning (they can't produce fur-balls like cats). Grapeseed oil (which you can get in your local supermarket) is a big hit with ferrets and will provide them with the fat they need as well as giving them a beautiful coat. My ferret has oil daily, and I have not noticed any problems with defecation even if he has 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Occasional small pieces of fruit is good to give as a treat as well: banana, apple (without the skin), orange and raisins are all liked by ferrets, but each ferret, like us, has his/her own likes and dislikes.

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Just because there is a picture of a ferret on the bag does not make it a good food for ferrets. Ferrets need at least 35% protein, 20 % fat, and less than 3% fiber in their foods. Since cats are also obligate carnivores, some cat foods may be suitable for ferrets. Regardless of the type of food, choose something that meets the protein/fat requirements, and one that has at least 4 meat ingredients listed in the first 6.

Good ferret foods are Wysong Ferret Epigen 90, 8in1 Ultimate Crunchy, Evo ferret, Natural Gold, and Dr Foster and Smith ferret.

Good cat foods include: Wellness Core, Evo cat, Natures Variety Instinct, Blue Wilderness kitten, Orijen, and Go! fit and free.

Because ferrets lack a cecum, they cannot digest anything other than meat. Fruits, vegetables, seeds/nuts, grains, milk products, and sugars are all off limits. Do not give these item as treats either, since they are undigestable, they could cause a blockage. Good treats are cooked/raw meats, scrambled egg, chicken baby food, and most ferret love a lick of Ferretone.