The Ferret Diet

In the wild ferrets are purely meat eaters- and even though they are domesticated meat should still be their prime source of nutrition. Unfortunately many commercial ferret foods don't offer up a truly great array of ingredients. So that's why we recommend supplementing your commercial food with 'human food' that is almost always cheaper and sometimes more convenient. Here is a list of great nutritional foods you can and should feed. Make sure they are unseasoned and without salt. If they are store bought fresh or frozen they can be fed raw. On the other hand if they are a wild game meat we highly recommend cooking them to a rare setting to kill any bacteria or worms.

Photo credit to the South Cheshire Ferret Rescue. 

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Bird:
Ferrets are feather hunters by nature. In the wild their most prized catch is a pheasant- so they looove bird meat. Unseasoned chicken wings, turkey legs, and wild bird scraps. Probably the best snack you can give your little fur ball. If you can afford them, we highly suggest making bird meat a staple of your ferret's diet.
Chicken, Turkey, Pheasant, Game Hen, Swan, Goose, Ptarmigan, Duck

Red Meat:
Making cheeseburgers tonight? Take a bit of the ground meat, cook it to a 'rare' setting (or to where it's a light brown with bits of pink left), let cool and let your ferrets go to work. It's super healthy and very tasty. You little fur balls will love it. All goat, beef, and lamb products are great additions to your little guys diet.
Goat, Beef, Lamb

Wild Game:
Yes- wild game! Get ahold of your local hunters and trappers and then pick up their scraps. This is the most affordable and definitely the healthiest meal plan for your pet. Everything from beaver meat to deer antlers to mice (ew, but they love it) can be incorporated into your meal plan.
Moose, Deer, Beaver, Lynx, Bobcat, Raccoon, Opossum, Mice

Eggs:

Eggs are a great source of protein. In the wild ferrets will often ravage nests and steal the eggs. These shouldn't be a regular part of the diet, but can most certainly be added once or twice a week. It's a thing that some ferrets love and some hates- it all depends on your pets personality.
Chicken, Goose, Pheasant

Fish:

Most ferrets love fish, and although it can cause them to have a bit of an odor it's really healthy for them because of its high protein content. Don't feed them completely raw fish- either freeze them, or bring them to a boil and let them cool. They do not need to be cooked all the way- just sterilized to avoid worms.
Whitefish, Salmon, Freshwater Fish, Cod, Eel, Fish Eggs, Fish Heads

How To Convert Your Ferret from a Commercial Diet to an All-Natural Meat Diet

The transition from a commercial 'dry food' diet to an organic all-natural meat diet should be made slowly and carefully. Ferrets can be skittish eaters and have weak stomachs- so changing diets requires a lot of patience. Luckily, the benefits by far outweigh the troubles. So where to start?

Photo credit to the South Cheshire Ferret Rescue. 

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Day One: Mix in 1 teaspoon canned (drained) chicken with your ferrets normal dry food. Give them only the size of serving that they can eat. Do not overfeed them- so that way they are sure to eat the chicken as well as the dry food, instead of picking over it.

Day Two: Just as with day one, only serve your ferret as much food as they will eat. This time mix in 1 tablespoon of canned (drained) chicken.

Day Three: This time add in 1 tablespoon of canned chicken and wet the food with the 'water' from the can (which has a bit of a light chicken broth taste).

Day Four: Add two tablespoons of chicken and moisten the food with the chicken broth once again.

Day Five: Just as with yesterday, add two tablespoons of chicken and moisten the food with the chicken broth.

Day Six: Add three tablespoons of chicken and moisten the food with chicken broth.

Day Seven: Add four tablespoons of chicken and moisten the food with the chicken broth.

Week Two: Serve your ferret a bowl of equal parts dry food (moistened with chicken broth) and canned chicken.

Week Three: Serve your ferret a bowl of 1/3 moistened dry food and 2/3 canned chicken.

Week Four: Serve your ferret a bowl of 1/4 moistened dry food and 3/4 canned chicken.

Week Five: Serve your ferret a bowl entirely of canned chicken.

Week Six: Begin feeding your ferret a small piece of other bird meats each evening. Allow your ferret to dry a piece of cooked chicken, turkey, cornish game hen, etc.

Week Six: Continue to let your ferret try bird meats, but also introduce cooked red meats.

Week Seven: Continue to let your ferret try bird meats and cooked red meats and allow them to try cooked fish.

Week Eight and Nine: Slowly introduce different main meals of bird meats (changing from canned chicken to cooked chicken bits, turkey, cornish game hen, etc.). Continue to let them try cooked red meats and cooked fish.

Week Ten and Eleven: Slowly introduce main meals with red meat. Alternate with bird meat meals. Continue to let them try cooked fish.

Week Twelve: Introduce a fish main meal once a week. Fish should only be fed once a week. Continue to alternate bird and red meat meals.

Week Thirteen: Experiment, have fun, and feed your ferret what it seems to be interested in. If they prefer a certain food- feed them that food more regularly while alternating between other foods for variety. Enjoy!

Ferret Meal Recipes

There are a lot of fun ways you can add variety to your ferret's diet. Here are a few healthy, wholesome meals that you can feed your ferret to give them a taste of something new.

Photo credit to the South Cheshire Ferret Rescue.

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Chicken Soup: Take 1 cup of water with 3/4 cup of raw chicken cut into very small chunks. In a small pan boil for ten minutes. Remove, let cool, and serve.

Beef Stew: Take 2 cups of water and 1 cup of steak cut into chunks. Boil for ten minutes. Remove steak chunks. Take 1 cup of the boiling water and mix 1 cup of canned tuna into it to make a sort of 'gravy'. Add the steak chunks into the gravy for a truly ferret-worthy meaty delight.

Egg Omelet: Make a typical one egg omelet with no seasonings, add in a bit of cooked ground meat and a teaspoon of mozzarella cheese. Can you say yummy?

Food Scraps & Dog Treats You Can Feed To Ferrets

There are a lot of traditional dog treats on the market that are equally as delicious for ferrets! In fact, there are an array of items that people don't realize are entirely safe and actually very healthy for ferrets that are typically sold for dogs. Here are a few of our favorites.

Photo credit to the Fuzzy Dozen Ferret Rescue.

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Pig Ears: Visit your local pet store's dog snack isle and pick up a bag of all natural dried pig ears. They are a dog treat that most ferrets love! Just one will keep them busy for a while, so a big bag could last well up to two months. Plus it naturally helps keep their teeth strong and clean!

Ham Bones: When your finished with your holiday ham, boil the bone in water to get any 'seasonings' off and then let them cool in the fridge overnight. They make great chew toys and treats for ferrets. They'll love licking out the marrow. If you can, take a bone saw and slice them into small 1 inch wide pieces. This way it's easier for ferrets to move them around and pick out the marrow.

Rawhide Chews: All-natural rawhide chews (like the ones for small dog breeds) make amazing snacks for ferrets. Not only do they find them irresistible, the hard texture helps clean plaque from their teeth. It's a win win. Your ferret's smile stays healthy and they get to gnaw away for a few hours!

Unflavored Jerky: Dried chicken, beef, or wild game that is 100% unflavored (no seasonings or marinades) is an awesome treat for your ferret. The texture will keep them busy for a while and the food will offer up a healthy all-natural treat. It's a great thing to throw in your little critter's cage before you leave for work- as it will keep them busy throughout the day. "Jerky" made specifically for dogs or cats is also safe for ferrets.

Bird Wings: For people that hunt, bird wings are usually useless. But for ferret's that bit of meat where the wing meets the body is an irresistible treat! And the feathers, oh they'll love the feathers! Ferrets love shredding things apart and bird wings are the same kind of food they would eat in the wild. It's a treat that will most certainly become a favorite in your ferrets household. If you don't farm or hunt your own birds, try contacting local hunters and farmers- as they will almost always happily offer you their scraps. You can also feed bird feet to your ferrets, although the tough skin may make them harder for them to chew.

Weekly Ferret Meal Plan

Feeding your ferret can be fun and switching up it's daily meals is a great way to keep it eating, entertained, and healthy. We've created a fun little meal plan you can share with your fur-baby each week to ensure a healthy happy pet.

Photo credit to the Fuzzy Dozen Ferret Rescue.
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Sunday: A serving of bird meat (chicken, turkey, game hen)
Monday: A serving of ground meat, lightly cooked (beef, deer, moose, bison, ect)
Tuesday: A serving of bird meat (chicken, goose, duck, swan, ptarmigan)
Wednesday: A serving of a white-flesh fish (cod, catfish, trout, halibut, pike, grayling)
Thursday: A serving of any bird meat mixed with a bit of scrambled egg.
Friday: A serving of a red-meat (beef, goat, pig, deer, lamb, ect)
Saturday: A serving of meat scraps (lamb, beef, wild game or goat)

Ferret All Meat Diet Q & A

Feeding ferrets really isn't that hard. For the most part they are meat eaters- and meat eaters they should be. But to ensure you always 'hit the spot' with your little ferret's meals, here are a few tips to help you keep them eating healthy.

Photo credit to the Fuzzy Dozen Ferret Rescue.

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Can I feed my ferret raw meat? Absolutely! In fact we highly recommend it. Any store bought fresh or frozen meat is perfectly okay to feed your ferret raw. On the other hand, wild game should be cooked to kill any worms or bacteria that that animal may have been carrying.

How should I cook my ferret's meats? You can cook the meats anywhere between rare and well-done. A quick way is to bring water to a boil, add a few chunks of your chosen meat to the pan, and then boil for two minutes to sterilize. You can also cook them in a pan with light vegetable oil, or in the oven. Make sure the meat is completely cooled before feeding it to your ferret. Also squeeze out any excess fat or water from the meats- this makes them a bit easier for ferrets to digest.

How should I cook eggs for my ferret? You can pretty much cook them however you like. Do not use salt, and if you need to use butter use a very light amount. Poached eggs and soft boiled are the healthiest and seem to be a big hit.

Where can I find affordable fish scraps? Visit your local grocer's seafood section and ask if they have any scraps (heads, tails, bones, etc) that they would be willing to sell. Most would be happy to give it away or sell it for a great steal. And yes- ferrets love fish scraps, including the heads (just simply boil the scraps, heads, and fins, in a pan for 15 to 20 minutes and let cool).

Where can I find affordable wild game scraps? You can look in your local newspaper or online for trappers or hunters in your area. Some will put ads selling things like beaver meat, raccoon meat, and lynx meat. You can also put an ad in your newspaper calling all trappers or hunters. You could buy the 'trapped meats' or ask if anyone has deer, moose, or waterfowl scraps they would like to get rid of. If you live anywhere near the country you'll probably get a few calls.

Where can I find affordable farm scraps? Contact a few local farmers in your area. And this may seem a bit sad, but ask if they will sell any of their still-birth or baby animals that passed away. Most farmers would be happy to sell them very cheap instead of waste them, and as long as they are fresh (no less than 48 hours old) you can take them to a game processor and have them butcher it for you- or if you're talented you could do it yourself.

Tips And Tricks For Feeding Your Ferret Meat

Feeding your ferret a meat-based diet can be extremely rewarding. Not only is it nutritious and healthy for your pet, it also allows your ferret to have the mental stimulation of different tastes and textures in their diet. Here are a few simple tips to encourage your ferret to enjoy all kinds of meat-based foods.

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

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Cut it into small slices: Cut or tear apart meat into small pieces so your ferret doesn't overeat and possibly choke on the large pieces. Serve pieces that are no larger than your thumb to avoid possible choking. Softer meats like chicken and turkey are okay to serve in bigger pieces. But tough meats like beef steak should be served in pieces about the size of your thumbnail.

Dry it out: All-natural, unseasoned jerky is a great way to feed meat. Not only does it remove any chances of bacterial growth, it can help kill worms and contaminants that wild game holds. The tough texture makes a great snack for ferrets too. It will keep them busy gnawing for hours!

Avoid super fatty pieces: Don't feed your ferret pieces of meat that have a lot of fat. Remove the fat from ham, steak, and lamb pieces before serving. Lots of fat can upset their stomach and leave them in the litter box for a few hours- which isn't fun for anyone.

Freeze it: In the summertime feed your ferret bits of frozen meat! It's a creative way to help keep them cool and to give them a different sort of texture to try and chew on.

Remove oils and water: Once you've finished cooking your meat, take your hand and squeeze out any oils and water left in the meat. This will help your ferret digest it a bit easier. Things like salmon and fatty pieces of meat should have extra precautions taken to make sure as much oil as possible is removed.

The Benefits of Feeding Your Ferret A Meat-Substituted Diet

There are so many benefits to feeding your ferret a meat-substituted diet. Not only is it extremely healthy, it offers up so many alternatives to the flavorless over-the-counter ferret food. There are many reasons to feed your ferret a varied meat diet. But here are a few key ones:

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

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Avoid preservatives: Read the label of your ferret food. How many words are there that you cannot identify? Those are most likely preservatives and additives. Preservatives are simply put in the food to keep it fresh. But these aren't necessarily healthy for your pet. They can range from salt to sugar to everything in between- and they're definitely not good for a main diet source.

Avoid additives: Just as with preservatives, additives aren't always good. These are basically 'fillers' put in your food to make it more affordable while offering a good quantity. Grains, corn, unnecessary 'fish meal' and other products aren't really a great thing to have in a ferret's diet. And yet so many ferret foods include them in their recipe. Avoid these unhealthy bits by simply feeding your ferret meat.

Make use of food scraps: Ferrets can eat the scraps of meat you don't eat! Cooked chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and pork are all delish according to your pet ferret. So meal time that night is free for your pet and yummy for both of you! Even if you feed your ferret commercial food, supplementing with a bit of food scrap a few nights a week can go a long way with your ferret's health.

Give them all-natural nutrients: Fresh meat has a variety of vitamins and nutrients that aren't available once the meat is frozen or cooked. By feeding your ferret raw meat you give their body access to nutrients they desperately need.

Variety: There are quite a range of fresh meats! You can feed your ferret a different meal each night of the week! This keeps them mentally and physically healthier. The mental stimulation from a variety of foods keeps your ferret happy and engaged. And the physical variety ensures they receive a lot of different vitamins and nutrients that are required in their natural diet.

Healthy Snack Ideas For Ferrets

There are an array of ‘ferret snacks’ on the market today, but most of them offer no nutritional value for your ferret. There are a few natural alternatives you can feed your ferret that are much more healthy, just as affordable, and just as delicious in your ferret’s eyes.

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!

Frozen Feeder Mice: In the wild a large part of a ferret’s diet is mice. Some ferrets will eat mice naturally, but others will not. You can offer your ferret small feeder mice as a treat. 

Raw Egg Yolk: Another thing that many ferrets munch on in the wild are eggs! Egg yolks are very high in protein and fat and are very healthy for ferrets. You can offer your ferret an egg yolk mixed in with their food- or even by itself. Most ferrets absolutely love slurping up a raw egg yolk.

Crickets: Crickets, whether dried or fresh, are a great source of protein. Ferrets require a high amount of protein in their diet and in the wild it would be entirely natural for a ferret to eat bugs. Ferrets are a crunchy and delectable way to treat your ferret. Some ferrets will happily catch and eat live crickets, while others may be too timid. Experiment- and figure out if your ferret likes live or dried crickets.

Meal Worms: Just as with crickets, meal worms are another fantastic form of protein. Once again these can be fed either alive or dried.

Flies: Yep, even those pesky little flies buzzing around your house can be a fun snack for ferrets! Many ferrets may even catch and eat these flies on their own- but if not you can collect dried ones from your windowsill and offer them to your ferret as a snack.

Berries: In the wild ferrets may occasionally eat a few berries. They do offer a bit of nutrients in terms of antioxidants and vitamins, but they shouldn’t be a staple in your ferret’s diet. With that being said feeding your ferret berries is not bad for them and is a great way to give them a healthy treat that they’ll really enjoy. You can feed your ferret dried berries (organic dried blueberries are a hit with our ferrets!), fresh berries, or frozen berries. Dried berries can be fed weekly (1/2 teaspoon of berries, at most, a week), but fresh berries should only be fed once every 2 weeks and you should limit the serving to one berry.