Evanger’s Nutritional Tips: Ferrets
by Ian Germann
Small and full of personality, ferrets require a lot of attention when it comes to their nutrition. With a short digestive system and fast metabolism, ferrets should be fed many meals a day (one meal around every 3 – 4 hours). Don’t let their ravenous appetite fool you, because if there’s any pet that has digestion problems, it’s the ferret.
Without a cecum in their digestive tract, ferrets are unable to process complex carbohydrates, and thus they should not be consumed. That means anything with fiber should also be completely avoided. Other foods to watch out for are grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy and anything with sugar. Since ferrets can’t properly digest these foods, it can lead to potential health risks such as bladder stones and insulinoma (tumors in the pancreas). Some healthy snacks you can feed your ferret include whole mice, eggs and liver.
Obligate carnivores, ferrets require animal-based proteins in their diet. With no added carbohydrates, Evanger’s food for Ferrets & Exotic Pets has maximum meat content and added nutrients formulated to meet the nutritional needs of not only ferrets, but hedgehogs, large lizards and other obligate carnivores as well.
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