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- Introduction
- Ferrets have unique nutritional needs,
so it is important that your ferrets eat a dry food that best
matches their special requirements. Often, owners feed their ferrets
kitten foods, but these foods were not designed with ferrets
specifically in mind. Some foods labeled for ferrets are merely
modified kitten or mink chows. The best foods are those designed
from "the ground up" with the ferret in mind. However,
just because a food says "ferret" does not necessarily
mean it fills the needs of your ferrets. Reading labels and
selecting the right ferret food can make the difference in health,
lifespan, looks, and behavior. Ferrets have a quick (3 hour)
digestive turnaround, so foods must have easily digestible,
nutritious, high-quality ingredients to make sure the nutrients are
absorbed in this short time period, and not eliminated.
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- Reading Labels
- The purpose of this article is to
teach you how to read a nutrition label so you can decide which
foods are good for your ferret, and which may be inadequate. We will
focus on two parts of the label: the guaranteed analysis and the
ingredient listing. The guaranteed analysis lists percentages of
protein, fat, and fiber, among other things. Ferrets need certain
percentages, which are discussed below.
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- The ingredients list each ingredient
in the food, with the highest percentage (by weight) ingredient
listed first, second-highest second, and so on. However, the
percentages themselves are not listed, so we have incomplete
information. For example, two foods could list their top ingredients
in the same order: chicken meal, rice flour, and corn meal. But the
first food could be chicken meal (45%), rice flour (10%), and corn
meal (5%) and the second food could be chicken meal (25%), rice
flour (23%), and corn meal (20%). Although the ingredient list was
the same, these foods are vastly different. It is unfortunate that
manufacturers do not provide us with the percentage information in
the ingredient listing. However, the first five ingredients usually
make up about 85% of the food content, so we will focus on these
ingredients.
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- Protein Requirements
- Ferrets need a high protein (32%-38%)
diet. Pet foods list these percentages on the label in the
guaranteed analysis section; however, just reading the percentages
does not tell the whole story. Proteins should come from animal, not
vegetable, sources. David Ory with Merrick Pet Foods points out that
"ferrets are carnivores, and meat eating animals should eat
meat-based, not cereal-based foods." Ferrets have difficulty
using or digesting cereal/vegetable proteins for two reasons. First,
vegetable proteins do not have a complete amino acid chain required
for ferrets. Second, vegetable proteins take 4-6 hours to digest, so
most are passed through and not absorbed in the 3-hour timespan of
the ferret’s digestive system. Additionally, Judith A. Bell, DVM,
warns that regular feeding of plant-source proteins can cause
painful uroliths (bladder stones).Foods low in meat proteins can
also cause coat problems, bone problems, and gastrointestinal
diseases.
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- The primary protein source for a
ferret (and the first ingredient on the label) should be meat
(usually chicken or poultry). Secondary sources of protein, such as
meat meal, whole eggs, liver meal, bone meal, or fish meal, should
be in the top five ingredients. Some ferret nutritionists design
foods with fish proteins, citing the success of mink chows and
desirable proteins and fatty acids from fish. Other ferret
nutritionists argue that ferrets do not naturally eat fish, and that
fish-based foods are less tasty to ferrets. Beef products may be
difficult for a ferret to digest, but research is uncertain on this
topic. Lamb is a good ingredient, especially for ferrets with
allergies to poultry. There are several lamb and beef-based foods
for these allergic ferrets, but make sure there are no other poultry
ingredients. Dr. Inga Marty, DVM, has conducted indicating that
poultry sources have the most complete amino acid chain that ferrets
can utilize, beef sources are less complete, and fish even less. Dr.
Marty suggests, however, that more than one protein source should be
used in a ferret food; for example turkey as a primary source and
fish as a secondary source.
-
- Vegetable proteins such as soybeans or
cereal grains (corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, or rice) should be
avoided in large quantities; foods that list any of these as their FIRST
ingredient should NOT be fed to a ferret. However, you are likely to
see these vegetable-based ingredients in the second through fifth
ingredients, because grain flours are necessary for carbohydrates.
An exception to this list is corn gluten or corn gluten meal; this
is a starch used for binding the food together, and is not a source
of protein. The key to analyzing protein is to avoid a long listing
of grain flours. For example, the following listing [poultry meal,
corn flour, brewer’s rice, chicken fat, corn meal] has too many
vegetable protein sources in the first 5 ingredients. In fact, from
a total guaranteed percentage of 35% protein, over half could be
from vegetable sources, thus leaving only 18% usable protein for the
ferret. A better ingredient list would be [chicken, corn meal,
poultry fat, bone meal, corn gluten] in which more of the
ingredients in the top five are from meat sources.
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- Another potential problem source of
protein is dairy products. Most ferrets are lactose intolerant and
seem unable to utilize the proteins provided by milk and its
byproducts. Avoid ingredients such as milk, whey, casein, or cheese,
especially in the top five ingredients. Whey seems to be a common
culprit in ferret food allergies.
-
- Fat Requirements
- Ferrets also need a high fat (18%-22%)
diet which allows them to digest the proteins and provides for their
energy needs. Fat is a concentrated source of energy and provides
vitamins A, D, E, and K. Chicken or poultry fat should be the second
or third ingredient in the list. Fish oil and flax oil are good
sources of Omega-3 dietary fatty acid, which is good for your ferret
(it helps with allergies, itchy skin, arthritis, heart disease, and
renal failure). However, fish oil may cause the food to have an
undesirable odor or be unpalatable to ferrets. Red meat fats (such
as beef tallow) are not desirable and may contribute to renal
disease. Vegetable fats (vegetable oil, corn oil, etc.) not be
listed in the first five ingredients, but may be desirable later in
the ingredient list as a source of fatty acids. Dr. Martin Glinsky,
nutritionist for 8 in 1 Pet Products, agrees that fatty acids,
especially linoleic acid, is important for optimal ferret skin and
coat health. The diet should not be too high in fat, or ferrets will
eat less, thus getting less protein, minerals, and vitamins.
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- Carbohydrates
- A high-quality, simple carbohydrate
should be listed second or third in the ingredient list. This could
be in the form of brewers rice or rice flour. Corn and wheat flours
or other cereal grains are more complex carbohydrates that are not
as easily used by the ferret (they also contain more fiber). Corn,
however, is a popular ingredient due to its ready availability and
low cost.
- Ferrets love the taste of sweet foods,
but sweets are usually in the form of complex carbohydrates. Ferrets
don’t have significant amounts of intestinal flora to break down
complex carbohydrates, so these should be avoided. Furthermore,
eating a diet rich in carbohydrates can lead to a reduced intake of
necessary proteins and fats, which can lead to disease. Sugars
should not appear in the top five ingredients, and ideally should
not appear at all. Beet pulp is a common sweetener, and is an
acceptable ingredient.
-
- Fiber
- Ferrets do not have a large intestine
(cecum) with which to process fiber, so a low-fiber food is
necessary. Fiber levels should be 3% or less, which eliminates many
cat foods and almost all dog foods. Additional fiber means that your
ferret will absorb less nutrients and eliminate more waste. The best
source of fiber in ferret food is meat fiber. Another acceptable
source is beet pulp. Beet pulp contains ingredients that inhibit the
growth of bad bacteria such as E. coli or salmonella, so it appears
to be beneficial to your ferret. Again, the analysis of fiber
content does not always tell the whole story: a ferret food with a
3.5% fiber content made up of primarily meat fibers is better than a
ferret food with 2.5% fiber from vegetable or grain fibers.
-
- Wet or Dry?
- Most animal nutritionists agree that
canned or "wet" foods should not be fed to ferrets on a
regular basis. Wet foods may be appropriate for kits under eight
weeks of age, ill ferrets, or elderly ferrets with dental problems.
Canned foods have so much water in them that the nutrition levels,
when calculated on a dry-matter basis, are not adequate for the
ferrets. Also, the moisture fills the ferret up faster, so the
ferret does not eat enough to get good nutrition. Finally, canned
foods can promote tooth decay, and often have many preservatives. If
your ferret is very young or ill and needs a wet food, try softening
a dry food with warm water, or grind the dry food in a blender and
moisten.
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- Extruded or Pelleted?
- According to Dr. Thomas Willard of
Performance Foods, makers of Totally Ferret, a good ferret food
requires a properly cooked starch to hold the nutrients together
until eaten. Properly cooked starches are in "extruded"
foods, which has a crunchy texture and interesting shape. Improperly
cooked starches result in poorly digested foods. Extruded foods are
compressed under high pressure, and may have a higher concentration
of nutrients in a single serving because they are so compact. John
Ulrich of Kellogg’s (the avian and animal feed company) reports
that extruded foods allow the cereal grains to be more digestible.
Extruded foods, because they are so hard and crunchy, may also help
keep your ferret’s teeth clean.
-
- On the other hand, the high cooking
temperatures of extruded foods may reduce nutrition levels and break
down protein amino acids. Pelleted foods that look like long,
slender rabbit food pellets are cooked at a lower temperature to
protect nutrients. According to Peter Reid, nutritionist for
Marshall Farms Premium Ferret Diet, the dried pellet foods have an
immediate breakdown in the ferret’s digestive system, which makes
nutrients available quickly. This is important because of the fast
pass-through of food through the ferret’s digestive system.
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- Other Ingredients
- Taurine is thought to be an important
supplement for vision. Taurine is an essential amino acid, along
with lysine and methionine. Deficiencies in these important
ingredients could cause blindness or heart problems. Plant proteins
are very low in taurine, so look for added taurine and meat
ingredients.
-
- Dr. Milton Burglass of Sheppard &
Greene has concerns about the premature mortality rate of American
ferrets, and notes that added antioxidants such as vitamin E,
vitamin C, and beta-carotene may help to reduce the incidences of
cancer. He also notes that increased levels of chromium may be
helpful with insulinoma problems.
-
- Another good ingredient is Brewer's
Yeast, a good vitamin B supplement. Also look for low ash content
(less than 7%). A premium ferret food should provide the rest of the
necessary vitamins and minerals; space requirements do not allow us
to cover them all here.
-
- Dyes, Fillers,
Preservatives
- Dyes are unhealthy additives to a
ferret food, and fillers just mean less food, less nutrition, and
more waste. Avoid dyes and fillers. Many pet foods use preservatives
such as BHT, BHA, and ethoxyquin (to keep fats from becoming
rancid). Some people feel that these ingredients are carcinogens.
Others argue that without them, fats go rancid, and rancid fats are
also carcinogens. At this time, there are no definitive
research studies that show the effects of these preservatives on the
health of ferrets. However, your may feel more comfortable avoiding
these artificial preservatives in favor of natural preservatives
such as Vitamin E and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).
-
- Shape/Texture
- Smaller, textured shapes (such as
kitten-sized stars or crosses) seem to be preferred by cats. Ferret
testers also seem to prefer these shapes, and the shapes are less
likely to get lodged in the roof of the mouth. However, ferrets
often bite the ends off these shapes and leave the middle as crumbs.
Triangles, circles, or cylinders may also be good. Pellets may not
provide as much texture, but could be easier to eat for the ferret.
-
- Packaging
- Heat, light, and moisture are all
damaging to ferret foods. Regular plastic bags are not the best
packaging because they let in light, and tiny pinholes let in air,
which results in rancid food. Better packaging would be a special
sealed plastic laminate, or a double-lined bag, with plastic on the
inside and light-blocking paper on the outside, or a carton.
-
- Testing
- The food you feed your ferret should
have been tested and proven on ferrets. You may also wish to look
for AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials)
certification on foods. The AAFCO is a nonprofit association of
federal and state officials that develops guidelines for production,
labeling, and sale of animal feed. AAFCO requires either meeting
minimum nutrient standards or a 6-month feeding trial. Not all foods
will meet AAFCO guidelines.
-
- Lifestage
Considerations
- Breeding ferrets, nursing jills, and
kits require higher protein and fat contents than the percentages
listed above, which are most applicable to nonbreeding adult
ferrets. According to Susan Brown, DVM, kits under six months,
breeding animals, and lactating jills have a minimum protein
requirement of 35%. Ill ferrets (such as those with insulinoma or
recovering from ECE) also have higher nutritional needs.
-
- Older or senior ferrets can become
overweight if their activity level decreases. Foods with slightly
less protein and 16-18% fat may be better. Most important, if your
ferret is overweight, do not switch to a cat adult-stage food, a
higher-fiber "lite" food, or lower fat food with
inadequate protein levels in an effort to keep your senior ferret's
weight down. These foods will deny your ferret needed nutrition.
Instead, increase activity levels, or switch to a food specifically
designed for senior ferrets (Totally Ferret for Older Ferrets and
Sheppard & Greene Maxi-Life are formulas specifically designed
for senior or overweight ferrets). Do not put your ferret on a diet
by withholding food. Because of the high metabolism of ferrets, they
need to eat frequently (every few hours throughout the day and
night).
-
- Palatability
- No matter how healthy the food, if it
does not taste good to the ferrets, they will not eat it.
Unfortunately, many of the unhealthier foods are more palatable to
ferrets. Some contain high amounts of sugars. Others (typically
grocery-store cat foods) are commonly coated with animal fat or
sprayed with phosphoric acid to make them more tasty. This makes
your job of switching from a poor-quality but tasty food to a
high-quality, less palatable food more difficult.
-
- Switching Foods
- Whenever you wish to change your
ferret's diet, it is important to switch slowly. Mix the old and the
new food, and gradually increase the proportion of new food so that
after a few weeks, there is only new food. In extreme cases for very
finicky eaters, you may have to liquefy the new food and feed
through an oral syringe until the new food is accepted. In some
cases this procedure is necessary when a ferret only wishes to eat a
food that is literally killing the ferret (such as dog food).
Another extreme measure is to completely change foods, and wait the
ferret out. It may take a few days for a stubborn ferret to accept a
new food.
-
- Food Amounts
- Food should be made available at all
times, or "free fed." Do NOT follow instructions on labels
(typically for kittens or cats) that indicate once or twice daily
feeding of a controlled amount. Again, the fast digestive process of
the ferret requires a new meal every few hours, 24-hours per day.
-
- Food Cost
- The protein quality of commercial
foods drives its price, because protein is the highest-cost
ingredient, and high-quality proteins (such as those from muscle
meat) cost much more than low-quality proteins (grains, feathers, or
indigestible tissues). In the case of ferret food, "you get
what you pay for." Ferrets must eat much more of a low-quality
food than a premium brand to meet their nutritional requirements. A
high-quality, concentrated food costs more per pound to buy, but not
much more to feed, because the ferret has to eat less. Additionally,
potentially expensive health problems can be avoided if a
higher-quality diet is fed, so the bottom-line savings may be
substantial.
-
- Supplements and Treats
- With a good, nutritious, well-balanced
food, supplements and treats are not necessary for your ferret's
health. However, ferrets enjoy the occasional treat, drop of oil, or
reward. Fatty acid supplements with linoleic acid (such as Linatone
or Ferretone) are healthy if given in moderate quantities. Treats
should be given sparingly, and all treats should avoid refined
sugars, dairy products, or chocolate products. If you are feeding
commercially prepared ferret treats, read the ingredient list with
the same guidelines you use for evaluating food. Avoid filling up
your ferret with grain products, sugars, and fiber (which make up
many ferret treats), because then your ferret won’t get the
nutrition from the regular food. Treats high in sugars may be a
foundation for insulinoma. Remember that while it may seem healthy
to give your ferret fruits (bananas, grapes, pears, melons) or
vegetables (peas, mushrooms, squash), ferrets cannot utilize much of
the nutrition and the fiber fills them up so they are less likely to
eat their meat-based ferret food. In addition, raw onions and raw
potatoes can be toxic in large enough quantities. Raw carrots can
cause intestinal blockages.
-
- Water
- The best food is useless unless fed
with adequate water. A ferret needs a constant supply of fresh water
(changed daily). Ferrets must have water in their gut to digest food
and absorb nutrients. Water also helps flush out impurities that can
lead to health problems. Ferrets drink more from water dishes than
water bottles, so a heavy crock is ideal. On the other hand, water
bottles may be more sanitary for an active ferret.
-
- Conclusion
- You now have the tools to evaluate
what to feed your ferret. You now know how to read nutrition labels
and compare alternative foods. Remember to have a minimum of 32%
protein and 18% fat, but a maximum of about 3% fiber. Make sure the
first ingredient is some kind of meat, and the other ingredients do
not have too many grain products. Avoid artificial colors and
preservatives. When you go out to evaluate foods, you will find that
dog food of any kind should not be fed to ferrets. Grocery-store cat
and kitten foods usually have poor nutrition and are loaded with
dyes and fillers. Even some foods specifically labeled for ferrets
are poor quality. You will typically eliminate foods due to their
extremely high corn contents (multiple corn ingredients such as
ground corn, corn meal, and corn flour) or high fiber levels. Others
will not have appropriate sources or levels of protein and fat.
Remember that new ferret foods are coming out on the market all the
time, such as Kellogg’s Daily Diet Ferret, so check them out! Also
keep in mind that nutrition studies and new information can change
the current thinking about what is "right" for your
ferret, so keep up with these changes.
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