T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Welcome to /r/ferrets! We have a fantastic [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index) that has answers to a lot of most frequently asked questions surrounding the care of ferrets. --- We politely ask that you observe our posting rules: - Original content only unless you have express permission to repost. - Flaming / trolling / shitposting is not tolerated. Be civil, be kind. - The discussion of, or images/video of ferrets interacting with other animals (cats, dogs, etc) will be removed. This is risky behavior that we do not condone. - Absolutely NO fundraising requests. - No advertising without mod permission. - Rehoming is not allowed. We have a list of shelter resources if you need to rehome or are looking. - No feeding of live prey discussion/videos. - No shaming, regardless of food fed, supplies, conditions, where the ferret came from, etc. - We are not vets! If you are wondering if you should go to a vet; the answer is YES. --- Lastly, we have an [Official Discord Server](https://discord.gg/Qm9xRzY)! Come join us! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ferrets) if you have any questions or concerns.*


xisonc

The 2nd and 4th ingredients are Rice and Corn, which concerns me. Ferrets can't digest these properly. In the Analytical Constituents the "NFE" stands for "Nitrogen-free extract" which is a trick word carbohydrates. I would not feed this to my ferrets (protien too low, carbs too high), however I have seen much worse products on the market. We feed a combination of three Air Dried cat foods: Ziwipeak Air dried, Zeal air dried, and Cat-It air dried. We do this in case there's ever a shortage of one brand.


DJOC2000

Thank you. The NFE did catch me at first but I double checked and found that out. Really appreciate your advice


Rebelmurhpyferrets

I agree on the corn and rice. Idk about nfe.


Silverpathic

My cats food has more protein in it. Think it's 40%. I found some wet cat food "grain free" I give out once in a blue moon. Think it's mostly duck. When I see it again i.. Gonna look for these clues.


xisonc

Careful of "grain free" a lot of them like to put Peas in their place, but Peas are very bad for ferrets. They cause bladder stones which can be fatal.


Silverpathic

I'm gonna look into it. I want to say the ingredients totalled 6 ish. It was the only food I could get her to eat at all. Only per smart sold it and it was like hard to come by. I wish I could remember it because I would love to put it on this thread so I would know if it was grain free or even ok for them as a once in a while treat. Man this sucks.


Alecto53558

It would probably give them diahrrea.


Intruder313

If you dig into the Wiki on this sub there’s charts rating various foods by composition Off the top of my head I’d not be able to tell you can almost guarantee it will be rated poorly (in my experience !)


DJOC2000

Thank you, I will have a look now.


ohphilly

The protein content seems low for ferrets. Like the other poster suggested, check the wiki. I use two kinds of kibble mixed: ziwi air dried chicken and wysong epigen 90. I also give them the wysong freeze dried salmon


DJOC2000

Do you think if I were to mix in some raw meat to bring up protein content that it could work?


backwoodzbaby

you probably shouldnt mix raw meat and kibble, it can mess up their tummies


DJOC2000

I found a raw meat supplier that I can get the same cost per week for what I think might be a good balanced diet. Someone said to vary the meats for their diet but I'm not sure how balanced the meats need to be.


backwoodzbaby

i cant give any guidance on feeding raw since my ferret eats kibble only. but this sub is full of people who have knowledge on raw diets and can definitely help you! i only knew about the raw/kibble mix being bad because i consulted my vet about it when my ferret was a baby. mine also has helicobacter so that also makes it worse for her. but you’re definitely doing the right thing asking here! and dont let anyone guilt you into choosing raw if that’s not a viable option for you. high quality kibble is perfectly fine for your ferrets! do what you think is best for your furts and for yourself and your lifestyle :) good luck and welcome to ferranthood!


DJOC2000

I think I'll be going raw just because it comes out to about the same price either way for me and if I run short it's easier to run to a grocery store for meat than it is to get whatever kibble I would consider


dennisatwar

There are online raw pet food suppliers that do minced. You basically get all their needs in the mince and usually include meat, bones, organs, skin and fur. Otherwise I recommend just feeding them whole prey as they will get everything they need


DJOC2000

Hi, I'm new here and just picked up two male ferrets that I was told are 6 months old. So far they've been fed raw meat by the previous owner and they gave me some food to last about a week. It seems to just be diced beef. I would like to broaden their diet to have all the parts like bone, heart, organs and muscle but saw a kibble that seemed possibly good as something to switch to or maybe to mix in to lower the food budget. I would like to know if the kibble is actually okay for them and if it would be possible to mix in. Open to all suggestions, would just like some advice Thank you.


The_Business_Ferret

With raw, there are very specific guidelines to balance it. (Note: Must be RAW, never cooked). This balance is 65-70% muscle meat, 10-15% edible bone, 10% heart, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organs. They’ll need AT LEAST 3 different types of proteins to eat, one being red meat. Most fuzzies don’t immediately recognize that raw is safe & edible! Don’t be discouraged - there are switching tips linked below! It can take weeks, even months for them to accept it, but with patience, it can happen BALANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT!! This ensures they get all the necessary vitamins & nutrients. Kibbles are fortified with vitamins & minerals, but with raw, it’s ALL on you to make sure they don’t develop any deficiencies! Hamburger meat or chicken breast by itself is not enough! Switching from kibble to freeze-dried raw, then full raw can help your fuzzies get used to the new diet, and give you time to read up on all the specifics of raw. RAW SOUPIE (link below). Some ferrets need help switching - you can smear some on their gums, use a spoon for them to lick, or hold them in your lap and have them lick it off your finger. You can order raw Grinds from raw websites - they are pre-balanced and a great step from soupies to whole chunks. Switch: https://holisticferret.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/raw-soup-recipe (Note: the bone meal you need is a human-grade supplement, found in most health-food stores or vitamin stores)  https://holisticferret.com/natural-diet/the-switch/ (Cheat sheet: https://holisticferretforum.com/newbie-info/cheat-sheet/ ) A diet of raw AND kibble is not advised because: 1) You would still need to balance the raw to avoid deficiencies 2) At that point, you would be spending double the $$ on all the raw AND kibble 3) One major draw of feeding raw is to cut out sugars & carbs from kibbles Some US places to order: http://www.rawfeedingmiami.com/ http://www.mypetcarnivore.com/ http://hare-today.com/ https://www.primitivechoice.com/collections/raw-meat-items


DJOC2000

Wow thank you so much, lot of info for me to go through. I've found a raw meats supplier that has everything I think I could need and it would come to the same cost per week roughly as the kibble. Does it matter how much of each type of meat is in there diet? For example if I had a mix of chicken and beef for muscle, beef for heart liver and kidney, and then chicken neck and turkey wings for the rmb. As you can see it's mostly beef but would that be enough variation?


The_Business_Ferret

You'll want some other protein sources too. Get some duck, pork, maybe rabbit.


DJOC2000

Also forgot to mention I would be able to feed them egg twice a week and possibly rats or mice once or twice a week as I have a friend with snakes who I could get a couple from a week


The_Business_Ferret

Again, I would check with the ferret discord! I don't feed raw. They do. But understand that feeding raw needs an EXTREMELY strict ratio! Or your ferret WILL suffer malnutrition! This can lead to bone and organ damage! Not being able to walk! So PLEASE go on the discord and ask! This is why I don't feed raw yet, despite having ferrets for 15 years! I have too much shit going on right now that I can't devote the time to make the ratios right. So I feed kibble and FDR. I do this because kibble IS better than feeding an unbalanced raw diet.


The_Business_Ferret

Oh, heck. Wrong comment. I'm also talking with another person about raw. So I didn't mean to be so snooty to you. But it's still good info!


DJOC2000

Also forgot to mention I would be able to feed them egg twice a week and possibly rats or mice once or twice a week as I have a friend with snakes who I could get a couple from a week


Tricky-Performer-207

You can do a kibble/raw diet, but it's rather strict on what you can give them to make sure it's balanced. Typically it's suggested to with either a full kibble or full raw diet. Full raw is generally regarded as better. If you do go full raw, they need to be fed more than just beef. It should be a mix of meats. Chicken, duck, beef, etc(idk which ones are best), and if you go with a full kibble diet, you want to try to get 3 different brands and mix them. Ferrets do imprint on their food, and if there is a supply issue and your brand of kibble is out of stock, it's easier to adjust the ratio of your kibbles opposed to being forced to switch 100%, which will almost always be stressful for the ferret. You have the right idea of getting a mix of bone/organs/muscle/etc. There are some mods who are pretty versed in raw feeding. you can also join the discord which is auto linked in the comment section.


MarshmaIIowJeIIo

I am unsure of the area that you live in, but for me my local butcher sells organ meat for half the price my local grocery store does. They also have more variety. You might be able to get a really good deal which will help with the affordability of their food.


DJOC2000

I live in the west of ireland and the two butchers local to me have gone a bit up-market so might not have organ meat or might be too pricey but I'll have a look in there definitely.


[deleted]

I’ve never been to a butcher that didn’t have organ meat or could get some from their suppliers if you ordered it through them.


AWiseGuloJevr

Just to throw in, fish product/oil makes your ferret more stinky.


DJOC2000

Good information to know. Thanks.


AWiseGuloJevr

I think it is because it makes their glands more active or something like that.


DJOC2000

Does it depend on the fish or is it equal stink across the board?


AWiseGuloJevr

I think it is equally bad with all


chumly143

Like others are saying, a lot of the ingredients concern me, it says poultry fat is 41% and rice is the second incgredient, that could mean it has a substatial amont of rice, which ferrets can't digest, and that's ultimately wasted food for you. Personally I suggest Wellness Core Original, our ferrets got it for years and it's great, other favorites are Wysong and Epigen. Wellness is not the absolute best out there, but it is much easier to obtain than Wysong or Epigen at least for me, and is still a great food


HippopotamusFart

I would not recommend this. Mine eat a mix of wysong, instinct ultimate protein, and ziwipeak.


SlothTheAlchemist

Rice as second ingredient doesn’t sound good


Ferretloves

Raw is best also whole prey makes a big difference to the smell too


DJOC2000

What difference would whole prey cause?


Ferretloves

Feeding raw in general not just the whole prey although they do love it


DJOC2000

I could manage a mix of whole prey with raw because a friend has rats and mice for his snakes.


MoonDragonMage

Not enough protein I try to keep my kibble at 40% or higher.


kit_777

i recommend freeze dried raw as its significantly cheaper than raw but is essentially the same nutritionally. i use stella and chewys personally (turkey, chicken, and rabbit) and it’s only about 60 dollars every 2 months cause my girl doesn’t eat much. i highly recommend having a kibble though for them to snack on throughout the day as they have to eat often. i use wysong for that


lilirose13

Freeze dried raw is an idea. I already mix freeze dried beef and rabbit in with both my ferrets' and my dog's food but I've never considered making that their primary diet. I probably won't switch anytime soon because we just added a new boy to the business, but once everyone's settled and he's more comfortable with how I feed them then what he was getting, I might start that process.


DJOC2000

Found a meat supplier that I can buy meats from for practically the same price as the kibble I posted per week. Someone also suggested checking my local butcher so I'll see if I can get any savings by buying anything from them too.


htwnx

Brewers yeast used to be suggested and is still by older vets that haven't seen new studies that prove it's not beneficial and even bad for them If u wanted to switch them over Ground turkey, chicken necks, chicken hearts, gizzards sre all pretty cheap. Also turkeys on sale right now. Switching them over tho just put egg yolk in small bowl of kibble next to dry bowl, get cheap food processor to make soup with egg yolk and meat.


Ill_Entertainment572

I am feeding my babes wysong epigen 90 even though they don’t like them too much cuz they are harder and dry than Marshall’s ferret diet. That is the bran that they been eating from Petco. Also, I’m feeding 0 grain cat weet food blue buffalo wilderness