A
high-quality kitten or ferret food should be the "meat
and potatoes" of your pet's diet--but every self-respecting
ferret appreciates some variety once in a while. You'll
need to inform yourself about what's good--and what's
not--for your animal companion.
Ferret Treats – Tasty Fruits and Veggies
Most
ferrets enjoy fruits and veggies, just make sure
you offer yours only a few very small pieces at
a time. Experts stress that all vegetables
must be cooked, as raw veggies can block a ferret's
digestive tract. Try chopped green pepper, broccoli
and mashed potato. Even cooked, vegetable matter
isn't easy for a ferret to digest, so please feed
sparingly. You can also try nonacidic fruits such
as apple and mashed banana, but be cautious with
these high-sugar treats. Your pet may also enjoy
a few pieces of low-fat, low-sugar cereal, hardboiled
or scrambled egg, cooked meats (especially chicken
livers!), peanut butter and freeze-dried liver or
other cat treats. If you notice that your ferret
has diarrhea after eating any of these items, it's
best to stay away from them.
Topping
the absolute no-no list are chocolate, alcohol,
coffee, tea, seeds, nuts, raw egg whites, and anything
high in salt and/or sugar. And yes, we know that
ferrets love milk and vanilla ice cream, but experts strongly discourage your from giving them
to your pet. Dairy products can cause diarrhea,
which can lead to dehydration.
Limit Ferret Yogurt Treats – Give Ferretone Instead
If
you're feeding your ferret a high-quality diet,
daily supplementation should not be necessary. If
you have a very young or sick ferret, however, your
veterinarian may suggest a vitamin supplement; always
be sure to follow the doctor's guidelines for recommended
dosages. During the winter months, many ferret owners
offer their pets a few drops of a supplement such
as Ferretone twice weekly. This is especially helpful
if your fuzzball's fur is on the dry side. As it
turns out, most ferrets happen to love this stuff,
so feel free to add it to your list of recommended
treats--but take care not to offer more than a few
drops a couple of times a week. These supplements
are rich in Vitamin A, which can be harmful in excess;
some caretakers mix the product with equal parts
olive oil or vegetable oil to "dilute"
it.
Supplements
can also be used to combat hairballs. Yes, ferrets
get hairballs--but unlike cats, they do not cough
them up and are, unfortunately, prone to intestinal
blockage. Many caretakers offer their pets a few
drops of cat hairball remedy once or twice a week,
particularly during shedding season. It's easy to
figure out the correct amount to give based on your
ferret's weight.
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