Diet

As with all other information and suggestions given, always put your ferret-expert veterinarian’s advice first when making choices for your fur-kids!

Meat, bones, and organs

Obligate Carnivore

Ferrets are obligate carnivores. What is that – exactly? “Obligate carnivores” are true carnivores. The diet they have evolved to thrive upon consists of animal flesh, along with the bones and organs. Your ferret might be able to ingest small amounts of plant matter, but they lack the necessary physiology required to digest it. Think about a human eating cardboard. *We can eat it, but not digest it.

*Note that animals that can digest wood products, such as termites, depend upon microorganisms living inside the termite’s digestive system called protozoa. These protozoa actually break down the wood inside the termite, producing by-products that both organisms can digest.

 

Best Source for Feeding Natural!

The Holistic Ferret Forum is the number one source for help with feeding a natural diet. They share time-tested methods for  transitioning your fuzzbutt to a meat diet and best of all, they offer mentors to help you through the process!  You can also make use of the main website here.

 

Kibble

Ferret Circle

Photo credit: Jiří Dokoupil

The difficulty for those feeding kibble products, is that some kind of starch is required to make that food hold together to become kibble bits. That starch might come from corn, different flours, potatoes, peas, or other starchy plant.

NEVER FEED ANY KIBBLE WITH PEAS IN IT!  There is evidence to suggest that peas in food may lead to the formation of bladder stones in ferrets. This was seen frequently in ferrets fed the old formulation of Zupreem Grain Free, which had peas as the 3rd ingredient.

The Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital gives additional information: There has been some controversy recently about diets that include pea flour and duck meat in their formulations and the role they play in the formation of cysteine bladder stones. It is believed that some ferrets may be genetically predisposed to not process cysteine properly and in those specific animals high cysteine diets should be avoided. Because ferrets with this disorder will often pass cysteine crystals in their urine, a simple urine test can be valuable in determining if a ferret may be at risk. 

Our vet, Dr. Burgess of Beaverton, Oregon advises to avoid peas and search for the lowest carbohydrate/highest animal protein kibble that you can find.

 

Purina DM

We choose to use Purina DM – kibble and canned. This is a prescription food for diabetic cats – who are also obligate carnivores.

Purina (prescription required) kibble for diabetic catsINGREDIENTS:

Poultry By-Product Meal, Soy Protein Isolate, Corn Gluten Meal, Soy Flour, Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Corn Starch, Animal Liver Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphoric Acid, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Powdered Cellulose, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Sodium Selenite. B-2561.

Purina DM Analysis

This is not the only option for ferret kibble! It is the option that we chose.

Note that the Carbohydrate maximum listed in this analysis is notated as being “Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFO cat food nutrient profiles.” This is because cats, like ferrets are obligate carnivores.

 

How about Wysong?

Wysong ferret foodWysong is a freeze dried, grain-free, kibble diet. Freeze drying (versus cooking) preserves many of the nutritional aspect of a raw diet with a decreased risk of exposing your family and pet to disease causing bacteria such as salmonella. It comes in two varieties, Wsong Epogen 90 and Wysong Digestive Support.

INGREDIENTS:

Wysong Ferret Kibble AnalysisWe used Wysong products for a long time and they were great for the fuzzbutts, plus they loved the food and freeze-dried treats. The first issue we found was that after our fur-kids were accustomed to eating the kibble and meat treats, we often found that these top end items were back-ordered. The last straw was some years ago when Wysong changed one of their ferret kibble recipes. I cannot remember anymore what ingredients were changed, but our ferrets had stomach problems eating it even with a gradual change. In multiple ferret groups, others reported similar issues.

It’s possible that I’d try Wysong again, sure. If so, I’d keep plenty on hand in case I’m forced to change our guys to another brand suddenly. Those issues may not exist today – but once burned, twice shy.

Wysong gives an explanation of ingredients used and their benefits here:  https://www.wysong.net/WysongPetFoodIngredientsExplained.

 

Marshall’s Premium Ferret Food

Since we’ve talked about two of the top-end kibbles for ferrets, let’s compare the bottom of the barrel – Marshall’s Premium Ferret Food! The ingredients and analysis tell us all we need to know and it’s far from good.

Marshall Premium Ferret Food is horrible for your ferret!INGREDIENTS:

Chicken By-Products (Organs Only), Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewer’s Dried Yeast, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Sodium Propionate and Mixed Tocopherols (Preservatives), Taurine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), BHA (a Preservative), Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, Ascorbic Acid, BHA (a Preservative), Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Extract.

Analysis of Marshall's Premium Ferret Food
Addressing the main ingredient of “chicken by-products (Organs Only) – obligate carnivores do need to eat some organ meats. For example, chicken hearts and livers are excellent sources of taurine, but should be added in limited quantities, because of the dangers of “overdosing” with vitamin A.

 

What do the ingredient terms mean?

More about what ingredients actually represent from the Association of American Feed Control Officials

“Meat is the clean flesh derived from slaughtered mammals and is limited to that part of the striate muscle which is skeletal or that part which is found in the tongue, in the diaphragm, in the heart or in the esophagus; with or without the accompanying and overlying fat and portions of the skin, sinew, nerve, and blood vessels which normally accompany the flesh. It shall be suitable for animal food. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto.”

In other words, “meat” is primarily the muscle tissue of the animal, but may include the fat, gristle and other tissues normally accompanying the muscle, similar to what you might see in a portion of raw meat sold for human consumption. This may include the less appealing cuts of meat, including the heart muscle and the muscle that separates the heart and lungs from the rest of the internal organs, but it is still muscle tissue. However, it does not include bone. Meat for pet food often is “mechanically separated,” a process where the muscle is stripped from the bone by machines, resulting in a finely ground product with a paste-like consistency (similar to what might be used in hot dogs).

In addition to using the term “meat,” the pet food manufacturer may also identify the species from which the meat is derived, such as “beef” or “pork.” However, to use the generic term “meat” on the label, it can only be from cattle, pigs, sheep or goats. If it comes from any other mammal, the species must be identified (for example, “buffalo” or “venison”), so you can rest easy that if any other species was used, it would have to be declared. Also, if the muscle is from non-mammalian species, such as poultry or fish, it cannot be declared as “meat” but must use the appropriate identifying terms.

Meat by-products is the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially de-fatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs. It shall be suitable for use in animal feed. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto.”

To put it another way, it is most of the parts of the animal other than the muscle tissue, including the internal organs and bones. It includes some of the parts people eat (such as livers, kidneys and tripe), but also parts that are not typically consumed by humans in the US. Some by-products, like udders and lungs are not deemed “edible” by USDA for human consumption, but they can be perfectly safe and nutritious for animals not inclined to be swayed by the unappealing nature of these parts of animals. As with “meat,” unless the by-products are derived from cattle, pigs, sheep or goats, the species must be identified.

“Poultry is the clean combination of flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from the parts or whole carcasses of poultry or a combination thereof, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails. It shall be suitable for use in animal food. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto. If the bone has been removed, the process may be so designated by use of the appropriate feed term.”

In other words, it is the parts of the bird as you would find if you purchased a whole chicken or turkey at the grocery store. Frankly, it often consists of the less profitable parts of the bird, such as backs and necks. Unlike “meat,” it may include the bone, which when ground can serve as a good source of calcium. If the bone has been removed (typically by mechanical separation), however, it can be declared as “deboned poultry.” If a particular species of bird is used, it may be declared by the more common name, such as “chicken” or “turkey.”

“Poultry By-Products must consist of non-rendered clean parts of carcasses of slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, viscera, free from fecal content and foreign matter except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice. If the product bears a name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto.”

Similar to “meat by-products,” it is most of the parts of the bird that would not be part of a raw, dressed whole carcass. That may include the giblets (heart, gizzard and liver) but also other internal organs, heads and feet.

The following materials are all rendered products that have been subject to cooking to destroy any harmful bacteria before they are shipped to a pet food manufacturing plant. Rendering is a process where the materials are subject to heat and pressure, removing most of the water and fat and leaving primarily protein and minerals. You will notice that the term “meal” is used in all cases; because, in addition to cooking, the products are ground to form uniform sized particles.

“Meat Meal is the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices. It shall not contain extraneous materials not provided for by this definition. …. {the definition goes on to include the required mineral specifications and required nutrient guarantees}….. If the product bears a name descriptive of its kind, composition or origin it must correspond thereto.”

The rendering process is designed to destroy disease-causing bacteria, leaving an ingredient high in protein that while unappetizing to people appeals to the carnivore’s palate. Unlike “meat” and “meat by-products,” this ingredient may be from mammals other than cattle, pigs, sheep or goats without further description. However, a manufacturer may designate a species if appropriate (such as “beef meal” if only from cattle).

“Meat and Bone Meal is the rendered product from mammal tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices. It shall not contain extraneous materials not provided for by this definition. …. {the definition goes on to include the required mineral specifications and required nutrient guarantees}….. If the product bears a name descriptive of its kind, composition or origin it must correspond thereto.”

Similar to “meat meal,” but can include added bone in addition to what is normally found in whole carcasses.

“Animal By-Product Meal is the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices. It shall not contain extraneous materials not provided for by this definition. This ingredient definition is intended to cover those individual rendered animal tissues that cannot meet the criteria as set forth elsewhere in this section. This ingredient is not intended to be used to label a mixture of animal tissue products.”

May consist of whole carcasses, but often includes by-products in excess of what would normally be found in “meat meal” and “meat and bone meal.”

“Poultry By-Product Meal consists of the ground, rendered clean parts of the carcasses of slaughtered poultry such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.….{the definition goes on to include the required mineral specifications and required nutrient guarantees}….. If the product bears a name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto.”

Essentially the same as “poultry by-products,” but in rendered form so most of the water and fat has been removed to make a concentrated protein/mineral ingredient.

“Poultry Meal is the dry rendered product from a combination of clean flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from the parts or whole carcasses of poultry or a combination thereof, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails. It shall be suitable for use in animal food. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto.”

Basically the same as “poultry,” but in rendered form, so most of the water and fat has been removed to make a concentrated protein/mineral ingredient.

Some other ingredients
Animal and vegetable fats or oils are commonly used to supply additional energy and flavor to a pet food.
Plant ingredients like corn, barley, peas, and potatoes also supply energy and help hold kibbles together.
There are a number of sources of dietary fiber used in pet food, including dried beet pulp, dried chicory root, fructooligosaccharide, powdered cellulose, and inulin.

 

Share info without judgement!

One last serious note:

We’ve all seen how vicious a conversation can get on ferret forums and in ferret groups about diet. It’s perfectly natural to have strong beliefs as long as we don’t bash others over the head with them! Serious here! That ugliness is counterproductive and should embarrass an adult. Sure, be passionate, but speak your passion with kindness or choose not to speak at all. The harm done by a few ferret folks is unacceptable.

 

 

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