What is a good brand of food to feed my ferrets?

Question

My ferrets don't like their marshall food diet anymore. I need another good brand to feed them. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

There are several ferret diets available now, and some are considered better than others. Good diets tend to be expensive, but are worth it. Some foods are simply modified cat or mink diets, which may be no more appropriate than a high quality cat food. Just be careful and check the labels. Be warned that fish based diets tend to make the litter pan smelly, and some ferrets may not like them.

A diet that is often recommended is Totally Ferret, which comes in active and older ferret formulas. ZuPreem also makes a good premium ferret diet. The Ferret Store carries its own premium diet which is well formulated, along with a variety of other premium ferret diets. TheFerretStore.com provides an very nice comparison chart to allow you to visually compare a huge range of foods.

Any diet changes should be made gradually, mixing in the new food with the old and gradually reducing the amount of the old diet. It is often a good idea to use a mixture of foods starting when ferrets are young, as some can be stubborn about trying new foods, which may create problems if their current food becomes unavailable.

When you look at the nutrient analysis, you will find the minimum levels of protein and fat in the diet. But you also need to carefully examine the ingredient list. Protein can come from a variety of sources, including plant matter, so you need to make sure the bulk of the protein is derived from meat and poultry products. Chicken or poultry meal and egg are high quality protein sources and are good choices. Many pet foods, especially the inexpensive types, use corn as a major source of protein, but this will be largely indigestible to your ferret. Also avoid foods with high quantities of carbohydrates or sugars. The list of ingredients is based on their percentages in the food, from greatest to least. Your best bet is to look for diets with meat or egg products making up at least 3 or 4 of the first 6 listed ingredients. Also, chicken fat is considered a better-balanced fat source than other animal sources.

Answer 2

I would say James welbeloved Ferret food which is a dry mix and costs me £5.99 for a 2kg bag this has all the stuff in it needed for a ferret of any age.
Also Frankie ferret mix is meant to be good but my boys weren't keen on it.
I wouldn't say cat food personally as this doesn't have all the protein e.t.c needed for a healthy ferret. good luck xxx

Answer 3

I do not feed my 10 year old ferrets anything but catfood. A good high protein catfood will work. Not from a super market. I feed mine innova cat

Answer 4

Innova EVO
It is very high in protein, with no harmful grains or preservatives. It has lots of vitamins and minerals too. Hands down, the best.
They have a few cat formulas that are great, and they are coming out with a ferret formula.
Go to www.naturapet.com for more info.

Good luck and good on you for wanting the best for your buddy.
Cheers.