A balanced diet
To keep your ferrets healthy and happy, they'll need a diet:
- Suitable for their age
- Health
- Level of activity
- Whether they have young.
The best thing to do is to ask your vet about a complete, commercially available diet for your ferret.
Your ferrets will need to feed throughout the day. This is because they have high metabolic rates which means they need to eat little and often. They'll need to have food available at all times.
It's a good idea to encourage your ferrets to forage for their food. You could hide their food or treat or use food toys.
Make sure your ferret is eating the right amount
Check your ferrets' are eating enough, especially when they're living with other ferrets. If ferrets eat more food than they need, they'll become overweight and may suffer.
The amount your ferrets need to eat depends on their age, body weight, level of activity, health and whether they have young. It also depends on the type of food you feed them.
Remember:
- Read and follow the feeding instructions for any ferret foods that you buy
- Only give your ferret treats in small amounts. Suitable ferret treats include pieces of meat and cat or ferret treats
- Make any changes to their diet gradually. Sudden changes may upset their digestive system.
Drinking water
Make sure your ferrets have constant access to clean drinking water, as they'll become seriously ill without it. Check their water supply twice a day and make sure it doesn't freeze if your ferret is outdoors in winter.
Talk to your vet if your ferrets' eating and drinking habits change, as it could be a sign that they're ill.
