What do ferrets eat?

Today, many animal lovers choose exotic pets - raccoons, iguanas or, for example, ferrets. The latter are especially loved for their activity, curiosity and good looks. The newly minted owner of a domestic ferret or furo, of course, should find out exactly what this animal eats in one of the first stages.

In the wild, the ferret mainly feeds on what it catches. In this case, we are talking about other smaller rodents, for example, mice, chicks, frogs and even fish. The animal is happy to eat eggs, and if necessary, uses carrion. The ferret eats food as a whole, that is, together with bones, skin and all internal organs.

Ferrets need to eat game every day. Some owners buy mice, rats, chickens, large insects at pet stores to recreate an almost identical diet to the natural one, and let them eat them in their natural form. However, this method of feeding is not always possible for numerous reasons, so you should have an alternative. If a ferret likes a certain type of meat, then you can give it to him all the time, but add any other products to provide the animal with all the necessary vitamins.

Sometimes, as a treat, it is allowed to pamper the animal with boiled pork, veal or lamb. Since furo eats meat raw, from time to time he will have to drink special preparations to avoid the appearance of worms.In addition, ferrets will definitely need offal, which are not as nutritious as meat, so they are usually served in large quantities.

A well-defined diet consists of two-thirds of animal protein and one-third of fats. Fiber and carbohydrates should be present, but in small quantities.

Groats for furo served in the form of boiled cereals. In small quantities, you can feed your pet boiled eggs, preferably quail, boiled vegetables, fats, fish and sour milk. From offal, it is recommended to use hearts, kidneys or liver, even when raw.

Hard cheese, banana and pear, cut into cubes, or oatmeal cookies are suitable as a rare delicacy.

Dry ready-made food, of course, is better to take a premium. Moreover, risking and feeding the ferret a dog product, of course, should not be. Cat food can be used as an exception, but only of the highest class. The use of dry food greatly simplifies the feeding process for the owner, but pets do not always like it. When choosing finished products, it is important to study its composition in advance. The amount of fat and protein should be at least 30%, but fiber, on the contrary, should not exceed 4%. It is important that all the necessary furo vitamins and minerals are present.

The list of products banned for ferrets is quite wide. Salts, smoked meats, and also those fruits that are poorly absorbed by animals, that is, citruses and apples, are strictly prohibited. It is not recommended to give the animal some types of fish, for example, haddock, pollock, blue whiting and hake. Bakery products, both plain bread and baked goods, are prohibited. Finally, in the forbidden sheet are nuts, onions with garlic, spices and spices.

In fact, there are several points of view regarding how often to feed a ferret at home. Some experts argue that feeding should be carried out several times a day, by analogy with the nutrition of a cat or dog. Others are sure that, keeping the ferrets at home, they still need to be given the opportunity to eat, as in the wild - that is, according to the internal biological clock.

Food should always be in bowls, then the pet will eat it from 7 to 10 times a day, depending on the need. The volume of one serving for the male is 250 grams, and for the female varies from 160 to 200 grams. If the latter also feeds the little ferret, then the amount of food should be increased to 350 grams. On the Internet, a table is easily found in which the sizes of optimal servings are indicated depending on the age, gender and dimensions of the animal.

One of the most popular ways of feeding furo is to cook minced meat - a mixture of animal products and cereals. It is quite profitable to do it yourself on a large scale and freeze for the future. Cooking looks like this:

1. for a basic recipe, several kilograms of chicken necks and kilograms of chicken ventricles are purchased;
2. either buckwheat or oatmeal is boiled on water without salt and sugar;
3. offal is crushed using a blender, and then mixed with porridge.

In order to make nutritious multigood, which is suitable for adults, it will be necessary to use 500 grams of chicken and 150 grams of veal, as well as 150 grams of grinded together with the entrails of the fish. Seafood worth taking trout, cod or mackerel.

In addition, you will need 60 grams of cottage cheese with low fat content, 20 grams of fish or bird oil, as well as 50 grams of offal and the required dose of dietary supplements. As for cereals, such varieties as oatmeal, millet, buckwheat or rice in the amount of 150 grams are suitable. In this recipe, you should follow these steps:

1. fish and meat will have to be cooked for about half an hour, without gutting or peeling;
2. after that, cereal is added to the existing broth, the fire is reduced to a small one, the cooking process lasts about a third of an hour;
3. at the end, the remaining products are added to the minced meat, everything is grinded with a blender until a homogeneous substance is obtained.

To prepare another recipe suitable for adult pets, the following ingredients will be required:

• 400 grams of chicken or turkey raw meat;
• 150 grams of veal;
• 150 grams of fish;
• 100 grams of hearts or liver;
• 60 grams of cottage cheese;
• 20 grams of bird oil;
• vitamins;
• fig.

The cooking process is as follows:

1. meat should be partially boiled and removed from the bones, leaving the skin and cartilage;
2. rice is cooked separately for 30 minutes;
3. sliced ​​fish is combined with all other ingredients and processed using a meat grinder to obtain a homogeneous mass.

Caring for a furo means taking care of his health and not forgetting about adding healthy supplements. Even without buying vitamins in the pharmacy, it will be possible to supplement the minced meat with olive oil or fish oil, and the animal will receive the necessary elements. True, the dosage of additives should be minimal, as some of them in large quantities, the ferret simply can not digest.

In addition to feeding, it is equally important to study the topic of drinking. The liquid is poured into a special bowl, which is freely available for the animal. Water should be in the file constantly, especially if the ferret is fed with dry food, swelling in the stomach. Drink should be poured at room temperature and filtered, without any chemical elements.

Proper nutrition is easy to determine by the state of the animal. If the animal activates, eats often and with appetite, does not stink from his mouth, and his stool is normal, then his diet is selected in the best way.

When choosing ready-made food in the store, it is important to watch for whom it is intended. Only ferret products are allowed to be purchased, otherwise the animal may experience significant health problems. It is wiser to give preference to brands that are by ear, are proven and have a large number of positive reviews.

The ideal composition of the finished product does not contain any chemistry or its minimum amount. Of course, the shelf life of the feed should be normal. Store purchases at home should be in compliance with all the requirements indicated on the package. Despite all the requirements, the final ferret diet should still be individual. The animal may not like some products, then it will be necessary to find a replacement for them, or, on the contrary, something will be to their liking, then the use of the product should be increased.

All the time, experts do not advise feeding furo only dry food. If the choice is made in favor of the minced meat, then it will have to cook according to certain rules.All components must be fresh, natural and of high quality. A mixture with the addition of fish is allowed to be consumed no more than once a month. There are reasons for this limitation, such as:

• this product inhibits the development of the animal;
• a large number of worms will lead to certain problems.

In principle, some experts recommend offering the animal raw fish that has just undergone the freezing procedure, which will significantly reduce the likelihood of infection. As an alternative, the use of fish oil will be much more beneficial. It is better to alternate minced meat with other natural products. Offal is allowed to be offered to the ferret twice a week. Pork is rarely used and only boiled.

It is worth mentioning that some experts advise once a week to arrange for a pet a completely fasting day, but only if he normally responds to this. In spring and autumn, molting occurs in ferrets, so the diet should change during this period - the males will need larger portions. In addition, both males and females need to add a vitamin complex to food. It is better to take a ready-made composition, sold in veterinary pharmacies and consisting of eight necessary elements.

Of the vitamins for furos, A, E, and D, fish oil and even yeast are suitable. Fish oil, by the way, is allowed only for pets older than a month. As a rule, vitamins are added to food for a month, after a month's pause is arranged, and then vitaminization continues again. In specialized stores, you can also purchase supplements that contain biotin, which beneficially affects the state of ferrets. The frequency of its use is best clarified by specialists.

On how to properly feed a ferret, see the next video.