Ferrets are carnivores and they need to eat a high protein and low fiber diet. They are also picky eaters. Ferrets become accustomed to food as babies and adult ferrets often want to eat only what they ate as babies.
Most ferret foods are dry kibble, although some canned food is available. The food you feed to your ferret should be 4% or less fiber, otherwise your ferret will likely develop digestive difficulties, including diarrhea.
When your ferret is a baby you should feed him a few different types of kibble. This practice will ensure that he doesn’t become fixated on one particular brand. Feed one brand of food for a few days and then switch to another. Some people recommend switching between 3-4 brands of food. You may also want to mix a few brands together and feed as a mix. Imagine if your ferret only ate one brand and that brand became discontinued. That would be a serious problem for you both! By making your baby ferret used to a variety of food, he will be less picky during adulthood.
Ferrets digest food very quickly. The time between eating and defecating is only 3-4 hours. Because their systems process food so quickly, ferrets are at risk for developing low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia. To prevent low blood sugar ferrets need to eat frequently and the easiest way to make sure your ferret eats enough is to make food available all the time.
As with all pets, fresh water should be provided at all times.
There are a few treats that ferrets may eat, but they should be fed sparingly because the ferret digestive system can be sensitive to foods that are not primarily protein. High protein treats include small amounts of cooked chicken, cooked beef, or a hardboiled egg.
Fruits and vegetables (fiber!) are not easily digested by ferrets and should be fed very sparingly as a treat. Chocolate can be fatal to ferrets and should be totally avoided!
