Changing Ferret food

Question
QUESTION: I have had little luck with changing my ferrets food. I am trying to switch their Shepard & Green/Marshall ferret food mix to Zupreem diet for ferrets which has a higher protein content, no corn, and I beleive a slightly higher fat content. I have been slowly introducing the food for quite a while now. The first week I had 1/4 new food 3/4 old. Second week 1/2 and 1/2. But now Im stuck since if I go for more new food and less old food them my four ferrets have very wet stools. Not diahrea but moist and generally unpleasant. I am wondering what I am doing wrong in changing their food. None appear sick, some have even gained back some weight that they were not putting on while on their old food. My oldest one looks great but I want their stools to become firmer. Let me know if I am doing anything wrong, is this normal, should I not be switching to the particular food? Thank you for any answers.

ANSWER: Hello Kelcie,

It is great that you are changing to a better diet!  Thank you for doing your research.  You will notice the stool will be softer with a high protein diet.  This is normal, as long as there is no vomiting or diarrhea. If the stool is still too loose, try mixing in another brand that has a bit less protein, such as Serengeti Cat.  I will discuss other brands in detail.

Have you considered a bit better brand than Zupreem?  It's mediocre and you can get far better quality kibble for the same price. Nutrition is VERY important to these guys, and not all ferret foods are good for them. Chronic vomiting can be dangerous and lead to pancreatitis, insulinoma and other health complications.  

With any kibble, the first three ingredients should be meat-based, and not contain by-products since these are mostly devoid of valuable nutrition.  Also, the food should be low in carbohydrates (corn, rice, etc) since ferrets are obligate carnivores and cannot digest them. It should contain about 40-50% protein and roughly 20% fat.   I have noticed that the stool can get a bit watery once it approaches the 50% mark, which is yet another reason for mixing the diet with several brands.  Zupreem's first two ingredients are chicken and chicken fat, but the third is wheat.  It has a suitable amount of protein and fat.  The reason why I consider it mediocre is because wheat is high on the list.  You might consider the following brands because of the better ingredients.      

Wysong Archetypal-1 (beef) or Archetypal-2 (chicken)
http://www.wysong.net/products/archetypal-1-natural-healthy-ferret-food.php
http://www.wysong.net/products/archetypal-2-natural-healthy-ferret-food.php

Wellness Core Feline
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_wellness_dry_core.html
*Easiest to find in most pet stores*

Innova Ferret EVO (Or cat version if not available)
http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1502

Serengeti Cat (Timberwolf brand)
http://www.timberwolforganics.com/Pet-Foods/Serengetii
*Should be mixed due to a lower protein content*

Wilderness by Blue Buffalo
http://www.bluebuff.com/products/cats/wilderness-cat.shtml

All but the Wysong kibble can be purchased from PetFoodDirect.com  I find ordering is far easier than driving all over the state to find some of the more obscure brands such as EVO Ferret and Serengeti Cat.  

Brands I Do not recammend:  Marshall Farms, Totally Ferret, 8-in-one, IAMS, Kaycee ferret, etc.   

This list is by no means all inclusive.  There are many other good types available, just check the labels. Not all premium kitten/cat kibble is good for these guys, and not even all brands of ferret-specific food!  Every brand is different, and that is why I tend to choose 3 of the best, and create a mixture. I currently feed a mix of Core Wellness, Wilderness and Serengeti Cat, although it varies from month to month with what is available.   

I do not recommend feeding a raw diet.  Bacteria and other harmful pathogens and can be transferred by feeding raw meat.  These can include tapeworms, salmonella, and e-coli.

It is difficult to change a ferret's diet once they have imprinted on a certain brand.  Imprinting on certain foods happens at a very young age, and most will turn up their noses to anything else!   If you decide to switch brands, always introduce the new type by mixing it in with the old kibble.  I generally start with a 25/75 mixture, then increase the amount of new food over the next few days.  This allows the sensitive ferret tummies and taste buds to get used to the new diet.  Changing food too quickly can result in nasty vomiting and diarrhea.

Remember to store all extra food in airtight containers (Such as for cereal storage).  If you buy three kinds of kibble, it will last you awhile!  Also, change the kibble in your ferret's bowl DAILY.  Some types (such as those that contain vitamin E) can go rancid quickly and cause stomach problems.  

Also, stay away from vegetables, fruits and milk products as treats.  Raisins can cause kidney failure, and too much sugar (anything that ends with -ose) can lead to insulinoma and other complications. I feed my guys dehydrated 100% chicken treats with no additives as snacks.  These can be found in the canine section of your local pet store.  Another obscure (but healthy) treat is live meal worms.  These can be found at any pet store, and I haven't met a ferret who didn't love them yet.

There is a short FAQ that contains some info on nutrition from the AFA's Official Website:

http://www.ferret.org/read/faq.html

I hope this answers your question!  Sorry that my response is so lengthy, but I wanted to cover all of the important points =3

Remember... Always check the ingredients for whatever you buy, since most store bought brands are not good for the little guys! You will notice a BIG change in your ferret's coat health and condition once you switch to a healthier diet.     

If you have any other questions, you know where to find me.  
-Cindy P.   



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, I didnt realize their poop would get a little more wet as the protein content increased. That makes me feel better about continuing the switch.

I've done my research, Im quite aware that there are better foods out there but its difficult to convince my boyfriend to switch all our children to a different type of food, nevermind one that we have to order online. Zupreem is the best food besides Natural Gold that I could find at my store. I wanted to switch them to Natural Gold at some point but its expensive for the small size bag. I know not to feed any type of vegetable/fruit/carbs for treats and that Marshall ferret is a terrible food. I do still give some Marshall ferret treats though I know its not great for them, its an occaisonal junk food for them since they love it so much. I've tried freeze dried mealworms, they seem to like that and they like my cats freeze dried shrimp treats. I havent tried the dehydrated chicken, for some reason that never crossed my mind.

My ferrets have extremely soft fur since I switched them and my white ferret doesnt have as itchy dry skin and coat any more. And my two thinner ferrets are gaining weight and some muscle. :D

I did notice that their poop has an almost fishy smell despite no fish in the food, I stopped giving them small supplements of Ferretone thinking that was where it was coming from due to being made out of fish oil but still no avail. Any ideas?

By the way what would you consider good odor control litter? I use Esquicat pellet paper bedding but its not that great at it. Does Yesterdays News really stand up to the competition or would I be better off using a small amount of baking powder in my litter to absorb odors?

Answer
I'm glad I could help!  

Have you looked for Core Wellness feline?  It is in nearly every pet store I can think of and some supermarkets.  I have found it in more places than almost any other brand (every Petco and Petsmart has it).  It might be worth a try to look around a bit, as it is a higher quality diet than Zupreem.  

I am not sure what might cause a fishy smell in the stool.  It seems you are doing everything right for your ferrets.  Ferritone is a good supplement, but unnecessary if you feed a well formulated diet.  If the strange smell continues, you should ask your veterinarian. He or she might be able to find a cause.  Perhaps switching the diet will solve the problem once you no longer feed the Sheppard & Green/Marshall Farms kibble.    

When I used litter, I stuck to Yesterdays News.  It worked great, and seemed to last a long time.  Lately I've taken to placing newspaper on the bottom of the litter box and that works just as well.  I don't need to spend money on litter and have less mess since my kids are notorious diggers. If you want to try Yesterday's News, buy a small bag and see what you think.  I do not think there will be a huge difference between similar brands.

-Cindy P.