Are Treats Necessary?

Question
i have a 1yrs old ferret hyde. i have tried every treat and toy i have come across to try to help his training, but have had no luck in finding anything he really likes. i can get him to take his ferretlax and vitamins with a little struggling. he just doesn't seem to want to try anything but his own food. have any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Katy:

If you are feeding your ferret a premium kibbled food especially for ferrets such as Totally Ferret, Marshalls, and several other brands that have over 34% protein, your ferret's nutritional needs are being met.  It's only we humans who believe that ferrets *need* treats - really they don't.  It's nice if you can get a hairball lax in them regularly....if they don't like the gel, you can purchase some capsules called VETASYL and a jar of Uncle Jim's Duk Soup Mix.  When made according to label directions and fed warm (give him a taste on your finger over and over until he gets a taste for it...he really will after some time), then you can make an especially "soupy" mix of it and open ONE CAPSULE of Vetasyl into the mix just before you give it to the ferret. It's very very important that you get lots of fluids down the ferret - so be sure he is eating the soup well before adding the Vetasyl.  I like to give the Uncle Jim's to my kids at bedtime so they go to bed with a belly full of nice warm soup.  They do get used to the routine in time.

Ferrets "imprint" on their food at a very early age and sometimes they will nearly refuse to eat anything other than the food they recognize.  If you have this problem, you can put some dry kibble in a blender and make powder out of it, then add very warm water and blend.  Again, if you are going to just make an evening 'soup' for him,the warm soupy mixture will be comforting to him; if you are making it for the purpose of adding Vetasyl, be sure the Vetasyl is well mixed and get the ferret to eat it as soon as possible (it is a fiber which swells, which is why is makes such a wonderful bowel cleaner...just like when people use Metamucil and similar bulk laxatives).

Most ferrets LOVE Ferretone or Furotone, depending on what brand you buy. I would put some on my finger and then touch it inside his mouth several times in the evening until he understands that it is a treat - soon you will have him chasing you around the house for it  :-)   And, if you don't, then just feed a good quality ferret kibble and you can also use this same food, HAND FED, as a treat.  If it comes from your hand instead of the bowl, it is a treat...that's the big thing for them.

PLEASE don't resort to any treats that have sugar in them or some commercial ones that have dried fruits in them, which cause intestinal obstructions.  It's just not necessary to have a 'treat' for the ferret's wellbeing - only for the human.

Here is a list of ferret foods to help you choose a healthy one for your ferret.

FOOD & TREAT CHARTS:
* http://www.mdferretpaws.org/care/food_treats.html  
* http://tinylink.com/?TlVyYKa6e0  (EXCEPT Never add anything to a ferret's water!)
* http://www.ohioferret.org/INFO/nutri_prn.asp

If he is not currently on a premium brand, you will need to change him over very slowly, starting first with just a few pieces of the new kibble in a whole bowl of the old food, then increasing everyday.  Also, you can put the old food into a blender, make it into crumbs and add these crumbs to a bag of the new food you are introducing - you'll be surprised; it does take time and patience and lots of love, but they really can be changed.

Hope this helps!

P.S.: I got your question from the Question Pool, along with about 10 others. Could you please write back and let me know who you originally asked the question of?  I need to know who is not answering their questions. Thanks so much for your help.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers