Ham, Fruit & Vegs?? NOT!

Question
can my ferret live on fruits ham and vegs

Answer
Hi Sabrina:

Wow, that would be a horrible diet for your ferret!  Ferrets are obligate carnivores, which means they eat MEAT ONLY and their natural prey would be closer to chicken or turkey.

Kibbles that are made specifically for ferrets are usually made with chicken and your ferret needs a minimum of 34% protein a day. Ferrets also have other  needs, such a fat content, taurine and other vitamins and things that will help your ferret be healthy and grow a nice fluffy, soft coat.

Overall, you would save a LOT of money (if that's what you're trying to do) by purchasing a nice premium ferret kibble such as Totally Ferret - and you won't have to worry about whether or not he/she is getting the nutrition he/she needs.

Ferrets are a bit tricky - not at ALL like cats, dogs or other pets.  If you can't afford to feed your ferret a good quality kibble and provide it with it's basic necessary needs.....I would strongly advise you to find it a better home where they can take proper care of it.

Ferrets also MUST have a minimum of 2-3 hours OUT OF CAGE interraction with their people EVERY DAY.  It is important that wherever the ferret plays is equipped with some nice ferret toys and totally ferretproofed so your ferret doesn't get into things that are deadly to him/her.  

You can get a lot of information on ferrets here:

http://www.ferretcentral.org  and click on FAQ's....then scroll down (or read it all, better yet! :-) to where it says "FERRETPROOFING".  It would be best if you read ALL the FAQ's so you have a better idea of the type of pet a ferret is.  I'm afraid someone has given you some terribly wrong information.

The best thing you can do for your ferret is to get well-informed; the next best thing you can do is take this information back to the person who misled you into thinking your ferret could be treated like a dog or cat. Ferrets have a LOT more needs than a cat or a dog and if these needs aren't met, you will find a ferret who is not well behaved (if he doesn't get enough time with his person), upset and depressed (if they don't get enough time out of the cage with their person and some appropriate toys); and won't live long nor be healthy (if you don't feed it correctly).  All in all, a very horrible deal for a little ferret who never got a say in who is caring for him or what he gets or doesn't get.

I hope so very strongly that you will take your ownership of a ferret very seriously.  A ferret is actually much more like a two year old child than a dog or a cat. They need clean blankies to snuggle down into and they need changed several times a week; they need a proper litterbox that gets cleaned at least once a day; a ferretproofed area and lots of safe toys to play with.....and most of all a diet that meets their very special needs. You can buy ferret food online at The Ferret Store or Ferret Depot, so not having a pet store in your area isn't even a reason not to feed your pet properly.

If taken care of properly, a ferret is about the most loving, precious, wonderful part of a family that you could ever ask for. He/she will dance and make everyone laugh and take the worst days and make them bright and fun.

I highly recommend the book FERRETS FOR DUMMIES by Kim Schilling too - it covers just about everything both new and old ferret owners need and will give you a great idea of your ferret's needs.   IF you can't meet your ferret's needs, I would encourage you NOT to get one (if you haven't already) OR to find another home who will have the time, energy, money and love that a ferret requires to live a long, happy life.  These are incredible critters who deserve only the best.

Best of luck to you - please don't hesitate to write again if there is any way I can be of help.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers