What Are Good Treats For Your Ferret?

Many ferrets enjoy some fruits and veggies. Treats are generally not necessary, especially if you are feeding a high quality ferret diet, however they are a great way to build trust and further your relationship with your ferret. Just remember, that moderation is the key. Too much of anything can be harmful, make sure you vary your treats.

The following are good suggestions of treats for your ferret: a slice of banana (mashed is best, as this way it becomes more digestible), raisins, peanut butter, bits of pear, freeze-dried liver, Marshall Bandit treats, puffed rice cakes, green beans, wheat crackers, Ferretone, 8 in 1 Yogies, and so on. These are just a few ideas, remember you can try many other things, and just make sure that the pieces are small. You may be surprised at what your ferret thinks is a heavenly treat. It’s not uncommon for ferrets to love everything from spaghetti to blueberries!

Things to avoid

Many ferrets love milk and ice cream; however you should limit these items or possibly avoid them altogether. Mainly this is because cow’s milk can give ferrets diarrhea, easily causing them to become dehydrated. Goat’s milk is a possible alternative if you find your ferret loves milk. You could also use Soy milk in place of regular milk.

Again, too much of a good thing can be bad for ferrets, items high in fiber for example can cause diarrhea. Treats high in sugar should be limited or avoided as well, mainly because of the dental problems that can occur when eating sugary snacks. If you are like us, thinking of your ferret as part of the family, you’ll want to make sure you don’t give them too many treats. This certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t share piece of your cookie, or let them eat some picnic time fruit salad along with you, it’s just best to limit the amount of these items to insure your ferrets overall health.

Chocolate is not a recommended treat for ferrets. It is not thoroughly studied; however it is believed since ferrets bear a closer genetic code to dogs more so than cats, that chocolate could likely have the same negative effects on them as well. That’s not to say many ferret parents who are preparing holiday cookies don’t share a few nibbles of chocolate chips with their ferrets, make sure however that like us, they’re not getting more than they need. Likewise “true licorice” which is surprisingly strong may not be a good treat for ferrets. Garlic, Onions, and other members of the Alliums genus which also includes Chives can cause Heinz Body Anemia in both dogs and cats, however no one is certain if this can be applied to ferrets as well. Again, in small doses, even these items may be acceptable, however many ferret owners try to avoid them altogether, airing on the side of caution for their furry friends.

Matthew Humphries – http://www.ferret.com