Fun with Ferrets!

Ferrets make fantastic pets with their fun loving personalities and playful antics. These small animals are often a great option for apartment owners or those without the large yards desirable for dog ownership. Ferret food and other necessities are reasonably priced making them a good option for pet seekers on a budget. Ferrets are very loving when trained properly and can even learn to do many tricks.

Choosing a small pet such as a ferret can be quite similar to owning a dog in many ways. The behavior of your pet will be very dependent on how much time and attention you put into it. Spending time handling your ferret can turn a shy and skittish creature into a buddy that will follow you anywhere. Your ferret will spend lots of time playing in his house if you have provided him with plenty of space and appropriate toys to keep him sufficiently entertained. Some ferrets can be taught to play fetch or even tug of war with their owners. Teaser toys on wands can be extremely fun for both the ferret and owner.

Feeding your pet high quality ferret food will help your pet remain feisty and fun. Your local pet supply store or online pet supplier can provide your pet with everything he needs. Though you may give your ferret other appropriate treats, the dietary needs of your pet will be best met when you feed high quality ferret food. Be sure to store your ferret's food in an air tight container to keep it fresh. Ferrets can be very picky about their food so ensuring it isn't stale will keep your pet happy. 

Burgess Supaferret is a high quality complete food for ferrets

 Toys for ferrets are often similar to cat toys. Interactive toys are great fun for both you and your pet. Be sure to choose toys that are intended for pet use so they don't have any harmful chemicals or small pieces that can be dangerous to your pet. Regularly scheduled play time can help you train and bond with your pet and keep him at a healthy weight. Ferrets are predators and love to chase small objects. Keep in mind the natural personality of your pet when choosing toys. motorized objects that move around can be great fun, especially when you are not available to manipulate the toy for your pet.

Ferrets can be ferocious fighters when cornered or in danger, so be sure you know how to handle your new pet. Keep dogs and cats that are unfamiliar away from your ferret if possible as they may fight. For the dedicated pet owner a ferret can be the ultimate pet. Choosing to invest your time and emotions into a relationship with a pet is a highly beneficial commitment. Choosing the right items from ferret food to fun toys can greatly enhance the quality of that relationship. Ferrets can be leash trained and really enjoy going for walks with their owners. A well trained and well cared for ferret can be the buddy that is always by your side.

Feeding your Ferrets

If you own, or are considering owning ferrets then you need to pay careful attention to the food you offer them. There are plenty of generic, muesli type small animal foods that you can pick up cheaply from any pet store. They don't look very appetising, and the nutritional content really isn't suited to the special dietary requirements of a ferret. Ferrets have a very different digestive system to hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits, so it really does make sense that they would need a different type of food.

So, what is different about the digestive system of a ferret? 

Well they differ in several ways, the most noticable being that they are carnivores (unlike rabbits and guinea pigs) and require meat in their diet. 

Their digestive system is short so food passes through it much more quickly than with other small mammals. This means that they don't absorb as much of the nutrition from their food as the other small animals. 

They have a very quick metabolism so they need to be fed more regularly than other pets. Ferrets really need to eat around every three or four hours. You don't need to give them fresh food every three hours though, as ferrets will rarely over eat. They will simply eat what the need and then return to their bowl a few hours later for some more food, so you don't need to worry about them eating a whole bowl full all at once; just give them a fresh bowl of food every morning. Unlike other animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits, ferrets actually need a diet that is low in fibre too.

Ferrets also don't get any nutrition from vegetables whatsoever, their digestive system just isn't geared up for vegetables, so feeding them a dry food for guinea pigs that is full of dried vegetables is just pointless for a ferret. They'll be using up their energy eating the food and getting no nutrition from it at all.

The best food for your ferret is one that is purpose made for ferrets and for their unique digestive systems. Spend a bit of money and the best complete ferret food you can find. It's definitely a good investment and it doesn't cost that much more than the inferior cheaper foods. 

When you're choosing your ferret food, read the labels. A good ferret food will be high in protein. Look for a food with at least a 30% protein content. The protein should be animal rather than plant based as a ferret won't be able to digest the plant proteins. It should be high in fat. Again, check the label and you should be looking for a minimum of 20% fat. Finally check for a food that is low in fibre and low in carbohydrates.

There are various ferret foods on the market and some will be better than others so check out the labels so you can make an informed choice and pick out the very best food for your furry friends.