What do ferrets eat ?

Ferrets are carnivours. They eat meat. Ferrets have evolved by hunting, killing and eating other smaller rodents and animals. Because of this, many ferret owners have tried feeding their little carnivorous friends diets of live mice or baby chicks. I talked to a veterinarian in my town who raised one of his ferrets for a year on live mice. His conclusion was that it really didn’t seem any healthier than other ferrets raised on Marshall Farms foods.

Because, I haven’t wanted to commit to a ferret’s lifetime of buying baby chicks or mice, I have not tried this. Also, I really think my wife would be horrified and probably pass out if she found a bloody mouse carcass stashed away in our sock drawer.

Marshall Farms has been raising ferrets for a long time (some say in too narrow of a genetic spectrum causing ferret health problems). But that is a topic for another discussion. Anyway, Marshall Farms (and some other companies) make ferret food which provides all of the protein and nutrients that your ferret needs. Some cat food can be used here and there as a substitute but it should be high in protein with less grainy, starchy types of ingredients.

I’d love to get some feedback from ferret owners that have triend live food. How did this work out for you ? For the ferret ? Please leave a comment and let me know.