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Did you know that it only takes 3 full hours for food to pass through a ferret's digestive tract? A constant supply of food and water is a must in order to keep your ferret in good health.
Surprisingly, a ferret's diet should consist mostly of cat food. There are many brands to choose from, but be careful to choose a brand that is rich in animal protein. The more animal protein the ferret consumes, the less it will have to eat to fulfil its nutritional needs.
You will find both moist and dry cat foods on the market to purchase. Dry cat food is highly recomended over moist. Reason being is dry food stays fresh for longer periods of time and contains little or no milk products. Milk is not healthy for ferrets. It will cause diarrhea. However, goat's milk can be given to babies to supplement mother's milk. Water is the liquid of choice in a ferret's case although, fruit juice can be a nice ocassional treat. Also, dry food is better for the teeth and gums, and it costs a lot less.
Interestingly enough, a ferrets weight cycle changes with the seasons. During the fall and winter months, a ferret will consume extra food and store the extra fat for insulation. In the warmer months, they eat less and lose some of the excess weight they gained during the colder months.
Just like in humans, ferrets have times in their lives when their nutritional needs change. These times include when they are very young, pregnant or old.
For a baby ferret, also known as a "kit", mother's milk is usually on the menu until about 6 weeks of age. After weaning, moisten the dry food with lots of water to make it soft enough for the kit to eat. Oddly enough, ferret's grow to be 90% of their adult size by 14 weeks of age. Food consumption is rather large during this stage of growth. There will be some kits that may have trouble getting proper nurioushment in the first weeks of life. As mentioned before, goat's milk is an excellent source of additional proteins and nutrition.
A ferret may be considered "old" when it reaches the 7 to 8 year mark. A few things you can do for your old friend to make it's life much more comfortable and healthy are to add 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil to the food once a day. This helps maintain a nice coat and also aids in digestion. Watch for difficulty in chewing. You may need to add water to the food to soften it up a bit. Also, check with your veterinarian for suggestions on food. There may be a senior diet cat food that will better suit your ferret's needs.
For the pregnant ferret, it is imperative to use the highest quality of food. A female's weight during her pregnancy determines the amount of food she requires. Your vet will be better suited to advise you on the quanities of the food during this period.
And, lastly, give your ferret a treat every now and then. Generally any thing your ferret enjoys is suitable. Don't give anything with bones as they can easily choke.
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