FEEDING A RAW FOOD DIET TO FERRETS the petplus way |
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| WHY WE FEED RAW FOOD When we first owned ferrets we fed a complete dry ferret food which was easy and convenient to feed. The main problem I had was that there are only adult maintenance ferret foods available. With dog and cat foods there are various lifestage foods available from puppy/kitten through to senior. So what could I feed kits or senior ferrets? We started feeding raw carcass (rabbit and pigeon) when we could get it . We found that on carcass the ferrets looked in much better condition, so I looked into ways of feeding raw food that I could combine with carcass or feed as the main diet. On a total biscuit diet we found tartar forming on their teeth, this is one of the most common health problems in ferrets and one that largely goes unnoticed - excessive tartar can lead to gum disease. Also they lost a lot of muscle tone and their coats didn't seem as soft and sleek. So I researched raw food diets further and found a diet combining raw meaty bones and minces which keeps our ferrets in the condition I want. I can vary the diet slightly to make it suitable for all lifestages. If you do wish to feed a full or part raw food diet I suggest you look into the pros and cons. There are many websites containing information on raw feeding. Sadly little on feeding raw to ferrets but the feline recipes are a good guideline. Consultation with your veterinary surgeon may also help. (Note not all veterinarians promote a raw food diet) In the wild a ferrets natural diet is a mixture of small mammals, some birds, fish, amphibia and invertebrates. These provide a complete diet. Carnivores need a high meat protein, low carbohydrate diet. Whole carcass such as rabbit or woodpigeon provides a ferret with most of the nutrients needed. But in general these are impractical for the modern ferret owner to feed. So other raw food types need to be considered and along with supplementation be turned into a raw food diet. PROS AND CONS The main worry with the feeding of raw bones are the dangers of choking on splinters of bone or a piece of bone puncturing the small intestine. From personal experience we have not had a problem with this and find the benefits of feeding raw food far outweigh the disadvantages. Another worry is that a full raw food diet will not contain the required amount of vitamins and minerals. We use natural vitamin and mineral supplements and find our ferrets very healthy. When feeding poultry and raw eggs there is a small risk of salmonella and other bacteria, more to ourselves than the ferrets, care must be taken to defrost thoroughly and remove uneaten food. Ferrets digestive systems are short and acidic designed for handling bacteria. It can be awkward feeding raw food in summer due to the flies, feeding later on in the evening and removing all uneaten food first thing in the morning normally alleviates the problem. The main benefits of feeding raw food is a general increase in overall healthiness. Raw foods contain enzymes that assist in digestion and absorption of nutrients. We find our ferrets have increased muscle mass, shiny coats and a general zest for life. Their teeth and gums are very healthy. One aspect I noticed is that during the winter months the silver ferrets kept there black noses, albinos don't turn yellow and the general coloring on the ferrets was as good as in summer. The ferrets overall attitude seems alot more relaxed. I would suggest that anyone who wishes to feed a raw food diet should research it themselves - I have listed a number of books that I would personally recomend under FERRET BOOKS - RAW FEEDING available from my Amazon a-store. RAW FOOD AND SUPPLEMENTS GUIDE to what can be used in a raw food diet. Raw bones Raw meaty bones - These should form the basis of a raw food diet, they contain protein minerals and fat. There are various types suitable - chicken wings, chicken necks, turkey necks, chicken carcass and oxtail. Chicken necks and backs contain alot of cartilage and limited bone. Care must be taken as fed solely these can cause a deficiency of calcium especially in young ferrets. Most of these are available from you local butcher or pet food supplier. Dressed (skinned/plucked) rabbits, pheasant,duck and pigeon are often available from butchers at certain times of the year, when feeding whole carcass cut down the organ meat fed. We try and feed whole carcass once a week. Whole chickens from the supermarket can be fed occasionally but take care as the ratio of flesh to bone is high.(As a rule don't feed any bone larger than what would be their natural prey in the wild - rabbit and avoid weight bearing bones from larger animals.)If you don't like the idea of feeding raw bones or your ferret is older with few teeth then they can be fed minced or crushed, never feed cooked bones. Fed whole raw meaty bones help to prevent tartar forming on the teeth and provide calcium to the diet. Even if not feeding a raw food diet they can be fed alongside dry complete a couple of times a week to keep the teeth clean. When feeding groups of ferrets watch to ensure no fighting occurs over bones. Raw meaty bones should form 50% - 75% of the diet. Protein sources Raw minces - available from local butchers or petfood supplier. If possible try and feed a variety of different meats, the only one we don't feed or recommend is pork. Suitable meats are - chicken, beef, lamb, rabbit, turkey. Vary the types of meat fed .We feed good quality pet mince, which is quite lean, avoid pet minces that have a high fat/water content. Too much fat in the diet can block the absorption of proteins and vitamins/minerals. If you can't find a supplier of good pet mince most butchers will supply you with a variety of meat minces. The ideal meat source would be from organically farmed animals which would provide an optimum amount of nutrients. Raw meat off the bone is deficient in calcium and other minerals and must not be fed to the exclusion of other food types. I feed a maximum of 25% mince. Eggs - would not be available all year round in the wild, but are a valuable high quality protein source. They also provide a good supply of omega 3 essential fatty acids Some people recommend only feeding the yolk as the white contains avidin which can prevent the absorption of biotin. Biotin is essential in maintaining a healthy coat, lack of this is often blamed on the 'rat tails' that some ferrets get in summer. The shells can be toasted and then crumbled into the food, to add extra calcium in the diet. Try and use only free range eggs to get the maximum nutritional benefit. Day old chicks - available from most petfood suppliers. Fed once a week they make a change in diet. They are not whole carcass and are deficient in calcium, but high in fats and oils. (I never feed these to kits under twelve weeks due to the low calcium) So must never be fed as a complete diet. These can be a good starting food for changing to a raw food diet as I find most ferrets enjoy these. Fish - can be fed as an occasional treat, avoid salty or very oily fish, must be filleted to remove all bones. Offal Organ meat - available from butchers or pet food supplier. Liver is rich in iron, vit A and vit D. Heart is full of vitamins and minerals and rich in taurine which is essential in the diet of ferrets. Kidney provides vitamin and minerals. Feed each type once week. Too much organ meat can cause loose stools. Liver is not recommended for kits under six months . I feed an equal amount of liver to heart/kidney. Approx. 10% liver and 10% heart/kidney in the diet. I chop the organ meat into chunks to feed. Ideally feed 10% - 20% organ meat. Green tripe mince - this provides protein, fat, enzymes, vitamins and good bacteria to aid digestion, an excellent food for carnivores as it contains partially digested grains and grasses we don't add any veg if feeding green tripe, can be fed once or twice a week, but is not pleasant to feed as it is very smelly! I feed 5% - 10% in the diet, instead of vegetables. Vegetables Fruit and veg - in the wild a ferret would eat the intestines of it's prey which contains partially digested plant matter, so although they are true carnivores a small amount of veg would be consumed as part of the diet providing fibre and roughage. Fruit and veg needs to be blended to a pulp before being added to the diet to make it digestible. Choose mostly green leafy veg (spinach celery) with small amounts of coloured veg (carrot, peppers, pumpkin). Not suitable - potatoes/peas/beans. Above ground veg can have a laxative effect, below ground veg firms the stools. If fruit and veg is given as treats then there's no need to add any into the meal. The amount of nutrients obtained from fruit and veg is negligible but I feel the fibre content is beneficial to the diet. Should from a maximum of 5% of the diet. Oils Oil/fats - oils contain omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids, needed for a healthy skin and coat. Raw red meat and eggs normally supply adequate omega 3 EFA. Omega 6 EFA can be supplemented using fish oil or salmon oil. Omega 3 EFA can be supplemented using evening primrose oil ( not normally needed). Ferrets can't digest vegetable oils such as sunflower/flax seed. If an oil supplement is used it is wise to supplement with vit E. Fats provide the main energy source in the diet. Excessive fat content can lead to obesity and block the absorption of other nutrients. The amount of fats needed depends on the age and condition of the ferret, leaner meats for adult healthy ferrets and fattier meats for growing ferrets. Cod liver oil - high in vit A/D/omega 3 fatty acids, can be beneficial in winter due the vitamin D content. Care must be taken not to overfeed due to the vitamin A content. 1/4 tsp. between three ferrets is sufficient a couple of times a week. Not recommended for pregnant or nursing jills or kits under twelve weeks. Z-megamore - an oil supplement manufactured by Companions choice. This contains a proportion of fish oil with added vit E/vit B6/biotin and zinc. Vitamin and mineral sources We initially found it hard to source the supplements we needed, PETMEDS is a recommended site where you can purchase most/similar items mentioned. Kelp/alfalfa powder - these help with digestion and pigmentation and are an excellent natural source of many valuable minerals and trace minerals. Used as a 50/50 mix they provide a wide range of nutrients. Kelp contains vitamins A/B1/B3/B5/B6/B9/B12/C/E minerals zinc/biotin/bromine/calcium/choline/copper/inositol/iodine/PABA/potassium/ selenium/sodium/sulfur/trace elements/fibre. Alfalfa contains vitamins A/B1/B3/B5/B6/B12/C/D/E/K/U minerals beta carotene/ biotin/folic acid/calcium/phosphorous/potassium/magnesium/iron/zinc/copper/protein/ trace elements/fibre. Especially beneficial in winter to ensure good coat growth.. Needs introducing into the diet gradually. Feed three times a week for maximum benefits. Available from petshops, animal health food suppliers and health shops. Dulse another sea herb is used in some raw food recipes. Herbal vitamin supplements -a number of natural vitamin supplements are available, these provide a mixture of herbs with naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. Can help with digestion and coat condition. Need introducing gradually. The two I have used are Hokamix from the the Animal Health Company (alfalfa based) and Keepers Mix from Dorwest Herbs (kelp based). Herbal preparations are not recommended for kits under twelve weeks old. Green foods - this group of foods are available from health shops and are often used in barf diets. I have included them for information only as I don't use them. Chlorella (blue green algae) - contains beta carotene/Vitamin B complex/minerals. Green barley - rich in phtyonutrients/chlorophyll/20 vitamins/ minerals/18 amino acids. Spirulina (blue green algae) contains amino acids/beta carotene/GLA/iron/B vitamins/minerals. Royal jelly - a complete protein, contains all the essential amino acids and B vitamins. Some raw food diets don't like the use of 'blue green algae' while others include them. Multi Vitamin powders - there are a number of these available, most are broad spectrum and can be used on many types of animals. I haven't found one which is ferret specific but most provide the levels required. We use SA37 for kits under twelve weeks and on an occasional basis for the adults instead of kelp/alfalfa. Vitasol - ferret vitasol is a high potency vitamin and mineral supplement and is perfectly balanced for ferrets. The only time we don't use a vitamin supplement is if we feed dry complete food or whole carcass. Vitasol contains multi B vits, Vit A, Vit D, Vit E plus minerals. We occasionally add vitasol to the water when feeding alot of raw meaty bones. Taurine - an essential amino acid that needs to be supplied in the diet. Red meat and heart are rich in taurine, but freezing them can lower the taurine content. Taurine is needed for a healthy heart and eyesight. If no heart is fed or food is fed from frozen then we recommend supplementing, between 100mg and 250mg daily. Available from health food shops. Bonemeal powder - source of calcium and phosphorous. We only use this if we aren't feeding any bone in the diet. Colloidal minerals - a source of natural minerals that is added to the water. Quite expensive to buy but only a few drops daily is needed. Available from health shops. Garlic - a natural antibiotic, fights infection and supports the immune system. Helps with respiratory problems and helps relieve skin conditions such as excema. Wards off parasites such as fleas and worms. Can be beneficial in spring to ward off fleas. Garlic has a strong taste and if you include this in the diet it may take a while for your ferrets to get used to it. The only problem is that it can make your ferrets smell garlicky, we originally included it in the diets but now only use occasionally. Brewers yeast - contains minerals/trace minerals and amino acids, a rich source of organic iron/protein/B vitamins. We used this to begin but found some negative comments from raw food feeders so now we don't use it. It can encourage yeast growth in the body and is high in phosphorous. Milk drinks Goat/lambs milk - We feed this once a week, but must be introduced gradually as can cause loose stools. In summer I often give them a diluted drink of goats milk to ensure they are drinking enough. When kits are weaned they get a daily drink of goats milk until they are sixteen weeks old. Lambs milk is available in powder form from animal feed suppliers, goats milk can be bought from supermarkets or in powder form from animal health food suppliers. Probiotics Prozyme - this supplement works with the digestive system by crowding out harmful bacteria with millions of beneficial bacteria. Good for stress, when starting a new diet or when antibiotics have been given to restore the gut bacteria. We feed this once a week . Available from the animal health company. Natural yogurt - low fat natural yogurt provides good bacteria for the digestive system. I tend to use a non dairy probiotic as some animals have an intolerance to dairy products. Ferret specific supplements Ferretone - (not used in my raw food diet) an oil supplement specially designed for ferrets. Contains essential fatty acids and vitamins. Ferretvite - (not used in general diet) a high calorie supplement, increases the appetite. Can be used for poorly ferrets and active ferrets. Vitasol - as before. Water Water - ferrets don't drink as much on a raw food diet as they will obtain a large amount of moisture from there food. Water must still be changed daily. VITAMIN GUIDELINES Vitamin E - often lacking in ferrets diets. Lack of vit E can cause fertility problems. It is a natural preservative and due to the high fat content required in ferrets diets is essential to help prevent health problems. Recommended daily amounts are 3iu - 15iu. As vitamin E is stored in the body it can be overdosed. If extra oils are added to the diet we supplement with 10iu of Vit E per ferret. Vit B complex - this group of vitamins are needed to regulate the metabolism, as they are water soluble they are not stored in the body to any great extent so daily supplementation is needed. If a broad spectrum vitamin supplement is used then no further supplementation should be needed. Extra B vits can be useful for older ferrets or in cases of kidney/liver disease. Vitamin C - Normally it is not necessary to supplement as ferrets can synthesize all it needs from it's food.is an antioxidant and strengthens the immune system. During times of stress (showing/breeding/illness) can be used daily at 10mg per day. Vitamin K - needed for blood clotting. No supplementation is needed as ferrets obtain this from the diet. Vitamin A - assists in vision, helps promote the immune system and is needed for normal tissue growth. Is toxic if over fed. If a mixed diet containing liver once a week is fed no further supplementation is needed. Vitamin D - needed for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous. Can be synthesized from natural sunlight. During winter we add a little cod liver oil to the diet once a week to make up for the lack of natural light. Ferrets daily vitamin requirements Taken from Maggie Lloyd's book - health and husbandry of ferrets. Available from AMAZON Vit A - 1000iu - 4200iu, Vit D3 - 65iu - 325iu, Vit E - 3iu - 15iu, Vit C - no amount stated, Vit B6 - 1mg per KG, Vit B12 - 2 mcg - 13 mcg, Thiamin (B1) - 8.4 mg - 97.8 mg per KG, Riboflavin (B2) - 1.5 mg - 3mg per KG, Vit K - 1mg per KG, Vitasol supplies all these vits within the recommended amounts except C/K . Most broad spectrum vitamin powders also fall within these limits. For more info click here. HOW WE FEED Our ferrets basic diet consists of - raw meaty bones, mince, organ meat, green tripe, eggs, fish oil, herbal vitamin and mineral supplement and vit E. Intermittently we use whole carcass, day old chicks, vit C, cod liver oil and prozyme. As a start I feed 7.5% of bodyweight e.g. 1kg healthy adult ferret 75g daily. I then work out how much is needed in one week - 525g. This is split roughly into - raw meaty bones 289g (55%), organ meat 79g (15%), veg/green tripe 26g (5%), mince meat 131g (25%). As I feed RMB four times a week this equals just over 70g daily. I mix the mince meat, organ meat and veg/tripe (and supplements) together and feed three days a week at just under 80g a day. Alternatively feed a small meaty bone and mince daily. The daily ration may not seem very large but remember that ferrets are relatively small animals and the food is highly digestible. Overweight ferrets are not healthy ferrets. I try and stick to a diet that contains at least 50% RMB, 10%-20% organ meat, maximum 5% veg, maximum 25% minced meat. The idea is to replicate a carcass as what would be the natural food. It is often easier to make a large batch of mince/organ meat/veg, split into individual meals and freeze, I add supplements just before feeding.. The 7.5% of bodyweight to feed is a guide some ferrets will require more some less. Supplements Vitamins and minerals are provided naturally in this diet so we keep commercial supplements to a minimum. If I fed fresh organic meat from free range animals with plenty of variety I wouldn't supplement but due to intensive farming methods valuable nutrients may be lacking from the food. We try to feed natural supplements. At the moment we are using fish oil 500mg per 1/2lb of mince, 1 egg between four ferrets weekly, Hokamix (herbal vitamin and mineral supplement) 1/4 tsp. per ferret, 10iu vitamin E per ferret.. These are mixed in with the mince so are fed every other day. Once a week I add cod liver oil 1/4 tsp. to 3 ferrets and vit C 20mg per ferret. (If feeding carcass or biscuit I don't supplement.) Occasionally they get goats milk with two teaspoons of prozyme. These are only guidelines and seem to work well for our ferrets. The best way to ensure a balanced diet is as much variety as possible. Use different meat types daily, rotate the oils fed and feed each type of organ meat once a week. Use garlic in spring and cod liver oil in winter. Mix veg in some weeks and fruit the next or give fruit fresh as a treat. Kits These need a higher protein and fat content in the diet. From three weeks offer finely minced meats, by six weeks they should be managing raw meaty bones. We feed more red fatty meat and carcass if available. Provide a milk drink daily (sheep/goats milk). We use 'stress' powder which is a calcium supplement and a multi vitamin supplement added to the milk. Kits are fed ad-lib until about 14-16 weeks old. At this age we start to feed what the adults are eating and drop the milk drink down to once a week. We don't use herbal supplements on kits under twelve weeks and don't feed liver until six months of age. Weight gain Whilst researching raw feeding I found some recipes for duck soup/chicken soup, the following is my version and works brilliantly as a short term food for weight gain. You need 4 chicken drumsticks with skin on, 2 egg yolks, 30g ferretvite, 1 tsp. honey. Put the drumsticks in a casserole dish cover with water and cook for 2-3 hrs until the bones are soft. Allow to cool slightly and break them into pieces and blend (bones/skin and meat) adding 300ml-400ml of the water they were cooking in. Add the ferretvite/honey and mix well. Place in a container, allow to cool and place in fridge. This sets into a pate (can be frozen) To use, put the required amount in a bowl and add warm goats milk/water to the desired consistency and feed. Electrolytes can be added if your ferret has diarrhea. Can be syringe fed if needed. It is a short term food that is high calorie, high fat, low carbohydrate and easily digestible. Can also be given to healthy ferrets as a treat. Mixed diet We do feed some biscuit, if we have forgotten to get any frozen out or if the weather is very hot and flies are bad. If you wish to only feed raw food occasionally then I suggest that you try and include some form of raw meaty bones on a weekly basis to help prevent tartar build up on the teeth. Changing over to raw foods The easy part is deciding to try a raw food diet, the hard part is getting your ferret to agree. The longer your ferret has been on kibble the more reluctant they are to change. It is no good trying to change over if a full bowl of kibble is always available, try and adapt to a once or twice daily feeding pattern. Try very mushed up mince to begin working up to small chunks of meat and bone. Introduce herbal supplements gradually till your ferret gets used to them. Persistence normally pays off. I think it is best to change gradually to a new diet. Decreasing the amount of biscuit fed over two weeks. Weight loss can occur when first changed over an increase in the RMB fed should help, this normally rights itself within a few weeks. When first fed raw bones can cause the stools to turn a white/grey colour, the ferrets digestive system will develop stomach acids to break down bone and should soon return to normal. Bones can also sometimes cause diarrhea or constipation when first fed. Chronic diarrhea cases should receive veterinary attention. Loose stools - fast for 12 hours and then introduce small frequent meals with no supplements and a probiotic added, RMB usually firm stools. Reasons for loose stools can be to much organ meat, to many oils and fats, to many supplements added, a Dietary intolerance, gone off meat. Slippery elm bark powder can help to increase tolerance to new foods but should only be used on an occasional basis. Constipation - cut back on the RMB and add extra oil such as flaxseed or cod liver oil for a few days. If the problem persists vet attention may be needed. Some animals can experience a short detox period, they may be lethargic, experience hair loss etc. Take care when feeding RMB to groups of ferrets as fighting over bones may occur, our ferrets will eat rabbit carcass happily together but put in day old chicks and it can turn into a war zone. One bonus of a natural diet is that the stool volume decreases as more of the food is absorbed and the smell is greatly decreased. Conclusion We have found this feeding method works for us. I like it because I have more control over what they are fed. Whether they are young or old I can feed them accordingly. It is intended as a guide and not a substitute for veterinary advice on feeding. We have tried to outline some of the pros and cons but suggest you research raw food feeding before starting this kind of diet. I have listed a number of books that I would personally recomend under FERRET BOOKS - RAW FEEDING available from my Amazon a-store. Most supplements can be ordered direct from PETMEDS I would be grateful on feedback from anyone who has tried raw food diets with ferret. I am open to all comments - good or bad.
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