Can Ferrets Eat Guinea Pig Food?5 min read

A lot of people have ferrets as pets. But can they eat guinea pig food? The short answer is no. Ferrets are not permitted to eat guinea pig food.

Guinea pigs and many other small mammals (such as rats) are rodent family members, and ferrets should avoid rodent-type food. Ferrets are strict meat-eaters. That means they should eat no vegetables, fruits, or grains.

Why can’t Ferrets eat Guinea Pig Food?

Guinea Pigs belong to the family of Rodents, and ferrets belong to the family of Mustelidae. It is biologically not possible for a ferret to digest guinea pig food.

Vegetables contain a great deal of cellulose and fiber that ferrets may have trouble digesting.

The diet of a ferret is very different from the diet of a guinea pig. They are both mammals but in other families. Ferrets are meat-eaters. Guinea pigs are herbivores and therefore have different nutritional needs than ferrets.

Guinea pigs naturally live on a diet of hay and grass, which is sufficient for their dietary needs.

Ferrets depend on eating meat for their survival, and they should be fed the diet that is suitable for them.

Can Ferrets Eat Guinea Pigs?

Ferrets are obligate carnivores. If living in the wild, their food would consist of small rodents, such as rats, mice, rabbits, and Guinea Pigs.

That’s why it is not recommended to keep ferrets in the same cage as guinea pigs or any other member of the rodent family, as they can be easily attacked by ferrets.

But, a ferret’s playful and curious nature makes it a good companion for most larger house pets. Proper supervision and caution are essential to introductions, however.

We do not recommend introducing ferrets to birds, rabbits, rodents, including hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs, as well as reptiles.

read.. can ferrets eat hay?

What other Foods are bad for Ferrets?

Ferrets should not be fed fruit or vegetables as their high carbohydrate levels can predispose them to insulinoma. Additionally, the fiber in plant-based foods could cause severe problems with the ferret’s digestive system.

Why Ferrets Need Meat?

Ferrets are strict carnivores and therefore need meat to thrive. Ferrets need meat for the nutrients present in those meats like iron, vitamins, and minerals essential for their health.

Ferrets need to have a constant supply of food. A ferret typically eats 6-7 times a day.

This is because of the fact that these pets come with a very high metabolism rate. Ferrets eat up to 8% of their body weight in food every day.

Examples of meat ferrets can eat:

• beef
• chicken
• chicken wings
• bones (raw)
• lamb
• game birds
• goat
• organs (liver)
• rabbit
• turkey
• turkey necks
• venison
• whole eggs
• fish (tuna – but only sometimes)
• whole prey (feeder mice)

The meat needs to be fresh and of good quality. Many ferrets that were bought in larger pet stores grew up being fed only ferret dry food. And while kibble provides all nutrition a ferret needs, it should be supplemented with meat from time to time.

Ferrets are imprinted to the foods they like and care about by the age of 6 months. If your ferret had not eaten raw meat before, chances are that you’ll have to slowly introduce meat to their diet.

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Add a piece of chicken breast to their kibble and see what happens. Mix the kibble with water and add small pieces of chicken to it.

It will take a while, but the benefits of raw and fresh meat for your ferret outweigh the bad.

Benefits of Fresh Meat for Ferrets

Raw meat is an excellent source of nutrition for ferrets. Raw meat contains enzymes and hormones that work in the body and specifically target the digestive system of ferrets.

Just like cats, the ferret organism can not produce taurine. Taurine is found in meat only. Taurine is crucial to both the heart and the eyes of a ferret.

To make sure your pet receives enough taurine, you should provide meat from raw sources for them on a timely basis.

Keeping your pet healthy is essential for both their long-term health and well-being as well as their happiness (how would you feel eating the same stuff day in day out?).

Raw Diet

For ferrets to get everything they need from a meat diet, they must eat it fresh. Buy a variety of raw meat and bones and prepare their weekly meals ahead.

You can always use kibble as the basis of your ferrets’ diet and add in raw meat and bones as treats. Do not make the mistake of feeding them only kibble because you are too lazy to prepare all those cans of meat.

Bones should be provided while they are still fresh and natural. If you purchase a bone from the supermarket, it will still be suitable for your pet for up to three days.

Use airtight containers and freeze the meat. Thaw it out in the refrigerator or microwave, not at room temperature. Let your pet eat it as soon as it defrosts and use the rest for later meals.

Summary

Ferrets should not eat Guinea Pig Food. Guinea pigs eat plants – Ferrets must eat meat. Ferrets can not digest Guinea Pig Food and should not eat it. Ferrets are carnivores and require meat to thrive.

They need meat for the nutrients present in those meats like iron, vitamins, and minerals essential for their health. Ferrets need to have a constant supply of food. A ferret typically eats 6-7 times a day.

This is because of the fact that these pets come with a very high metabolism rate. Ferrets eat up to 8% of their body weight in food every day. The meat needs to be fresh and of good quality.