Can Ferrets Eat Lamb?5 min read

If you have a ferret, you’ve probably asked yourself this question: Can ferrets eat lamb? You might be surprised to learn that they can. In fact, there are many types of healthy foods that your ferret can indulge in without harm.

However, there are also some things that your pet should never eat. This article will provide information about both types of food.

So the answer to the question, can ferrets eat lamb, is YES. Lamb is something you could feed your ferret without having to worry about.

Let’s get started with some information about ferrets.

What are Ferrets?

Ferrets are small, domesticated animals mainly found in the USA, UK, and Europe. They are members of the weasel family and are related to mink, stoats, and polecats. Ferret is an Anglicised version of the first part of the French word ‘furet.’ This refers to ferret hunting dogs in France.

Ferrets are obligate carnivores, which means they need meat to survive. They are legally protected in many countries and can only be kept as pets with some special permits.

Ferrets are domesticated animals – and while they have “wild” relatives in the form of polecats, mink, and weasels, they are, in fact, a domestic version. In the wild, ferrets would eat small mammals such as rodents and rabbits.

The only “wild” ferrets that exist are the Black-Footed Ferrets in Northern America and hybrid ferrets (a breed of polecats and ferrets) living in New Zealand.

What Do Ferrets Eat?

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So let’s start off looking at what a healthy diet for ferrets looks like and why it is essential for your ferrets’ health. As said above, ferrets are strict meat-eaters. Let me be very clear about this: they need to eat meat if they are going to stay healthy.

read.. ferrets can eat duck

Read the ingredients in most commercial ferret foods. You will see that they contain many vague-sounding ingredients along the lines of “animal by-product” and “meat meal,” with no indication of what kind of meat it actually is.

These products are made from the ground-up remains of various animals being sold cheaply as meat meals. If you can, stay away from those foods!

If you’re staying with the commercial foods, you should make sure that they are well-balanced and include various meaty items from all parts of the animal. A good ferret food should be made up of:

Whole meats, heart, kidney, liver, etc…

Raw Diet

The most “natural” way to feed your ferret would be to only provide it raw meat. Some pet stores will sell you pre-ground beef to feed your ferret. This is an excellent way to go, but it isn’t ideal because you don’t know exactly what is going into the food.

If you are using raw meat to feed your ferret, it should be fresh and never frozen.

This means that you need to buy regular cuts of meat from your butcher or grocery store and grind it yourself or ask them to grind it for you.

Meat that is good for your ferret:

• beef
• lamb
• liver
• bones
• chicken
• chicken breast
• chicken wings
• turkey
• turkey necks
• heart
• game birds
• eggs (sometimes)
• tuna (sometimes)
• pey animals (feeder mice)
• …

Basically, look out for quality raw meat. Ferrets need a good balance in their diet. Approximately 32 – 38% protein and 15 – 20% fat is what your ferret should be fed.

Frankenprey Diet

There is also a diet called the “Frankenprey Diet” You can find it on the internet. It uses different parts of animals to resemble what a prey animal would be made of.

80/10/10 = 80% Meat, 10% Bones, 10% Organs

You can read more about it here: https://holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/basic-frankenprey-menu/

Kibble for Ferrets

A more convenient way to provide healthy food for your pet ferrets is to use Kibble explicitly made for ferrets.

This supplement line has been developed over the years and contains:

Extra vitamins and minerals.
A higher proportion of meat.
No artificial colorings or flavorings.
Read the ingredients list!

Foods that are Bad for Ferrets

First of all, you should be aware that some food items can potentially cause health problems for your pet that wouldn’t be an issue when eaten by other animals. Mainly those are:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• anything with sugar in it
• anything seasoned
• Diary Products

Fruits are bad because of the sugar. Suger can cause diabetes in ferrets and may lead to a life-threatening situation. Some ferrets develop a condition called Insulinoma, which is basically cancer that develops in their pancreas.

Vegetables are not suitable for ferrets either because they contain cellulose and other fiber, which ferrets can’t digest well.

Summary

Ferrets are strict carnivores and need to be fed a diet of meat if they will stay healthy. Ferrets can eat lamb. In fact, lamb is a good source of protein and fat for your furry friend. Other good quality meats that are healthy for ferrets include beef, heart, turkey, chicken, organs, and chicken wings. Also, eggs and tuna can be fed to your pet with a small portion every now and then.

Fruits, Vegetables, or Dairy Products should be avoided because they contain sugar and cellulose that ferrets cannot digest/process.

The best solution is to feed your ferret natural raw meat from your butcher or ask them to grind it up for you. Kibble is an alternative that can be provided in addition.