Baby ferrets are called kits. Adult ferrets usually eat a meal consisting of raw meat or kibble.
Ferrets are obligate carnivores, meaning they need to eat meat-based foods. But at what age can your ferret start eating raw meat?
The answer to your question is: Kits can start eating raw meat around 5-6 weeks.
Ok. So lets dive right into it.
What do Baby Ferrets Eat?
Baby ferrets, or kits, will nurse from their mother for approximately 5-6 weeks. They’re not able to eat on their own yet and they’re not ready to wean.
At six weeks, a mother ferret’s milk is no longer available to feed her kits. At this stage, new kit owners will need to provide a meat-based diet for their pet ferrets.
Kits can eat fresh, raw meat or soaked up kibble. You want the dry kibble to be softened by water making it easier for the kits to eat it.
Ferret Kibble Benefits
Kibble is one of the most common pet foods to feed ferrets these days. For your kit, you would want to soften it a little before feeding. Use a little bit of warm water and stir.
Introduce New Foods
Try feeding raw meat soon in the life of a ferret. It’s important to introduce your pet ferret to the many flavors of raw meat.
Owners can also mix ferret kibble and raw meat finely chopped into the kit’s bowl. Pet ferrets should be fed a high-quality, meat-based diet. And you better avoid feeding your pets’ foods that are low in protein and rich in carbohydrates.
This is so important because it can affect the development of your pet ferret and its health.
However, at three weeks old, kits can start eating soft versions of solid food. For example, you could soak kibble in water to make it a little bit softer.
Experts recommend feeding kits with a diet of raw meat. It’s also easier for them to absorb the nutrients they need, according to Vanessa, the owner and founder of Elegant Ferret in Toronto, Ontario. She suggests feeding your kit as soon as it’s 4 weeks old.
Trying to introduce new foods to an older ferret can also be challenging. It’s best for your kit to start on raw meat or a soft version of some solid food as soon as possible.
General Requirements for Ferret Diet
Pet ferrets should be fed a high-quality, meat-based diet. And you better avoid feeding your pets’ foods that are low in protein and rich in carbohydrates. This is so important because it can affect the development of your pet ferret and its health.
30 to 40% protein
20 to 30% fat
Less than 3% fiber
How Often Should You Feed your Ferret?
Because ferrets have a short intestinal tract, it’s especially important for them to eat frequently. When a pet ferret is weaned, it should eat between four and nine times daily.
And owners must offer two to three meals of raw meat each day. This is important because it can help your pet ferret get the nutrients they need to support its growth, health, and vitality.
Most adult ferrets eat six times per day. If you feed a raw diet, your furry friend may want to want to eat less.
On average, ferrets eat five to seven percent of their body weight per day. So a five-pound ferret eats about 6 ounces of food per day.
But don’t worry about keeping track of how many ounces or pounds of meat your furry friend is eating. Pet ferrets can eat as much as they need, and grow into a healthy adult that weighs up to five pounds.
What Dried Ferret Food Can You Buy?
Make sure you buy dried kibble with more meat protein than anything else. If it’s high in carbs and fiber, you should avoid it.
For best results, feed your pet ferret with a high-quality diet that is high in protein and has enough fat.
There are some brands dedicated 100% to the production of ferret foods. These brands focus on delivering pure, highly digestible nutrients to the diet of your ferret. Check out Wysong Ferret Epigen Starch free kibble:
But you could also purchase cat food. Canned wet food for kitten could be an option!
Obviously, you would have to check the ingredients list. If no sugars, starch, fillers, grains, wheat, corn, or wheat gluten are listed, it’s okay to feed your ferret.
This may be an option if you can’t find a high-quality dry diet specifically made for ferrets. Cat food should not replace your ferrets’ regular diet!
Food to Avoid
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Diary
- Sugar
Basically, any food that has the above-mentioned ingredients!
What Should your Ferret Drink?
It’s important to give ferrets access to water at all times. Most adult ferrets drink about 15 fl oz of water per day. It is recommended to use either filtered water or bottled water for your ferret.
Why?
Fluoride, chlorine, and other chemicals are often added to household tap water. Depending on where you are living, tab water could be just fine – But it is best to avoid risks by purchasing a bottle of water just for your ferret.
Summary
Baby ferrets are called kits and will typically nurse from their mother for about six weeks until they start eating solid food.
At this time new owners should provide a meat-based diet for the kit ferret both to avoid health complications but also because it helps with the development of the kit later on in life.
Ferrets are picky eaters and are imprinted to foods they will eat at a young age. It’s best to introduce your kit to a specific ferret food that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
Add some variation to your ferret’s diet plan with a little bit of wet food, raw meat, whole prey, and kibble. This will make it much easier to change their diet later on.
