[資訊] Basic Ferret Nutrition
Basic Ferret Nutrition
Judith A. Bell, DVM, PhD
Veterinarian, Author, Internationally recognized expert on ferrets
This article was adapted from the "The Pet Ferret Owner's Manual" for
PetEducation.com and is used with permission from Judith Bell, DVM, PhD.
Ferrets are carnivores
Ferrets, like cats, are obligate carnivores (meat eaters). They cannot survive
without meat in their diet. However, although fresh raw meat is part of the
ferret's natural diet, it may contain harmful parasites and micro-organisms
that create risks unacceptable to pet owners. Meat is only part of a natural
diet: predators eat not only the muscle meat of their prey, they also eat the
liver, kidneys, and intestinal tract, and crunch up bones as well. A diet
limited to meat alone would cause harmful and eventually fatal nutritional
imbalances.
So… what do I feed my ferret?
Not dog food. Ferrets fed only dog food will eventually die of malnutrition.
Obligate carnivores have special requirements for several nutrients missing
from commercial dog foods. In addition, ferrets are unable to digest the high
levels of carbohydrate in dog food. They need to get most of their calories
from simple carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Ferrets have such a short
intestinal tract they can't eat very much at a time, and therefore need a
concentrated diet. They should get most of the calories in their diet from fat,
the most concentrated source of energy.
Characteristics of a good ferret diet
A good diet for a ferret has to be:
high in energy
high in protein
low in fiber
Until the 1980's, high quality premium cat foods or commercial ranch mink or
fox diets were the only choices for feeding pet ferrets, other than preparing a
ration at home by mixing raw or cooked meats with other ingredients. Although
ferrets do well on some mink and fox rations, these diets are sold in
inconveniently large quantities and are not available everywhere.
Specially formulated ferret diets are now available at pet shops. Most of the
original 'ferret foods' were adapted from rations for mink, which have very
similar requirements. The major dietary difference between mink and ferrets is
that mink naturally eat fish, and ferrets do not. Fish is a major ingredient in
all commercial mink rations. Some ferret foods are made with poorly processed
frozen fish that give the pellets a flavor unacceptable to many ferrets. Kits
that are offered this food at weaning will usually eat it and do well on it,
but older ferrets accustomed to other diets often refuse to even taste it, and
will starve if offered no other food. The newer ferret diets are formulated
with palatability as well as nutritional balance in mind.
Premium quality cat foods sold in pet shops and veterinary clinics are not
formulated specifically for ferrets, but most of them are palatable and all of
them are nutritionally adequate for pet ferrets. Generic cat foods, sold in
grocery and farm supply stores, are NOT good for ferrets. Generic cat foods
cost much less than premium foods, but they have some important nutritional
deficiencies, and are too low in fat. The ferret has to eat at least twice as
much of the cheaper food to get the calories he needs. It is a false economy to
buy these products for ferrets.
Finicky ferrets
Ferrets, like some cats, become hooked on a particular flavor or brand of food
and are very hard to change, even if the diet they prefer is nutritionally
inadequate. It is important to start your young ferret on a good diet that is
not likely to become unavailable in the future. The best insurance is to feed a
mixture of several kinds of premium quality ferret and cat foods, so that the
ferret becomes used to a variety of flavors, and does not insist on one. If one
food is temporarily unavailable, the ferret will be accustomed to the other
ingredients of his diet and will not notice a big change. Any time you have to
drastically change the diet of a ferret, diarrhea and other digestive upsets
are likely to follow. The more gradually a change in diet is made, the less
upsetting it will be.
Pelleted diets
The best way to feed ferrets is to always leave dry, pelleted food with them.
Moist food sours after a few hours, especially in warm weather. This is one of
the advantages of a dry diet. Convenience and keeping quality are other
advantages, plus the beneficial effect crunchy food has on the ferret's teeth.
Ferrets on moist diets develop much more plaque on their teeth sooner than
ferrets on the same food fed dry.
Dishes
Ferrets are natural diggers and like to dig their food out of the container,
especially if it is filled to the top. The best way to prevent this is to use a
deep crockery bowl, or a plastic dish clipped high enough on the side of the
cage to make it awkward for the ferret to dig in it. An adult female requires
only about a quarter of a cup of food daily, so there is no need to fill the
container very full. If you have multiple ferrets, it is better to use several
dishes than to try to provide enough food in a single large container.
Ferrets on dry diets must have a constant supply of water. The volume of water
required is about three times the volume of dry pellets eaten. In warm weather
they drink much more. Ferrets that have no water for 24 hours will stop eating.
Water bottles are a convenient way to keep clean water available, but ferrets
prefer to drink from a dish and will drink much more from a dish than from a
bottle. A dish of fresh water can be clipped onto the side of the cage, or made
available to the ferrets when they get out for exercise. Kits and juveniles
will usually play in a dish of water left on the cage floor, contaminating it
with food and litter.
Food storage
Proper storage of food is important. Pellets are packaged to protect them from
moisture. When the bag is opened, it is your responsibility to do this. Store
pelleted food no more than 3 months, even in an unopened bag. If you have only
one ferret, you will have to buy small packages of food. These are more
expensive than bulk quantities, but the food will be fresh and free of mold.
Some ferret foods are packaged in milk-carton type containers that seal quite
well after opening. Store the contents of large opened bags in plastic bins
with snug fitting lids. Bags of food should never be left in a basement or
garage, where they will get damp and eventually moldy. Molds make the food
unpalatable, and some produce toxins that can make animals very sick, or
occasionally cause death.
Snacks
Snacks are good for ferrets… Ferrets don't need snacks, but owners sometimes
need to feel good about themselves by giving their pet a treat. A treat can
also be a useful training aid, and may some day make the difference between
searching for hours for a sleeping ferret, and having the ferret immediately
wake up and come to you when you shake the treat can or box.
Snacks are bad for ferrets… Nutritional problems arise when owners give
ferrets the wrong kinds of food as treats. Overfeeding sugary snacks can cause
health problems, including obesity, tooth decay, and aggravation of
hypoglycemia caused by insulinomas. Remember that some fruits such as raisins,
a favorite treat for many ferrets, contain large amounts of sugar. Dairy
products, although very palatable to ferrets and nutritionally beneficial,
cause diarrhea that can be distressing to the owner. Ferrets may become so
passionately fond of certain flavors that they won't eat anything else. Most
snack foods are not well balanced. Overindulgence produces malnutrition and
obesity.
Reference:http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=11&cat=1296&articleid=498
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