Any of you give your ferrets

[rob190364 2,594]

It really depends on your ferrets diet as to whether additional vitamins/FFA's/minerals/amino acids etc are necessary. Excess fat soluble vits, such as A & D, contained in organs such as liver are not recommended, but excess water soluble vits are of no consequence. Amino acids such as Taurine, are vital to ferret health and are relatively low in dietary muscle tissue. Tbh, this goes on and on. I'm not sure what answer you expected, as many on this forum have little clue regarding the appropriate dietary requirements of ferrets.

 

I feed a mix of quality dried ferret food brands, a balanced mix of meat, organ & bone, plus various supplements.

 

It really depends on the vitamin supplement you are talking about, what it contains and whether it is necessary in relation to the diet your ferrets already recieve.

Alrite mate i'm in the category of not avin a Clue, but i feed my Healthy , Workin Ferrets , rabbit, squirrel, pidgeon,rook etc ,(always at night in warmer months ) & abit of dry biscuit for achange, but not instead of, ps where do Polecats get their supplements in the Wild ?

 

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

If I were to give advice to a novice, it would be to completely ignore everything you hear from Ferret100.....reason, because to someone who is new to ferrets he could sound like he knows what he's on about....fact is, most of what he's saying on here is a load of tosh! If they're given a decent variety of natural food they don't need supplements. You can compare the diet of a wild polecat to a ferret because genetically they are the same....hence providing a natural diet to replicate what the wild version of the ferret would be eating.

 

Novices, ignore all this bollocks about supplements, give a decent mix of raw meat, bone and organs with the odd egg thrown in the mix here and there and you'll be fine. Or give dried ferret food if you have to or if that's your preference.....they'll do well on either of these but don't give too much dried food or they'll get fat, and don't give cooked bones. If you can give fresh whole carcasses then that's the best thing. That's all you need to know!

[KittleRox 2,147]

It really depends on your ferrets diet as to whether additional vitamins/FFA's/minerals/amino acids etc are necessary. Excess fat soluble vits, such as A & D, contained in organs such as liver are not recommended, but excess water soluble vits are of no consequence. Amino acids such as Taurine, are vital to ferret health and are relatively low in dietary muscle tissue. Tbh, this goes on and on. I'm not sure what answer you expected, as many on this forum have little clue regarding the appropriate dietary requirements of ferrets.

 

I feed a mix of quality dried ferret food brands, a balanced mix of meat, organ & bone, plus various supplements.

 

It really depends on the vitamin supplement you are talking about, what it contains and whether it is necessary in relation to the diet your ferrets already recieve.

Alrite mate i'm in the category of not avin a Clue, but i feed my Healthy , Workin Ferrets , rabbit, squirrel, pidgeon,rook etc ,(always at night in warmer months ) & abit of dry biscuit for achange, but not instead of, ps where do Polecats get their supplements in the Wild ?

 

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

If I were to give advice to a novice, it would be to completely ignore everything you hear from Ferret100.....reason, because to someone who is new to ferrets he could sound like he knows what he's on about....fact is, most of what he's saying on here is a load of tosh! If they're given a decent variety of natural food they don't need supplements. You can compare the diet of a wild polecat to a ferret because genetically they are the same....hence providing a natural diet to replicate what the wild version of the ferret would be eating.

 

Novices, ignore all this bollocks about supplements, give a decent mix of raw meat, bone and organs with the odd egg thrown in the mix here and there and you'll be fine. Or give dried ferret food if you have to or if that's your preference.....they'll do well on either of these but don't give too much dried food or they'll get fat, and don't give cooked bones. If you can give fresh whole carcasses then that's the best thing. That's all you need to know!

Well said, keeping ferrets ain,t rocket science, look at their teeth they,re fxcking meat eaters so give them meat and if you prefer the dry food which has been designed for them, why over complicate things ? as you say Rob any newcomers must become a bit bemused with some of the posts, its a wonder some folk can sleep at night with all their woes and worrys about their animals health, take a deep breath and CHILL ffs

 

rant over atb

[KittleRox 2,147]

and the occasional tit bit

[Malt 379]

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

 

I'm sure that you'll know that as an obligate carnivore a ferret can get all the trace vitamins it needs from the undigested food in the gut of whole prey items. If you don't feed the odd, ungutted rabbit every now and again, it's hardly difficult to chuck a handful of peas or something in with some minced meat now and again.

[Jamie m 668]

and the occasional tit bit

don't we all like the odd bit of tit from time to time

[ferret100 47]

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

 

I'm sure that you'll know that as an obligate carnivore a ferret can get all the trace vitamins it needs from the undigested food in the gut of whole prey items. If you don't feed the odd, ungutted rabbit every now and again, it's hardly difficult to chuck a handful of peas or something in with some minced meat now and again.

 

Obligate carnivores are incapable of digesting/breaking down cellulose, so peas etc are of no benefit whatsoever. Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

[ferret100 47]

It really depends on your ferrets diet as to whether additional vitamins/FFA's/minerals/amino acids etc are necessary. Excess fat soluble vits, such as A & D, contained in organs such as liver are not recommended, but excess water soluble vits are of no consequence. Amino acids such as Taurine, are vital to ferret health and are relatively low in dietary muscle tissue. Tbh, this goes on and on. I'm not sure what answer you expected, as many on this forum have little clue regarding the appropriate dietary requirements of ferrets.

 

I feed a mix of quality dried ferret food brands, a balanced mix of meat, organ & bone, plus various supplements.

 

It really depends on the vitamin supplement you are talking about, what it contains and whether it is necessary in relation to the diet your ferrets already recieve.

Alrite mate i'm in the category of not avin a Clue, but i feed my Healthy , Workin Ferrets , rabbit, squirrel, pidgeon,rook etc ,(always at night in warmer months ) & abit of dry biscuit for achange, but not instead of, ps where do Polecats get their supplements in the Wild ?

 

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

If I were to give advice to a novice, it would be to completely ignore everything you hear from Ferret100.....reason, because to someone who is new to ferrets he could sound like he knows what he's on about....fact is, most of what he's saying on here is a load of tosh! If they're given a decent variety of natural food they don't need supplements. You can compare the diet of a wild polecat to a ferret because genetically they are the same....hence providing a natural diet to replicate what the wild version of the ferret would be eating.

 

Novices, ignore all this bollocks about supplements, give a decent mix of raw meat, bone and organs with the odd egg thrown in the mix here and there and you'll be fine. Or give dried ferret food if you have to or if that's your preference.....they'll do well on either of these but don't give too much dried food or they'll get fat, and don't give cooked bones. If you can give fresh whole carcasses then that's the best thing. That's all you need to know!

 

I don't remember saying supplements were a must? Plus, what exactly have I put that is 'a load of tosh'?

[Malt 379]

Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

 

 

 

Right oh then.. They get very little nutritional value from fur & feather but they eat it. Every time I've ever put a whole prey item in with my ferrets they've eaten the fecking lot, guts, beaks, fur, feather, the fecking lot.

[Kay 3,709]

feeding should be simple , i feed meat only & whole carcass, and to be honest mine dont seem to lack anything , but there care is basic, there diet is species appropriate , there housing adequate , i dont add anything to there diet that i don't feel they need ie milk eggs etc , it has worked for me for donkeys years

 

take the guesswork out of feeding there meat eaters simple as that

[Joe67 239]

and don't give cooked bones

 

Whys that mate? Wondering because ive chucked in the odd chicken thats left over from dinner

[Leeview 791]

. Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

 

Really lions, wolves,hyenas, African hunting dogs and practically all carnivores will eat the guts and contents first for the same reason that a mother(to these animals) will regurgitate food for her offspring because its already partlally digested and conserves the energy used in denaturation of the food i.e the food is absorbed quicker into the body

Y.I.S Leeview

[stealthy1 3,964]

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

 

I'm sure that you'll know that as an obligate carnivore a ferret can get all the trace vitamins it needs from the undigested food in the gut of whole prey items. If you don't feed the odd, ungutted rabbit every now and again, it's hardly difficult to chuck a handful of peas or something in with some minced meat now and again.

 

Obligate carnivores are incapable of digesting/breaking down cellulose, so peas etc are of no benefit whatsoever. Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

 

 

I know its a small point, but most carnivores start with the stomach because its the easiest entrance into the animal its just killed, and normally eat a litttle greenery inadvertently because it sticks to the carcase while its being eaten, why do animals eat grass even if they can't digest? they must need it for something, even if its not beneficial in nutrients

[ferret100 47]

Hi, I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to compare the diet of a wild species to that of a domesticated species. A wild Polecat will supplement its diet by killing what it needs. Domesticated ferrets only have the choice to eat what the're given.

 

I'm sure that you'll know that as an obligate carnivore a ferret can get all the trace vitamins it needs from the undigested food in the gut of whole prey items. If you don't feed the odd, ungutted rabbit every now and again, it's hardly difficult to chuck a handful of peas or something in with some minced meat now and again.

 

Obligate carnivores are incapable of digesting/breaking down cellulose, so peas etc are of no benefit whatsoever. Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

 

 

I know its a small point, but most carnivores start with the stomach because its the easiest entrance into the animal its just killed, and normally eat a litttle greenery inadvertently because it sticks to the carcase while its being eaten, why do animals eat grass even if they can't digest? they must need it for something, even if its not beneficial in nutrients

 

Prey/herbivores are designed to digest cellulose/plant matter, generally predators/carnivores aren't, particularly obligate carnivores such as ferrets/polecats etc.

[ferret100 47]

. Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

 

Really lions, wolves,hyenas, African hunting dogs and practically all carnivores will eat the guts and contents first for the same reason that a mother(to these animals) will regurgitate food for her offspring because its already partlally digested and conserves the energy used in denaturation of the food i.e the food is absorbed quicker into the body

Y.I.S Leeview

 

The survival situation for various carnivores is very different. Hyenas/lions/wolves etc bring down much larger prey than domesticated ferrets, and unlike ferrets, they hunt for survival. The smell of fermenting plant matter in the preys stomach attracts other predators to a kill (with lions and hyenas the young will be nearby, and are under threat from other predator species), so the stomach/intestines are either quickly eaten to help avoid competition over the kill, or the stomach/intestines will be buried to help eliminate the smell carrying. Lions and Hyenas do not reguritate for their young. Wild dog species such as wolves/wild hunting dogs rely on stamina to kill their prey, they usually bring down a kill miles from the pups at the den. Reguritation allows wild dogs to bring food to their young without having to defend a kill. The stomach is only part of the digestive tract, it does not breakdown/absorb all nutrients, hence mastication/saliva/stomach/large and small intestines and the term digestive tract.

[ferret100 47]

Most carnivores, unless starving will leave the stomach/guts contents, as they next to no nutritional value.

 

 

 

Right oh then.. They get very little nutritional value from fur & feather but they eat it. Every time I've ever put a whole prey item in with my ferrets they've eaten the fecking lot, guts, beaks, fur, feather, the fecking lot.

 

Hold on, one minute you are arguing guts contain all the trace elements a ferret needs, if not chuck in a handful of peas, now you're arguing your ferrets eat whole prey? My ferrets and my hybrids eat whole prey too. What is your point?