Can someone please recommend some good ferret kibble?

[Deleted]

My ferret has been on Marshalls ferret food, and im aiming to fix that. Can someone reccomend me some ferret kibble? (No raw diets.) dry food please!

[LindaM]

Orijen (cat kibble) is a very good high-end kibble and many of the kibble-feeders use it. You can also use some Wysong Digestive Support kibble, only that one as the other Epigen 90 has ingredients now that leads to stomach upsets. Most commercial products branded for ferrets are actually incredibly unhealthy for them and are best avoided.

Please bear in mind the negatives that come with kibble though:
Ferret needs their teeth brushed several times a week to prevent plaque build-up. Without brushing, it will lead to gingivitis, then periodontal disease and finally teeth will be pulled.

A ferret is an obligate carnivore, they gain moisture from their food, but kibble is dry, so they get moisture only from drinking which is not enough as all carnivores are too lax about it, thus your ferret is always toeing the line of dehydration. And when something like diarrhea or another illness hits them, it can be a dire fight for life when they get dehydrated.

Due to the ingredients in kibble, they are high in carbs, and these lead to insulinoma. Even high-end kibbles carry this risk, it might just take a little longer than the crappy kibbles. Insulinoma needs to be treated with medicine and you will need to check your ferrets blood glucose levels regularly to make sure the meds are working and they are doing okay once they get diagnosed with insulinoma.

Because ferrets imprint on foods, if the company that makes your kibble suddenly go out of business or changes the formula, your ferret may refuse to eat at all and it could lead to themselves starving themselves to death, unlike other animals who will eventually eat when hungry.


So, may I ask if there is a specific reason you do not wish to do the species appropriate diet of raw for your ferret? We might be able to alleviate any concerns you may have with it, or answer any questions.

[Sherry]

unclejoe you are also familiar with some of the kibbles out there? I am of no help as I haven't had it in the house in a decade now