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Post by lumboo on Jul 7, 2021 6:50:23 GMT -5
I have just placed an order for ready mixed raw foods on an 80/10/10 ratio. I have bought a selection of different proteins, so they get a whole range of meats
One of the packs I bought was a pork and duck mix. When I spoke to my breeder he said pork should not be fed to ferrets due to the high salt content. He said he once fed his ferrets pork, and they all got sick and died.
As a precaution I will not feed them that particular mix, but I was just wondering if you all stay away from pork as a protein to feed them too? Is it due to the high salt content or for other reasons (I live in the UK)
The Raw Food company (where I bought the food from) has listed this pack as part of their selection of raw foods for ferrets, so I thought it would be OK.
Please let me know what you all do - is there any other meat I should avoid?
Also, what do you give to your ferrets as treats when you are training them? I have salmon oil and salmon paste, but it is there dried foods that you have to reward them when training?
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Jul 7, 2021 8:59:51 GMT -5
It is hard to find pork here without enhancements at least at my grocery stores---a meat market where they butcher might be better. If they do not add salt and spices to it, pork should be fine. I have fed my ferrets pork but i did look at ingredients for added flavorings. Right now I have only one ferret, and he eats mostly rats and mice.
Concerning treats for training. I do not feed mine dried meats which could be broken in tiny bits as a training treat. I do not know the quality of pet store jerky. I did offer my dog dried trachea once and she got an upset stomach--- so i did not give her anymore. The treats they sell for ferrets here(USA) are usually filled with preservatives and other things(not meat). Hopefully some of the members can help u.
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Post by smithde83 on Jul 8, 2021 10:34:22 GMT -5
In a thread I have it was suggested to do small dead whole prey as treats (pinkies or chicks). Since the bones aren't fully formed they don't count as the bone content they need.
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Post by lyles on Jul 8, 2021 14:43:33 GMT -5
I don't know if it was because of the source or not, but I've always had a bad experience feeding pork to them. I've had some get really sick a few times after eating it and bloat up from bacteria overload (with really bad smelling belches), so I never feed it to them anymore.
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Post by lumboo on Jul 8, 2021 14:49:13 GMT -5
Thanks everyone - definitely won't feed them the pork, as it doesn't seem worth the risk.
What's slightly disappointing for me is that its not mentioned in any of the ferret books I've bought. If it wasn't for my breeder telling me, I wouldn't have known
I will be getting them day old chicks as a meal treat, but I was wondering about smaller treats to hold in my hand whilst training them
I might just get some ferret treats like dried duck or chicken. It will only be an occasional thing for rewarding good behaviour so shouldn't be too bad for them.
Can ferrets have cat treats?
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Post by Charlie on Jul 9, 2021 19:13:59 GMT -5
I've had no issues with pork with my ferret. But it does depend on the source.
Dried meats would be good treats but probably not cat treats.
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Post by Corvidophile on Jul 10, 2021 6:31:55 GMT -5
It depends on whether you can get it without additives or not, I feed about a third of my diet pork, and have had no problems.
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Post by pablos27 on Jul 26, 2021 23:36:23 GMT -5
I have just placed an order for ready mixed raw foods on an 80/10/10 ratio. I have bought a selection of different proteins, so they get a whole range of meats One of the packs I bought was a pork and duck mix. When I spoke to my breeder he said pork should not be fed to ferrets due to the high salt content. He said he once fed his ferrets pork, and they all got sick and died. As a precaution I will not feed them that particular mix, but I was just wondering if you all stay away from pork as a protein to feed them too? Is it due to the high salt content or for other reasons (I live in the UK) The Raw Food company (where I bought the food from) has listed this pack as part of their selection of raw foods for ferrets, so I thought it would be OK. Please let me know what you all do - is there any other meat I should avoid? Also, what do you give to your ferrets as treats when you are training them? I have salmon oil and salmon paste, but it is there dried foods that you have to reward them when training? |
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Post by pablos27 on Jul 26, 2021 23:44:36 GMT -5
I'm using The Raw Food company and so far no issues. Since their food is for pets not humans I don't think they add any salt to it (nothing on the label). If your ferrets have no food allergies you can do what I've done for my ferrets - get a few packs of 80-10-10 in different 'flavours' and mix them together. That way you will provide them with a balanced and very divers diet. Also if you have baby ferrets they will have a chance to learn new flavours so they will be able to recognize many different types of meat as food.
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Post by unclejoe on Jul 28, 2021 19:35:40 GMT -5
I... never hear that about pork. Idk what type of pork your breeder fed but enough salt to kill all of his.her ferrets? I think there must have been something wrong with the pork. Could you pm me the breeder's contact info? Food safety regulations have changed and most meats sold to the public cannot have hormones and other supplements without it being on the label. Not saying there isn't corruption in the USDA or meat industries, but that's never been reported here. That incident could have happened years ago.
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Post by lumboo on Jul 29, 2021 4:13:55 GMT -5
I... never hear that about pork. Idk what type of pork your breeder fed but enough salt to kill all of his.her ferrets? I think there must have been something wrong with the pork. Could you pm me the breeder's contact info? Food safety regulations have changed and most meats sold to the public cannot have hormones and other supplements without it being on the label. Not saying there isn't corruption in the USDA or meat industries, but that's never been reported here. That incident could have happened years ago. My breeder is in the UK. His ferrets are working ferrets and he gets food directly from the farmers he works with. UK food is regulated too, and most people in the UK, my breeder included, care a lot about their animals, whether as livestock, working animals or pets It is quite possible that his ferrets got sick from something other than the pork, and he associated it with that. However, now that he said it, I'll steer clear just in case. I bought a wide variety of proteins, so the boys won't miss out  |
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