Homemade Ferret Treats And The Best Treats For Ferrets

Dr. Abdul Basit Javed (DVM, RVMP)

Ferrets are lively animals that make excellent pets for the right person. Ferrets, like any other pet, require a well-balanced diet to stay healthy. The majority of the ferret diet is made up of high-quality ferret food, but treats can be a great way to add variety and positive reinforcement.

Ferrets can be fed a variety of homemade treats, including ferret puree mix, eggs, chicken bones, organ meats, fish oils, and so on. Along with homemade or DIY treats, ferrets can also be commercially available treats; however, these treats must be free of preservatives or additives and made from real meat.

If you own a ferret and want to give your pet homemade or best store-bought treats, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, our small animal veterinarian has put together the best homemade treats for ferrets as well as a few of the best commercially available treats for them, so keep reading.

DIY Best Ferret Treats

The following are some of the best homemade/DIY ferret treats that are both healthy and completely safe for your little furry friend if fed appropriately:

Ferret Puree

Ferret puree is a good homemade ferret treat made with the protein and fish oils of your choice. You can use any animal protein you want, including chicken, turkey, lamb, rabbit, etc. Organ meats such as livers, hearts, and kidneys can also be added.

After choosing the protein, combine it with the fish oil of your choice. Add some water or unseasoned chicken broth, and blend until a smooth puree is formed.

Portions can be determined based on how much you want to make and for how many days, and the number of ferrets you have. You can also add supplements recommended by your veterinarian to the puree mixture.

After the puree has been thoroughly blended, cook it for 30 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked. After that, simply freeze the puree mixture, cut it into cubes, and feed it to your ferrets as a treat.

Ferret Soup

If your ferret is sick and dehydrated, this homemade treat is a good choice. Simply take unseasoned chicken or beef broth in a pot and add water to dilute the soup.

Portions will vary depending on how much you want to make and how many ferrets you have, but in general, add 6 cups of water for every 2 cups of broth.

Bring the broth to a boil after adding the water, then add the organ meats of your choice. Cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the organ meat is fully cooked.

After that, if necessary, add supplements and stir well. Allow the soup to cool before serving it to your ferrets. You can also freeze the soup as individual servings for later use.

Pet Treats

Surprisingly, you can give ferrets treats intended for other pets such as cats and dogs; however, you must ensure that they are made of real meat.

You can provide ferrets with meat jerky treats intended for dogs. Pet treats containing artificial ingredients, such as biscuits, should not be given to ferrets as they can be harmful to their health.

Salmon Oil

Raw Or Boiled Eggs

Eggs are one of the best and simplest homemade or DIY ferret treats, and they love them. Ferrets can be fed raw or boiled eggs. Ferrets can be given eggs as a treat once or twice a week. Eggs are high in protein and essential nutrients, which help keep your ferret healthy.

If you’re feeding a raw egg, simply break it and place it in a bowl, scrambled or not, and give it to your ferret. When feeding a hard-boiled egg to your ferret, make sure to chop it into small bite-size chunks first.

Salmon Paste

Salmon paste, or any fish paste, can be fed to ferrets as a treat if it does not contain any bones or seasonings such as salt. The salmon paste is especially good for ferrets because they enjoy the taste, and it can also be a helpful treat when training ferrets because they can’t resist it. However, the salmon paste should never be fed as a meal, but rather as a treat a few times per week.

Raw or Cooked Meat

Meat is a natural part of a ferret’s diet, but you can also give it to them as a treat. Instead of feeding ferrets traditional meats like chicken or lamb, try something new and tasty like rabbit meat, which they seem to enjoy. However, ensure that the meat is fresh and free of additives and preservatives.

Organ Meat

Organ meats are relatively simple homemade or DIY ferret treats because they can be fed raw or cooked. Ferrets commonly consume organ meats such as the liver, heart, and kidneys. Organ meats provide ferrets with essential minerals and vitamins, as well as protein.

Raisins

Raisins are a sweet treat that ferrets enjoy. Ferrets love raisons and can eat multiple at once, but you must be careful not to overfeed them because their digestive system is not intended to digest fibers and carbohydrates. Only serve raisins as a treat once or twice a week.

Raw Chicken Leg Bone

Raw chicken bone, usually one from the leg, can make good DIY ferret treats. Avoid feeding cooked chicken bones as they can become brittle and break in the mouth of the ferret increasing the risk of an injury. Also, supervise ferrets when offering them bones as treats because there can be a risk of choking involved.

Whole Mouse, Rat, or Chicken

Raw chicken bones, usually from the leg, make an excellent homemade treat for ferrets. Feeding cooked chicken bones is not recommended because they can become brittle and break in the ferret’s mouth, increasing the risk of injury. Also, keep an eye on ferrets when giving them bones as treats because they can be a choking hazard.

Treats For Ferrets

Some of the common, safe, and healthy commercial treats that you can feed to ferrets include the following:

• Bandit Treats
• Uncle Jim’s Duck Soup
• N-Bones
• Wysong Ferret foods

Fruits Ferrets Can Eat

Generally, fruits and vegetables should not be fed to ferrets because their digestive systems are incapable of digesting them properly. However, there are a few fruits that can be given as occasional ferret treats.

• Bite-size apple slices
• Banana
• Cantaloupe
• Cucumbers
• Pumpkin
• Watermelon (without seeds)

Insects Ferrets Can Eat as Treats

The following insects can be fed to ferrets as treats, but they should not be a regular part of their diet. Also, avoid catching insects in fields where pesticides may have been used.

• Mealworms
• Grasshoppers
• Waxworms
• Superworms
• Nightcrawlers

Final Words: Homemade Ferret Treats

Ferrets have very specific nutritional needs that differ from those of other common household pets like cats and dogs; this also applies to their treats. Ferrets should only be fed treats made from real animal protein, whether homemade or purchased from a store.

Seasonings, preservatives, and additives should never be added to ferret treats because they can be harmful to their health. Additionally, avoid including fiber and carbohydrates in their treats because they cannot digest them properly. Eggs, raisins, ferret soup, ferret puree mix, organ meats, chicken bones, etc. make excellent DIY ferret treats.