Are you surprised by any of these foods? I have a full guide on kibble coming soon, so let me know if you have any questions you'd like answered in it. Thanks for watching! 🥰🐾 If you want to try the same treats as I use, I have linked them all here: linktr.ee/ferrettubetv These are Amazon affiliate links, so buying through them will help support this channel with a tiny commission on each sale (it costs you exactly the same!). Thanks 😁
My friend used to have a ferret, but unfortunately, it developed health issues such as cancer and bladder stones due to a lack of proper diet. Now that the ferret is with me, I am committed to providing it with a balanced and healthy diet to support its recovery and well-being.
Thank you! They are hard work when they are sick, but you build a special bond with them when caring for them in this way. The world needs more people like you 🥰🐾
These sellers and manufacturers should be sued tbh Thank god for you and other Ferret owners who are able shed the light on these money making industries.
I'm in the process of reaching out to the worst offending brands to see if we can persuade them about the harm certain ingredients can do. Fingers crossed if this post gets enough traction, I can get them to notice us
Your ferret videos are great…. Very informative.. thank you for sharing this. This is just an observation… the ferrets that you got from the shelter..not to long ago.. they are looking great.. looks like they put a little weight on and seem extremely happy. Keep up the amazing work! Floof crew!!! 🐾🐾
simi related to treats but, i remember ferrets trying to get at my food if i were eating with them around but i quickly learned they never tried to eat it, they were just curious cause human food smells interesting. so i just let them sate their curiosity and let them sniff, but we did get the rare instance of them actually trying to eat it. always figured a few odd licks would not be of any danger though.
exactly... as long as its only a sniff it's OK, but my boys are not such fussy eaters as they were strays and had to learn to survive in the wild. I'm pretty sure Luffy would eat anything he can get his teeth into. 😂
100%.. especially when sites like amazon highlight products as recommended that are actually bad for them. Thank you for the comment to help boost this post in the algorithm 🥰🐾
Yay! Welcome to the Floof Crew! Thank you.... I'm SO glad you said 'ferretS' too... you obviously know your stuff already and will make an excellent ferrant 🥰🐾
Our last ferret is over 7yrs old & due to bad advice from a vet, we fed her mostly on ferret kibble, and a soup of cat food & baby food 😞 we didn’t know any better until another vet corrected that info. Problem is, she refuses to eat anything else to the point of starving herself. So we’re stuck. We’ve removed her kibble, and have been cutting her soup down while mixing in a proper ferret dook soup made from dried chicken bits. Salmon oil is her treat though.
It's terrible the advice you get sometimes from trusted sources. You're doing the right thing introducing the change gradually though. Have you thought about emerald critical care for carnivores as an option to boost calories 1 meal a day until she has got used to the better food?
I really appreciate the advice you give, from bottom of my heart, thank you. After finding a young ferret under my car a few months back I have been wondering what to use as a treat for him. Not knowing what to give him has made him not have many at all as I didn't want to harm him. He does get Salmon Oil and the occasional Chick though
Awww, thank you for taking him in! I'm so glad our content has helped you. You could also try baby mice (you can buy them frozen from the pet store - and never give them wild mice you might catch in the house as they have all sorts of parasites and bugs in them you don't want your ferrets eating) - if he likes chicks, he will probably like those 🥰🐾 But as I said in this post, as long as he is eating a balanced and healthy diet for a ferret, he doesn't need variety of flavours to be happy ❤️
Brilliant!! Might you be able to consider getting 2 not 1? They really do better in a pair/group, and it will mean you don't have to spend 4 hours a day every day entertaining them...
I wished I knew this. I lost my ferret buddy a year ago ,I bought treats and food and vitamins with all the bad stuff, he was a mini Zorro so smart fun and loving
I'm sorry to hear that... it seems like he had a fantastic life with you. Hopefully this post can help people make better food choices for their floofs 🥰🐾
One of my ferrets is the pickiest eater and the only snack I can even get him to eat is salmon oil meanwhile my girl loves any meat I give to her though! ^_^
Oh I love this comment! You are the perfect ferret parent doing all the research before you get them... Please consider getting 2 not one as they will be much happier and easier to care for. I made a short post on the reasons why: ua-cam.com/users/shortscNHTgPJJUsM
I agree with u. I have a ferret. his name is Mocha. He's on a raw diet it took me 1 month to switch him over to raw food he is 1 year old. I got him when he was 5 months old he is awesome. I love him❤😊
mine won't eat hardly anything except the dang bag food. she likes the salmon oil, but won't try anything else even if it's doused in the oil, she's such a little picky eater. I need a solution because she needs something healthier then the bag diet. but sadly she was raised that way from birth by Marshal.
It is possible to switch food, but it will take maybe a couple of months. Ferrets imprint on flavour at about 6 months, so what you need to do after that is introduce new flavours very slowly. Start by grinding the new kibble into a fine powder (I use a coffee bean grinder but a pestle & mortar will do) then 'season' her food with it very lightly at first.. almost hardly there... let her eat that for a few days, then add a tiny bit more every 1 or 2 days. If at any point she starts refusing to eat, just roll back the quantity a little and let her settle to that again. After a while you can start adding a couple of whole pieces of the new food to the mix. Again, hardly any at first, and keep seasoning lightly with the powder sprinkles too at first. Gradually increase the amount of new kibble, while decreasing the old kibble by an equal amount. And when you are at about 1/4 of the mix the new kibble, you can phase out the powder slowly. Keep going raising the amount of new kibble and lowering the old every 1-2 days. If at any point she stops eating, roll back a little as before. It took me 2 months to switch my girls kibble like this, and they were incredibly fussy eaters. By the way, as she is so fussy, once you get her switched I advise gradually mixing in a 2nd good kibble brand, using the same method until they are 50/50. That way if you ever have an issue getting one of the brands, you won't be left with a ferret starving itself 😔 Let me know how you get on!
I recommend mixing tiny amounts of new kibble in a ziploc bag full of the old kibble. This is so the new kibble will smell like the old kind they are imprinted on. I read that they are scent-imprinted on their food. I gradually increased the ratio of new to old kibble and my two girls have been eating the new no problem!
@chilicheeseflake This is an excellent additional tip - thank you. great point. I didn't realise it was the scent that they were imprinted on. I'll look into that and I plan on doing a full kibble guide with switching diet advice soon, so I will be sure to add this to the recommendations. Thank you!
@@FerretTubeTV Will do, I always call her my little dook, her actual name though is Kira. She's taught me a lot, but mainly that I got lucky as really this is her only issue, aside from her pick of toilet spots of course. Other then this, she is so very sweet, I've barely ever been nipped by her, which is cool, she just seemed to understand right away without training, not to nip or bite. there's been some very rare times, and it was never hard. not even when she's flustered. My first ferret, and so far she's been real easy to take care of. Heck, she doesn't have too bad a smell either since I clean her tray every day.
Yes... I give mine half a chicken egg each once a fortnight (weekly during peak shedding season). Sometimes I'll give them a quails egg each and let them break into it themselves, which they love but it gets messy 😂 Give them the shell too as that is a good calcium source. Just don't give them too many eggs as that can inhibit vitamin B7 absorption and cause constipation. And depending on where you live, salmonella could be a problem, so make sure you get eggs that are safe for humans to eat.
Oh my goodness, the section about kibble is so very important to know! One of my ferrets, Nana, has been intermittently having really infirm poos and I’ve been wracking my brain to try and figure out why. I feed them Mazuri Ferrer Diet and I’m definitely going to be pouring over their food’s ingredient list with a magnifying glass… I’ll certainly be trying to get my hands on the treats you use to try and get Mimi interested too. She’s picky like Zoro and doesn’t care for salmon oil 😅
Brilliant, I'm so glad you found it useful. I'm working on a full kibble guide too, along with a step by step strategy for helping people change their ferret's diet. As you'll know with a fussy eater, it's not always easy to do! I checked the food brand you mention.. according to co-pilot AI, it has rice flour, yeast, beet pulp, soy protein and lactose in it, so gluten, lactose and vegetable protein 😔 You're a great ferret parent for caring enough to find out 🥰🐾
@@FerretTubeTV Wonderful! I can’t wait to check it out when you post it! Unfortunately it’s true, I checked the ingredients list and yeah, it’s bad. Their vet told me it was good food! I’ve done some research and the Wysong ferret food looks to be the best option that I can get in my location. It does have chia seeds listed a bit into the ingredient list, but overall everything else looks much more promising than what they have now. I can’t understand why there are so few truly good foods for our cute little limousine cats out there…
Brilliant research, well done! It's mad that so many VETS seem to have bad advice too. My vet advised me to have the girls desexed at 6 months old before they start coming into season. I have since learned that you should wait until they have gone through a season (and you'll need the vets help to get them out of season if you're not going to mate them), as early desexing can lead to adrenal problems later in life. So far, they're fine... but it might be something I have to deal with at the end of their lives 😔
@@FerretTubeTV It astounds me how much is known about ferret health and yet nothing is done about it. In fact, it feels like the opposite! But it’s just another reason to remain diligent and do as much research as possible when it comes to what we feed these little fur babies. I’m so glad you make these videos to help educate others about ferrets. You’re doing very kind and important work!
Very good information, there are so many treats out there and it can be so confusing if you arent aware. Thank you for putting this out there Keeper Kate. We are always so cautious about the treats we buy for the girls. I wish the salmon oil worked for nails but they flail as soon as it hits there belly haha they love the taste but hate the feel on there belly lol. So we use salmon paste smeared over my fingers, keeps them engrossed longe enough to get the job done. Omg I forgot how gorgeous Zoro was x
@@sallysmith2202 I’m Doing MARVELOUS LOVE.. POOR AS SIN AND LIVING THE HORROR. 1984 At Its Finest They Say. Bring Me Back To 1776. Anywho. I’m Great Sally. It’s very nice to hear from ya. ♥️ it’s great to hear the SlInKiEs are doing Great and Most Importantly The Hubby and Kids. As if we needed to be ScArEd 😱 😂 HoLy GuAcAmOlE. I went on a Hrs Ride ToNight To Try and Catch Some AURORA LiGhTs. Cause where I live the LIGHTS💡 FUZZ is A CrYiNg ShAmE. So I went to MT TAMMENY on Nj Pennsylvania Border and At 9:20 pm. Decided. THATS THE BEST PLAN ONLY A GENIUS COULD COME UP WITH. Well The GoOd LoRd Also Told Me IM DUMB AS ROCKS. So I forget it Takes about 2 Hrs to Hike It Up and That’s With Light. No Problem I Have My TRUSTY BATTERY 🔋 POWERED FLASHLIGHT 🔦 that quit on me within 30 or 45 Min into Trek. Then I decided with all my Wisdom Telling GOD you didn’t give me SMARTS but I Have WISDOM hahahahaha well I Went and Tried to Find PINE TREES and See If There Was ANY WAY I found PINE SAP you Know Me and SAVAGES Ruled the world they say So a PINE SAP TORCH Yeah No Pine Trees In the Vast Expance Of My Trip. That took about an HR 😠 SO NOW IT IS ABOUT 1 am. I finally decided ILL KEEP MY HEAD ON THE GROUND AND FOLLOW TRACK AND STOP MY FOOLISHNESS. Well then that lasted about 1 hr of Hiking Up WHENBI HEARD THE DAMNDEST NOISE. When I tells ya SALLY that my Knees Were Giving Up On Me. NOW IM USED TO THESE WOODS. But Steeeupid DAVID PAULIDES and His CANAM Woods Dissapearances. UA-cam Channel had me Thinking. JESUS DONT LET IT BE BIGFOOT. 🦍 🐒 ALIENS WOULD BE BETTER 👽 👾. Then I thought ARSE PROBE OR CHANCE IT WOTH A FEMALE 10 ft 700 lb WOMAN. Hmmmmmmmmmm 🤨 WHAT AM I THINKING. IM GONNA DISAPPEAR 🫠. GONE FOR GOOD. I. LASSY. I AM. OUTTA. HERE. SCREW AURORA LIGHTS. SCREW TONIGHT. I DIDNT smoke my Medicinal Erbs. IM NOT GETTING TOSSED OVER A CLIFF AND NO ONE EVEN KNOWS IM HERE. IM OUT. So that trip back SOMEHOW took me 2 hrs Jumped in Car. but STEEUPID DAVID PAULIDES. Which I LOVE 💕 By The Way. Had me going. Cause I know 2 people who Commited Sewi Ciders. And we’re both found Near Home In Water. One while camping. They said he had heart attack and other a tragic Self Accident. So it’s 5:16 am and I have work in today I swear it’s at 830 am WE cannot start job until Traffic slows down a bit cause yesterday we started at 7am and it was a DISATER. But I Am SoOoOo TiReD 😪. if Inly I Had Seen Em LIGHTS ON MOON 🌙 DAY the 12th But Yea MaAm I am Home Safe Maybe Gave Them AlIeNs a Direct Line Of Travel to My Home🛸🏡. But I Should’ve Tooken My Chances with. HOLD ON SALLY. WHY WOULD I THINK A HOT BIGFOT LADY WOULD BE CASUALLY LOOKING AROUND FOR A HUMAN UNLESS………. Well Sally If Ya Don’t Hear From me Again. YA KNOW I REVERTED TO LIVING THE SAVAGES DREAM 😝 😂 WELL SALLY. That was my Brilliant Night Out Tonight. What a Banger. It’s Funny and Weird how we can become our Source for LAUGHING and CRYING with No Ones Help. MUCH LOVE SALLY SMITH ❤️♥️💜
Not great no. Wheat is a grain, and as the 2nd listed ingredient that means it is quite high in content. It's a pretty low % meat content too (you should be aiming for 80%). Add to that small amounts of rice, potato, and beet pulp, which will build up over a long time and potentially cause issues, and I'm afraid that's pretty far below OK if you feel up for making a change? Sorry to be the bearer of this news. I was feeding the wrong kibble to mine initially too, it is so easy to do :(
Check out this google doc for all the good kibbles available in USA. docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?pli=1 Wysong is the best ingredients-wise, but for younger ferrets feeding it by itself tends to cause very loose stools due to not enough fat content. It's recommended to mix it with Ziwi Peak Air Dried Cat Food to combat this.
Can you please do a video on ferret food in general? There's not a lot of information on what food is the best like what if I can't afford to give them a raw muscle diet? What kibble would you suggest?
I have one in the works in a few weeks... I can help in the meantime though if you let me know what country you're in - there are different 'best kibble' brands in UK and USA...
This is a great guide for USA, will that also do for Canada? docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?pli=1
Hello!! My name is Kody, i am going to hopefully get two bonded ferrets soon! The treats that are linked in your bio of this video are not available to me because i live in the US sadly, is ghere any good alternative brands that i could get in the us that are just as the same as ghe ones linked in your bio? Any help is so greatly appreciated!! Also your little fur babies are the absolute sweetest things ever!
aww thanks! Congrats on your incoming fur babies!! Ferrets imprint on their food by 6 months old, so if they are young ones you'll be able to introduce new foods easily. Check on Amazon for '100% freeze dried chicken/salmon cat treats' and '100% dried meat chicken/rabbit/duck dog treats' and 'salmon oil for dogs' and you should find lots of products. Remember to check the ingredient list for the worst stuff (sugar, grain, vegetables). If they're older, check with who you get them from if there are any treats they're used to eating. I hope this helps?
@@FerretTubeTV thank you so much!! And yes, this definitely helps a ton! I really do appreciate it ! Ive become addicted to watching your videos they are so entertaining
@@FerretTubeTValso, I gotta ask! What kibble is good for ferrets? I’m from the us so some products aren’t available to me unfortunately, I apologize for the many questions
Never apologise for asking questions! It's one of the reasons I do this... This is the best list I have found for US available kibbles: docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?pli=1 - it's a google doc with links to all the best available kibbles. Hope it helps 🥰🐾
Kate and those that wayched the streams will remember this story. But bananas Are pretty dangerous for ferrets. My poor dukey baby was Feed on them exclusively before being eventually dumped on my mother's lap at our old flat I've made an art piece around that. "DON'T FEED BANANAS BANANAS" that also referenced to rescuing animals ESPECIALLY ferrets. It took months in fact almost a year to get Dukey baby to eat his actual required dietary needs. He had lasting issues It damaged him for life. For life. It was eventually the caused for his rainbow bridge crossing. I'm glad our vet hearing the state of dukeys living conditions gave out our address and told him to give him up to us.
Yes, I remember that very well.. it's really the reason I called out bananas in particular here. We learn from each other's experiences, and I think that is so special about this community. People share knowledge with me, and I get to use the platform the ferrets have built to share it wider 🥰🥰💕 Thank you Tigs xx
Hi. Just wondering what you use as furball remedy? Surprised to see beaphar malt paste but I don't use it daily. Wish I could get katkin but unavailable. Thrive used to be good but the last tin cost a fortune and other than rock hard pieces and dust there wasn't much. It's difficult to find freeze dried treats. Chinese ones I tend to avoid in case there's ingredients not listed. I used to get small packs, I forgot the brand but last few didn't seem quite right, strange colour and smell.
The problem with Beaphar is the high sugar content. If you're only giving a small amount very occasionally it's not so bad, but sugar is the worst ingredient if you can manage without it. I have only ever used raw egg to help with furballs. The albumin in the white does a really good job of smoothing those hairballs through I find. I hope that helps? :)
@@FerretTubeTVAppreciate the reply. I used to do egg yolks frequently, runny but kinda waxy. Last time he ended up vomiting, but I wonder if it's because of the medication he's on. He's had it rough since we lost my older ferret, he's really not been the same. I'll try him with egg again. As for treat's, it seems the only thrive is available, the brand you use looks amazing but out on Amazon and other places don't deliver to Ireland, I just wasn't pleased with the quality of the last tin of thrive, it's so hard, freezer burn, expensive for half a tin. Yeah I don't like the malt paste but given the circumstances and amount, I think it's better than a hair ball, especially while he's moulting, also getting rat tail, means extra fur loss. Would absolutely love to give him the life you give your ferrets, he's hardly in a cage other than to use the litter box, but it's not a big room. Love your channel. Very healthy happy looking ferrets.
I know people use vaseline as fur ball remedy. I remember reading that years ago and also heard it on a video. It just seems terrible. I wouldn't be ok or feel right, stuffing vaseline into a pets mouth. I just imagine what it would be like, trying to swallow it and the texture, seems cruel in a way. I'm like that with medication and I taste it before, just to get an idea. I have tried salmon oil but my two just didn't really like it Anyway, I'll see how he does with egg again
OMG Vaseline sounds terrible!! When feeding eggs, it's actually the white part that is good for hairballs, not the yolk. Yolk on its own may have been to rich for him, especially when on medications. You could see if he will eat just the white, or what I do is whisk the egg up before giving, so it is a mix of yolk and white in each mouthful :)
@@FerretTubeTV Ok. Thanks. You sure look like you know what you're doing! I mean it makes sense the whole egg would be better. When I could get Quail eggs I just gave it whole, almost perfect size. Did look into it but various vicious forums and different sites, telling me to avoid white due to biotin deficiency, hair loss etc so I was just overly cautious, but I did always suspect that would be if they get too much raw egg regularly. Yeah that vaseline sounds absolutely rough. I very much appreciated your advice and I will research more for myself.
Hi, new subscriber here, I would just like to know if anyone here knows what the alternative or similar products are. I'm in North Carolina and I didn't find any of the ones shown in the link available :) I'm a little new and I wouldn't like to make mistakes.
Hey, welcome to the floof crew! You need to search amazon for 'freeze dried 100% chicken (or salmon) cat treats' and '100% dried chicken (or duck) dog treats' and 'salmon oil for dogs'... make sure you check the ingredients that they didn't add anything. Especially the freeze dried should state clearly 100% freeze dried chicken/salmon meat. The dried should only have salt added. The oil might be a blend of ingredients. Make sure they're all based on fish and fish oils... especially look out for the addition of grain, sugar and vegetable based ingredients. I hope this helps. Thank you for being a caring ferret owner 🥰🥰🐾
@@FerretTubeTV I use the general rule with kibble - avoid unless it's an emergency. Like, only really as good as a standby food. I used to give whole egg as an occasional treat, but knowing that dogs in particular, cannot digest raw egg white I only feed the yolk just in case now. Usually from a chicken if mine who's just laid it and it's warm. Never had adverse reactions from egg yolks.
How do you transition a ferret to healthier food and treats?My 2yo baby girl only gets ferret treats and wykoff epigen kibble,but I think I could do better if she would only eat it.
I'm working on a post covering this very thing. But in brief, you need to introduce new flavours very slowly. If you want to switch kibble, try grinding the new kibble into fine crumbs, then using it to sprinkle on the old kibble like it was salt. Just a tiny pinch at first, then gradually adding more. After a few days of this you can add just a small handful of the new kibble without grinding it to the old kibble. Over a period of a month or two, then slowly increase the quantity of the new kibble, while reducing the old kibble, until it is phased out completely. I hope that makes sense?
Can you please do a video on ferret food in general? There's not a lot of information on what food is the best like what if I can't afford to give them a raw muscle diet? What kibble would you suggest?
Can you please do a video on ferret food in general? There's not a lot of information on what food is the best like what if I can't afford to give them a raw muscle diet? What kibble would you suggest?
Are you surprised by any of these foods? I have a full guide on kibble coming soon, so let me know if you have any questions you'd like answered in it. Thanks for watching! 🥰🐾
If you want to try the same treats as I use, I have linked them all here: linktr.ee/ferrettubetv These are Amazon affiliate links, so buying through them will help support this channel with a tiny commission on each sale (it costs you exactly the same!). Thanks 😁
I think you smooshed that first companies sale. I can't even find those treats to review how they need to list ingredients! Awesome job❤
My friend used to have a ferret, but unfortunately, it developed health issues such as cancer and bladder stones due to a lack of proper diet. Now that the ferret is with me, I am committed to providing it with a balanced and healthy diet to support its recovery and well-being.
Thank you! They are hard work when they are sick, but you build a special bond with them when caring for them in this way. The world needs more people like you 🥰🐾
These sellers and manufacturers should be sued tbh Thank god for you and other Ferret owners who are able shed the light on these money making industries.
I'm in the process of reaching out to the worst offending brands to see if we can persuade them about the harm certain ingredients can do. Fingers crossed if this post gets enough traction, I can get them to notice us
This is why i just give you the money to buy treats for them to complicated for me 🙂🐾
Hehe.. and we are always very grateful 🙏 🥰🐾
Your ferret videos are great…. Very informative.. thank you for sharing this. This is just an observation… the ferrets that you got from the shelter..not to long ago.. they are looking great.. looks like they put a little weight on and seem extremely happy. Keep up the amazing work! Floof crew!!! 🐾🐾
Thank you Jen, your words are always so encouraging. They give me a real mood boost! 🥰🐾
Really useful information. Well presented and it could save ferret lives. Thank you😅
Thank you! That really means a lot, and this comment will help boost it further! Teamwork 😁😁
simi related to treats but, i remember ferrets trying to get at my food if i were eating with them around but i quickly learned they never tried to eat it, they were just curious cause human food smells interesting.
so i just let them sate their curiosity and let them sniff, but we did get the rare instance of them actually trying to eat it. always figured a few odd licks would not be of any danger though.
exactly... as long as its only a sniff it's OK, but my boys are not such fussy eaters as they were strays and had to learn to survive in the wild. I'm pretty sure Luffy would eat anything he can get his teeth into. 😂
With quite uncommon pets like ferrets it can be hard to tell what’s actually good for them. Thank you for sharing this info!
100%.. especially when sites like amazon highlight products as recommended that are actually bad for them. Thank you for the comment to help boost this post in the algorithm 🥰🐾
Like always your videos have a very important information thank you very much 😊
Thank you so much. That's very encouraging to read 🥰🐾
Im looking for ferrets and have been watching your videos for a while new subscriber!!
Yay! Welcome to the Floof Crew! Thank you.... I'm SO glad you said 'ferretS' too... you obviously know your stuff already and will make an excellent ferrant 🥰🐾
Our last ferret is over 7yrs old & due to bad advice from a vet, we fed her mostly on ferret kibble, and a soup of cat food & baby food 😞 we didn’t know any better until another vet corrected that info. Problem is, she refuses to eat anything else to the point of starving herself. So we’re stuck. We’ve removed her kibble, and have been cutting her soup down while mixing in a proper ferret dook soup made from dried chicken bits. Salmon oil is her treat though.
It's terrible the advice you get sometimes from trusted sources. You're doing the right thing introducing the change gradually though. Have you thought about emerald critical care for carnivores as an option to boost calories 1 meal a day until she has got used to the better food?
I really appreciate the advice you give, from bottom of my heart, thank you. After finding a young ferret under my car a few months back I have been wondering what to use as a treat for him. Not knowing what to give him has made him not have many at all as I didn't want to harm him. He does get Salmon Oil and the occasional Chick though
Awww, thank you for taking him in! I'm so glad our content has helped you. You could also try baby mice (you can buy them frozen from the pet store - and never give them wild mice you might catch in the house as they have all sorts of parasites and bugs in them you don't want your ferrets eating) - if he likes chicks, he will probably like those 🥰🐾 But as I said in this post, as long as he is eating a balanced and healthy diet for a ferret, he doesn't need variety of flavours to be happy ❤️
Thanks I will be getting a ferret soon
Brilliant!! Might you be able to consider getting 2 not 1? They really do better in a pair/group, and it will mean you don't have to spend 4 hours a day every day entertaining them...
I wished I knew this. I lost my ferret buddy a year ago ,I bought treats and food and vitamins with all the bad stuff, he was a mini Zorro so smart fun and loving
I'm sorry to hear that... it seems like he had a fantastic life with you. Hopefully this post can help people make better food choices for their floofs 🥰🐾
He was 6years old and 4 months he was a wonderful micro white with a dark butterfly spot on his head which faded in his 3rd year with his ermine tail
wow, he sounds really special, and lived a good length for a ferret 🥰❤️
I love ferrets and im gonna get one or two next year
Yay! Please get 2 if you can... it's so much kinder to the ferret to have a snuggle buddy for the 18 hours a day they sleep 🥰🐾
One of my ferrets is the pickiest eater and the only snack I can even get him to eat is salmon oil meanwhile my girl loves any meat I give to her though! ^_^
Yes, my girls are a lot picker than the boys... I think some ferrets are just fussy eaters.. but at least she likes salmon oil 🥰🐾
nice video and this information is very important to share. Greetings from Argentina. I love ferrets ❤
Hey! Thank you so much. Your comment will help boost it to more ferret owners, which I really appreciate. 🥰🐾
Thanks for the tips and what to look out for I’m thinking of getting a ferret when I’m older so I’m doing a lot of research on them.
Oh I love this comment! You are the perfect ferret parent doing all the research before you get them... Please consider getting 2 not one as they will be much happier and easier to care for. I made a short post on the reasons why: ua-cam.com/users/shortscNHTgPJJUsM
@@FerretTubeTV thanks for letting me know
I agree with u. I have a ferret. his name is Mocha. He's on a raw diet it took me 1 month to switch him over to raw food he is 1 year old. I got him when he was 5 months old he is awesome. I love him❤😊
awwww, it sounds like little Mocha found himself an awesome owner 🥰🐾
mine won't eat hardly anything except the dang bag food. she likes the salmon oil, but won't try anything else even if it's doused in the oil, she's such a little picky eater. I need a solution because she needs something healthier then the bag diet. but sadly she was raised that way from birth by Marshal.
It is possible to switch food, but it will take maybe a couple of months. Ferrets imprint on flavour at about 6 months, so what you need to do after that is introduce new flavours very slowly. Start by grinding the new kibble into a fine powder (I use a coffee bean grinder but a pestle & mortar will do) then 'season' her food with it very lightly at first.. almost hardly there... let her eat that for a few days, then add a tiny bit more every 1 or 2 days. If at any point she starts refusing to eat, just roll back the quantity a little and let her settle to that again. After a while you can start adding a couple of whole pieces of the new food to the mix. Again, hardly any at first, and keep seasoning lightly with the powder sprinkles too at first. Gradually increase the amount of new kibble, while decreasing the old kibble by an equal amount. And when you are at about 1/4 of the mix the new kibble, you can phase out the powder slowly. Keep going raising the amount of new kibble and lowering the old every 1-2 days. If at any point she stops eating, roll back a little as before. It took me 2 months to switch my girls kibble like this, and they were incredibly fussy eaters. By the way, as she is so fussy, once you get her switched I advise gradually mixing in a 2nd good kibble brand, using the same method until they are 50/50. That way if you ever have an issue getting one of the brands, you won't be left with a ferret starving itself 😔 Let me know how you get on!
I recommend mixing tiny amounts of new kibble in a ziploc bag full of the old kibble. This is so the new kibble will smell like the old kind they are imprinted on. I read that they are scent-imprinted on their food. I gradually increased the ratio of new to old kibble and my two girls have been eating the new no problem!
@chilicheeseflake This is an excellent additional tip - thank you. great point. I didn't realise it was the scent that they were imprinted on. I'll look into that and I plan on doing a full kibble guide with switching diet advice soon, so I will be sure to add this to the recommendations. Thank you!
@@chilicheeseflake will do, anything for my little dook!
@@FerretTubeTV Will do, I always call her my little dook, her actual name though is Kira. She's taught me a lot, but mainly that I got lucky as really this is her only issue, aside from her pick of toilet spots of course. Other then this, she is so very sweet, I've barely ever been nipped by her, which is cool, she just seemed to understand right away without training, not to nip or bite. there's been some very rare times, and it was never hard. not even when she's flustered.
My first ferret, and so far she's been real easy to take care of. Heck, she doesn't have too bad a smell either since I clean her tray every day.
can they get any kind of eggs?
Yes... I give mine half a chicken egg each once a fortnight (weekly during peak shedding season). Sometimes I'll give them a quails egg each and let them break into it themselves, which they love but it gets messy 😂 Give them the shell too as that is a good calcium source. Just don't give them too many eggs as that can inhibit vitamin B7 absorption and cause constipation. And depending on where you live, salmonella could be a problem, so make sure you get eggs that are safe for humans to eat.
Oh my goodness, the section about kibble is so very important to know! One of my ferrets, Nana, has been intermittently having really infirm poos and I’ve been wracking my brain to try and figure out why. I feed them Mazuri Ferrer Diet and I’m definitely going to be pouring over their food’s ingredient list with a magnifying glass… I’ll certainly be trying to get my hands on the treats you use to try and get Mimi interested too. She’s picky like Zoro and doesn’t care for salmon oil 😅
Brilliant, I'm so glad you found it useful. I'm working on a full kibble guide too, along with a step by step strategy for helping people change their ferret's diet. As you'll know with a fussy eater, it's not always easy to do! I checked the food brand you mention.. according to co-pilot AI, it has rice flour, yeast, beet pulp, soy protein and lactose in it, so gluten, lactose and vegetable protein 😔 You're a great ferret parent for caring enough to find out 🥰🐾
@@FerretTubeTV Wonderful! I can’t wait to check it out when you post it! Unfortunately it’s true, I checked the ingredients list and yeah, it’s bad. Their vet told me it was good food! I’ve done some research and the Wysong ferret food looks to be the best option that I can get in my location. It does have chia seeds listed a bit into the ingredient list, but overall everything else looks much more promising than what they have now. I can’t understand why there are so few truly good foods for our cute little limousine cats out there…
Brilliant research, well done! It's mad that so many VETS seem to have bad advice too. My vet advised me to have the girls desexed at 6 months old before they start coming into season. I have since learned that you should wait until they have gone through a season (and you'll need the vets help to get them out of season if you're not going to mate them), as early desexing can lead to adrenal problems later in life. So far, they're fine... but it might be something I have to deal with at the end of their lives 😔
@@FerretTubeTV It astounds me how much is known about ferret health and yet nothing is done about it. In fact, it feels like the opposite! But it’s just another reason to remain diligent and do as much research as possible when it comes to what we feed these little fur babies. I’m so glad you make these videos to help educate others about ferrets. You’re doing very kind and important work!
Thank you - affirmations like this give me the drive to continue! 🥰🥰
Very good information, there are so many treats out there and it can be so confusing if you arent aware. Thank you for putting this out there Keeper Kate. We are always so cautious about the treats we buy for the girls. I wish the salmon oil worked for nails but they flail as soon as it hits there belly haha they love the taste but hate the feel on there belly lol. So we use salmon paste smeared over my fingers, keeps them engrossed longe enough to get the job done. Omg I forgot how gorgeous Zoro was x
Hopefully you get help from Blane that makes it easier in this way? Zoro is such a teddy bear 🥰🐾❤️
@@FerretTubeTV Yeah Blane and I work together to do the Nail clipping so I hold them and he clips their nails, all about team work :)
SALLY. how are ya Love 💕. How is The Family and The Gang ??!
@@Dan-x8f3u all doing great thank you. How are you?
@@sallysmith2202 I’m Doing MARVELOUS LOVE.. POOR AS SIN AND LIVING THE HORROR. 1984 At Its Finest They Say. Bring Me Back To 1776.
Anywho. I’m Great Sally. It’s very nice to hear from ya. ♥️ it’s great to hear the SlInKiEs are doing Great and Most Importantly The Hubby and Kids. As if we needed to be ScArEd 😱 😂 HoLy GuAcAmOlE. I went on a Hrs Ride ToNight To Try and Catch Some AURORA LiGhTs. Cause where I live the LIGHTS💡 FUZZ is A CrYiNg ShAmE. So I went to MT TAMMENY on Nj Pennsylvania Border and At 9:20 pm. Decided. THATS THE BEST PLAN ONLY A GENIUS COULD COME UP WITH. Well The GoOd LoRd Also Told Me IM DUMB AS ROCKS. So I forget it Takes about 2 Hrs to Hike It Up and That’s With Light. No Problem I Have My TRUSTY BATTERY 🔋 POWERED FLASHLIGHT 🔦 that quit on me within 30 or 45 Min into Trek. Then I decided with all my Wisdom Telling GOD you didn’t give me SMARTS but I Have WISDOM hahahahaha well I Went and Tried to Find PINE TREES and See If There Was ANY WAY I found PINE SAP you Know Me and SAVAGES Ruled the world they say So a PINE SAP TORCH Yeah No Pine Trees In the Vast Expance Of My Trip. That took about an HR 😠 SO NOW IT IS ABOUT 1 am. I finally decided ILL KEEP MY HEAD ON THE GROUND AND FOLLOW TRACK AND STOP MY FOOLISHNESS. Well then that lasted about 1 hr of Hiking Up WHENBI HEARD THE DAMNDEST NOISE. When I tells ya SALLY that my Knees Were Giving Up On Me. NOW IM USED TO THESE WOODS. But Steeeupid DAVID PAULIDES and His CANAM Woods Dissapearances. UA-cam Channel had me Thinking. JESUS DONT LET IT BE BIGFOOT. 🦍 🐒 ALIENS WOULD BE BETTER 👽 👾. Then I thought ARSE PROBE OR CHANCE IT WOTH A FEMALE 10 ft 700 lb WOMAN. Hmmmmmmmmmm 🤨 WHAT AM I THINKING. IM GONNA DISAPPEAR 🫠. GONE FOR GOOD. I. LASSY. I AM. OUTTA. HERE. SCREW AURORA LIGHTS. SCREW TONIGHT. I DIDNT smoke my Medicinal Erbs. IM NOT GETTING TOSSED OVER A CLIFF AND NO ONE EVEN KNOWS IM HERE. IM OUT. So that trip back SOMEHOW took me 2 hrs Jumped in Car. but STEEUPID DAVID PAULIDES. Which I LOVE 💕 By The Way. Had me going. Cause I know 2 people who Commited Sewi Ciders. And we’re both found Near Home In Water. One while camping. They said he had heart attack and other a tragic Self Accident. So it’s 5:16 am and I have work in today I swear it’s at 830 am WE cannot start job until Traffic slows down a bit cause yesterday we started at 7am and it was a DISATER. But I Am SoOoOo TiReD 😪. if Inly I Had Seen Em LIGHTS ON MOON 🌙 DAY the 12th But Yea MaAm I am Home Safe Maybe Gave Them AlIeNs a Direct Line Of Travel to My Home🛸🏡. But I Should’ve Tooken My Chances with. HOLD ON SALLY. WHY WOULD I THINK A HOT BIGFOT LADY WOULD BE CASUALLY LOOKING AROUND FOR A HUMAN UNLESS………. Well Sally If Ya Don’t Hear From me Again. YA KNOW I REVERTED TO LIVING THE SAVAGES DREAM 😝 😂
WELL SALLY. That was my Brilliant Night Out Tonight. What a Banger. It’s Funny and Weird how we can become our Source for LAUGHING and CRYING with No Ones Help.
MUCH LOVE SALLY SMITH ❤️♥️💜
Is Dr johns complete food ok?
Not great no. Wheat is a grain, and as the 2nd listed ingredient that means it is quite high in content. It's a pretty low % meat content too (you should be aiming for 80%). Add to that small amounts of rice, potato, and beet pulp, which will build up over a long time and potentially cause issues, and I'm afraid that's pretty far below OK if you feel up for making a change? Sorry to be the bearer of this news. I was feeding the wrong kibble to mine initially too, it is so easy to do :(
Do you have any recommended pellet foods? I’m going to adopt a ferret soon and I really just want the best food for them
Yes, definitely! What country do you live in, as this will impact the advice... and thank you SO much for doing your research first!! ❤️
@@FerretTubeTV I’m is the US! 😊 and thanks for responding to my comment!
(North America)
Check out this google doc for all the good kibbles available in USA. docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?pli=1 Wysong is the best ingredients-wise, but for younger ferrets feeding it by itself tends to cause very loose stools due to not enough fat content. It's recommended to mix it with Ziwi Peak Air Dried Cat Food to combat this.
@@FerretTubeTV thank you SOOOO much! I’ll make sure to do that!
Can you please do a video on ferret food in general? There's not a lot of information on what food is the best like what if I can't afford to give them a raw muscle diet? What kibble would you suggest?
I have one in the works in a few weeks... I can help in the meantime though if you let me know what country you're in - there are different 'best kibble' brands in UK and USA...
@@FerretTubeTV I currently live in Canada. It's hard to find much information on which kibble diet would be best for my furry friends
This is a great guide for USA, will that also do for Canada? docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?pli=1
Hello!! My name is Kody, i am going to hopefully get two bonded ferrets soon! The treats that are linked in your bio of this video are not available to me because i live in the US sadly, is ghere any good alternative brands that i could get in the us that are just as the same as ghe ones linked in your bio? Any help is so greatly appreciated!! Also your little fur babies are the absolute sweetest things ever!
aww thanks! Congrats on your incoming fur babies!! Ferrets imprint on their food by 6 months old, so if they are young ones you'll be able to introduce new foods easily. Check on Amazon for '100% freeze dried chicken/salmon cat treats' and '100% dried meat chicken/rabbit/duck dog treats' and 'salmon oil for dogs' and you should find lots of products. Remember to check the ingredient list for the worst stuff (sugar, grain, vegetables). If they're older, check with who you get them from if there are any treats they're used to eating. I hope this helps?
@@FerretTubeTV thank you so much!! And yes, this definitely helps a ton! I really do appreciate it ! Ive become addicted to watching your videos they are so entertaining
@@FerretTubeTValso, I gotta ask! What kibble is good for ferrets? I’m from the us so some products aren’t available to me unfortunately, I apologize for the many questions
This makes me very happy 🥰🐾
Never apologise for asking questions! It's one of the reasons I do this... This is the best list I have found for US available kibbles: docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?pli=1 - it's a google doc with links to all the best available kibbles. Hope it helps 🥰🐾
Kate and those that wayched the streams will remember this story. But bananas Are pretty dangerous for ferrets. My poor dukey baby was Feed on them exclusively before being eventually dumped on my mother's lap at our old flat I've made an art piece around that. "DON'T FEED BANANAS BANANAS" that also referenced to rescuing animals ESPECIALLY ferrets. It took months in fact almost a year to get Dukey baby to eat his actual required dietary needs. He had lasting issues It damaged him for life. For life. It was eventually the caused for his rainbow bridge crossing. I'm glad our vet hearing the state of dukeys living conditions gave out our address and told him to give him up to us.
Yes, I remember that very well.. it's really the reason I called out bananas in particular here. We learn from each other's experiences, and I think that is so special about this community. People share knowledge with me, and I get to use the platform the ferrets have built to share it wider 🥰🥰💕 Thank you Tigs xx
@@FerretTubeTV No worries, I'm just glad it's been shared further. :)
So sorry for you. Glad to hear from you. Hope things are goring well for you.@@Tiggalover06
HIYA TIGGER. ❤. How are ya.
How can o but it from Bangladesh?
Do you have amazon? You can just search the treat names on there and it should sow you local alternatives.
Hi. Just wondering what you use as furball remedy? Surprised to see beaphar malt paste but I don't use it daily. Wish I could get katkin but unavailable. Thrive used to be good but the last tin cost a fortune and other than rock hard pieces and dust there wasn't much. It's difficult to find freeze dried treats. Chinese ones I tend to avoid in case there's ingredients not listed. I used to get small packs, I forgot the brand but last few didn't seem quite right, strange colour and smell.
The problem with Beaphar is the high sugar content. If you're only giving a small amount very occasionally it's not so bad, but sugar is the worst ingredient if you can manage without it. I have only ever used raw egg to help with furballs. The albumin in the white does a really good job of smoothing those hairballs through I find. I hope that helps? :)
@@FerretTubeTVAppreciate the reply. I used to do egg yolks frequently, runny but kinda waxy. Last time he ended up vomiting, but I wonder if it's because of the medication he's on. He's had it rough since we lost my older ferret, he's really not been the same. I'll try him with egg again. As for treat's, it seems the only thrive is available, the brand you use looks amazing but out on Amazon and other places don't deliver to Ireland, I just wasn't pleased with the quality of the last tin of thrive, it's so hard, freezer burn, expensive for half a tin.
Yeah I don't like the malt paste but given the circumstances and amount, I think it's better than a hair ball, especially while he's moulting, also getting rat tail, means extra fur loss. Would absolutely love to give him the life you give your ferrets, he's hardly in a cage other than to use the litter box, but it's not a big room. Love your channel. Very healthy happy looking ferrets.
I know people use vaseline as fur ball remedy. I remember reading that years ago and also heard it on a video. It just seems terrible. I wouldn't be ok or feel right, stuffing vaseline into a pets mouth. I just imagine what it would be like, trying to swallow it and the texture, seems cruel in a way. I'm like that with medication and I taste it before, just to get an idea. I have tried salmon oil but my two just didn't really like it Anyway, I'll see how he does with egg again
OMG Vaseline sounds terrible!! When feeding eggs, it's actually the white part that is good for hairballs, not the yolk. Yolk on its own may have been to rich for him, especially when on medications. You could see if he will eat just the white, or what I do is whisk the egg up before giving, so it is a mix of yolk and white in each mouthful :)
@@FerretTubeTV Ok. Thanks. You sure look like you know what you're doing! I mean it makes sense the whole egg would be better. When I could get Quail eggs I just gave it whole, almost perfect size. Did look into it but various vicious forums and different sites, telling me to avoid white due to biotin deficiency, hair loss etc so I was just overly cautious, but I did always suspect that would be if they get too much raw egg regularly.
Yeah that vaseline sounds absolutely rough. I very much appreciated your advice and I will research more for myself.
Hi, new subscriber here, I would just like to know if anyone here knows what the alternative or similar products are. I'm in North Carolina and I didn't find any of the ones shown in the link available :) I'm a little new and I wouldn't like to make mistakes.
Hey, welcome to the floof crew! You need to search amazon for 'freeze dried 100% chicken (or salmon) cat treats' and '100% dried chicken (or duck) dog treats' and 'salmon oil for dogs'... make sure you check the ingredients that they didn't add anything. Especially the freeze dried should state clearly 100% freeze dried chicken/salmon meat. The dried should only have salt added. The oil might be a blend of ingredients. Make sure they're all based on fish and fish oils... especially look out for the addition of grain, sugar and vegetable based ingredients. I hope this helps. Thank you for being a caring ferret owner 🥰🥰🐾
@@FerretTubeTV great, I'll look for c: right now 🫶
Let me know if you find good ones, and I can share them with other USA viewers who ask the same question 🥰🐾
Never mind treats, nothing worse than ferret "complete"
Yes, I'm working on a kibble guide similar to this one too... So many bad brands out there aimed at ferrets 😔
@@FerretTubeTV I use the general rule with kibble - avoid unless it's an emergency. Like, only really as good as a standby food.
I used to give whole egg as an occasional treat, but knowing that dogs in particular, cannot digest raw egg white I only feed the yolk just in case now. Usually from a chicken if mine who's just laid it and it's warm. Never had adverse reactions from egg yolks.
🤠
How do you transition a ferret to healthier food and treats?My 2yo baby girl only gets ferret treats and wykoff epigen kibble,but I think I could do better if she would only eat it.
I'm working on a post covering this very thing. But in brief, you need to introduce new flavours very slowly. If you want to switch kibble, try grinding the new kibble into fine crumbs, then using it to sprinkle on the old kibble like it was salt. Just a tiny pinch at first, then gradually adding more. After a few days of this you can add just a small handful of the new kibble without grinding it to the old kibble. Over a period of a month or two, then slowly increase the quantity of the new kibble, while reducing the old kibble, until it is phased out completely. I hope that makes sense?
Can you please do a video on ferret food in general? There's not a lot of information on what food is the best like what if I can't afford to give them a raw muscle diet? What kibble would you suggest?
Can you please do a video on ferret food in general? There's not a lot of information on what food is the best like what if I can't afford to give them a raw muscle diet? What kibble would you suggest?