Ferrets are amazing creatures that most people love to have as pets. The main reason for their popularity is their viral videos that conquered the internet. Before that, ferrets were not as favorite pets as they are now, Can ferrets eat fruits? 

As the animal got trendy several people owned them, which opened the door for several questions like what are ferrets as pets, what do they eat, or cannot eat . Most of the confused owners started to give them cat food, which is somewhat under the diet required by ferrets. You can see my previous article, Can ferrets eat cat food? to check.

Now beyond the regular diet, our pet ferret also needs tips and treats. So the central question under consideration here is Can ferrets eat fruit? fruits are considered as a significant source of raw and dietary fiber, which are very beneficial for the ferret’s gut.

As I have mentioned above, ferrets were not favorite pets. So people in the early ages which coincidentally had ferrets were also confused and curious about their diet. Following their natural feed, the owners used to give them the prey as a whole; it means they were giving them a whole rat or mouse, chicks or little birds, etc to eat. This is their diet, which they eat when they are in their natural habitat.

Also, maybe it was because of the complexity and consequences which they didn’t know at that time, which prohibited them from experimenting with the ferret’s diet. As there were no pet ferret stores, and they also didn’t know much about their diet. So, giving a whole chicken or rat seems much more tolerant. And back then they even don’t know about can ferrets eat fruit.

Therefore if you want to give a healthier lifestyle to your ferret and to increase their lifespan, it is worth spending some time to know about their diet.

Can my ferret eat fruit?

The fact is that we all know that ferret’s bodies are not made up of fiber or carbohydrate digestion, as known, the former point is bullshit to give them large amounts of fiber. You can see the process by feeding you ferret a banana. You will observe that it will come out in the same form in its feces. It is because their gut is not capable of producing enzymes that can break cellulose and complex carbohydrates.

So can ferrets eat fruit? The answer is yes, but you have to be very conscious about the amounts which you are giving to the ferret. Fruits and vegetables should be advised, and only when they are to be given as treats. 

Likewise, eggs, which are also a form of treatment, fruits, and vegetables are also should be given only on occasions to tame your pet rather than as a regular diet. 

The reason is that fruits have high and rich sugar content. Ultimately they are going to have complex structures of nutrients that get hard to digest for the digestive system of the ferret. 

Remember that diet, which is high in sugar and complex carbohydrate content, can damage your ferret’s gut. Therefore your ferret can get exposed to several harmful diseases, which can be fatal. 

Some may even develop cancer due to the constant feed of carbohydrates. 

Therefore to have information about can ferrets eat fruits? is very necessary to have a check on your ferret’s diet. 

In contrast to the alarming facts, your ferret still needs some amount of fiber, and you can provide them if you know about how to give fruits and vegetables in moderate and required amounts. 

Enough quantity of fruits will be equal to half of a teaspoon, that’s more than enough. Your ferret will be happy too to eat that as a treat, plus the health benefits are also maintained. 

You can give your ferret berries, bananas, and apples. Basically, raisins are their favorite form of fiber, and they love to have it. 

In addition to this, the one thing that should be remembered while giving and selecting fruits for your ferret is that they never go for fruits that contain high amounts of acids. 

Acidic fruits are likely to disturb their stomach and create situations like an ulcer. In contrast, they may develop diarrhea as well because they are poor at acid and carbohydrate digestion. Situations like these can develop other severe issues like weight loss and poor health due to malnutrition. 

Can ferrets eat fruits and vegetables?

Remember, fruits and vegetables are very healthy for us as our nutritionists recommend us to eat a lot of green vegetables and fruits. But that does not mean every living creature works on the same principle. 

Ferret’s digestive system is very fragile and complex. It is utterly designed for the digestion of meat; hence other things are hardly digested by their gut. 

Can ferrets eat fruits and vegetables? You may want to feed them these, but as I have mentioned, their digestive system is made up of protein digestion. Therefore to digest, any sugars and complex vegetable protein can put several risks to the digestive system of the ferret. 

So, it is strongly recommended to feed them meat only; they require a diet that ensures a high protein and fat ratio. Only such a diet is recommended and not else. 

In addition to the question, can ferrets eat fruits? There is also a subject that needs to be discussed, and that is which fruits you should not give even in smaller amounts.

The fruits which are highly prohibited for ferrets are grapes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and lime. 

In contrast to this, the list of safer foods are apples, bananas, and melons. These fruits consist of raisins that are beneficial and are also loved by the ferrets. 

Moreover, remember that ferrets also have their natural preferences and likeness towards fruits and other treats. I recommend you to give them fruits after peeling their skins. As their skins contain very complex objects to digest

It is so beneficial to cut them into small and thin pieces that can easily pass through the intestinal tract of the ferret. 

Ferret’s intestines are very thin, and in other words, they are fragile passages, so bigger and thicker pieces can get stuck in the passageway, causing blockages and constipation. 

Fruits should be provided in very calculated amounts to your pet. It is not just less expensive but also saves your ferrets from several potent toxins and chemicals that are found in commercial ferret treats. 

As we all know that by nature, they are meat eaters so their diet should contain:

1. Diet of the ferret should approximately contain 32% to 36% protein. In addition to answering, ” can ferrets eat fruit? ” you also have seen several pet folds that are providing fiber content in their food. So, don’t forget to check the ingredients on the back of every product you buy for your ferrets.
2. Also, it is necessary to make sure that the protein content in the food should be derived from animal meat. It should be highly digestible. Never go for products that contain vegetable protein.
3. Fats are also essential to maintain a healthy body, and for the ferret, the amount should be 18%.
4. The carbohydrates and fibers that are needed by ferrets are only 3% of their diet.

Questions and Answers

Can ferrets eat fruits and vegetables?

Ferrets require meat (protein) and fat for maintaining a fit body. However, even being a carnivorous animal, they also require some fiber content in their diet to maintain a healthy digestive system. Therefore, you should incorporate some fruits like apples, grapes in their diet. But remember the fiber content that a ferret needs out of their whole diet is 3%.

Can ferrets eat dried fruit?

Ferrets are pure carnivores; hence they prefer to eat meat only. Besides, they have fragile passages for the food to pass through; therefore, it is required to give them wet food like meat. Their stomachs can’t handle carbohydrates, and dried foods are much harder to digest.