Ferret diet: what to feed every day

What do I feed a ferret?

A ferret needs meat, and almost nothing else. Ferrets are obligate carnivores: their bodies are built to run on animal protein and fat, and they cannot use plant food well. The RSPCA says plainly that ferrets cannot be vegetarian and cannot digest much fibre or starch, such as bread and cereals.

For most owners the simplest healthy answer is a complete dry food made for ferrets. Burgess, the UK pet food maker, recommends a complete nugget as the main food, partly because the cooking kills bacteria such as salmonella and the crunch helps keep teeth clean. The MSD Veterinary Manual also advises mostly dry food, because a long-term soft diet can lead to gum and tooth disease.

Some keepers feed raw meat or whole prey instead, or as part of the diet. That can work well, but it takes more care to balance. We cover it further down.

For the full list of foods that are safe, risky or dangerous, see what ferrets can eat. For everything else about keeping them, start with our complete ferret care guide.

What makes a high quality ferret food?

A good ferret food is high in animal protein, high in fat and very low in fibre and sugar. Read the label for the numbers and the ingredient list for where the protein comes from.

The sources agree on protein but not quite on fat. We would aim for 32 to 40% protein and 15 to 20% fat, because ferrets get most of their energy from fat, and RSPCA Australia suggests protein about twice the fat. Keep fibre under 3%.

• The first three to five ingredients are meat, meat meal, animal fat or egg.
• Protein 32 to 40%, fat 15 to 20%, fibre under 3%.
• Made for ferrets, not for cats or dogs.
• Little or no pea protein, potato, maize (corn) or other plant protein high on the list.
• No added sugar, honey, fruit or dried fruit.
• A pack size your ferrets will finish while it is still fresh.

What is the best ferret food?

The best ferret food is a ferret-specific complete food that meets the numbers above and that your ferrets will actually eat. There is no single winner, and availability changes, so check the label each time you buy.

A few brands come up again and again. Here is what their own pages showed when we checked in November 2026:

• Oxbow Essentials Ferret Food: 42% protein, 20% fat and 3% fibre at most, with chicken meal, chicken, chicken fat, egg and gelatin as the first five ingredients. Sold as suitable for all ages.
• Marshall Premium Ferret Diet: Marshall describes it as high protein and easy to digest. Its senior, chicken and digestive formulas were listed as out of stock, so many US owners have had to switch foods. Change over slowly if you do.
• Totally Ferret: the maker says its original formula is over 90% animal protein, and also makes a turkey, venison and lamb recipe for ferrets that react to chicken. Both were listed as out of stock.

Ferrets often fix on the foods they ate when young. RSPCA Australia says their food preferences are set by about four months old, so offering two or three good foods early makes a forced switch much easier later.

How much and how often should a ferret eat?

Leave food out all day and let your ferret graze. Food passes through a ferret in about 3 to 4 hours, so they eat little and often, around 8 to 10 small meals a day according to RSPCA Australia. The RSPCA and VCA both say food should be available at all times.

Burgess puts daily intake at about 5 to 7% of body weight, which works out at roughly 15 to 25 g (0.5 to 0.9 oz) of dry food per ferret a day, depending on size and activity. Follow the pack guide for your ferret's weight and adjust to keep them in good shape.

• Ferrets often eat 30 to 40% more in winter and put on weight, then lose it in spring. That is normal, but weigh them every week so you spot a change that is not seasonal.
• Cold makes them eat more: MSD notes food intake can double in low temperatures.
• In a group, use more than one bowl and check that no ferret is being pushed away.
• A ferret that eats far too much and gets fat may need set portions instead of free feeding. VCA suggests this for greedy ferrets.

Can ferrets eat a raw diet?

Yes, ferrets can eat raw meat and whole prey, but the vet sources disagree on whether you should, and a raw diet must be balanced. Here is where each one stands:

• RSPCA Australia: supports a mix that can include raw beef, lamb, raw meaty bones and whole prey such as frozen, thawed mice, rats or day-old chicks, and asks for human-grade meat rather than pet mince.
• Wood Green: lists safely sourced raw meat such as chicks, pheasant or rabbit as an option, but says to research the balance and talk to a ferret-savvy vet first.
• Burgess: recommends cooking meat thoroughly, because of bacteria.
• VCA: says whole meat diets are messy and can be unbalanced.

The big risk with raw feeding is a diet of plain muscle meat. Burgess points out that meat alone lacks calcium, which can soften bones. Whole prey solves much of this because it includes bone and organs. Mince or chicken breast on its own does not.

If you go raw, we would follow RSPCA Australia's hygiene rules and keep a complete kibble in the mix while you learn. Read our page on raw meat for ferrets and the one on which bones are safe first.

1. Pick your sources. Use human-grade raw meat or whole prey sold frozen for pets, not pet mince or pet rolls.
2. Thaw safely. Defrost in the fridge, never on the side, and feed it freshly thawed.
3. Include bone and organ. Whole prey or raw meaty bones provide the calcium that plain meat lacks. Never give cooked bones.
4. Clear up the same day. Remove anything uneaten by the end of the day, before it goes off or draws flies.
5. Clean everything. Wash bowls, boards, hands and surfaces after each raw meal.
6. Ask your vet. Have a ferret-savvy vet check weight and condition after the change.

Can ferrets eat cat food or dog food?

Not as their main food. Burgess says adult cat food and dog food do not have enough protein and fat for ferrets, and dog food has too much carbohydrate. VCA says ferret-specific foods are now far better than the cat foods once used. In an emergency, RSPCA Australia says a high-quality kitten food can bridge a few days while you get proper ferret food. Our page on cat food for ferrets explains why.

What treats can ferrets have?

Small pieces of meat or egg. MSD suggests keeping treats under 5% of daily calories, and RSPCA Australia says no more than 10%. We would aim for the lower figure. In practice that is a piece of cooked chicken the size of your little fingernail, a little cooked egg or a freeze-dried meat treat, a few times a day at most.

• Cooked chicken, turkey or lamb, plain, off the bone (see chicken for ferrets)
• Cooked egg, or half a boiled egg now and then (see eggs for ferrets)
• Freeze-dried meat or organ treats with meat as the only ingredient
• Pieces of their usual kibble, used in foraging toys

Use part of the daily ration in foraging toys and paper bags instead of piling on extra treats. RSPCA Australia makes the same point. Our ferret enrichment guide has ideas.

What should ferrets never eat?

Skip anything sweet, starchy, milky or plant-based. VCA, Burgess and the RSPCA agree on this list:

One vet nursing article lists apples, raisins and bananas as occasional training treats. We side with VCA and Burgess here, because raisins are toxic and sugar is a known problem for ferrets, many of whom develop insulinoma after age 3.

How do I change my ferret's food?

Slowly, over 7 to 10 days, as Burgess advises. Sudden changes can cause vomiting, diarrhoea or a ferret that simply refuses the new food.

1. Days 1 to 3. Mix about a quarter new food with three quarters old food.
2. Days 4 to 6. Make it half and half.
3. Days 7 to 9. Three quarters new, one quarter old.
4. Day 10. All new food, if droppings are normal and your ferret is eating well.

If your ferret picks out the old food and leaves the new, try crushing a little old kibble over the top, or a smear of a meat-based ferret paste, and slow the steps down.

What water does a ferret need?

Fresh, clean water at all times. The RSPCA says ferrets become seriously ill without it and suggests checking water twice a day. Ferrets love to tip and play in bowls, so Burgess suggests a bottle with a metal spout or a heavy ceramic bowl. Many keepers give both. VCA says change water at least daily and clean bowls and bottles with soap and water.