# best ferret food



## kizzy21_uk (Sep 6, 2008)

as title says which dry is the best outa the below

alpha ferret feast
pets at home ferret food
james well beloved
chuddys ferret food
dr johns ferret food

i realise raw is the ultimate best.
but dry wise which is the best. i do supplement wiv raw as well.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Pets at home by far. : victory:

Though even better would be a cat food like applaws or dr. meledies natural delights dry. 


The ingredients in [email protected] are pretty good and easily digestible, there is 37% meat meal at the start and there is few ingredients.


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## angoraferret (Jan 18, 2009)

All of them are ok, out of them i would use Wellbeloved but i much prefer Vitalin.


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

Ive used dr johns for 4 years now never had any problems but they get meat everyday aswell.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

As far as quality goes...

1. Pets At Home Ferret Nuggets
2. Dr. Jhons merlin
3. WellBeloved (see below)
4. Alpha Ferret Feast
5. Chudleys

In Red is the good ingredients, blue is OK, green is bad but not awful and bold is ingredients best to avoid/very bad. 

Pets at home: 


Chicken Meal (Min 37%), Wheat, Herring Meal, Poultry Fat, Linseed, Beet Pulp, Maize, Dried Egg, Fructo-Oligosaccharides

Now, before anybody pulls me up on the fructooligosaccharides being labeled OK - The ONLY reason this was labeled OK is because it is low down on a short ingredients list. The fact alone this food has such a short ingredients list and so much meat (be that meal or pure) should be enough to make anybody see that it is not half as bad as what it is generally made out to be.

Dr. Johns Merlin:

Poultry meal (minimum 35% chicken), wheat, poultry fat, flax seed, soya oil, chicken liver meal, rice, yeast, egg, potato, fish meal, vitamin premix, zinc sulphate, yucca extract, zinc chelate, sodium selenite, iron suphate, manganese sulphate, copper sulphate, calcium iodate, cobalt sulphate.
NB: Vitamin Prefix is labaled green mainly because it doesn't state actually what is in the 'prefix' and also that it doesn't state if there is any preservative/chemicals in there.

WellBeloved:

Turkey meat meal (min 26% turkey), ground whole wheat, turkey fat, fish meal, turkey gravy, natural potato protein, sugar beet pulp, full fat linseed, vitamins & minerals, manno-oligo-saccharides, extract of yucca, preserved with antioxidants natural vitamin E and vitamin C.

NB: The only reason this is scored higher then AFF is because of the BHA and BHT in the AFF.

Alpha Ferret Feast:

Poultry Meat Meal (min 26%), Whole Wheat, Fish Meal (min 15%), Whole Maize, Poultry Fat, Prairie Meal, Brewers Yeast, Beet Pulp, Whole Linseed, Minerals & Vitamins, Ext. of Yucca Schidigera with antioxidants BHA & BHT.

(Please see above)

Chudleys:

Meat and Animal Derivatives, *Cereals*, Oils and Fats, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Fish and Fish Derivatives, Mineral and Vitamin Premix.
NB: Meat and animal derivatives was marked down due purely to the fact of having "Derivatives" labeled. For those of you not 100% on what derivatives are, it _can_ consist of all kinds of things including feathers, beaks and claws. Tasty.


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

makes an intresting read M


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

ferretman said:


> makes an intresting read M


In a good way or a bad way? lmao.


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## kizzy21_uk (Sep 6, 2008)

thanx for labling thos thats really helped me.x


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I'm a really bad ferret keeper. Mine get cat biscuits. Always have. They do also get cockerel heads if I kill any, plus the odd raw eggs. All of mine live to a ripe old age.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> I'm a really bad ferret keeper. Mine get cat biscuits. Always have. They do also get cockerel heads if I kill any, plus the odd raw eggs. All of mine live to a ripe old age.




Ehh ???


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## kizzy21_uk (Sep 6, 2008)

wat is clessed as a ripe old age for a ferret...


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> I'm a really bad ferret keeper. Mine get cat biscuits. Always have. They do also get cockerel heads if I kill any, plus the odd raw eggs. All of mine live to a ripe old age.


 
Each to their own i suppose.

Depends what you call a ripe old age :lol2:


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

kizzy21_uk said:


> wat is clessed as a ripe old age for a ferret...


That depends who you are.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

mine usually live to 9 or 10 in one case which I understand is the average.


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> mine usually live to 9 or 10 in one case which I understand is the average.


 
Good ages for ferrets


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## asianblood07 (May 19, 2009)

great question... was just about to ask the same :2thumb:

great info guys  cheers.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ferretman said:


> Good ages for ferrets


 my first ferret William was over 10 years old when I lost him. Yet all the websties say that cat biscuits are really bad for them.


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

hmmm but with you haveing cats is it high quilty high protein cat food?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ferretman said:


> hmmm but with you haveing cats is it high quilty high protein cat food?


Ho yais, of course. The very finest ASDA own brand :lol2:
It's the only one they'll eat.


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

I hear tesco's is better.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ferretman said:


> I hear tesco's is better.


 I never shop at Tesco. I rarely shop at ASDA cos I don't like supermarkets. But their cat food isn't bad.


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## ferretman (May 11, 2008)

I was told tesco has it offer thats all


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## kizzy21_uk (Sep 6, 2008)

my cats have tesco own cat food they love it.xxx


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> my first ferret William was over 10 years old when I lost him. Yet all the websties say that cat biscuits are really bad for them.


Meh. They also tell us that ferrets shouldn't have raw meat, raw eggs, live outside, live on wood shavings etc...:lol2:



ferretman said:


> I hear tesco's is better.


Not for ferrets, main ingredient is cereals then next down is meat/animal derivatives. : victory: Saying that, its equal quality to whiskas dry but about half the price!


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## Fuzzball (May 16, 2007)

I mix cat biscuits in with my ferret food as I have a couple I took on who im pretty sure just pick the cat crunchies out as they were fed just cat biscuits up until I got them. I also get my cat food free of charge so id be a fool not to use it! Ive had ferrets come here who have been fed on dry and wet dog food and it doesnt seem to have done them any harm. I think its the amount of raw food they get thats important.


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

I just bought a smal bag of chudleys, I ran out ofhte [email protected], where does it have the ingredients you stated on the bag??
I can't find it.

My bag says...


chicken meal, wheat, chicken fat, prairie meal( whatever that is), rice, maize, liver meal, fish meal, dicalcium phosphate, salt, vitamins.

Protein 39%
oil 18%
fibre 2%
ash 6%

By the way mine gets fresh rodent, domestic bred not wild, and fresh mince/stewing steak from the supermarket as well. Every day.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

I emailed chudleys a week or two back about their dog food and got sent all of the food (including ferret and cat) ingredients and analysis'. Prairie meal is a maize starch by-product. 

What is the sell by/best before on that bag?


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

LoveForLizards said:


> I emailed chudleys a week or two back about their dog food and got sent all of the food (including ferret and cat) ingredients and analysis'. Prairie meal is a maize starch by-product.
> 
> What is the sell by/best before on that bag?


19th may 2010.

I only bought it as I had run out.
When I get my other ferts, I only have one just now, I'll be buying big bags and I'm planning on buying Supreme science select ferret food as Iuse their rabbit food.


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## kizzy21_uk (Sep 6, 2008)

well im going to give the dr john ago se if they like that they are very fussy.x


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## mimooem (Jan 2, 2010)

*Ferret food ingredients.*

HI. We are ferret breeders www.ferret-land.co.uk. We are looking into getting our own label ferret food and wondered if any one could say if these ingredinets are good, ok or bad like above as I have been doing a lot of research which contradicts itself so not to sure on some ingredients. 

A highly palatable and nutritious food for ferrets from kits.
High meat inclusion to provide an energy dense food.​*Analysis​*Protein 34%, Oil 18%, Fibre 3%, Ash 8%​*Ingredients​*Chicken meal, rice, refined chicken fat, maize, prairie meal, brewers​yeast, fishmeal, salmon oil, DL-Methionine, minerals and vitamins.
AND

*Ingredients:*Poultry Meat Meal, Maize, Rice, Wheat, Chicken Oil, Linseed, Beet Pulp, Brewers Yeast, Liver Digest, Minerals, Vitamins, and preserved with natural antioxidants.
*Analysis: *Protein 38%, Oil 19%, Fibre 2%, Ash 7%.Vitamin A 8,000iu/kg, Vit D3 1,000iu/kg, Vit E 100mg/kg, Copper as cupric sulphate 22mg/kg.
*Benefits*: All natural, no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. With added taurine, minerals and vitamins, this food provides maximum nutrition.

Thanks ever so much

Emma :2thumb:


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

mimooem said:


> HI. We are ferret breeders www.ferret-land.co.uk. We are looking into getting our own label ferret food and wondered if any one could say if these ingredinets are good, ok or bad like above as I have been doing a lot of research which contradicts itself so not to sure on some ingredients.
> 
> A highly palatable and nutritious food for ferrets from kits.
> High meat inclusion to provide an energy dense food.​*Analysis​*Protein 34%, Oil 18%, Fibre 3%, Ash 8%​*Ingredients​*Chicken meal, rice, refined chicken fat, maize, prairie meal, brewers​yeast, fishmeal, salmon oil, DL-Methionine, minerals and vitamins.
> ...


I personally would prefer ferret food without Rice

Edited to add - and I would like a large part to be meat in there as well. 
Right now we use a mix of most brands on the market ( around 400 kilo of food a year approx here )


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## reptipixie (Jun 16, 2013)

Pets at home ferret food is not the best food.
Moisture 9%
Protein 36%
Oils and fat 19%
Fibre 4%
Ash 9.5 %
Fructo-Oligosaccharides

When looking for a good quality food you are looking for:
No moisture
High protein
High fats
Low fibres
Low ash
I would also like to point out that you should never give your ferrets fructo oligosaccharides. For those that dont know this is a sweeter. Sugars can cause insulinoma in ferrets and will lead to death.


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

We use tge alpha ferret feast, they love it, wont eat anything else and other than bits of cooked chicken, they wont touch any other meat etc.


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## reptipixie (Jun 16, 2013)

Wont eat any other meats? Try giving them raw whole foods. I just brought mine a chick each


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

reptipixie said:


> Wont eat any other meats? Try giving them raw whole foods. I just brought mine a chick each


Have tried them with raw chicks, rabbits, quail, they wont touch it.


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## alex20 (Dec 22, 2017)

*Ferret Foods guide needed????*

Before giving your ferret some foods just keep in mind that,they needed to be -
high in protein
low in fiber

The complete guide on best ferret foods can be found here.

Lemme know here, if you need any further help.


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## naturalbirdslove (May 11, 2018)

kizzy21_uk said:


> as title says which dry is the best outa the below
> 
> alpha ferret feast
> pets at home ferret food
> ...



I always feed my ferret pet Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 Dry Ferret Food. It is good for my pet because in this packet my pet got all proteins, meat, organs, fatty acids and Omega-3s, minerals. So, it is best for my pet.


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## naturalbirdslove (May 11, 2018)

*Ferret Food*

Do You Guys Know You can Not Feed Peanut Butter to your Ferret?:gasp:
Peanut butter is a paste made from cooked peanuts. And It also has a high amount of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and fiber. And it is the ideal super food for humans due to their high protein levels. Although peanut butter is suitable for us, the humans, it is not okay to feed this to our little pets. So now the question arises why can’t they eat it?:2thumb:


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