# Ferret Treats :)



## RepBex (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi i have a friend with 6 Little Monsters and i would like to get them some treats but what treats would u recomend ???


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## sami (Oct 23, 2006)

I used those designed for cats.. anything meaty, and my guys loved them! 

 

Only as a treat though, not all the time.


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## morwenna (Dec 24, 2006)

Ours love 'Frankie's Crunches', they are a healthy treat made for ferrets, sold in most pet shops.


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## angoraferret (Jan 18, 2009)

Mine don't care for ferret treats but like soft meaty cat ones, or you could try a sprat or two or a raw meaty morsel they like them best of all.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

BARF, or make your own. I wouldn't trust any from pet shops. : victory:


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## diverfi (Jun 23, 2008)

Small chunks of corned beef, or a couple of juicy sultanas.
Fi


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

my boy loves dried fish rolls sold in pets at home, Day old chicks or pinkies, whiskers dentabits, and watered down kitten milk (lactose free).

:2thumb:


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

Mine wont touch shop bought "treats" they do however go crazy for boiled eggs.

Marina


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

diverfi said:


> Small chunks of corned beef, or a couple of juicy sultanas.
> Fi


Sultanas, grapes, raisins etc are toxic to Ferrets, and corned beef is full of crap and salt. Wouldn't feed it to a cockroach!


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

LoveForLizards said:


> Sultanas, grapes, raisins etc are toxic to Ferrets, and corned beef is full of crap and salt. Wouldn't feed it to a cockroach!


I was thinking the same when i read this - raisens etc are toxic, along with chocolate. Also Nuts should never be fed as they can become longed in the teeth/mouth and cause oulcers

cooked meat shouldnt be fed to ferrets as it is usually full of salt, preservatives and sugars. I have also read that Beef in general should not be fed to ferrets (not sure why though - if anyone knows and wants to add - please do)


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

Marinam2 said:


> Mine wont touch shop bought "treats" they do however go crazy for boiled eggs.
> 
> Marina


I cant get my boy interested in boiled eggs - my chipmunks wont eat them either.

i heard you can mix raw egg with kitten milk - mine does love kitten milk so maybe that would work - but he also eats lots of DOCs so gets yolk from them so guess there not much need.

hes just had a gerbil for breakfast :2thumb:


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

snoopyfrench87 said:


> I was thinking the same when i read this - raisens etc are toxic, along with chocolate. Also Nuts should never be fed as they can become longed in the teeth/mouth and cause oulcers
> 
> cooked meat shouldnt be fed to ferrets as it is usually full of salt, preservatives and sugars. I have also read that Beef in general should not be fed to ferrets (not sure why though - if anyone knows and wants to add - please do)


Pork is usually the one we stay away from, ours routinely get beef heart or if the birds leave some over, they'll get a bit of beef shin. Can't say it's ever done them any harm but then again the part they get is the muscle or bloody part so couldn't really comment, but I know others feed beef ribs, mince and loin daily without problems, I have however seen ferrets die from Pancreatic issues from eating Pork and some other salty foods (tinned fish, junk human food and ham mainly)
We usually stay away from anything 'processed' also, so anything tinned or things like mince, bacon, sandwich 'meat' (if you can call it that. lol) etc isn't fed. If we want to feed ours treats other then BARF then we opt for either a few pieces of Orijen cat food or we make our own so we know exactly what goes into them, besides, they're much cheaper then buying from a pet shop! :2thumb:


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

snoopyfrench87 said:


> I cant get my boy interested in boiled eggs - my chipmunks wont eat them either.
> 
> i heard you can mix raw egg with kitten milk - mine does love kitten milk so maybe that would work - but he also eats lots of DOCs so gets yolk from them so guess there not much need.
> 
> hes just had a gerbil for breakfast :2thumb:


:gasp: Ours go mad for eggs! Boiled, raw, scrambled...any form! It's the only thing that keeps their attention for a long amount of time so I use a pierced raw egg for training. lol


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

LoveForLizards said:


> Pork is usually the one we stay away from, ours routinely get beef heart or if the birds leave some over, they'll get a bit of beef shin. Can't say it's ever done them any harm but then again the part they get is the muscle or bloody part so couldn't really comment, but I know others feed beef ribs, mince and loin daily without problems, I have however seen ferrets die from Pancreatic issues from eating Pork and some other salty foods (tinned fish, junk human food and ham mainly)
> We usually stay away from anything 'processed' also, so anything tinned or things like mince, bacon, sandwich 'meat' (if you can call it that. lol) etc isn't fed. If we want to feed ours treats other then BARF then we opt for either a few pieces of Orijen cat food or we make our own so we know exactly what goes into them, besides, they're much cheaper then buying from a pet shop! :2thumb:


Thats the one it pork not beef! daft woman! I should know that as my boy gets fed the odd bit of beef too. its been a long morning!!

what sort of treats do you make LoveForLizards? I would have a clue where to start :bash:


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

snoopyfrench87 said:


> Thats the one it pork not beef! daft woman! I should know that as my boy gets fed the odd bit of beef too. its been a long morning!!
> 
> what sort of treats do you make LoveForLizards? I would have a clue where to start :bash:


I use 3/4 cup of ground porridge oats, 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 egg, 1 cup of finely chopped (If you're brave enough you can grate chicken thighs or beef heart!) or minced meat and 4tsp of rapeseed oil, mix it all up then I use a neat powdered skimmed milk powder formula (usually use a 50/50 mix or 40/60 powder/water), pour in slowly until a dough consistency is formed, form into small biscuits about the size of a £2 coin, put onto some grease-proof paper on a baking tray, put in the oven on 200C and bake until fully dried out. Let them cool then they can be broken up into smaller pieces and fed. Freeze (in an air-tight container) what you wont feed within a couple of weeks and defrost as necessary. 
Or much simpler, 1 cup of minced meat (beef or turkey), 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour, 2-3 eggs, put in a mixing bowl, mix it all up, leave for 15-ish minutes for the flour to soak up moisture, if needed add a bit of water and mix up again, put a sheet of greaseproof/non stick paper in a baking tray, put mixture into the baking tray, bake on 200C until completely dried out, leave to cool then break into pieces and feed. Same as above for freezing. :2thumb:


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

LoveForLizards said:


> .......... :2thumb:


Thank you darlin!!

will give this a go at the weekend!!

Frodo says thanks in advance for the yummies!! :2thumb:


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## diverfi (Jun 23, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> Sultanas, grapes, raisins etc are toxic to Ferrets, and corned beef is full of crap and salt. Wouldn't feed it to a cockroach!





snoopyfrench87 said:


> I was thinking the same when i read this - raisens etc are toxic, along with chocolate. Also Nuts should never be fed as they can become longed in the teeth/mouth and cause oulcers
> 
> cooked meat shouldnt be fed to ferrets as it is usually full of salt, preservatives and sugars. I have also read that Beef in general should not be fed to ferrets (not sure why though - if anyone knows and wants to add - please do)


Really surprised at these responses, as we were told by a vet that these were both ok as an occasional treat? We've we've owned and successfully bred several litters of very long lived and healthy animals. Ok, corned beef isn't exactly nutritious, but then when you want a treat do you turn down a chocolate bar or slice of pizza on the basis of it being unhealthy? 
I knew that dried fruits were toxic to a number of animals, but thought that it was ok for ferrets to have an occasional sultana. Interesting... :hmm:
Fi


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

diverfi said:


> Really surprised at these responses, as we were told by a vet that these were both ok as an occasional treat? We've we've owned and successfully bred several litters of very long lived and healthy animals. Ok, corned beef isn't exactly nutritious, but then when you want a treat do you turn down a chocolate bar or slice of pizza on the basis of it being unhealthy?
> I knew that dried fruits were toxic to a number of animals, but thought that it was ok for ferrets to have an occasional sultana. Interesting... :hmm:
> Fi


grapes, sultanas, currants are toxic to most animals 

chocolate, and onions are another culprits too

so i guess you should change your vet


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

diverfi said:


> Really surprised at these responses, as we were told by a vet that these were both ok as an occasional treat? We've we've owned and successfully bred several litters of very long lived and healthy animals. Ok, corned beef isn't exactly nutritious, but then when you want a treat do you turn down a chocolate bar or slice of pizza on the basis of it being unhealthy?
> I knew that dried fruits were toxic to a number of animals, but thought that it was ok for ferrets to have an occasional sultana. Interesting... :hmm:
> Fi


Corned beef generally contains high levels of salt...

Quoted from the British Ferret Club Website: Nutrition in Ferrets:

"*No Salt, pork, chocolate, or nuts. The salt and chocolate are death to a ferret. The pork is generally not good for them and nuts get stuck in their teeth leading to mouth problems." 

*Quoted from a Report Published on thesmallanimalchannel.com: How to Prevent Poisoning in Ferrets:
*
"Food Dangers For Ferrets
Foods for human consumption are an important cause of ferret poisoning. Caffeine can be toxic to ferrets, so be sure your
pet cannot get into the trash and find coffee grounds or used teabags. Chocolate contains theobromine, a methylxanthine
substance similar to caffeine that is also possibly toxic to ferrets. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in some brands of chewing gum (such as Orbit) and candies, cause a drop in blood sugar that can lead to rapid death in some animals.
Raisins and grapes are possibly poisonous to ferrets and might cause severe kidney damage. Onions and chives also
possibly toxic and can damage blood cells. Macadamia nuts are poisonous for some animal species and, until proven
otherwise, should be considered a potential danger for ferrets. When it comes to any kind of food, if you do not know for
certain that it is safe for your ferret, then do not feed it!"


*Hope this helps xx 

Wasnt trying to insult your Ferret keeping abilitys or challange the views of the vet you use, but there have been lots of 'recent' advances in the knowledge we have of ferret care and welfare - so just wanted to make sure people were up to date on there information.

As for taking a treat i knew was un healthy for me - thats fair enough (its my choice) why feed your pet something you know isnt nutritious for it, could possibly cause harm in the long term, and is something its body would not natural have evolved to digest?

of course it will take it, because its being offered to it by its care giver.

Ferrets will readily drink Milk - they are lactose intolerent - but they arent going to realise it could kill them, its up to us to know better. 

:whistling2:
*
*


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

> Whycan't ferrets eat pork?



*Trichinosis, also called trichinellosis, or trichiniasis*


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

snoopyfrench87 said:


> Thank you darlin!!
> 
> will give this a go at the weekend!!
> 
> Frodo says thanks in advance for the yummies!! :2thumb:


:2thumb::2thumb:




diverfi said:


> Really surprised at these responses, as we were told by a vet that these were both ok as an occasional treat? We've we've owned and successfully bred several litters of very long lived and healthy animals. Ok, corned beef isn't exactly nutritious, but then when you want a treat do you turn down a chocolate bar or slice of pizza on the basis of it being unhealthy?
> I knew that dried fruits were toxic to a number of animals, but thought that it was ok for ferrets to have an occasional sultana. Interesting... :hmm:
> Fi


It's not been long known that grapes/sultanas/raisins etc are poisonous, infact AFAIK it was only a year or two back that the in depth research was done. 
No, I don't turn down pizza or choccie but I can think for myself and I know that *insert junk food* is bad for me, so sometimes I turn it down, but ferrets don't know that and it's up to us to care for them to the best of our ability and feed them healthy food to keep them happy. 



snoopyfrench87 said:


> Wasnt trying to insult your Ferret keeping abilitys or challange the views of the vet you use, but there have been lots of 'recent' advances in the knowledge we have of ferret care and welfare - so just wanted to make sure people were up to date on there information.


Me neither, sorry if it came across that way. :blush:


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## diverfi (Jun 23, 2008)

Have actually changed vets now, so mis-advice is hopefully not a future problem. Shocking to think that the one person you think will give you sound advice could be giving you advice with the potential to kill your animals!
I will certainly pass on this info to my daughter who still keeps ferrets and make sure she no longer gives these treats. Cheers, :2thumb:
Fi


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## laura_aldridge1987 (Dec 6, 2009)

As a treat mine like whiskas lickin's - not got much in them but they're chewy so they like them every now and then. Otherwise as a real treat I mix up some normal ferret biscuits with a bit of ferret paste and some water and then add some chicken and maybe some boiled egg to it and leave it to go soft for a bit...they can't get enough of it! Also I found some ferret treats with ferret malty paste in the middle...but surprisingly mine don't like them. The rats don't mind them occasionally though (my older rats that is).


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## ollie1 (Oct 13, 2009)

I crack an egg on my 2's food.


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## laura_aldridge1987 (Dec 6, 2009)

Oh and also most of the ferret books I own say that a couple of sultanas are ok as occasional treats...I wouldn't really ever think of giving a ferret fruit, the same as a cat come to think of it so I never would. Meaty treats are the way...


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## clangercrazy (Apr 20, 2009)

*treats*

My two love 'Felix Chicken Lickens', and Ferret Couture (.com website) have a ferret treat called 'Chicken Chooks' (its like chicken flavoured balsa wood as far as I can tell....) and my little George likes 'Dentabits'. And Ferretone of course! Where would we be without Ferretone?!?!
:lol2:


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

laura_aldridge1987 said:


> As a treat mine like whiskas lickin's





clangercrazy said:


> My two love 'Felix Chicken Lickens',


^^ are these the same things? i have never seen Lickens before.


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## clangercrazy (Apr 20, 2009)

> ^^ are these the same things? i have never seen Lickens before


Probably, the felix ones come in a little blue packet (with felix the cat's face on the front!) and are pretty cheap! Can be found in all good supermarkets, and some pet stores!:2thumb:


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## Silvermoon77 (Dec 24, 2007)

Mine loves boiled eggs. He doesn't give a monkey about fruit - I had found these banana-flavoured ferret treats on the ramblas in Barcelona (where, quite bizarrely, they do smell a few ferrets) and he never bothers with them.

I've noticed that the smell of Bailey's drives him crazy so I make sure *not *to have a glass with a residue of Bailey's left in the lounge when he is out at play time...


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## Ferretboy (May 24, 2010)

snoopyfrench87 said:


> I was thinking the same when i read this - raisens etc are toxic, along with chocolate. *Also Nuts should never be fed as they can become longed in the teeth/mouth and cause oulcers*
> 
> cooked meat shouldnt be fed to ferrets as it is usually full of salt, preservatives and sugars. I have also read that Beef in general should not be fed to ferrets (not sure why though - if anyone knows and wants to add - please do)


would smooth peanut butter be okay or would it be too salty?


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## Kat91 (Sep 19, 2008)

scrambled egg


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## snoopyfrench87 (Apr 27, 2009)

Liquii said:


> would smooth peanut butter be okay or would it be too salty?


too salty and not something they would naturally ever digest - but if you are desperate to feed your ferrets something with peanut butter there are some american manufactured ferret treats containing peanut butter.

sorry for late reply - only just seen this


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## Xerse (Sep 22, 2010)

snoopyfrench87 said:


> too salty and not something they would naturally ever digest - but if you are desperate to feed your ferrets something with peanut butter there are some american manufactured ferret treats containing peanut butter.
> 
> sorry for late reply - only just seen this


alright then, cheers

Liq


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