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Ferrets are absolutely wonderful furry animals to have as a house pet. The little creatures are a joy to have if you know what you are doing—that is you spend time with it and nurture it as your own. Now owners may have various reasons to fatten up their ferret. It may be because they simply think the ferret might look cuter that way—we think they look cute with a lithe and bubbly structure by the way! Other reasons may be more serious like readying the ferret for an important surgery which may require the ferret to gain weight in order for the procedure go more smoothly. And another reason could be the simple fact that their ferret is malnourished.
Now new and beginner owners of ferrets may tend to not know that they are actually feeding their ferret way less food then they naturally need. Ferrets are not like dogs or cats in reference to being home pets. They have a short digestive tract which makes them turn food into energy rather quickly. Having a short gut makes the food they eat pass through their bodies at a rampant pace and that is why most ferrets need to eat after every couple of hours.
It has been studied that not all ferrets have the same metabolism. So new owners can find loads of concise and identical information online on how and what to feed their ferrets. But since you guys have decided to ask the age old question on how to fatten up a ferret right here—we shall dive into the gritty details on this article itself.
Calories
Keeping a track of calories can do loads in helping the ferret fatten up and gain weight. They’re just like us humans in that regard. If we need to gain some extra weight then we increase our daily calories, preferably above our maintenance calories that we need every day. We keep track of our diet in a very strict manner. Everything from calories in to calories out. Ferrets are not much different in that regard. One of the ways to fatten up a ferret is to track its calories in and calories out.
Calories in can be increased by adding more to its daily diet and that too by feeding the ferret after every couple of hours. As we have mentioned earlier, ferrets digest food rapidly and are in need of energy very quickly. So this can be one way to fatten up a ferret.
Calories out mainly means how much consumed calories your ferret is burning throughout the day. Ferrets can burn calories by doing its normal exercises. One way to lessen the calories burnt by a ferret is by decreasing the amount of play time. We are not suggesting locking up your ferret inside its cage all day! Because remember ferrets are lovely pets and they’ll only show the love back if you treat it the same way. So let your ferret out and about but decrease the time in doing so. So if your ferret is let out for exercise or to play then keep a strict eye on it and return it to its cage sooner. This will help the ferret in burning less calories—which in result helps to store up the calories needed to fatten the ferret up.
Do keep in mind it’ll be hard to calculate the amount of calories in and out of a ferret. This can vary depending on the ferret’s weight. So we recommend feeding your ferret dry ferret food that clearly states the amount of calories in the food. This will help you assess the daily amount of calories you ferret is consuming. And if you also limit its ability to exercise then you will have a fattened ferret in no time! Also remember to not expect the miracle of gaining weight overnight. This process takes time and dedication. So be patient and calculate those calories!
High Calorie Supplement Paste
Research states that introducing a high calorie supplement paste to your ferret’s meals can help in fattening the ferret up. It is one of the easiest way to fatten a ferret. Considering the fact that the diet you are feeding your ferret includes animal fat and protein—then the high calorie supplement paste can be easily added to their meals.
The high calorie supplement paste is a proven method to fatten up your ferret. This is mainly because of the high caloric density inside the paste which can in relation to the amount used—have a significant increase in your ferret’s weight. Do not worry though about your ferret rejecting its regular meals of old because of its addition. It is found that the paste does not fill your ferret up and inclines to let the ferret have a go at finishing its regular meals. This will not break the ferret’s habit of eating.
There are many supplement pastes on the market for ferrets. But to the people with the question of how to fatten up a ferret can have a go at the high calorie supplement paste.
Foods to feed your ferret to fatten it up
Now all veteran ferret owner knows that ferrets are naturally picky eaters. If you are a relatively new owner, then you might have gotten the gist that your ferret is one. Ferrets like to eat a whole variety of food rich in protein and animal fat. Carbohydrates are not necessary in a ferret’s diet because they simple do not have a use for it. Fiber is also not a good choice so make sure you do not feed it fruits and vegetables. Ferrets can lose appetite if fed the same foods over and over again. Another reason why they aren’t like dogs or cats who absolutely crave the food they have been eating for the past 5 years. Ferrets need to be fed a different menu each day.
1. Commercial Dry foods
Commercial dry foods have been touted as one of the best foods to use to fatten up your fat. Finding commercial dry foods that are specifically designed for ferrets can have a mammoth impact on your ferret’s journey to gain weight fast. This has been proven to be an effective approach to fattening your ferrets. The main advantage of using commercial dry foods is that you know exactly the amount of nutrients and calories you are feeding your ferret every meal. This does loads of good on your journey to track your ferret’s calories both in and out.
Now finding commercial dry foods especially made for ferrets can be a task, but other ferret owners decide to use kitten food. Commercial dry food for kittens is a good version to feed your ferret but this may not be suitable to all ferrets. Finding the proper kitten food for your ferret can only be achieved by the trial and error method. So if you can’t find commercial dry food for ferrets then have a crack at the ones made for kittens.
We recommend finding a company that provides ferrets with around 40 percent of protein, 20 percent of fat and a very low amount of fiber.
2. Raw Meat
Now after reading the varieties of raw meat we are about to prescribe for your ferret—we are sure you’ll never again ask the question ‘how to fatten up a ferret?’
Ferrets absolutely adore raw meat and this is a plus point in your goal to fatten it up. They love raw chicken. Basically all part of the chicken like bones, fats, livers, hearts, organs and even muscle! The same can be said for turkeys too. Ferrets love those two birds.
Beef, pork, steak and lamb are also fantastic raw meats to serve your ferrets. It is basically said that mixing up the chicken, beef and other raw meats will give the ferrets a feeling of how they usually feed off in the wild. Meat, organs and bones are brilliant for a ferret’s diet.
Serving the above raw meat will do wonders in fattening up your ferret.
3. Eggs
If we had to pick one of the ferret’s most favorite foods—then it’s definitely eggs. Eggs are high in calories which is just fantastic news to you owners wanting to fatten your ferrets! They have high nutrients that are magnificent for a ferret’s growth and are simply delicious to a ferret’s taste buds. They love chicken eggs but also make quick work of quail eggs.
They can be served as treats in the form of raw egg yolk and scrambled eggs. Eggs are surely an easy way to increase your ferret’s calories and help fatten it up. But do be advised that eggs should not be the staple diet and main part of a ferret’s meal. They are to be used as treats and treats only!
In conclusion
We hope we’ve answered your question on how to fatten up a ferret. All the methods said above are proven to help and achieve your goal. So take care of your cute furry animal and make sure it leads a healthy and nutritious lifestyle.
