Your Ferret's Nutritional Requirements - Animals - http://maxpages.com/ferretz/Nutrition

Ferrets are carnivores, and they require high quality proteins and fats daily. Food must be fresh in order to attract the ferret. It must also be nutritious, so that its efficiently utilized by the body. The ferret needs seven nutrients daily.

Protein is one of these butrients. Protein is made up of amino acids. A ferret needs at least ten amino acids. A good source of this is meat and live by-products.

The next nutrient needed in a ferret's diet is fat. This is used daily as a primary source of energy. The fatty acids that make up fats, are used by the ferret to keep its skin supple, and the haircoat soft. Poultry fat is the highest quality source of this, butpork, beef, fish, and vegetable oils help to give the animal an overall balance of the nescessary fatty acids.

Ferrets also need simple carbohydrates, aka starch. Premium ferret foods are all cooked with starch at 200 degrees Fareinheit, which completely cooks them, making them crunchy. Did you know that starch is what gives ferret food its shape. Without starches in a ferret's food, the foods are not usually tasty, and they leave behind loose stools.

Complex Carbohydrates are the fiborous portion of a ferrets food, which is important to know. The ferret doesn't have a caecium to aid in the digestion of fiber, like most carnivores. Knowing this will save your ferret the pain of indigestion or even constipation. It is crucial to keep your ferret's amount of fiber intake to 2% or less daily.

Vitamins, unlike proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals, are required in small qquantities. A good ferret food will list fifteen or more vitamins, but the amount should be low for each. Too many vitamins could be tolorated by a ferret for a short time, but for longer amounts, it could hurt your pet's metabolism.

The most critical thing in a ferret's nutrition is mineral balancing. Abnormalties and diseases have been proven to start from imbalances of minerals. mineral suplementation should not be tried unless recommended by a vet. Premium ferret foods will have the right amounts of minerals, in the proper quantities.

Out of all a ferret's daily nutrients, water is the most important. Ferrets will dehydrate and die rapidly without a full time supply of water. Water should be changed regularly, and (especially in Summer) br fairly cool.

A premium ferret food should provide the dily nutrients needed for a healthy ferret. Marshall products are recommended.

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Page Updated Tue Aug 8, 2000 2:57pm EDT