When we talk about pets we always link this concept to dogs and cats, which we consider our Animal friends par excellence, however, the panorama of company animals has changed enormously today, so much so that the ferret has ceased to be a hunting mammal to become an endearing pet.
Obviously its organism, its behavior and its needs are very different from those of a dog or a cat, so it requires specific care and when it comes to veterinary controls it is also important to go to a specialized exotic clinic.
The feeding of this animal intervenes directly in its state of health and well-being, so in this article we show you the solutions and recommendations to be used when a ferret does not want to eat feed , in order to avoid any complications cion.
Ferret Feeding
This animal has specific nutritional requirements, therefore, let's see first how the ferret should be fed :
- It must contain more animal protein than vegetable, constituting between 30 and 38% of its food
- The content of its food must have a percentage of fat that ranges between 18 and 20%
- Fiber It is very important to prevent gastrointestinal complications, a daily intake of 4% is recommended
- Ferret food should also contain vitamin A, C, E and taurine
Food that we should use to make sure that our ferret offers all the nutrients it needs is the specific feed for ferrets and it is recommended to use a dry feed because it reduces the amount of tartar that accumulates in the teeth.
Discard underlying pathologies
Anorexia or lack of appetite may itself constitute the symptom indicative of some disease and if our ferret does not want to eat I think, this may be due to any of the following pathologies :
- Infectious diseases that affect the digestive system
- Bacterial or viral infections
- Heart failure
- Allergies
- Metabolic problems
- Neurological disorders
- Ingestion of toxic substances
Because lack of appetite may be indicating serious disorders it is important go to the vet first , since if you suspect that there is an underlying disease, you will perform a complete physical examination, a dental exam and rely on tests such as ultrasound or urinalysis to verify the presence of any anomaly.
My ferret doesn't eat because he's sick?
As we will see later, the most common causes for which a ferret does not want to eat I think are not serious, but it is not always that way, if your ferret does not eat I think and also you observe the presence of any of the following symptoms, you may be sick:
- Vomits
- Diarrhea
- Hair loss
- Difficulty breathing
- Disorientation
- Uncoordinated movements
- Stiffness in the extremities
Any of these symptoms linked to Lack of appetite can be indicative that something serious is happening, being the cause of anorexia an underlying disease, goes to the veterinarian urgently.
Most common causes why a ferret doesn't want to eat I think
In the absence of any underlying serious pathology, ferrets tend to reject feed for the following reasons:
- They have difficulty adapting to their flavor
- They have difficulty adapting to their texture (in the case of dry feed)
- They are accustomed to a diet based on meat and eggs
- They have developed gingivitis by accumulation of tartar and can not eat comfortably
- The feed provided to them is not of good quality or it is a feed intended for other types of animals
Solving these causes and getting our ferret to eat properly is not complex, but if it requires large doses of patience on the part of the owners.
Solutions and recommendations for our ferret to eat
If your ferret does not eat, it is necessary to use one (and sometimes several) of the following measures, until your food intake is progressively normalized:
- Provide toys that can bite, this will reduce the accumulation of tartar on the teeth preventing and treating gingivitis
- Do not give it to cats, it needs a specific feed for ferrets
- As a basic average it is recommended to change the type of feed, ferrets have an exquisite palate and do not get used to any flavor
- So that adapts to the texture of dry feed, it can be started as a porridge, letting it soak in water for about 10-15 minutes
- If the problem of our Ferret is that it is accustomed to a meat-based diet, at first we must add a meat handle to the feed and make a moist mixture, progressively, we will decrease the amount of meat used
- If the porridge with meat and feed does not work, at first you should only use a meat porridge to which you will gradually adding the feed
As we mentioned before, these measures are usually very effective as long as the owner has the sufficient constancy and patience .
If you want to read more articles similar to My ferret does not want to eat I think , we recommend that you enter in our section on feeding problems.
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