Ferrets are obligate carnivores.

A carnivore (IPA: /ˈkɑrnɪvɔər/), meaning 'meat eater' (Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour'), is an animal with a diet consisting mainly of meat, whether it comes from animals living (predation) or dead (scavenging).

Before being domesticated, thousands of years ago our ferret forefathers primarily ate rodents and other sources of fresh meat. The truth is our little bundles of fuzz need and thrive on meat.

As much as ferrets love sugary tasty treats like raisins, peanutbutter and bits of fruit, the truth is these sweet treats have been linked to harmful diseases including insulinoma. Raisins and grapes especially should not be given as over time they can cause kidney disease and/or failure in ferrets.

Some ferret owners feed their fuzzies a meat-based diet consisting of whole prey animals such as mice and chicks as well as raw meat such as chicken and beef. This is a more common practace in Europe and Australia but is becoming more popular in the states due to concern over the high carbohydrate content in most commercial foods. If you're thinking of switching your fuzzbutt over to a more natural diet The Holistic Ferret Forum is a wealth of knowledge with a very friendly and helpful community.

Others opt for kibble but be warned. Not all ferret kibbles are created equally. Many contain an alarming amount of corn and rice products which are not digestible for our little fuzzy friends. Read your labels. Ideally the majority of the first five ingredients should be some sort of meat. (Beware of meat by-products! This isn't always the best quality meat.. >>) Ideally, a ferret food should contain a minimum of 32% meat based protein and 18% fat. A great food is Innova Evo Ferret and cat. It's really good because unlike many other commercial diets, this kibble contains no corn or other grains. Kibbles like Marshalls and Kaytee should be avoided as should any fruits and/or vegetables.



Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferret

http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-diet/nutrition-roundtable.aspx