3 Yummy Ferret Food Recipes

Here are 3 healthy ferret food recipes that your ferrets will enjoy!

These recipes represent snacks or meals–not long-term diets or full replacements of normal healthy ferret food. To learn more about what ferrets eat, see What’s the Best Ferret Food?

If you are unsure if your ferret is getting a complete and balanced diet, you may want to consult a vet that is knowledgeable about ferret nutrition. Also, if your ferret has any health issues, please check with your vet before trying any of these recipes or making any other dietary changes—including changing your ferret’s food.

Will My Ferret Like it?

Keep in mind that ferrets are olfactory imprinted, meaning they determine their food preferences by the time they are 6 months old. Sometimes a ferret won’t be interested in trying a new food right away. If this is the case, you can try putting a dab on your finger and touching your finger to his nose. He will taste it when he licks his nose. After trying it, he may like it right away or it may take a little more time.

These recipes have very few ingredients and are simple to make. The recipes may require some adjustments due to the variety of options for some ingredients. You may need to add a bit more or less of something to get the consistency you want.

The recipes are designed to make a big batch so you don’t have to make it too often–unless you have a house full of ferrets! You can put the leftovers in the freezer for another time. One trick is to put some of the ferret food in an ice cube tray. Then you can just pop one out when you are ready! Of course you can always use freezer bags or small containers.

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Ferret Food Recipe #1:  Chicken Gravy  

• 1 whole roasting chicken with skin, fat and giblets (cut into small pieces)
• 1 tablespoon Ferretone buy here
• 1 cup ferret kibble
• 2 tablespoons whole oats or fine bran
• 1/2 tube Nutri-Cal buy here
• 3 eggshells

1. Puree the chicken, kibble and eggshells.
2. Pour mixture into a pot and cook on stove for 30 minutes or until the consistency of thick gravy.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and mix well.
4. Cool before serving

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Ferret Food Recipe #2:  Tuna Smoothie

• 1 can tuna (packed in water)
• 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
• 1/8th cup chicken broth
• a pinch of high-quality bone meal

1. Add all ingredients into a blender
2. Blend to a smoothie-like consistency

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Ferret Food Recipe #3:  Leftover Soup

• 1/2 gallon water
• chicken, turkey or beef leftovers or trimmings (giblets, skin, cartilage too)
• 1 tablespoon chicken or beef soup stock
• ground kibble

1. Bring water to boil
2. Cut up leftovers into small pieces and add to boiling water
3. Boil about 20 minutes or until meat is cooked
4. Add the soup stock
5. Thicken soup to desired consistency with ground kibble
6. Cool before serving

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Remember, these recipes are not meant to replace the regular ferret food diet your ferret is currently eating. Ferrets are small animals with small stomachs. Giving too much of a snack, treat or supplement can throw off the balance of the ferret’s diet.

A general guide to ferret food proportions

• Snacks:  10% of average meal weight
• Treats:   1% of average meal weight
• Taste:    a lick or a bite

If you have a healthy recipe your ferret enjoys and would like to share it, please leave a message and I will be sure to credit you when it’s posted!