Grains and starches are common in kibbles and serve as emulsifiers, holding the kibble together. These carbs increase the risk of developing a serious pancreatic cancer called insulinoma.
Insulinoma causes abnormal increases in blood insulin, leading to dangerously low blood sugar, which leads to nausea, lethargy, and life-threatening seizures.
At the GCFA we feed our "Low Carb Mix" which is a mixture of 4 different foods:
- Ziwipeak chicken (air-dried raw for cats)
- Instinct Ultimate Protein duck (cat kibble)
- Oxbow Ferret Essentials (ferret kibble)
- Wysong Epigen 90 with Digestive Support (ferret kibble)
All of these foods can be found on Chewy.com. Additionally you can find most of them in retail stores:
- Ziwipeak - specialty stores like Kriser's, Bentley's Pet Stuff, Pet Supplies Plus
- Instinct - Petco, Petsmart
- Oxbow - Petco, Petsmart
- Wysong - online only
If cost is an issue, you can remove the Ziwipeak, or even feed just a single food on this list. If you need to pick one, we recommend Oxbow. This will still be a much healthier option than low-quality kibbles. Selecting a high quality kibble or freeze-dried food can elongate your ferrets health.
Foods to Avoid
Most ferret foods are loaded with grains and starches. These are cheap but detrimental to your ferrets' long term health and may play a large role in formation of cancers.
- Marshall
- Zupreem
- Kaytee
- Wild Harvest
- Higgins inTune
- Sunseed "Vita Prima"
Cat Foods to Avoid
- Meow Mix
- Friskies
Also be sure to avoid any foods that contain peas, as these can cause bladder stones in ferrets, which are serious emergencies.