The best DIY ferret treats are tiny pieces of plain, cooked meat or egg. Ferrets are obligate carnivores with short digestive tracts, so they need animal protein and fat and cannot digest sugar, fruit, dairy or vegetables well. Keep treats very small and make sure they never replace a high-quality ferret food.
Safe Homemade Treat Ideas
- Cooked chicken or turkey: Plain, boneless, skinless and cut into pea-sized bits.
- Cooked egg: A small amount of scrambled or hard-boiled egg a few times a week.
- Cooked lean meat or organ meat: Small pieces of plain cooked beef, lamb or liver. Feed liver only occasionally, because too much vitamin A is a problem.
- Meat baby food: Plain chicken or turkey baby food with no onion or garlic powder.
- Salmon oil: A few drops on food now and then can support skin and coat. Use only a little.
Offer one or two bites at a time and watch for loose stool. Introduce any new treat slowly.
Duck Soup and Recovery Foods
“Duck soup” is a blended meat-and-water mix that owners sometimes syringe-feed to ferrets that are sick or weak. It is a recovery aid, not a daily treat. If your ferret stops eating, see an exotic-pet vet quickly, because ferrets can get sick fast.
Foods and Items to Avoid
- Sugary foods, fruit, raisins, honey, candy and chocolate.
- Dairy such as milk, cheese and ice cream, which ferrets cannot digest.
- Bread, cereal, crackers and other grains.
- Raw vegetables and high-fiber foods, which can cause blockages.
- Cooked bones, which can splinter.
- Foam, rubber or soft plastic “toys” and treats. Ferrets chew and swallow them, which can cause a life-threatening intestinal blockage.
Common Myths
You may read that eggs prevent hairballs or that salmon paste cures digestive problems. Eggs are a fine protein treat and fish oil can help skin, but neither prevents or treats hairballs or illness. A ferret that coughs, vomits, strains or stops eating needs a vet visit.
How Much Is Enough?
- Treats should be a small fraction of the diet, with a complete ferret food making up most of it.
- Refrigerate leftovers and throw out anything left out longer than a day.
- Pick the food by ingredients. See our review of Sheppard and Greene ferret food and our guide to where to get raw meat for ferrets.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. Ask your exotic-pet vet about your ferret’s diet, especially if it has insulinoma, a blockage history or other health problems.
Bottom Line
Stick with small bites of plain cooked meat or egg, skip sugar, dairy, fruit and anything chewy or foam-like, and keep a quality ferret food as the main diet. When in doubt, ask your vet.
