If your ferret is not gaining weight, you might be worried about it and looking to know, ‘What can I feed my ferret to fatten him up.’ Before you ask, ‘How can I fatten up my ferret fast,’ you should understand, ‘Why is my ferret not gaining weight.’
Today, in this article, you will learn why your ferret is not gaining weight and some of the ‘best ferret food for the ferrets to gain weight.’ Also, we will be talking about ‘how fast ferrets gain weight.’ But before I tell you all this or the best food for the ferret to gain weight, it’s important to understand why my ferret is not gaining weight. So, without wasting time, let’s learn it.
Why Is My Ferret Not Gaining Weight? (9 Possible Reasons)
If your ferret is not gaining weight, this could also be a sign of a serious health problem. Therefore, you should consult a veterinarian about proper diagnosis and treatment if required. Now, below are a few probable reasons behind weight loss in ferrets
Internal Parasites
Maybe your ferret is suffering from internal Parasites like coccidia, leading to weight loss. According to the Brook Vets, if your ferret has internal parasites in its gastrointestinal system, it will lead to weight loss in a few days.
Appetite loss
Also, Pet Care Veterinary Hospital suggests that ferrets suffering from appetite loss Or anorexia can unexpectedly lose a significant amount of body weight in a very short period, especially due to weakness & dehydration.
Diarrhea.
Another reason behind your ferret not gaining weight could be consistent diarrhea. Even though your ferret doesn’t appear sick when suffering from diarrhea, it can suffer from a lack of appetite or anorexia. According to the VCA hospitals, ferrets suffering from diarrhea can suffer from weight loss, vomiting, and weakness. Some also can be lethargic & dehydrated.
Lymphoma
According to the ZuPreem, if your ferret is suffering from lymphoma, it may exhibit nonspecific signs, which also include weight loss & decreased appetite. So, it’s best to consult with the vet first.
Liver disease
Another reason that Brook Vets suggests a significant weight loss could be due to liver disease when the liver stops filtering toxins out of the bloodstream. If your ferret looks to be very nauseous & sick, this could be the cause of weight.
Polymorphous Disease
According to the Royal Veterinary College, if your ferret is suffering from mycobacteriosis, it can lead to polymorphous disease with diverse clinical signs, including weight loss. This is something that requires proper diagnosis from a professional veterinarian.
Heart Disease.
According to the Chicago Exotic Animal Hospital, if your ferret suffers from heart disease, they may experience weight loss or weight gain. You should note that your ferret may exhibit little to no symptoms in the early stages of heart disease. Hence, consult a vet and get your pet diagnosed by them properly.
Cancer
If your ferret is suffering from weight loss due to cancer, they’re also likely to be very lazy and suffer from anorexia/loss of appetite. According to the Winter Park Veterinary Hospital, ferret lymphosarcoma is one of the most common cancers found in ferrets and must be given veterinary attention.
Poor Diet
According to the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, & Reduction of Animal in Research, if you are not feeding your ferret with adequate protein levels, it will also lead to insufficient weight gain or inappropriate weight loss. Since ferrets are strictly carnivorous, their diet must contain high amounts of protein, around 30 to 40%, and be fed with a meat-based diet. If this is the case, the five best foods for ferrets to gain weight are below.
6 Best Foods for Ferrets to Gain Weight
Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 Digestive Support
If you are looking for a food specially formulated for a ferret’s health needs, this is the one to look at. If your ferret is not doing well on a RAW meat diet, consider this. Mishi7 says this one works great in putting on some healthy weight for ferrets. Also, many ferret owners, including Yaryae, Shane Gibson, & James D, suggest that their pets love this food, which is the best you can ever buy for your beloved ferret.
You can feed this one as a good main food or mix it with other regular food, giving a good daily protein boost. This food not only works fairly well for ferrets but also for felines. That being said, we have also shared a guide on the best cat food for ferrets that you can feed and give nutritional benefits to your pet.
Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 Starch Free Dry Natural Food
This is another food that makes up the list of best foods for ferrets to gain weight. Richard Fox states this food has helped her skinny pet gain a healthy weight. However, you should know that introducing this food may give diarrhea to your pet at first, especially if you don’t follow the gradual change method. But if your ferret poop tends to be very stinky, consider this one.
Even though it’s a bit expensive, Arkady Rapoport found her pet poop smell less horrifically after feeding this. However, I highly advise you to consider mixing this food with other healthy food and not feeding it as the only staple diet. If you want to put healthy weight on your pet, mixing this with two different ferret foods is best.
ORIJEN Original Cat, Grain-Free Dry Cat
This one is another great food that can help your pet gain some weight. Even though this food is formulated for cats, it has all the nutritional content that obligate carnivores like ferrets need. Samantha shared that her pet gained a tremendous amount of weight when she mixed it with other food for ferrets.
Also, Stacy suggested that her vet recommended this formula because of the protein content & quality for her six ferrets. If you feed kibbles to your ferret, I will advise you to consider mixing this one with it. We have also shared an in-depth article on the best kibble for ferrets that you can consider feeding to help them gain weight.
Marshall Pet Premium Ferret Diet Food
If you are looking for a ferret food that can help your pet gain some weight and provide the best value, then you can consider this one. This food is particularly important for Marshell’s ferret. Otherwise, your pet will suffer from diarrhea on a different kibble diet. I don’t find this food to be the most healthy, but many people recommend this one.
There is a huge chance that your ferret will eat this food very fast, even though they are picky. Also, Ivy Landgraf suggested that her vet claim this one as the best food for her pet. I don’t doubt it, but another user, Samantha Chappie, considered switching to something better for her pet with no complaint. This is due to the high price tag for such a small bag.
Kaytee Forti-Diet Ferret Food
Another ferret food you can consider feeding your ferret for weight gain is this one. However, I didn’t find this one being claimed best for weight gain by its users, but you can consider mixing it with other healthy ferret food. In addition, many stobs owners have found this food tasty and healthy for their pets, even though it contains many by-products.
The by-products found in this food don’t seem very healthy compared to Marshall’s. Also, Marshell’s ferret food is neither better than Wysong’s. If you are looking for healthy food to help your pet gain weight, I advise you to go with Wysong and mix this formula with it, providing the diverse protein content required for gaining a healthy weight.
Conclusion
I hope you have enough information on the best foods for ferrets to gain weight and what are the worst. It would be best to diagnose your pet at the nearest veterinary clinic to determine the underlying cause of weight loss in ferrets. Weight loss in ferrets when fed the right amount of Nutrition from a healthy diet is not good and does indicate a health issue.
However, if your ferret is skinny due to a poor diet, I will advise you to consider choosing one of the top 3 foods mentioned in this article. The other two below are not as good as you might think but can be fed to your ferret when mixed with other top 3 foods. If you find this article helpful, then consider sharing it.
Your share will help many people learn about the best & worst food that they can ever feed to ferret for weight gain. If you found the best food for ferret weight gain, let me know in the comment section. I would love to include that in this article and make this post more formative for ferret owners and their pets to put on healthy weight. Check my other helpful guide on this website to stay updated on ferret care & requirements. See you in the next post, till then, take care & goodbye.
