Can I Give My Ferret Cheerios?

Can you give your ferret Cheerios?

Cheerios are among the well-loved breakfast cereals today. This is a multi-grain cereal and already has different varieties available. Kids of all ages and also the kids-at-heart enjoy waking up to a bowl of Cheerios in the morning. There are also snack-based Cheerios.

This morning ritual may not be healthy for everyone. Animals, especially, may not be that enthusiastic about waking up with Cheerios.

Can I Give My Ferret Cheerios?
No, It is not recommended

Ferrets are naturally carnivorous by nature. This means that their diet must consist of meat and fat. Cheerios, on the other hand, are made from cereal and whole grains. Ferrets do not have the ability to digest this food. Their natural diet should compose of only two percent of fiber while the rest should be protein and fat. They do not need the carbohydrates found in Cheerios.

If you are thinking of giving Cheerios as a casual treat for your pet, it would be best to stick with healthy ones. There are a lot of healthy treats out there that you can use, instead of Cheerios. You can even make your own treat using pellets and meat for variety. You can cook meat and cut them into pieces for treats. However, don’t put any seasoning on the meat. These kinds of meaty foods give your pet the nutrition that he needs every day. Hardboiled eggs are also great ferret treat. Make sure that your pet is used to eating such healthy foods early on in order to reinforce good and healthy eating habits.

Many ferret owners do give their pets cheerios as a treat every few weeks, doing so every day may harm them. There are some ferrets that do enjoy one or two Cheerios as a treat. However, this does not mean that you should give it to them. Being a pet owner, you need to know what’s good and bad for your pet.

The sugary content in Cheerios is not also good for ferrets. Most of these fuzzy pets are already experiencing diabetes, especially if it is fed too much sugary foods. Sugar is never a part of the natural diet of ferrets. Although they may love a handful or two of sugar and carbohydrates, these are not good for them. Usually, diabetes shows when the ferret starts to age. Young ferrets may not show any signs, but an unhealthy diet will show signs in four years. Diabetes can also damage his internal organs.

If your ferret accidentally ate just one piece of Cheerios, you need not bother. It might just pass. However, don’t give it to them for a full meal. Ferrets that ate Cheerios as main meals turn out to be very malnourish and sickly. Even if your pet likes Cheerios very much, control your urge to hand in what he wants. Don’t do it even if he begs. This helps in creating good eating habits.

Aside from Cheerios, it is important that you remember not to feed him anything that’s not part of his diet. This includes vegetables, fruits, raisins, and processed meat and food. Sweets are also a part of the list. Chocolates can be toxic to a ferret when taken in large amounts. Their digestive system can only take in meat and fat. Anything else will either be passed by the ferret or create a blockage. Such food doesn’t also give any kind of nutrient to the pet. To man, fruits and vegetables may be important. But these don’t have nutritional value for ferrets.

Make sure that you also hide your Cheerios boxes and other foods that your pet might find enticing. Store the food away from your pet and make sure he can’t reach it, especially if these foods can cause any health problems for your pet. Ensure that the cabinets are closed properly. Clear the kitchen counter and the table of foods that are not recommended for ferrets. Check their hiding places as well, in case they stashed unhealthy foods. Ferret-proofing your home can also be a good idea in keeping your pet safe at all times.

Never indulge your pets in too much when it comes to snacking. They don’t usually snack like humans do. However, ferrets have fast digestive process and need to eat at least eight times a day. Ensure that your pet consumes food that is high in protein and fat. If you are feeding him cat food or ferret food, check the labels and ingredients. Only feed high-quality pet food that meets the nutritional needs of the ferret.