Disposing of Rat

Dogs can digest plant matter, but ferrets on the other hand are obligate meat-eaters. Their digestive tract is short and meant for digesting things as quickly as possible. They are not meant to eat anything else. Most commercial foods contain many plant-based ingredients that are considered by many ferret owners as unhealthy for the ferret.

As for ferrets being domesticated. That is far from the truth. There are very few differences between the ferret that lives in my living room and the ferret that lives in the wild. My ferret seeks out things to "hunt" and she loves the stimulation of hunting for her meal. My ferret is quite content to eat raw meat and bones as her only source of food but to make sure she's getting the right nutrition, whole prey items are recommended. A mouse would be a natural food source for a ferret in the wild, so it makes sense that a feeder mouse would make a good meal. As for it being alive, it just provides her with stimulation. My girl has never taken more than 10 seconds to dispatch her prey and begin eating it, and I have never given her anything larger than a 20g mouse live.

This thread was not put here so I could have the way I keep my animals put under attack. I simply came asking for advice and I got it. I was unprepared to house this rat and thanks to the helpful people here on this forum, I got some good answers and advice without being attacked until you came along. I would appreciate it if this thread would be locked now that I've gotten my answer about the rat.

And wolfy_hound, if you would like more information on ferret diets, please feel free to PM me.

And as for the ferret getting rodents only a few times a week. Yes, she only gets feeder rodents a few times a week, normally 3-4 times a week. This does not mean that she doesn't get fed in the meantime. She gets many different kinds of meats, bones, and organs. My animals eat better than I do. Twitch gets chicken, turkey, beef, fish (in small amounts), pork (in small amounts), cornish game hen, and we plan on trying her on rabbit (as meat, not feeder)

Why are we contesting how Jay_bunny feeds her ferrets? I think we of all people should be more relaxed when it comes to feeder rats and what the predator is. I'm more than convinced that ferrets need the whole prey item in their diet.

ferrets = weasels, no?

when im out hunting i sometimes see weasels tracking down moles, mice, chipmunks, etc and then killing them in what looks to be one bite.

look at their teeth, any animal with canines is a meat eater.


about that rat...why not try eating it yourself? asians do it all the time so it must not be too bad:gj: squirrel tastes great :D

Jay_Bunny = Vegetarian.

:D The rat will hopefully be fed off tomorrow if I can get either of the girls to eat. If not then I'm going to the store for dry ice and CO2ing the rat and then giving it to my ferret.

Thanks for all your help, everyone.