It depends. Ferrets can eat hot dogs but better without spices and preservatives. Although hot dogs are processed from meat, they are highly preserved with salt and preservatives. Unfortunately, these ingredients make hot dogs unhealthy for your pet. So, unless you are serving homemade hot dogs without preservatives or salts, do not let your ferret eat hot dogs.
Further Reading: “13 Different Types Of Ferrets“
Table of Contents
Can I Give Hot Dogs To My Ferret?
Yes, you can give your ferrets hot dogs if they are not preserved with salt or chemical preservatives. Although hot dogs meet the ideal diet for ferrets- a high protein, high fat, low carb diet, hot dogs and commercially produced hot dogs are usually preserved with a lot of salt. Excess salt is toxic to your pets. If your pet is suffering from sodium poisoning, you might notice symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, tremor, or seizures. Take your ferret to see the doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms!
Apart from this, preservatives can cause digestive problems or cause other long-term health problems for your ferret. Therefore, it is preferable to give your ferret homemade hot dogs instead of buying them from a grocery store.
Ferrets can eat hot dogs but better without spices and preservatives. These ingredients make hot dogs unhealthy for your pet. So, unless you are serving homemade hot dogs without preservatives or salts, do not let your ferret eat hot dogs.
Further Reading: “Can Ferrets Eat Lettuce?“
Can I use Hot Dogs As A Treat To My Ferret?
Pets deserve treats, especially when they have been obedient. You can give your pet a variety of food as treats. However, treats should never be substituted as the main diet and be given in small proportions. Ferrets can as well eat hot dogs as treats, but ensure to provide healthily prepared hot dogs to your pet. This means you must make the hot dogs without salt, preservatives, and additives. But if you cannot prepare homemade hot dogs for your pet, eggs are a healthy alternative. But a small proportion of salt-free hot dogs once in a while will not harm your ferret.
Further Reading: “What Do Ferrets Smell Like?“
Do Ferrets Like Hot Dogs?
Hot dogs are made from animals, and because ferrets are carnivorous, they have the tendency to like hot dogs. A substantial number of ferret owners confirm that their ferrets love the taste of hot dogs. However, because commercially produced hot dogs might be harmful to your little pet, you shouldn’t give your pet some of them. As a pet parent, it is your responsibility to give your ferret what is best for them. So, even though you notice that your ferret likes hot dogs, you should avoid adding this highly salted food to their diet.
Further Reading: “Do Ferrets Eat Snakes?“
What Meat Can Ferret Eat?
As carnivores, ferrets need meat as their main diet. Ferrets eat meat, bones, and some animal organs. However, the best type of meat you can give your ferret is raw meat. Though it might gross you out when you see your ferret eating raw meat, take note that raw meat is necessary for your pet’s diet. In the wild, ferrets eat rabbits, hedgehogs, fish, eggs, birds, rodents, and reptiles. Also, you can give them cooked meat but keep in mind that cooked meat has low nutritional value compared to raw meat. Ensure that you feed your ferret with only fresh meat and not stale meat. Some meats that your ferret can eat:
- Chicken, lamb, and rabbit
Chicken, lamb, and rabbit contain protein in the right proportion needed by your ferret. You can buy raw chicken and lamb meat from a reputable store to avoid feeding them infected meat. Moreover, always get them fresh.
- Raw animal bone
Ferrets can eat animal bone as it supplies them with calcium; however, make sure the bone is raw and soft. Also, the bone should be fresh and not stale. However, avoid feeding the younger ferrets bone constantly because it can injure their mouth and gums.
- Offals
These are organs such as the heart, liver, and kidney. Offals balance out nutrients in your pet’s raw diet. You can serve these organs as a whole or dice them to make it easier for your pet to eat. But note: never serve your pet the green tripe.
- Mice and rats
Ferrets often hunt and feed on mice and rats. As a result of this, ferrets can be used to control rats and mice in the house. So it should not surprise you when you see your ferret hunting a rat. However, it is unsafe to feed rodents that are house pests to your pet because the former might be poisoned or infected with parasites.
Further Reading: “Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken?“
What Meat Ferrets Shouldn’t Eat?
Even though ferrets can eat bacon, this doesn’t mean all sorts of meats are recommended for them. Such meats are either too complex for their digestion or harmful to their bodies.
- Cooked Meat or Seasoned Meat
Be it pork, beef, or lamb, never give your ferret cooked meat. Unlike humans, their bodies can process and digest raw meat. In fact, it is cooked meat that is dangerous to them. The chances of feeding your pet cooked meat are high if you let them eat with you. As a loving pet parent, you should not serve cooked meat to your pet.
You should also resist the urge to spice up your meals by adding flavors, sweeteners, or meat spices. Raw meat is tasty to ferrets and should be served fresh.
- Ants
Some ants are usually harmless, but this does not mean that they are safe for your ferrets to consume. Some of them, especially fire ants, are poisonous. Fire ants have venom in their sting, and this is deadly to your ferret’s health. You should keep them away from your ferret’s cage and food dish.
Further Reading: “Can Ferrets Eat Bananas?“
What Food Can Kill A Ferret?
Because ferrets are carnivorous, their digestive systems are made for meat. Thus, any other food can hurt them, especially those high in carbohydrates, fiber, or sugar. Other foods that can kill ferret:
Dairy products
Ferrets cannot digest dairy products. Thus, avoid feeding your pets with yogurt, cheese, milk, and any other dairy product. If your pets eat any of these foods, they can have diarrhea. Unfortunately, diarrhea causes dehydration which could lead to the death of your ferret.
Sugar
Sugary foods are hazardous to ferret. This is because sugar produces too much insulin, which can cause hypoglycemia. Also, avoid feeding your pet foods high in carbohydrates because excess carbs eventually convert into sugar.
Grains
You should avoid feeding your ferrets with grains. Grains like corn and oats are not digestible for ferrets. This can eventually cause bloating leading to disease of the pancreas. Besides, grains do not contain taurine nutrients that ferrets need in their diet. Unfortunately, dilated cardiomyopathy has often been associated with taurine deficiency.
Further Reading: “Why Does My Ferret Shake?“
Final Thought
Even though ferrets can eat hot dogs in small proportions without exhibiting poisoning symptoms, it is advisable to avoid feeding your ferret with this food. Indeed, ferrets deserve to be given treats once in a while. Although hot dogs are an enticing option and can be a nice treat, you better give them other treats, a good option can be eggs. However, your pet can eat homemade hotdogs so far they are prepared without salt and artificial ingredients. As a pet owner, you must ensure that your pet’s diet is safe and healthy. Therefore, it is imperative to do proper research before introducing new food to your pet.
