We believe in the strong human-animal bond that has driven us to become the world’s foremost authority on ferret nutrition. We’re constantly pushing for the highest quality ingredients for our diet and are always seeking ways to serve our customers and their pets better. Feeding ferrets a high-quality diet can help extend the life of your ferrets.

It’s our goal is to provide you and your ferret a high-protein diet that’s easily digestible and delivers the highest amount of nutrition. Each ingredient is sourced in the United States.

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Ferrets are obligate carnivores and food passes through the digestive system every 3-4 hours. A ferret diet must be high in animal protein, high in fat, and low in fiber. All foods, including foods intended solely for ferrets, are not created equally. 

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Nutritional Analysis of a Good Ferret Diet:

30% - 40% animal-based, protein

15% - 20% natural, fat

>3% carbohydrates

>3% fiber

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We’ve done our research. Our diet family of products was developed by a respected team of veterinarians, nutritionists, and ferret experts. It has a high protein content and ideal balance of essential amino acids, making it the perfect diet for ferrets in all stages of life.

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Our diets are hand-crafted in small batches using a proprietary low heat process that retains essential nutrients that other diets don’t. Most of our bags of diet that you find in the store were made within 30 days of the purchase, so freshness is always guaranteed. Most other ferret food is made in huge batches and stored in warehouses for months at a time.

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Our first three ingredients are fresh chicken. We use chicken by-products (organs only) because the natural fat content is higher and amino acids are more prevalent here than any part of the chicken. Other diets use additives to increase fat percentage, but our diets have a naturally occurring high fat content. Organ meats mimic a ferret’s diet in the wild where they would pick at a prey’s organs to balance their nutritional intake.

 

In long-term studies, corn provides a strong complement to protein sources while also promoting digestive health. Ferrets DO need a small amount of plant-based carbohydrates to help prevent serious health problems in aging ferrets. We use corn as a binder to keep the pellets from breaking down in the package. It’s a small amount compared to our key ingredient, chicken, and it will not harm your ferret.

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Beet pulp is considered to be the finest source of fiber for ferrets. It contains both soluble and insoluble fiber to help support a healthy digestive system.

Marshall Premium Ferret Diet
Our flagship formula has 38% protein and an ideal balance of essential amino acids, making it the perfect diet for ferrets. It’s highly digestible with little carbohydrates and is moderate in fats. All Marshall Ferret babies start their new life on Marshall Premium Ferret Diet. 

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Marshall Premium Ferret Diet Senior FormulaJust like senior people and dogs, senior ferrets have special dietary needs. Made especially for ferrets ages four years and up, this formula delivers a tasty dietary staple that fits the bill. Formulated with 10% less fat and protein than the original Premium Ferret Diet, it helps keep ferrets happy, slim and healthy well into their golden years. This special formula is also an ideal choice for overweight and less active ferrets.

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Select Chicken Formula Premium Ferret Diet
Ferrets love the taste of fresh chicken, and our Select Chicken Formula is perfect for the fussiest of ferrets who have discerning palates. It’s an excellent source of nutrition for ferrets of any age, rich in Omega 3 and amino acids for healthy skin and a shiny coat.

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Marshall Premium Ferret Diet Digestive Support Formula

This innovative recipe supports optimal digestion with prebiotics and probiotics, and is made with even more fresh chicken organ meat than our original formula to support a healthy immune system. The naturally-sourced fats provide Omega-6 fatty acids that nourish healthy skin & coats.

 

Feeding Your Ferret
Ferrets of all ages need to have Marshall Premium Ferret Diet and fresh water available at all times. Most ferrets will eat only enough to meet their needs and will not become obese if allowed constant access to good quality food.

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Ferrets Younger Than 12 Weeks
It is important to sufficiently moisten the diet for young ferrets (6-11 weeks of age).
• Mix three parts warm fresh water to one part Marshall Premium Ferret Diet (3:1 ratio).
• Allow the mixture to sit 3 -5 minutes.
• Add more Marshall Premium Ferret Diet or water until it reaches a wet oatmeal consistency.

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Ferrets Over 12 Weeks
Keep some dry Marshall Premium Ferret Diet available at this age, so your ferret will adjust to a completely dry diet by the time it is 12 – 13 weeks of age. Slowly, convert to dry food only. Marshall Premium Ferret Diet is the food that Marshall Ferrets are raised on and it is highly recommended for maintaining good health.

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Changing Diets to Marshall Premium Diet
Any diet changes should be made gradually, mixing in the new food with the old and gradually reducing the amount of the old diet. It is often a good idea to use a mixture of foods starting when ferrets are young, as some can be stubborn about trying new foods, which may create problems if their current food becomes unavailable. Try to make sure you have two quality foods your ferret will eat.

 

Adding Supplements to Ferrets’ Diets
If you’re feeding your ferrets a protein-rich diet such as Marshall Premium Ferret Diet, they are getting a majority of the nutrients they need, but it’s always good to use a daily supplement for optimal health and well-being. Supplements help maintain a shiny coat and prevent dry skin as well as boosting immunity. High calorie supplements, such as Uncle Jim’s Original Duk Soup and Furo-Vite are particularly helpful when a ferret is recovering from illness and needs to gain weight.

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It is not recommended you feed your ferret cat food. As the science of ferret nutrition improves, there is no doubt that premium ferret diets are the best to feed ferrets. A ferret’s digestive tract is much shorter than a cat’s, which results in rapid food passage. A cat’s digestion is approximately 5 hours, where a ferret’s is closer to 2 hours. Because of this, many cat foods don’t have ample time to break down in a ferrets system and valuable nutrients are lost. Any recommendations that state otherwise are outdated.