We all love chocolate and it seems improbable that anyone could think otherwise. But can ferrets eat chocolate? No, they can’t! Although you may enjoy chocolate, the same is not true for ferrets.
Ferrets are carnivores and they can eat only meat because of their high content requirements for fat and protein.
Can Ferrets Eat Chocolate – The Dangers
Chocolate can actually poison your ferret and make it ill! You may think that you are offering it a treat, but chocolate can be potentially toxic for these little creatures. Unlike people, ferrets simply don’t possess the ability or metabolism for digesting chocolate.
Did Your Ferret Eat Chocolate Accidentally?
If your ferret has accidentally consumed chocolate, the risk this poses to its health depends on its tolerance for chocolate. In ferrets, this depends on a number of elements. Firstly, the type of chocolate and secondly, your ferret’s size.
If your ferret weighs approximately 2 pounds, it may be able to manage only an ounce of chocolate or 2 ounces of milk chocolate. If your ferret has consumed more chocolate than this, observe it very carefully to see how it reacts to the chocolate intake. If your ferret has consumed cocoa or dark chocolate, the risk to its health is significantly greater.
How To Deal With The Situation?
Give your ferret its normal diet with lots of water so that the chocolate can be flushed out of its system. Don’t give it any kind of sweet treats. Possible side effects of eating chocolate for your ferret may include excitement and diarrhea. If your ferret is affected more seriously by the chocolate, it may experience vomiting, excessive thirst, depression, frequent urination, muscle tremors and even seizures.
The worst situation may arise if your ferret has consumed too much chocolate, and it may die due to a cardiac arrest!
When To Take Your Ferret To The Vet?
You need to take your ferret to the vet immediately if it appears that it ate a large amount of chocolate. This could mean an entire bar of chocolate.
Keep a close watch on its behavior and symptoms even while you are taking to the vet so that you can explain the situation clearly. With your help, the vet will be able to make a more realistic diagnosis and offer the right treatment.
Why Would A Ferret Eat Chocolate?
You may be wondering if chocolate is so bad for a ferret, why would it eat it at all? This is because some ferrets, like people, have a sweet tooth. Many of them like to eat candies and chocolate. You must remember that ferrets can’t digest chocolate or other sweet foods and sugar is very bad for them. So even though your ferret may enjoy eating sweet foods, resist the temptation to offer these to him, they simply cannot digest them.
What Should Your Ferret Eat?
Ferrets are purely carnivorous and should ideally eat only high quality ferret food and high protein meat. Your ferret should be fed only healthy foods, such as food pellets and meat. Many pet stores now carry pet food designed particularly for ferrets.
Be A Responsible Ferret Owner
To fulfill your responsibilities as a pet owner, you must be careful to keep your chocolate and candies in a safe place where your ferret can’t reach them. It may be wise to keep them in the glass jars that the ferret cannot open.
All junk food and snacks should be kept out of reach of the ferrets too. In case you have leftovers, crumbs or unfinished packs of chips, make sure that they are kept in kitchen cupboards. Even a few crumbs of the wrong foods are sufficient to make your ferret sick!
Is Your Favorite Chocolate Bar Missing?
Ferrets are very clever and have the tendency to hide food for eating in the future. If you accidentally left your chocolate out, and it goes missing, look for it in all possible hiding places. Once you locate it, take it away and clean the entire area very carefully.
Your Ferrets’ Play Area
Better safe than sorry, this is why prevention is always the best approach to avert any disaster with your ferret. If your ferret is allowed to play in a specific area only, it may be easier to keep it clear of all possible hazards. However, if you take it to your room, clean the area thoroughly. Look under your bed and on your side table, and make certain that you haven’t left any chocolate there accidentally. Your closets, dressers, bags, and any other possibly dangerous places should be closed properly.
In addition to chocolate, ferrets should not be fed anything containing sugar or processed foods. They are very bad for ferrets and can make them seriously ill.
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References:
http://www.cypresskeep.com/Ferretfiles/Holidayproof-FM.htm
http://www.ferret.org/read/faq.html
http://www.all-about-ferrets.com/what-do-ferrets-eat.html
http://canigivemyferret.com/chocolate/
http://www.myferretpet.com/2014/05/can-ferrets-eat-chocolate-what-happens.html
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