Minerals are incredibly important for your ferret in order for them to stay healthy. Their bodies use minerals for many different jobs, including building bones, making hormones and regulating the heartbeat etc.
Minerals are usually divided into two groups– Macro Minerals and Micro (or trace) Minerals. These two groups of minerals are equally important but they are both required in different amounts. For example, Macro Minerals are required in larger quantities in the body. As for Trace Minerals, the body only needs these in a much smaller amount compared to Macro Minerals.
Macro Minerals include the following;
- Calcium: Important for healthy bones and teeth; helps muscles relax and contract; important in nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, immune system health.
- Phosphorus: Important for healthy bones and teeth; found in every cell; part of the system that maintains acid-base balance.
- Magnesium: Found in bones; needed for making protein, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, immune system health.
- Sodium: Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.
- Potassium: Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.
- Chloride: Needed for proper fluid balance, stomach acid.
- Sulfur: Found in protein molecules.
Trace Minerals include the following;
- Iron: Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body; needed for energy metabolism.
- Manganese: Part of many enzymes.
- Copper: Part of many enzymes; needed for iron metabolism.
- Iodine: Found in thyroid hormone, which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism.
- Zinc: Part of many enzymes; needed for making protein and genetic material; has a function in taste perception, wound healing, normal fetal development, production of sperm, normal growth and sexual maturation, immune system health.
- Selenium: Antioxidant.
- Chromium: Works closely with insulin to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. Often found in liver.
- Molybdenum: Part of some enzymes.
Other trace nutrients known to be essential in tiny amounts include nickel, silicon, vanadium, and cobalt.
Minerals are all necessary for the continued health of your ferret, however they can also be toxic or life threatening in high or unbalanced doses. The best way for ferrets to get the minerals into their bodies, is for them to eat a wide variety of fresh raw (or) whole prey foods. A well balanced diet for your ferret will usually provide all of the essential minerals they need without the addition of mineral supplements. Some meats have more or less of these minerals, that is why a variety in the ferret’s diet is very important for them to stay healthy. There is even the possibility of mineral supplements, but this should be a very last resort. Always seek professional veterinary advise before using any supplements for your ferret.
Minerals are all necessary for the continued health of your ferret, however they can also be toxic or life threatening in high or unbalanced doses. The best way for ferrets to get the minerals into their bodies, is for them to eat a wide variety of fresh raw (or) whole prey foods. A well balanced diet for your ferret will usually provide all of the essential minerals they need without the addition of mineral supplements. Some meats have more or less of these minerals, that is why a variety in the ferret’s diet is very important for them to stay healthy. There is even the possibility of mineral supplements, but this should be a very last resort. Always seek professional veterinary advise before using any supplements for your ferret.
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