8 Best Ferret Treats – 2023 Reviews & Top Picks
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Playful, curious, and entertaining ferrets can form strong bonds with their owners and become affectionate pets. Since they’re closely related to weasels, ferrets are flexible enough to wiggle into almost any space or curl into a ball during their many hours spent sleeping. Despite their seemingly long bodies, ferrets have a short digestive tract and may seem to be constantly eating to maintain themselves.
As true carnivores, ferrets must eat a balanced, meat-based diet with minimal fiber. Like most pets (and people,) ferrets also love treats, which should make up no more than 10% of their daily diet. But which treats should you choose? In this article, we’ve gathered reviews of what we think are the best ferret treats. We’ve also included a detailed buyer’s guide to help you find the perfect treat to keep your ferret happy and satisfied.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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N-Bone Chicken Flavor Soft Ferret Treats |
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Best Value
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Marshall Bandits Chicken Flavor Ferret Treats |
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Premium Choice
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Marshall Goodbye Odor Ferret Semi-Moist Treats |
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Wysong Dream Treats for Ferrets |
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Marshall Pet Ferret Extreme Munchy Minnows |
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The 8 Best Ferret Treats
1. N-Bone Chicken Flavor Grain-Free Ferret Treats – Best Overall
| Protein: | 20% |
| Fat: | 8% |
| Top Ingredients: | Chicken, sweet potatoes, water |
Our pick for the best overall treats for ferrets is the N-Bone Chicken Flavor Grain-free Soft Ferret Treats. They’re made without artificial colors or flavors and have chicken as the first ingredient. Many ferret owners prefer to avoid feeding any type of grain, which may be difficult for some ferrets to digest.
As a carbohydrate, these treats contain sweet potatoes, which hold no nutritional value for ferrets but may be easier on their tummies. They are only 2% fiber and contain omega-3 fatty acids to keep your ferret’s skin and coat healthy. Users reported they are a good option to use as a training treat and stay fresh after opening. Be warned, however, that picky ferrets may not like the taste of these treats, based on user reviews.
- Made without grains
- No artificial colors or flavors
- Good option for training treats
- Picky ferrets may not like the taste
2. Marshall Bandits Chicken Flavor Ferret Treats – Best Value
| Protein: | 24% |
| Fat: | 9% |
| Top Ingredients: | Chicken liver, chicken meal, wheat flour |
Our pick for the best ferret treats for the money is Marshall Bandits’ Premium Original Chicken Flavor Ferret Treats. These soft, chewy treats are easy for your ferret to eat and contain only 2% fiber. Chicken liver, chicken meal, and chicken by-products (organ meat) are among the top four ingredients in the treats. Since they’re full of meat and protein, Marshall Bandits Chicken Treats taste great and provide the right nutrient profile for your weaselly little pet carnivore.
They are sold in a resealable bag to keep the treats fresh. Most users said their ferrets enjoyed the taste, and they appreciated the reasonable price. However, they contain a grain ingredient, wheat flour, which some ferret owners prefer to avoid. These treats also have artificial colors.
- Made with mostly meat-based ingredients
- Resealable bag
- Low in fiber
- Reasonably priced
- Contain artificial colors
- Contain a grain ingredient
3. Marshall Goodbye Odor Semi-Moist Treats – Premium Choice
| Protein: | 22% |
| Fat: | 10% |
| Top Ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, rice starch |
To help make life with your ferret a bit less smelly, try the Marshall Goodbye Odor Ferret Semi-Moist Treats. They contain yucca, which serves as a natural deodorizer, helping reduce the typical musky odor of your ferret. They’re free of artificial ingredients and colors, made with chicken, and available in a resealable bag to keep them fresh.
Some customers mentioned that they noticed reduced odors when their ferrets consistently ate these treats. Like most of the treats on our list, picky ferrets may not like the flavor. They are also a bit higher in fiber, at 4%.
- Help reduce natural ferret odors
- Made in the USA
- No artificial ingredients or colors
- Resealable bag
- Slightly higher in fiber
- Picky ferrets may not eat them
4. Wysong Dream Treats for Ferrets
| Protein: | 44% |
| Fat: | 36% |
| Top Ingredients: | Chicken, chicken organs, ground chicken bones |
If you’re looking for a treat packed with real meat ingredients, Wysong Dream Treats for Ferrets might be the choice for you. Since they’re high in protein with only 0.5% fiber, Wysong’s treats are just what your pet carnivore is looking for. However, they contain fruits and vegetables that don’t provide much nutritional value.
Since they’re suitable for dogs and cats, the Wysong Dream Treats come in a bigger morsel than ferret-exclusive options. This allows you to make the bag last longer by breaking the treats into smaller chunks to feed your ferret.
These treats are one of the higher-priced options on our list, but you may be able to stretch the bag longer. Some users said they needed to soak the treats in water to make them easier to eat. These treats are high in fat, so keep an eye on your ferret’s weight if you feed them.
- High in protein, low in fiber
- Made without grains
- Larger treats can be broken up to make the bag last longer
- High in fat
- May be too hard for ferrets to chew without soaking
- Contains fruits and vegetables
5. Marshall Pet Ferret Extreme Munchy Minnows
| Protein: | 60% |
| Fat: | 5% |
| Top Ingredients: | Minnows |
For ferret owners who prefer to feed whole prey diets, Marshall Pet Ferret Extreme Munchy Minnows might be the best option. These treats are made exclusively of freeze-dried whole minnows and contain no grain or gluten that might upset a ferret’s stomach. They’re packed with protein, are low in fat, and contain 3% fiber.
You can use the freeze-dried fish treats for training or as a convenient snack for your ferret. Most customers mentioned that they don’t have a fishy odor, and their ferrets loved the treats. However, they aren’t the best value for the money as one of the higher-priced treats we reviewed.
- Contains only minnows
- High in protein, low in fat
- No grain or gluten
- Don’t have a strong smell
- Higher priced compared to other treats
6. N-Bone Salmon Flavor Chew Sticks Ferret Treat
| Protein: | 19.5% |
| Fat: | 10% |
| Top Ingredients: | Fish meal, white rice flour, brown rice flour |
If you’re looking for a treat that doubles as an enrichment item, try N-Bone Salmon Flavor Chew Sticks. These treats are designed to keep your ferret busy for hours gnawing on them. Low in fat with less than 1% fiber, the chew sticks may benefit your ferret’s dental health, helping reduce tartar and build strong teeth and gums.
N-Bone’s treats are free of artificial colors and flavors, and they contain taurine to support muscle growth and brain health. They come in a large package that is cost-effective and long-lasting. Most reported that their ferrets enjoy the taste and find the chew sticks especially helpful for young, teething animals.
- Supports dental health
- Keeps your ferret entertained while chewing
- Contains taurine for muscle and brain health
- No artificial colors or flavors
- Made with grain flour
7. Inaba Churu Hairball Control Grain-free Lickable Treat
| Protein: | 7% |
| Fat: | 0.3% |
| Top Ingredients: | Water, chicken, tapioca starch |
Like cats, ferrets can suffer from hairballs. To help prevent this issue, try the Inaba Churu Hairball Control Grain-Free Lickable Treat. Cats and ferrets are both true carnivores with similar nutritional needs. Because of that, ferrets can also enjoy cat treats on occasion.
Inaba Hairball Control Treats are made without grain, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. They contain added fiber because they’re designed to help move hairballs out of the pet’s digestive tract. They’re low in calories and contain taurine and vitamin E to support your pet’s overall health. Expect your ferret to make a bit of a mess eating these treats.
- Helps control hairballs
- Contains taurine and Vitamin E
- Low in calories
- Free of grains and artificial ingredients
- May be messy to eat
- Higher in fiber
8. PureBites Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Raw Treats
| Protein: | 74% |
| Fat: | 3% |
| Top Ingredients: | Chicken |
As another option for ferrets on whole prey diets, PureBites Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Raw Treats contain no added ingredients beyond the meat. They’re packed with protein, and they’re low in fat, calories, and fiber.
Since they’re made in the USA with meat sourced from the country, PureBites is a good choice for the ferret owner who values transparency and minimal processing in their treats. Although they come in a resealable bag, they need to be stored carefully because exposure to moisture may decrease their shelf life. Some users reported that the treats have a crumbly texture and are easily smashed. However, the small pieces may be more useful for ferrets than cats anyway.
- High in protein
- No grain or artificial ingredients
- Made from chicken sourced in the USA
- Crumbly texture
- Store carefully to prevent access to moisture
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Treats For Your Ferret
As you can see, each of these treats offers something a little different for your ferret. To help you narrow down your choices, here are some additional points to consider.
Grain: Yes or No?
One of the simplest ways to help you choose which ferret treat is best for you is to decide whether you want to completely avoid grain ingredients. If the answer is yes, you can eliminate several brands on our list right away.
If your ferret normally eats a diet with grains, they may be able to tolerate treats that also contain these ingredients. If not, it may be safer to stick with freeze-dried or grain-free treats.
Price
If your ferret is a picky eater, you’ll want to consider the price of the treats before you buy. Otherwise, you may spend money on a bag of treats only for your ferret to completely refuse to eat them. At the same time, some of the higher-priced treats may be more naturally appealing to ferrets, especially the freeze-dried options.
Fiber Content
With their natural speedy digestion, ferrets don’t need to eat a lot of fiber to keep things moving. Any food or treats they eat should be low in fiber. The treats on our list have varying fiber levels, making it a key point of distinction as you decide which to buy. Ferrets who struggle with hairballs may benefit from a higher fiber treat on occasion.
Conclusion
As our best overall treat for ferrets, N-Bone’s Chicken Flavor Grain-Free Soft Ferret Treats are tasty, easy to eat, and generally gentle on the stomach. Our best value pick, Marshall Bandits Premium Original Chicken Flavor Ferret Treats, is cost-effective with a taste most ferrets approve. If you want to offer your ferret treats, the options on our list provide a range of nutrients and flavors. Hopefully, our reviews give you the information you need to find the best treats to spoil your ferret.
Featured Image Credit: Happy monkey, Shutterstock
