Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken? (7 Interesting Facts)

One of the most frequently asked questions by ferret pet owners is on whether raw chicken is a proper food for the ferrets. This article has the answer.

Can ferrets eat raw chicken? Yes, ferrets may eat raw chicken. In fact, whenever possible, raw chicken should be one of the major components of a ferret’s diet. From raw chicken, ferrets can get the protein, minerals, some fat, vitamins and minerals they need.

Raw chicken is also a food that almost every ferret will greatly enjoy eating.

Is Raw Chicken Safe For Ferrets?

When a pet ferret owner asks whether the ferrets can eat raw chicken, their biggest concern tends to be safety-based.

So, indeed, are ferrets safe to eat raw chicken? The answer is ‘yes’ – raw chicken is a safe food for ferrets. Ferrets are regularly and routinely fed on raw chicken, and they seem to thrive on it. Therefore it is safe for them.

Granted, one may have concerns about the presence of salmonella and other bacteria in raw chicken. Thankfully though, a ferret’s digestive system is so short that it doesn’t have much room for proliferation of such bacteria.

Another area of concern is with regard to the bones in raw chicken. These can indeed be problematic, especially the small ones in chicken wings. But if such bones are stripped, the chicken becomes alright for ferrets.

Ultimately, when you research on what raw meat can ferrets eat, chicken tends to be high up in the list. This means that raw chicken is largely safe for ferrets.

Is Raw Chicken Beneficial For Ferrets?

Yes, raw chicken is one of the most beneficial foods for ferrets.

From raw chicken the ferrets – who are obligate carnivores – get a good number of the proteins they need. Chicken is also a good source of minerals for ferrets, as well as some fat and vitamins (including the B-vitamins).

Of particular importance, raw chicken can be a source of taurine: an essential amino acid which ferrets need a constant supply of.

Do Ferrets Like Raw Chicken?

Ferrets usually show a very strong liking for raw chicken.

In fact, for a ferret, raw chicken tends to be one of the best foods it can eat.

Usually, when given a choice between raw chicken and most other foods, a ferret will tend to easily pick the raw chicken. Therefore ferrets typically like raw chicken very much.

Do Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken In The Wild?

Chicken is probably not one of the most commonly hunted and eaten foods by wild ferrets/polecats. But ferrets do hunt for other birds they frequently encounter.

Therefore chicken is within the realm of what is ‘natural’ food for the ferrets.

How Do You Feed A Raw Chicken To A Ferret?

So far, we have seen that raw chicken is a food that ferrets usually enjoy greatly, and one that is both safe and nutritionally helpful to the ferrets.

This leads to another question: on how do I feed raw chicken to my ferret?

Now the way to feed raw chicken to a ferret is easy. You start by getting an appropriate size raw chicken. Then you cut it up into pieces small enough for the ferret to eat conveniently.

You may strip parts like the wings of small bones that may choke or cause obstructions in the ferret. Then present the hence prepared raw chicken to the ferret.

Which Parts Of Raw Chicken Can Ferrets Eat?

In a raw chicken, there are parts like the gizzard, the liver, the breasts, the feet and the heart. What we now seek to establish is which among those raw chicken parts are appropriate for ferrets to eat.

Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken Gizzards?

Yes, ferrets may eat raw chicken gizzards.

The raw chicken gizzards have nutrients (including protein and minerals) that a ferret’s body really needs.

But you need to beware of the fact that some individual ferrets may not show much interest in eating the raw chicken gizzards.

Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken Liver?

Yes, ferrets may eat raw chicken liver.

In the raw chicken liver, there is a high concentration of vitamins and minerals that ferrets require. But feeding a ferret on raw chicken liver too often can be problematic too.

Thus only allow your ferret to eat raw chicken liver once in a while.

Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken Hearts?

Raw chicken hearts are usually alright for ferrets to eat.

From the raw chicken hearts, ferrets can get lots of protein. That is alongside some fat, vitamins, minerals and other key nutrients for the ferrets to thrive.

Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken Feet?

People often consider giving the feet of the chicken they eat to their pet ferrets, rather than throwing them away. But can ferrets eat raw chicken legs? The answer is ‘yes’, as raw chicken legs are quite healthy for ferrets.

In fact, most people would prefer feeding ferrets on raw (rather than cooked) chicken legs. That is because the bones in cooked chicken legs can potentially splinter, hurting the ferret, while those in raw chicken feet tend to be intact.

Can I Feed My Ferret Raw Chicken Breast?

Eating raw chicken breast is alright for ferrets.

There are lots of amino acids and minerals in raw chicken breast which a ferret’s body can derive benefit from.

You only need to ensure that you don’t serve your ferret too much chicken breast. Then ensure that you cut up the chicken breast into bits small enough for a ferret to eat without struggling.

All in all though, raw chicken breast is a good food for ferrets.

Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken Bones?

The bigger chicken bones are alright for ferrets, when eaten while raw. But the smaller chicken bones, like those found in chicken wings, can be problematic for ferrets, as they are a choking/internal blockage risk.

Thus if you have to feed your ferret on raw chicken bones, ensure that those are the bigger ones. Not the smaller, hazardous ones like those found in the chicken’s wings.

The smaller ones would need to be stripped off, before feeding the ferret on raw chicken.

How Much Raw Chicken Can Ferrets Eat Safely?

Ferrets are supposed to eat food that is equivalent to between 5 and 7 percent of their body weight in a day. Therefore if, for instance, your ferret is 1 kg in weight, that translates into about 50 to 70 grams of food per day.

Now if you are feeding the ferret on raw chicken exclusively on that day, this may mean 4-8 small servings of raw chicken. Each of those would then be roughly 10 grams each.

Ultimately, in total, it would be unsafe to feed a ferret on raw chicken whose weight is above 7% of its body weight.

Also note that raw chicken can be a major component of a ferret’s diet. But you shouldn’t get to a point of feeding the ferret exclusively on such raw chicken. It also needs nutrients from other foods, mostly animal-based foods.

Final Verdict – Can Ferrets Eat Raw Chicken

Can ferrets eat raw chicken? Yes, ferrets can eat raw chicken.

Raw chicken is a good source of protein, as well as some fat, minerals, vitamins and other important ferret nutrients.

But raw chicken doesn’t have all the nutrients that a ferret needs. Therefore you shouldn’t start feeding your ferret exclusively on raw chickens, as that would soon or later translate into malnutrition.

Let the ferret eat raw chicken, alongside other nutritious foods.

In the raw chicken, ferrets can eat most parts. Those would range from the breast to the liver, heart, skin, feet and even the gizzard.

While feeding the ferret on some parts of the raw chicken though, caution is essential. For instance, when feeding the ferret on raw chicken wings, you need to remove the small bones in there.

That is because such bones are an internal blockage hazard for the ferret: hence the need to remove them.

Finally, while giving your ferret raw chicken to eat, it is important to avoid overfeeding.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet ferret a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️