Can Ferrets Eat Tomatoes? (7 Interesting Facts)

If you own pet ferrets, it can at times be tempting to feed them on tomatoes. But the question that arises then is on whether the tomatoes are alright for ferrets to eat. Read on, to find out whether eating tomatoes is alright for ferrets.

Can ferrets eat tomatoes? No, ferrets shouldn’t eat tomatoes routinely. Ferrets are obligate carnivores, whose digestive systems were designed for other types of food. The only time when feeding a ferret on very little tomato (under a vet’s prescription) would be alright is if it has scurvy: so as to give it vitamin C.

Otherwise on an ongoing basis, you should mostly be feeding the ferret on a meat-based diet.

Are Tomatoes Safe For Ferrets?

Tomatoes are not very safe for ferrets to eat. Ferrets’ digestive systems are designed mainly for meat-based diets. Plant foods such as tomatoes tend to be very hard for them to process, and can cause problems to them.

Thus while a tomato may not cause outright poisoning for a ferret, it is still not an ideal food for it. We certainly can’t term tomatoes as ‘safe’ foods for ferrets, considering some of the effects they can cause.

Are Tomatoes Beneficial To Ferrets?

Tomatoes are not very beneficial to ferrets. Ferrets are obligate carnivores, which benefit most from meat-based foods: not plant-based foods such as tomatoes.

The only circumstance under which a ferret may benefit from tomatoes is if it has scurvy. In that case, the vitamin C in tomatoes may be helpful to the ferret.

Can A Ferret Eat Tomatoes?

If a ferret is offered tomatoes, it may try to eat them. But ideally, the ferret shouldn’t be eating the tomatoes, because tomatoes are not really the sort of food for which the ferret’s digestive system was designed.

Eating tomatoes in huge quantities may leave the ferret with stomach upsets. And in the long run, it could cause digestive and other health problems for the ferret.

Thus ferrets shouldn’t be fed on tomatoes. That is unless they happen to be suffering from scurvy, in which case a vet may prescribe that they eat tomatoes for a short period of time.

Can Baby Ferrets Eat Tomatoes?

Baby ferrets shouldn’t be fed on tomatoes. Tomatoes can cause stomach upsets and other types of digestive problems in baby ferrets.

Therefore feeding a baby ferret on tomatoes is not a good idea.

Can Adult Ferrets Eat Tomatoes?

Tomatoes are not an ideal food for adult ferrets either. Therefore adult ferrets shouldn’t be routinely fed on tomatoes.

The only exceptional situation, in which feeding a ferret on tomatoes may make sense, is if the ferret is suffering from scurvy. Since scurvy is due to vitamin C deficiency, a vet may prescribe that the ferret with scurvy eats tomatoes for a while.

Only under those circumstances would it be alright to feed ferrets on tomatoes.

Which Type Of Tomatoes Can Ferrets Eat?

Tomatoes come in many varieties and forms. There are, for instance, red tomatoes and green tomatoes. The tomatoes can also be in raw or cooked form. And in the tomatoes, there is the flesh, seeds, tops and so on.

The question that comes up then is on which of these varieties, forms and parts of tomato ferrets can eat. Let’s explore that angle.

Can Ferrets Eat Green Tomatoes?

Green tomatoes are not ideal food for ferrets. Therefore you shouldn’t be feeding your ferrets on green tomatoes routinely.

But if the ferrets are diagnosed with scurvy by a vet, the vet may then prescribe that they be fed on green tomato salsa for a while. In that case only, the eating of green tomatoes for the ferrets would be alright.

Can Ferrets Eat Red Tomatoes?

Ferrets should not eat red tomatoes. Eating red tomatoes may leave ferrets with stomach upsets at best, and with severe digestive problems at worst.

Even when vets recommend that ferrets with scurvy eat tomatoes, the prescription is usually for green tomatoes, not red ones.

Can Ferrets Eat Tomatoes Raw?

No, ferrets shouldn’t eat tomatoes raw. Ferrets that are fed on raw tomatoes may develop diarrhea and other signs of stomach upset. In the long run, feeding on raw tomatoes can leave ferrets with badly damaged digestive systems.

Thus it is best to desist from giving ferrets raw tomatoes to eat.

Can Ferrets Eat Tomatoes Cooked?

Ideally, ferrets shouldn’t eat cooked tomatoes. Granted, if the ferrets are offered cooked tomatoes to eat, they may try eating them. But such tomatoes are still not a proper food for them.

Eating tomatoes – cooked or otherwise – has potential to make ferrets ill. This is why ferrets ought not to be fed on cooked tomatoes.

Can Ferrets Eat Tomato Salad?

It is best not to offer ferrets tomato salad to eat.

Eating tomato salad is the sort of blunder that can leave ferrets with quite a number of digestive problems. Ferrets’ digestive systems are ill-equipped to handle foods like tomato salad.

So it is best to desist from sharing your tomato salad with your ferrets.

Can Ferrets Eat Tomato Seeds?

Tomato seeds can cause lots of problems to ferrets if eaten by them. Therefore ferrets shouldn’t be allowed to eat tomato seeds.

Indeed, even when vets recommend a little tomato for ferrets with scurvy, they still tend to insist that the seeds be removed from the tomato before feeding ferrets on it.

Therefore ferrets shouldn’t eat tomato seeds under any circumstances.

Can Ferrets Eat Tomatoes Tops?

Tomato tops are not safe for ferrets to eat. Eating such tomato tops is the sort of thing that can potentially cause serious illness to ferrets.

Even in the few instances that people are allowed to feed ferrets on tomatoes (like if the ferrets have scurvy), the advice is usually to remove the tops first.

Thus it can’t be a good idea to allow ferrets to eat tomato tops.

Why Are Tomatoes Bad For Ferrets?

Tomatoes are bad for ferrets because they can make them ill. Eating tomatoes can leave ferrets with stomach upsets. In the long run, it can wreak havoc on the ferrets’ digestive systems.

Ferret digestive systems are ill-equipped to handle plant-based foods such as tomatoes. The tomatoes are in fact an unnatural food for ferrets. This then makes the tomatoes bad for ferrets.

How Often Can A Ferret Eat Tomatoes?

Ideally, ferrets shouldn’t be eating tomatoes at all. Therefore the question on how often a ferret can eat tomatoes really doesn’t come up.

Remember, the ferret is an obligate carnivore. Its body thrives on meats/animal-based foods. Actually, by not feeding it on vegetables and fruits like tomatoes, you won’t really be denying it anything.

And if you were wondering, can ferrets eat tomatoes daily, the answer is obviously ‘no’. Ideally, ferrets shouldn’t eat tomatoes at all – meaning that the question of them eating tomatoes daily doesn’t really arise.

The only exception is that of ferrets suffering from scurvy, and eating tomatoes under a vet’s prescription. Even then, the feeding on tomatoes should be minimal, and only for a short period of time.

How Much Tomato Can Ferrets Eat?

Ferrets ideally shouldn’t eat any tomato at all. Even a little tomato may leave ferrets with stomach upsets. Much tomato can cause serious digestive issues.

Thus if you were wondering, how much tomatoes is too much for ferrets, then the answer is that almost any amount of tomato can harm ferrets.

Ferrets shouldn’t be eating tomato: unless a vet expressly recommends feeding them on tomatoes for scurvy treatment. Even then, it is best to stick to the vet’s recommendation on how much tomato to give the ferret, and for how long.

Final Verdict – Can Ferrets Eat Tomatoes

Ferrets shouldn’t be fed on tomatoes. Eating tomatoes may cause stomach upsets in ferrets. Long term feeding on tomatoes may leave ferrets with considerable digestive system damage.

Ferrets are obligate carnivores, whose digestive systems are not well-equipped to process foods like tomatoes. Therefore it is best to avoid feeding ferrets on tomatoes, either directly or through foods cooked with tomatoes.

The only situation when feeding a ferret on tomatoes may be recommended is if it has scurvy. Once a vet discovers that a ferret has scurvy, he may recommend feeding it on a little tomato puree, for a short while.

On an ongoing basis though, it is best to avoid feeding ferrets on tomatoes.

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! ❤️