How to feed a ferret at home. What to feed a domestic ferret? Natural feed. Food in the wild

» we learned what conditions you need to create for your pet in the house. In this article, we will touch on a very important aspect of care and maintenance - the feeding of ferrets.

Do not rush to conclusions regarding the feeding of this beautiful animal. Remember that feeding ferrets is a key factor in their health and quality of life. It is deficiencies in the diet that often become the causes of various diseases that significantly reduce the life expectancy of animals.

Despite the fact that the ferret has been domesticated and is essentially a pet, it is not a cat or a dog. Many ferret owners try to feed their pets cat or dog food. This cannot be done! Look at least at the body structure of a ferret, does it look like a dog or a cat, and its behavior, because in what activity it is, any dog ​​or cat will envy such briskness and energy. But this temperament and high mobility of the ferret directly affect its metabolism and metabolism, the features of the flow of bio-chemical processes in its body. A ferret is a different animal, with its own characteristics and needs, so it also needs a different food, taking into account precisely its nutritional needs.

Look at the teeth of a ferret - these are the teeth of a predator, designed to tear off pieces of meat and crush bones. In nature, ferrets prey on rodents and birds, and may also eat some insects.

Ferret feeding can be organized in three different ways.

First way as close to natural conditions as possible. In this case, the ferret should be given whole carcasses of mice, chickens, cockroaches or mealworms. For a number of reasons, this type of feeding is not suitable for all owners, and not everyone is ready to clean up uneaten food leftovers and tidy up the ferret's meal.

Second way, this is feeding the ferret food personally prepared by you at home. A balanced diet for a domestic ferret should include various types of meat (turkey, beef, chicken, duck), offal (beef or chicken heart, liver, kidneys, stomachs), animal and vegetable fat, fish (trout, mackerel, horse mackerel, cod or flounder), cartilage, vitamin and mineral supplements and a very small amount of vegetables and cereals. Porridges can be different, this is rice, and buckwheat, and millet with oatmeal, and cottage cheese and eggs are also acceptable in the diet. In addition to cottage cheese, other dairy products, especially milk, should not be given. lactose is poorly digested and causes vomiting and diarrhea in ferrets.

Do not give fatty, smoked or fried foods, sweets, nuts, chocolate, flour, bakery and confectionery products. The ferret is not adapted to the digestion of such food, it provokes obesity, diabetes, allergic reactions, indigestion and intestinal disorders and other health problems.

Can't give fruit
Vegetables and vegetables that are high in coarse fiber, such as carrots that are too difficult to digest, can cause intestinal obstruction or choking in a ferret. The same effect and from nuts, a ferret can choke on them, or get intestinal obstruction.

Do not give ferrets products that have a sticky, sweet and viscous consistency.
Remember that ferrets need highly digestible proteins, which are found in chicken, turkey, duck, quail, sea fish, eggs, as well as beef and lamb. Plant-based protein, such as soy, is much more difficult for ferrets to digest.

Finally third way Ferret feeding is the use of prepared ferret foods. As ferrets become more and more popular, commercial pet food manufacturers have included food designed specifically for ferrets in their line of foods. The use of ready-made foods ensures that your pet receives all the necessary nutrients in the optimal amount. This feeding option is especially suitable for beginners who have recently acquired a ferret, and are not yet ready to independently compose a fully balanced diet from individual products.

The most important is to choose super-premium food from conscientious producers with a good reputation and a long production practice. Economy class feeds contain chemicals, preservatives, dyes and poor quality meat, often in the form of food residues. Do not save on the health of your pet, if you have acquired an animal, now bear responsibility for it and feed it well.

The German company Bosh produces ready-made professional super-premium pet food. The food line also includes Totally Ferret food for domestic ferrets. These feeds take into account the peculiarities of the digestive system of ferrets.

Totally Ferret food for ferrets takes into account the needs of ferrets in proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and trace elements. The right balance of nutrients in a ferret's diet is essential to its well-being and good health. In the "Food Selection" section, you will receive a recommended food option specifically for your ferret.

Bosh food is available throughout Russia, on our "Map", you will find the nearest pet store to you, where you can buy the food you need.

Eating dry food is also good for maintaining healthy teeth, hard food pellets can clean off plaque and tartar, thereby improving the condition of the ferret's tooth enamel and extending the life of the teeth.

How often to feed a ferret?

How many times per day to feed ferrets is another question that needs to be answered correctly.

Watch the ferret, how actively he moves, imagine how much energy he spends while doing this, it is not surprising that he often chews something. Of course, he is not a glutton, just the metabolism in his body passes so quickly that he needs to constantly replenish his energy costs.

Therefore, you should not feed them the same way as cats or dogs only 2-3 times a day. The ferret needs to be provided with constant free access to food throughout the day. He should be able to eat as much as he needs. It has been observed that a ferret may need 7-10 meals per day, but in small portions. The main thing is to constantly wash the water and food bowls and replenish them. Water must be constantly changed to fresh, it must be at room temperature. Water is necessary for the ferret not only to combat dehydration, but also for thermoregulation. Ferrets react very strongly to high temperatures and are prone to heat and sunstroke. Keep an eye on the presence of water in the bowl and constantly refresh it.

Feeding ferrets is a very crucial moment in the proper maintenance of these animals. Be attentive and caring, provide your pet with complete and proper nutrition!

What to feed a ferret at home?

1. Ferrets are predators (not rodents), so they feed primarily on meat, ideally poultry meat. Porridge in small quantities is also necessary for ferrets. The simplest recipe, the so-called farshekasha: meat is cut from chicken hams, turned in a meat grinder, mixed with pre-cooked porridge (preferably from several types of cereals), put into the freezer. The approximate ratio of meat and porridge (in%) is 70:30. As needed, the food is thawed and fed to the ferrets. Young (growing) hori can eat up to 300 grams or more per day. Hori eat significantly less as they age, about three to five tablespoons of minced kashi per day. As additional food, you can and should feed: chicken heads, necks 2-3 pieces per week, chicken eggs 2-3 pieces. per week (quail can be given almost every day one at a time). Hori are very fond of bird liver (liver, hearts, liver, etc.), which can be fed to them without restrictions. Ferrets need to be given vitamins, focusing in doses on cats. Hori practically do not eat fruits and vegetables, but there are originals who are very fond of bananas or cucumbers, then their favorite fruits and vegetables can be given as a treat or encouragement. Very often, the ferret prefers to eat somewhere in a secluded corner, in his cozy house or behind the sofa, under the refrigerator. The ferret often stocks up for a rainy day, this must be constantly monitored, found and raked out stocks.
2. meat, eggs, fish, vegetables.
3. A ferret's diet can be based on one of two types of feeding: dry food or natural food.
   Since the ferret is a predator that feeds mainly on rodents, these features must be taken into account when feeding naturally. The most suitable products for ferrets are poultry, offal, less often eggs and fish. When feeding natural products, the feeding regimen is 2 times a day. In principle, animals do not need plant foods, so add no more than 2% of plant substances to the diet. Fish can be given in small quantities and not too often. From varieties, choose trout, cod, mackerel or flounder. It is better to boil chicken eggs, and small bird eggs can be given raw if the body copes well with them. From dairy products, a ferret can only be treated with cottage cheese within reasonable limits, or a small piece of cheese as a treat. With natural feeding, the ferret needs vitamin supplements, especially during periods of growth, molting, and pregnancy.

   One of the diets for a ferret is minced meat. The name speaks for itself. Meat and offal of poultry, some fish, some well-cooked cereals and vegetables are turned through a meat grinder, all ingredients are cooled and mixed. Vitamins and mineral supplements can be added to the finished minced meat. However, recently the feasibility of feeding minced meat has been questioned, since these recipes are used on fur farms, where the quality of the fur is in the first place, and not the health of the animal. Increasingly, experts say that it is best to feed small rodents and chickens to ferrets, the closer to nature, the better.

Instruction

Put the ferret in the cage and put live food in the same place. First, the animal will play with it, and then eat it. After that, carefully clean the cage from the remnants of the meal.

If you can't give your ferret a living creature to eat, feed it mincemeat. Boil any porridge well. Add carefully chopped meat to it. Put the by-products there. It can be a heart, and so on. Add ground bones, a little skin to the minced meat. Those. the composition of this dish should at least approximately correspond to the whole animal.

Meat and offal is better to take lean. Avoid using pork and lamb. These foods are hard on ferrets' stomachs. Once a week, give a couple of whole heads. Of course, it's better in a cage. Heads can be replaced with chicken necks.

Get vitamins at the pet pharmacy and give them to your pet regularly. Never use food or vitamins for other animals. Give your ferrets fruits or vegetables once or twice a week, but in small amounts.

If you decide to feed your ferret dry food, first stop using other types of food. It is not recommended to give dry food, live food and minced meat at the same time. In order to easily transfer a ferret to dry food, you need to introduce them into the diet in a certain way.

On the first day, completely soften the food in milk. Add the same amount of raw chicken breast. And feed the ferret with this mixture. Decrease the amount of meat in your food every day. Then every day add less and less milk until you completely switch to dry food.

Measure the weight of food that the ferret can eat at one time. At the next feeding, give him exactly the same portion. If you give him more, he will start hiding food in various places. Ferrets should always have fresh water available. Change it twice a day.

note

Wash your ferret thoroughly before giving it food. They have a very weak digestive tract. Dirt or infection in an animal's food can kill it.

Useful advice

The behavior of a ferret does not depend on the way it is fed. Even if you give him only live food, the animal will not be aggressive.

Proper feeding of a ferret depends not only on its health, but also on its mood. When kept at home, animals must be provided with a full range of necessary food. Some categories of food should be treated with great care, despite the fact that animals like them very much.

Ferret is a carnivore

The main thing that every ferret owner should remember is that it belongs to the category of carnivores. The main place in their diet is occupied by food rich in protein and carbohydrates. Ferrets are distinguished by their ability to quickly digest food, so even bones are absorbed in the body in just a few hours.

What not to feed a ferret

Sweets, dairy products and fresh apples should be completely excluded from the diet. Such products are poorly absorbed in the stomach of the animal, and excessive feeding of harmful food can lead not only to indigestion, but also to serious diseases.

Almost every ferret eats condensed milk with pleasure. The animal experiences a real delight from this delicacy. You just can't offer him such a product. Condensed milk combines sugar and milk, which are contraindicated for ferrets.

Ferrets are very picky about new foods in their diet. It is better to mix the new food with the usual food in small portions.

Plant food

In the wild, ferrets practically do not consume plant foods. These animals are predators and feed exclusively on animal food. Under conditions, you can offer your pet raisins, peas, potatoes or carrots.

Water in the ferret's diet

Ferrets consume a fairly large amount of fluid per day. Water must be freely available at all times. The drinker should be updated periodically, but you should not pour too cold water.

The diet of a healthy ferret should consist of food of animal origin - poultry, beef, turkey, horse meat and sea fish. You can cook minced meat based on these products by adding various cereals to it. Water should always be present "on the table" of the ferret.

The diet of a healthy ferret contained in should be as close as possible to the diet of a wild animal living in. As you know, the ferret is a predator of rats, mice, moles and rabbits. Sometimes it catches frogs, fish and birds.

Features of the digestive system

Ferrets have a small stomach, a short digestive tract, a poorly developed large intestine and a caecum - a rudiment. Food in the stomach of the animal is digested only 5-7 hours after receipt, besides, in the saliva of ferrets there is no amylase enzyme, which is involved in the process of breaking down starch and sugar. For this reason, a healthy ferret's diet should consist of well-digested foods that provide the animal with the maximum amount of nutrients.

How and what to feed

The most physiologically suitable foods are live mice, rats and chickens. It is possible to euthanize these animals, which immediately afterwards were immediately frozen. If there is no possibility and desire for a pet with such food, it is replaced with offal - liver, heart, chicken heads, chicken, beef, turkey, horse meat and sea fish without - trout, cod, mackerel and flounder.

On the basis of offal, the so-called farshekasha is also prepared. For this, meat or fish broth is boiled and a mixture of different cereals is added there - rice, oatmeal, millet, buckwheat and the like. Poultry, beef or fish meat is added depending on the base of the broth.

Do not forget to add a vitamin and mineral supplement to the minced meat: today in specialized stores you can find vitamins designed specifically for ferrets. A healthy ferret's diet should be high in fat and protein and not fiber. Fiber interferes with nutrient absorption, so fruits and vegetables should not be in the animal's diet. Chicken egg protein should not be given, an allergy may appear, but you can occasionally indulge in the yolk. Small bird eggs can be given raw.

From dairy products, it is allowed to treat the animal with a small amount of cottage cheese and a small piece of cheese. You can not give the ferret sweet, milk and lactic acid products, smoked meats, sausages, pork, chocolate, apples, carrots, nuts, plums, raisins, bananas, oatmeal and bran. As for water, the ferret drinks it a lot and often, so a bowl of fresh, clean, preferably filtered or spring water should always stand near his feeder.

Housing for a ferret

As a home for a domestic ferret, a cage is suitable, the minimum length of which is 80 cm, width - 50 cm, height - 30 cm. Do not cover it with sawdust or hay. It is better to put a pillow or a soft cloth folded in several layers. You can use several separate rags, then the ferret will be able to arrange a mink for himself. A good option would be a special cage, which will become a secluded place for a pet. A mobile animal needs to be released for several hours from the cage, after removing everything small, shiny, rubber, as well as flowers and wires from the room.

Since the ferret is a very active and playful animal, its feeder should be heavy and massive. Otherwise, the animal can often turn it over or simply gnaw it. The situation is similar with drinkers. According to the recommendations of many breeders, for keeping ferrets, it is better to purchase automatic drinkers for rabbits or large guinea pigs. In this case, even if the ferret plays with the drinker, the water will not spill and remain clean. Make sure that the animal is always provided with water.

It will not be difficult for a domestic ferret to become accustomed to the tray. But it must be special, with high walls (up to 30 cm). Otherwise, the animal will look for a nook in your apartment. As a filler, you can use any material, except for sawdust. It should be changed at least once every two days, and the tray should be washed every day. This need is due to the fairly rapid metabolism and cleanliness of the animal.

ferret feeding

Since ferrets are carnivores by nature, their diet should contain the maximum amount of animal proteins and fats. The most convenient option is to use special balanced mixtures for feeding ferrets. When buying, you should ask the breeder what kind of mixtures the animal is used to. If the ferret is reluctant to eat dry food, you can add some water to the feeder.

In addition, the ferret can be given boiled eggs with partially peeled shells, cottage cheese. Some ferrets will not refuse pieces of salmon, trout, cod. Before you give the animal meat, it should be cut, boiled and cooled. A domestic predator will gladly eat live prey: a mouse, a grasshopper, a worm. They are included in the habitual diet of a wild ferret. Products from the table are contraindicated for the animal.

Sources:

• Ferret care

Ferrets have long been loved by many as a pet. And this is not surprising, because how not to fall in love with such a cunning and funny creature. In order for the animal to be healthy and have the strength for all its pranks, it is worth taking care of its nutrition.

The ferret is a predator and the main part of the pet's diet should be proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Also, with proper feeding, ferrets cannot do without vitamins.

In the wild, ferrets eat various small rodents, young rabbits, birds, and reptiles. You can also feed your ferret at home with less sophisticated food. The main thing is to decide whether it will be dry food or natural food.

Feeding a ferret with natural products

If you opted for natural feeding, then first of all choose meat for your predator, it can be turkey, chicken, beef, duck, rabbit, goose. Occasionally, you can give pork, but not its fatty parts. All because the ferret breaks down fat very slowly. You should not give only one type of meat all the time, it is better to diversify the ferret's food. In one type of meat there are no those useful substances that the ferret needs for active life. Quail or chicken eggs are needed in the nutrition of a ferret as a source of additional protein. Boiled egg white in ferrets is absorbed much better than raw, so they must be boiled. The yolk can also be given raw.

Dairy products should also be present in the diet of the animal, such as cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt. These foods are rich in the beneficial minerals calcium and phosphorus. Of the dairy, ferrets cannot only milk. From him, ferrets develop diarrhea, this happens from lactose intolerance.

Ferrets should include vitamins and minerals in their diet. They are especially needed for small puppies who are growing up. Be sure ferrets should receive phosphorus and calcium in a 1: 1 ratio, as well as vitamin D. With a lack or excess of vitamin D, ferrets can get sick with calcification. For questions about adding vitamins and minerals to the diet, consult a veterinarian so as not to harm your pet.

Small ferrets need to be fed more often than 2-3 per day. Food should beat in their feeder constantly.

Using dry food for ferrets

Dry food can be a good alternative and substitute for natural ferret food. They contain all the useful substances and minerals necessary for the normal life of the animal. But not all foods are suitable for ferrets, there are only two groups of foods that you can feed your pet with: special for ferrets and for small kittens. These feeds should be only premium, otherwise the animal will have a risk of developing various diseases. Premium food contains more vitamins and minerals in its composition and is better suited for the ferret.

For a ferret to be healthy, you need to provide him with good nutrition. Today it is possible to purchase ready-made meals that are already balanced. But it also needs to be chosen wisely, because each ferret is individual. Consider how to choose the right ready-made food, or how minced meat for ferrets should be prepared so that the fluffy pet is healthy and active.

Before deciding how to feed a ferret at home, you need to understand how the body of these miniature creatures works. And immediately it is worth remembering that initially the ferret is not a pet. This resident of the wild is a predator. Accordingly, he cannot eat greens, vegetables and root crops. They, of course, can be included in the diet, but in minimal quantities, and not as staples. The basis of the diet should be meat, which he eats in nature, and products of animal origin.

Do not give your pet fatty pork. Preference should be given to tender chicken or turkey meat. You can include beef in the diet, but it is advisable to choose lean meat. Too often pamper your pet with beef tenderloin or lamb, which the ferret also eats, is not worth it. And since the animal originally lived in nature, it needs to be given raw meat. In this form, the body of the animal absorbs it better. At the same time, we must not forget to periodically give the pet preparations for worms, which can enter the body of the ferret with meat.

Also supplement the diet with any offal. But, since their nutritional value is lower than that of meat, the portion should be slightly increased. Occasionally, you need to pamper your ferret with fish. Also include in the diet cereals and foods that will saturate the ferret's body with vitamins.

And the last nuance that you should pay attention to is the frequency of feeding. The ferret is an active pet. He needs to be fed as often as possible. At the same time, you should not pour him a huge bowl of food, which will last until the evening. All servings must be dosed.

Under natural conditions, the ferret poses a threat to someone who is able to catch. And these are small rodents and snakes, frogs and hares, wild birds. It is also advisable to give small hunters game at home, which can be purchased at pet stores.

Ready feed

Dry food is not the best food option, just like store-bought canned food. It is good if you need to leave your pet alone for a long period of time or take it with you on a trip. If it is possible to cook food yourself, you should not feed the ferret with ready-made dry mixes.

Currently, there are many options for ready-made food for ferrets. Many brands are involved in the production of dry food and canned food, so first of all you need to figure out which brand you can trust and which you should not. Judge the quality of a product by the reviews left by people who have already tested it over a long period of time.

Within each brand, ferret food is divided into classes. It depends on his pricing policy. The most expensive ferret food is premium food. You should stop at it, because choosing the best one, the owner saves on the treatment of the pet.

Before feeding a ferret with canned food at home, you should study their composition. You should pay attention not to a beautiful photo on the package, but to the percentage of proteins and fats. Both the first and second should be at least 30%. As for fiber, 3-4% is enough. And, of course, the food should be fortified and designed specifically for ferrets. Cat food should not be used as a substitute for ferret food.

The portion weight is regulated by the weight of the animal, its age and other individual parameters (pregnancy, for example). On the food packaging there are recommendations from the manufacturer regarding the weight of one serving, which must be followed.

After the first meals, you need to monitor the behavior of the pet. Sometimes the food of one brand or another simply does not suit him.

natural nutrition

An alternative to dry food is natural food. Its main principles have been discussed above. We will take a closer look at the list of products necessary for a small animal and recipes for making minced meat.

In small quantities we give the pet:

• fish (trout, flounder, cod, mackerel);
• eggs (chicken - boiled, quail - raw);
• cottage cheese and high quality cheese (very rarely as a reward).

Be sure to add vitamin supplements to your diet. Before purchasing vitamin complexes, you need to consult a veterinarian. The doctor will tell you which option is best for your pet. There is no need to constantly give vitamin complexes to a fluffy animal. They are added to the diet during molting or pregnancy, active growth.

Cooking mincemeat

In fact, there are a huge number of farshekashi recipes. We'll take a look at a few breeder-recommended ferrets.

Recipe #1

To prepare a monthly portion for 4 ferrets, you need to take:

• 160 g of herculean groats or flour, 90 g of buckwheat groats or flour, 140 g of wheat groats or flour, 140 g of rice groats or flour;
• 850 g of rabbit and 800 g of beef meat, 570 g of chicken hearts and 670 g of beef heart, 690 g of chicken ventricles, 500 g of beef liver, 1 kg of egg, 1.5 chicken legs and 2 kg of breast, 4.5 kg of chicken necks;
• 1 liter of water;
• 1 kg low-fat cottage cheese;
• 240 g chicken skin, 110 g chicken fat.

We pre-wash all meat products under running water and remove the films. Remove bones from chicken and rabbit. We twist everything in a meat grinder. Add cottage cheese to pre-boiled porridge and mix everything until a homogeneous mass is obtained. It remains to mix the minced meat with porridge. Farshekasha is ready. You can store it in the freezer, pre-packed into portions. One ferret per day needs to eat about 150 g of porridge, and a male - 250 g.

To make minced kasha more useful, add bone meal, natural yeast, fish oil, milk powder, grated vegetables and olive oil to it. All of these supplements are given in small amounts.

Recipe number 2

Consider a simpler porridge recipe. For cooking, we take a kilogram chicken, 100 g of chicken hearts, heads, liver and stomach, 600 g of any porridge. Similarly to the previous recipe, we pass all meat products through a meat grinder, pre-boil the porridge and mix with meat.

Before feeding the ferret, add ½ tablet of natural yeast and 1 tbsp. l. low fat cottage cheese.

Recipe number 3

To prepare porridge, we prepare minced meat from 2 kg of chicken necks and 1 kg of chicken stomachs. Add 1.2 kg of pre-boiled oatmeal or buckwheat porridge to the minced meat.

All cereals prepared according to the above recipes are eaten with pleasure by the ferret.

Farshekash cooking rules

First of all, you should pay attention to the quality of the products used in the preparation of food for the ferret. Buy only fresh produce. Don't cook too much food. You need to calculate the number of products based on how many pets you have and how much porridge they need for each day.

It is extremely rare to add fish and seafood to cereals. Ferrets aged 3-4 weeks should not receive fish as it may cause stunting. In addition, there are much more worms in fish than in meat. And in the wild, ferrets do not catch fish. If you still decide to pamper your pet with fish, then you should remember that this food can cause poisoning, so you need to carefully select varieties. It is much safer to limit yourself to fish oil, which can be bought at any pharmacy.

Ferret food taboo

You have to be very careful about what your ferrets eat. Some foods should not be given, even in small amounts, as they can cause serious health problems. If ferrets eat homemade food, then any vegetables and fruits, as well as sweets, are excluded from the diet. Nuts are another product that is banned.

Never feed pets from the common table and do not give them too much flour. When feeding a ferret with ready-made canned food and dry mixes, keep an eye on their expiration date and condition. If there is mold or any other sign that the feed is of poor quality, immediately dispose of it in a trash bin.

Drinking regime

It is necessary to monitor not only what the ferret eats, but also how he drinks. And the pet should be fed with clean drinking water, which is poured into special drinkers. Throughout the day in the drinker should be water at room temperature. Dehydration can lead to the death of a pet. Experts recommend changing the water in the drinker daily.

Specific moments

In order for the body of a ferret to develop and function normally, it should be fed 2 times a day. At the same time, with proper nutrition, you can achieve the absence of an unpleasant odor coming from the animal’s mouth, plaque and calculus. Experts recommend not giving your pet food once a week. If at the same time it looks bad, then the ferret is allowed to be fed in the evening, but in the morning the bowl should be left empty. Mice, which are not only cat food, but also a delicacy for ferrets, are given in the evening. Do this on days when the pet does not eat anything in the morning.

So that the ferret does not stink from the mouth, you should not constantly feed it with minced meat. At least once every 2 days, the pet is given turkey offal or rabbit meat, chicken heads.

Conclusion

In order for the pet not to get sick, it must be properly cared for. First of all, it concerns nutrition. The pet may not agree that the food you offer is the best option for him. But, you can not over-indulge the ferret with delicacies that she eats with pleasure, or be limited to dry food alone. It is better to let the pet eat the food that does not harm health, even if it does not suit his taste.

Also, do not forget that caring for a ferret involves not only ensuring proper nutrition, but also observing the drinking regimen. It is especially necessary to monitor the diet of a pet in the first months of his life.