This experiment aimed at studying the effects of dietary protein level and restricted feeding on performance, digestion and metabolism, and serum biochemical indices of minks during pelting period. Forty 150-day-old healthy American shorthair black male minks were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 replicates per group and 1 mink per replicate. The minks in groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were fed experimental diets with the protein levels of 22%, 32% and 42%, respectively. Group Ⅳ was restricted group, and the minks in this group were fed the experimental diet with 32% protein level, and with 50% feed intake of group Ⅱ. The pretest period lasted for 7 days and the test period lasted for 53 days. The results showed as follows: dietary protein level did not significantly affect the 165-day-old body weight, body length, fresh skin length, fresh skin weight, aciculum length and villus length (P>0.05), and the highest values of above indices were all found in group Ⅱ. The 180 and 195-day-old body weights in group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those in group Ⅲ (P<0.05), and aciculum fineness and villus fineness in group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ (P<0.05). Dietary protein level had no significant effect on dry matter intake (P>0.05). The dry matter output in group Ⅱ was significantly lower than that in group Ⅰ (P<0.05), and the digestibility of dry matter, ether extract and carbohydrate in group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ (P<0.01), but no significant difference in those indices between groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ was found (P>0.05). The nitrogen retention, net protein utilization and biological value of protein in group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ (P<0.05 or P<0.01). No significant difference in the contents of serum albumin and globulin among groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ was found (P>0.05), but the serum total protein content in group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅲ (P<0.05). The serum aspartate aminotransferase activity in group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ (P<0.01), but the serum alkaline phosphatase activity in group Ⅱ was significantly lower than that in group Ⅰ (P<0.05). Compared with group Ⅱ, the aciculum fineness, villus fineness, dry matter intake, dry matter output, dry matter digestibility, crude protein digestibility, ether extract digestibility, carbohydrate digestibility, nitrogen intake, nitrogen retention, net protein utilization, biological value of protein and serum aspartate aminotransferase activity in group Ⅳ were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the serum alanine aminotransferase activity was significantly increased (P<0.05). In conclusion, the suitable dietary protein level is 32% of minks during pelting period. 50% of restricted feeding has no significant effects on the body length, fresh skin length, fresh skin weight, aciculum length and villus length, but has significant effects on the aciculum fineness, villus fineness, and digestibility of crude protein, ether extract and carbohydrate of minks during pelting period. Restricted feeding to some extent will not greatly affect performance and nutrient digestibility, which will require further study.