A Brief Overview of Ferret Care
The decision to bring a ferret home as a pet requires a number of considerations as ferret care is a complex but rewarding job.
Ferrets are a member of the Mustelidae family, in particular mustela putorious furo.
They share a number of similarities with minks, weasels and badgers and are not related to mice or rats.
Ferrets have been domesticated for more than two millennia.
Although for many years they "worked" as hunting animals, it is illegal to use them for hunting in the United States.
The domesticated ferret you will bring home should never be turned loose in the outdoors as he would not survive for very long.
There are a number of states and municipalities where ferrets are illegal.
Check carefully the local ordinances regarding ferrets before promising your family you are going to purchase one.
Ferrets live on average around 6-8 years.
In addition to considering your living situation today, you need to forecast where you will be 7 years from now.
Ferrets are not exclusively cage animals.
They require a large amount of personal attention and should be allowed at least two hours per day of play time outside of their cage.
When roaming around in the house they must be supervised in order to prevent harm to both house and ferret.
You must ferret-proof the area in which your new friend is allowed to roam.
Small openings (2"x2") are an invitation for your ferret to investigate.
Check out the room thoroughly and block all such openings (lest your new friend manages to hurt himself of a refrigerator fan).
Ferrets, like small children, like to test things by putting them in their mouths.
Beware: a ferret can experience major health issues if he swallows the wrong thing.
Ferrets need to visit the veterinarian several times at the beginning and yearly after that to maintain their health.
Factor the cost of these veterinary visits into your budget.
Ferrets are not good pets with very young children in the household.
They are used to playing roughly with their companions and have very tough skin.
When playing with a young child they may nip them, causing intense pain.
The child may over-react and harm the ferret by hitting or throwing him.
Dogs and cats can live peacefully with your ferret if you are careful in how the pets are introduced to one another.
Ferrets have special dietary needs.
Fats and proteins need to be prominent in their diet (approximately 35% protein and 20% fat) to substitute for their eating habits in the wild where they eat small rodents.
Meat-rich foods such as chicken, turkey, beef or lamb work fine.
High quality cat food can be used but specific ferret food is preferred.
You can leave food in his bowl as he will only eat what he needs and should not be tempted to overeat.
The home for your ferret will be a cage designed to be safe for him and will contain a number of pieces of equipment: - a weighted food dish - a weighted water dish or water bottle (the dish is usually preferred by your ferret) - a litter box for the cage (and one for outside the cage) - bedding, such as a sleep sack or hammock (or both) Note: The litter box should be positioned away from both the sleeping and eating areas.
Other things you may want to purchase before bringing your new friend home: - ferret shampoo - a collar and bell - a harness and leash - food - litter for the litter box - pet claw clippers - safe toys - the name, address and phone number of a veterinarian who knows ferrets well These are just a few of the things to consider before deciding on a ferret as a pet.
Ferret care is not just a concept, it is a lifestyle for those adopted by a ferret as owner.
Ferrets are a member of the Mustelidae family, in particular mustela putorious furo.
They share a number of similarities with minks, weasels and badgers and are not related to mice or rats.
Ferrets have been domesticated for more than two millennia.
Although for many years they "worked" as hunting animals, it is illegal to use them for hunting in the United States.
The domesticated ferret you will bring home should never be turned loose in the outdoors as he would not survive for very long.
There are a number of states and municipalities where ferrets are illegal.
Check carefully the local ordinances regarding ferrets before promising your family you are going to purchase one.
Ferrets live on average around 6-8 years.
In addition to considering your living situation today, you need to forecast where you will be 7 years from now.
Ferrets are not exclusively cage animals.
They require a large amount of personal attention and should be allowed at least two hours per day of play time outside of their cage.
When roaming around in the house they must be supervised in order to prevent harm to both house and ferret.
You must ferret-proof the area in which your new friend is allowed to roam.
Small openings (2"x2") are an invitation for your ferret to investigate.
Check out the room thoroughly and block all such openings (lest your new friend manages to hurt himself of a refrigerator fan).
Ferrets, like small children, like to test things by putting them in their mouths.
Beware: a ferret can experience major health issues if he swallows the wrong thing.
Ferrets need to visit the veterinarian several times at the beginning and yearly after that to maintain their health.
Factor the cost of these veterinary visits into your budget.
Ferrets are not good pets with very young children in the household.
They are used to playing roughly with their companions and have very tough skin.
When playing with a young child they may nip them, causing intense pain.
The child may over-react and harm the ferret by hitting or throwing him.
Dogs and cats can live peacefully with your ferret if you are careful in how the pets are introduced to one another.
Ferrets have special dietary needs.
Fats and proteins need to be prominent in their diet (approximately 35% protein and 20% fat) to substitute for their eating habits in the wild where they eat small rodents.
Meat-rich foods such as chicken, turkey, beef or lamb work fine.
High quality cat food can be used but specific ferret food is preferred.
You can leave food in his bowl as he will only eat what he needs and should not be tempted to overeat.
The home for your ferret will be a cage designed to be safe for him and will contain a number of pieces of equipment: - a weighted food dish - a weighted water dish or water bottle (the dish is usually preferred by your ferret) - a litter box for the cage (and one for outside the cage) - bedding, such as a sleep sack or hammock (or both) Note: The litter box should be positioned away from both the sleeping and eating areas.
Other things you may want to purchase before bringing your new friend home: - ferret shampoo - a collar and bell - a harness and leash - food - litter for the litter box - pet claw clippers - safe toys - the name, address and phone number of a veterinarian who knows ferrets well These are just a few of the things to consider before deciding on a ferret as a pet.
Ferret care is not just a concept, it is a lifestyle for those adopted by a ferret as owner.
