What do you think? should I get a ferret?

Question

I hear that they bite, but do all of them bite?
Are they easy to look after?
I have 3 cats, will the cats go for a ferret?
I have always wanted a ferret but don't know anything about them, please help....

Answer 1

Ugh, such bad information given already. It makes me ill.

First, any ferret you get from a petstore or rescue is already going to be descented and spayed and neutered. No ferret farm is going to sell an intact ferret. For one, if female ferrets arnt bred by the time they go into their first heat cycle, they will stay in that cycle and die from anemia. Intact male ferrets with all the raging hormones can be downright vicious. Ferrets are from the mustelid family. They are weasels, not rodents or rats. Since they are obligate carnivores, they need atleast 36 percent protein and no sugars or carbs. Good ferret foods i find are 8in1 ultimate and complete diets, totally ferret, and mazuri brand. Whoever said to defang them, needs a swift kick to the head. That is the most cruelest thing ever suggested. Ferrets can be trained not to bite, but most of their biting is play biting like a puppy or kitten. And whoever said to bathe a ferret every day, needs to keep their mouth shut until they actually do research. Bathing daily will lead to dry skin and a smell like 10 times as stroung because the oils are stripped so they come back wicked strong. Ferrets need to be bathed once a month, no more, no less. And ferrets do not smell if the cage is cleaned once a week and the litterbox cleaned daily. Ferrets are high maitenance pets, and because of the inbreeding most ferret farms do **cough** marshalls farm **cough**, ferrets get sick easily, like adrenal disease and cancers wich can be expensive to treat. The need regular nail trimmings and some states like new york require them to be vaccinated for rabies and they should be vaccinated for distemper also. As for your original question. Every animal is different, my friends cats got along fine with the ferret, they played together and noone got injured altho ferrets play rough. The trick is, is be patient and have slow interductions and always supervise.

Answer 2

First off, go to your library and check out some books about ferrets--then go to a website for a ferret rescue group. They will give you honest information about whether a ferret is right for you.

With the information you've given me, I would say DON'T get a ferret--cats and ferrets are a very touchy thing, and if they don't get along, either the cat or the ferret could get seriously hurt.

Also, here's the big thing about ferrets--they get into EVERYTHING! Think of them as little two-year-old children--they're extremely curious, very smart, and they can open cupboard doors and squeeze into very small spaces and holes in the wall. In addition, even if the ferret is de-scented, they still have a very strong musk and they are very, very difficult to housetrain. They also live a long time and need a lot more vet care than other pets like rats or guinea pigs.

I have three rescued cats myself, and I adore them. As much as I love little ferrets, I would never get one with my cats, b/c ferrets take so much work that it wouldn't be fair to the ferret. And rescues are filled with ferrets that people get and then give up once they realize how much work they are.

So take an honest look at your situation and read some decent literature and websites (not just the generic "How to care for a ferret" ones), and then decide if they're something that you can commit to. Otherwise, just find out if they have a ferret organization or rescue in your area, and enjoy someone else's ferrets. (:

Answer 3

I have 4 ferrets and I think they are great pets. You can litter box train them and if you try you can teach them tricks too. I do not have the time for that but they are really smart. I have one ferret that bite but that's just her personality and that's only when she plays. They have a musky odor but once you live with it you can't tell. Seriously...my family can tell but I can't. I try to keep it not as smelly by cleaning them and the cage about once a month. but the more frequently you bathe your ferrets the worse the smell gets or so I've heard. They are really very entertaining. You can leave them in their cage for a while but you should let them out for an hour or so once a day...it should be more than that but that is what I have been doing for the past 3 years. ^-^
I'm sure if you like kittens or cute little critters, you'll love ferrets.

Answer 4

Ferrets playfully nip, but they do not bite, My two year old plays with our ferrets and has yet to be bitten. they do not stink, unless you absolutely never bathe them, however you should think before you get a ferret. Any time you are introducing a new breed of pet into your house you need to be sure that the current pets will be okay with it. Ferrets and cats don't always get along and if this is the case with your cats you would likely have to confine the ferret to a cage, which is just WRONG.

Answer 5

The personality of a ferret, is often considered "A kitten that never grows up".
As for biting, they normally don't, unless it's playful. The cats may or may not like the ferret, but what you must take into consideration is the cost of the ferret and cage. Plus accessories and veterinary care (they have vaccinations, like dogs & cats). Plus, unless you plan to get the scent gland removed, you must take into consideration the natural scent.
They require a lot of attention, so you must have time to devote to this ferret.
Other than that.....here is a link to a ferret caresheet:

Answer 6

Not all ferrets bite. And the ones who do can be trained not to.

You have to bathe them every day or they will stink up your whole house. (Even if they're been "descented") You will also have to clean their cage often. Ferrets are not a low-maintenence pet.

As far as cats go, a friend of mine has both a cat and a ferret and they are best friends. They wrestle each other and everything.

Answer 7

well actually different from everybody else's answer.

For the stench - get them descented they dont still stink i had a ferret.
For the bite - they only bite if they fell insecure other than that they dont bite. they may nibble but not bite.
and u dont have to clean there cage often get a litter box. my ferret used the bathroom in a litter box. just clean the litter box like u clean the cat litter. i suggest u get a 2-story cage. hanging hammock bed on top. litter box on bottom in corner.

You dont have to bathe them everyday. i have first hand experience. its better to listen to someone with first hand experience cuz i tried lookin on the internet and it was wrong. it told me ferrets stink. u have 2 bathe dem 24/7. u have to clean their cage all the time. then i found out from another ferret owner just get a litter box. they do have special ferret shampoo also. u do need seatter to go at the bottom of the cage. but get cat litter. then u could use the kitty litter u have 4 the cats instead of buying seatter alll the time. 1 bag of seatter and kitty litter. and cats and ferrets get along. just introduce them slowly. i had ferret, dog, and cat.

Answer 8

Ferrets are wonderful animals, but they are alot of work. Ferrets will get into EVERYTHING that you own, and they chew and hide things. They sleep alot during the day, but they must be exercized every day. They can be litter trained, but from my experience, you have to stay vigilant with them on their potty training, they are like kids in that yo have to monitor them all of the itme. Plus, even though they come descented, they are still a little musty smelling. Be prepared for alot of work, but they sure are fun! Some ferrets do bite, and some do not, it is up to the ferret.

Answer 9

If you get a ferret, you're going to want to get three things done. Spay/neuter them. Have their musk glands removed. Have them defanged.

The ferret needs a lot of space. They'll chew through anything and love to dig. They're also collectors. It wasn't until we moved that we found many, many things that we thought were gone forever that the ferret had just hid away inside a hole she dug in the back of the couch.

They are not easy to look after. There is much in your home that can hurt and kill them.

Answer 10

THANK YOU LADY CROTALUS.............
She said it all and then some, so if you want to take anyones advice, take hers, she knows what she's talking about.
BTW, Marshall Farms ferrets have two BLUE dots tattooed on one of their ears, one dot for spay/neuter and one for descented. However Marshall Farms is bad news. I just found out that most of the stores in my area do not deal in Marshall Farms ferrets anymore because they were having so many health problems. I better quit before I get on my soap box, I just had to let this off my chest.
PS: To educate yourself about ferrets I recommend reading "Ferrets for Dummies", it's really not for dummies, but a good book full of great info.