i want to get a ferret but i dont know much about them and i dont know any websites i can go to to find out stuff about ferrets.
2006-06-28 10:30:42 · 16 answers · asked by linzchinagirl101 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
There are plenty of websites that you can check out. Also, go to your local pet store and look for the Ferret Annual, a magazine that comes out once yearly geared toward first time ferret owners.
I have 3, and I absolutely love them. But they are not for everyone. They live longer than the average caged pet, and they are fairly high maintenance. They are also fairly social, so you should have more than 1 at a time.
There are also some fairly costly medical conditions that they can get, so before you invest in having ferrets, you need to be prepared to deal with these as well.
You may want to contact your state's ferret rescue organization. I think most states have them. They can probably point you in the right direction, or may even have info to send you.
Whatever you do, please do a lot of research, because they are not the type of creatures that do well if they are just left alone. You may save yourself a lot of headache and heartache if you check them out first.
2006-06-28 10:55:29 · answer #1 · answered by clovicat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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. 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 strong 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. 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.
2006-06-28 23:42:02 · answer #2 · answered by lady_crotalus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are very high maintenance...I had two males. One got sick and it cost me hundreds of dollars to take it to the vet. They are a very expensive animal to have. And yes, the males are super stinky. Yes, they are loving and cute and funny, but you are looking some super commitment here....much more than a cat or a dog. They need to have room to run in out of their cage every day. And that room has to be ferret proofed. They are like small two year olds. They will steal and hide anything they can get their teeth on. I mean, they really are darling, but I don't know that I'd rush out to buy one again....enjoy their company at the pet store!!! Anyway, if you're serious, check out this website. Or get a rat...they are not as expensive, they are healthier, they're not a big commitment, and they are pretty clean animals.....and they can be just as fun as a ferret. I have eleven of them!!!!!
2006-06-28 19:03:36 · answer #3 · answered by terrapinqueen76 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are very high maintenance. Expensive. Fun. I had three. I miss them, but don't plan on owning any more for a while because of the cost. (vet bills, especially) They are not good with small children. There are exceptions to this, but I don't recommend it. Diet is important. Ferret food, not meow mix. You can find a lot of ferret sites, just from surfing around.
2006-06-28 17:35:08 · answer #4 · answered by dhalia_1977 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i had one for 12 years and it pass away about two months ago.. they do SMELL if you dont bath them everyday and clean the litter box. they love to drag around socks that you have been wearing all day, why they do this im not sure, i found out also that my ferret would get the poopys if i feed it FERRET food, i feed mine iams kitten chow it was in a purple bag. i left mine run the house with littler boxes in each room, they love to sleep in drawers of dressers too. and the best of they will kill mice and rats but i never seen mine ferret eat one.also they do kill hamsters and gerbils.. i experieneted with a friend to talked me into getting a ferret. overall they are pretty good pets as long as you care for it... a dog or cat is a little easier but a dog and cat just lay on the couch all day where as a ferret will put a show on if your watching him or her. if you have a pet store called petco around where you live they should have lots of info about them. good luck
2006-06-28 18:31:59 · answer #5 · answered by littlechicky_82 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They pee in corners and dig the carpet up there as well. If they don't have a little sac removed while they are young they stink to high heaven...muskier than a male cat that hasn't been fixed. They aren't great for affection like a cat or dog. Their little lives can be fragile.In some states owning them is illegal.
2006-06-28 17:40:56 · answer #6 · answered by gone 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never had a ferret but I do know of a great web site all about them...
http://www.all-about-ferrets.com/
2006-06-28 17:42:20 · answer #7 · answered by Cindy E 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Frequent baths, change the potty often... make sure the are descented and fixed (think they have to be to be sold). Buy them lots of linatone! They are high maintenance but very worth it :-)
2006-07-04 18:15:54 · answer #8 · answered by emmadropit 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I used to have one. They bite sometimes and love to steal stuff. Cute, but I would go with a dog or something...
2006-06-28 17:33:36 · answer #9 · answered by Kingc99 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are animals belong to the weasel family.
2006-06-28 21:34:15 · answer #10 · answered by Raphael A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋