Ferret care and Advice?

Question

What type or kind of litter do they use? Cat litter? And foods they eat? Not just store bought foods? Any ferret care advice is good! And do you know why people often get rid of them? It seems that way to me? thanks alot!

Answer 1

Do not use cat litter! It is too dusty for their delicate resperatory system and the clumping kind is dangerous. Wood shavings are just as dangerous. Use old t-shirts and blankets for bedding, along with hammocks. And the cheapest and best litter to use is woodstove pellets. If you can't find them in your area use Feline Pine, It's more expensive but basically the same thing.
NO fruits or veggies! Marshall ferret food is TERRIBLE. Totally Ferret isn't much better. Here is an excellent food chart: http://everythingfert.proboards36.com/index.cgi?board=kristen&action=display&thread=1109195167 . Simply choose a few foods that rate a "1" or a "2" and you'll be all set. Feed only meat based treats. The most important "treat" you can feed them is duck soup: http://www.ferretfacts.com/k1dusoreimof.html . It's very important that you make it and get them to like it.
People get rid of them because they find out what high maintenence and expensive animals they are. They are not hamsters that you keep in a cage all day. They are more comparible to a hyper active puppy that never grows up. Plus a lot of people don't know how to keep thier smell down or they are just too plain lazy to do it.
A book you should definately read is called "Ferrets fod Dummies" by Kim Schilling. It's an invaluable resource and very up to date.
Also, I'd like to invite you to the Everything Ferret forums: http://www.everythingfert.proboards36.com/ . It's a wonderful community of ferret lovers.
Finally, if you really are serious about getting a ferret and have any more questions please feel free to e-mail me.

Answer 2

Em's got a lot of it covered, except that I wouldn't use any type of wood based litter. Pine and cedar for instance are considered aromatic woods and can cause respiratory problems. THe only wood based litter that is safe for any small animal is made from Aspen. I use either Yesterdays News or Marshall's. Both are made from recycled news paper. I'll post a list of ferret foods and kitten foods as well, as some people use kitten(NOT CAT, it lacks Taurine which they need for eye and heart health)food or a mix of ferret AND kitten food:
http://www.mdferretpaws.org/care/food_treats.html
This way you can see what you think you want to feed, what's affordable and what's available in your area.
Foods that have their primary protein source coming from fish make your ferrets waste smell aweful.
People get rid of them for all kinds of reasons.
Some didn't do their homework and had no idea what they were getting into. Others end up with a biter and do not know how to retrain a ferret or do not want to spend the time. A lot of times it's the owners situation that changed too, there's divorces or new marriages with a partner who doesn't like ferrets. People have babies and are afraid that the ferret may bite or some people end up being allergic. A few people I ran into had to move because of work or got a new job and suddenly didn't have the time anymore. Life happens.
Some of these reasons cannot be helped, some could, some are sad. I do think though, that rather than condemning a ferret to a life time in a cage with half hearted care attempts by an owner who is overwhelmed or just doesn't care anymore, giving it up to a new forever home can be a blessing. Adoption is a beautiful thing.

Answer 3

Just use regular clay unscented litter. Don't use scoopable as it can cause intestinal blockages. Feed a high protein food made just for ferrets. Totally Ferret is a premium food...one of the bests. Only feed treats made for ferrets. They cannot digest fiber, so fruits and vegies usually pass through undigested and cause diarrhea. I love www.ferretcentral.org as a great website for ferret care! Ferrets are a bigger responsibility than most people know. They are not cage animals...they need lots of time out to play and interact with you. They can be messy, and they also will have a "ferrety smell" no matter how clean you are. Some people aren't prepared for all this. A ferret will be a big part of your life for the next 7-10 years, and will need veterinary care and vaccines. Otherwise, they are wonderful and fun and worth all the trouble! :)

Answer 4

If I were you, I would purchase the book "Ferrets for Dummies" It's very informative and will answer a lot of your questions about diet, care, and behavior.
Most people get rid of their ferrets because ferrets can be a lot of work! They need attention every day and they get into everything because they are extremely curious and playful animals. Ferrets are very social and constantly want to be near (if not interacting with) their owners. Many people also do not look into getting a ferret, they just purchase one on impulse at the pet store because they are cute. If you're asking questions about owning a ferret I would say that's a good sign that you'll be a responsible owner if you decide you want a ferret.

Answer 5

Cat litter is too dusty for them, you need to use specific litter for small animals NOT anything made of cedar. Ferrets imprint on food early in life and sometimes will not recognize food as food. I would stick with a store bought food for ferrets, Marshall is good and so is the 8 in 1 ultra blend. Totally Ferret brand foods were the first foods specifically made for ferrets. They are obligate carnivores which means they need to get their protein from animal protein not plant. People get rid of them because they are smelly or they bite(they are just playing) or for whatever reason mostly, they didn't research enough and don't know what to expect.

Answer 6

1. Usually 2 ferrets are better than one.
2. They aren't the biting smelly fiends people say they are.
3. My aunt has one that eats peanut butter! (awww!)
4. I would take a couple of guesses on the other stuff but i don't wanna lead you in the wrong direction, so yeah.

Answer 7

me and my bf have a ferret and we just use regular kitty litter... they love dried fruit, and if you go to the store and get ferret food be sure you get two different kinds, ferrets like variety....any other info, email me...