Pet ferret?

Question

Hi does anyone own a pet ferret?,my 10 year old son has been nagging me for ages for one,can they be domesticated enough to be kept in the home?,i remember keeping some about 20 years ago but they were used for working with,cheers

Answer 1

Of course they make good pets, just not for everyone.
They are a bit expensive on the upkeep once they get older, because of some of the diseases they are prone to and vets are expensive. In the US they have to have their shots yearly and they can be descented, but that's not so in the UK.
They are a bit smelly, but if you keep them clean the smell is bearable. You need to scoop their litter boxes twice a day and wash it out once a week when you wash out the rest of the cage(which needs to be rather large). Your son will have to make sure they get fed and watered daily. He'll also have to bathe them once in a while(about 6 times a year or so) clip their nails, clean their ears and teeth, aso. He'll have to litter train them.
And he'll have to want to play with them. It's okay to cage a ferret, when you're away or when you're asleep. It keeps them safe. Ferrets will and do get into everything, so it's better to cage them when need be. They will have to have about 4 hours out of the cage though and they'll need proper interaction with their Hooman beans. That's even more important when they are single ferrets without companions. Owning a ferret can be a 6-10 yr commitment. So, long story short, unless you are also interested in the care of ferrets, don't get one. Your son may be interested in one now, but what about when he's 14, 16 or older. The pals want to run around, the girls start knocking on the door and there'll be a lone ferret pouting in a cage alone. Make it a team project for the two of you, learn all you can about them together first and then adopt one or two from a shelter. There are so many sitting in shelters waiting to be taken home to their forever homes. You'd be doing a good thing for ferrets everywhere AND you'd be saving a few bucks/dollars/pounds/quid/Euros(whatever the case may be where you're at). Good luck with your decision.
PS: Maybe he'd rather have a puppy?

Answer 2

Find a ferret rescue centre in your area and go to see and handle the ferrets before making up your mind. The answer to your question is 'yes' they make excellent and fantastically comical pets, they have a bit of an odour if they are not kept clean but if you get your pet spayed their smell is no worse than a cat or hamster. Like most pets they turn out to be as lovable as the treatment they recieve. Look at www.peteducation.com .

Answer 3

FERRET, monkeys smell just as bad and are very mean. Do NOT get a monkey, you will regret it, i know it sounds like a good idea, it did to me to but trust me don't do it, they are SO hard to take care of, and some can be very mean, especially when they get older! I had a ferret not long ago, yes they do stink but you just have to clean its box, most of them are trained to go in a little box which makes it easy, and they are HILARIOUS pets, and totally adorable!

Answer 4

HI yes you can have pet ferrets my-wife and I have 6 of the little guys running around the house and thay are fun to have alot of work but fun

Answer 5

I owned 2 a few years ago and the male was just like a lap dog he used to sit on my knee while I was watching telly he walked on a lead quite happily and was house trained, I just used a cat litter tray, he wasn't kept in the house all the time though, he was in a hutch in the garden, unfortunately we had to get rid of both of them when I developed an allergy to them, I was heartbroken, So I think they make good pets, if you get a male it's easiest, get him neutered and he won't be quite so smelly, a female has to go through the act of mating or she could die (very complex)!
Good luck

Answer 6

yes they can be domesticated when bought younge enough but they will have to be caged indoors for toilet needs and they do smell if not kept clean enough but polecat ferrets are worst for smell the males .if the female is spayed then she wont smel your home out and a smal harness and lead is advisable real early on then when there older they will walk around with you .but remember its hard training a hunting animal to be to domesticated so plenty of human handeling is advised to tame the animals instinct to bite ,a large indoor gunie pig cage is good for indoors but can be pretty expencive .fod can be another problem area so be carful what your feedign the animal as its hunting instinct can return .

Answer 7

ferrets are great pets! sure they can be kept at home best thing to do is put him in a rabbit hutch though and he will curl up in the hutch most of the time... you can get little leads for them and everything. They are very friendly and intelligent. One of things you might watch out for is if he likes hoarding shiny things or specific materials...

Answer 8

They can be great pets but need lots of looking after and handling. They can be smelly too. I would say do lots of reseach before you get one and dont exxpect a 10 year old to be solely responsible for it.

Answer 9

Ferrets stink to high heaven. Don't go near one.

I'd rather have a skunk as a pet.

Answer 10

there great pets a bit smelly get a baby u can get leads all sorts of things 4 them real fun xx