I am thinking about getting a ferret, and just need some info about them.?

Question

Any tips or advice would be great. And yes, I am responsible enough to take care of it, but I just don't know every one of it's certain needs.

Answer 1

I own five ferrets now. My best advice for you is to do your research before you get one. Get on-line (which I will give you some sites at the end) and buy a book (ferrets for dummies is a good one). There are so much to know about ferrets that this website is not even going to tell you half of it. However here are some of my tips on what I have learned over the years.

1. make sure you have a vet that not only treats ferrets, but specializes in it.
2. ferret-proof your home before you bring the new baby home. They can get into anything that has a hole of at least one inch, and if you get a small ferret or a baby, sometimes they can get into smaller places. Cords and wires are a bad thing. So can rocking chairs and recliners.
3. get a credit card only for emergencies. Vet bills are expensive for ferrets, and you don't want to get stuck with an emergency and not be able to pay for it (not all vets or after hours emergency vets will do payments)
4. don't build your cage, buy it. I did this and almost lost a ferret due to the fact that she tried to escape and got stuck. One of the scariest thing to go through.
5. Ferretone, Ferret-Vite, Ferret shampoo and deoderizer (8 in 1 sells a good one), Ferret-lax, ear cleaner, nail clippers, ferret first aid kit (the one web site I am giving you tells you what you need in it),bitter apple spray or a ferret "no bite" spray
6. bedding- there are some people on e-bay that make ferret bedding that is Really nice, but it can be pricy, hammocks, sleepsacks, blankets, etc., also old tee shirts, sheets, etc. make good bedding. For blankets, go to the fabric store and buy scrap peices of fleece (my babies really like these and old towels).
7. litter boxes- the ferret boxes work the best, they have high sides and they miss less. However, you want a few. One for the cage and a few for the rooms you let them run.
8. make sure you know of a babysitter or someone who boards them. Also make sure they are comfortable giving meds if the time ever comes for that. I have been stuck traveling with my sick ferrets sometimes due to not having a babysitter that will give meds.
9. toys toys and more toys. they love tunnels, crinkle sacks/tunnels, squeeky toys, toys that rattle
10. a little fact...ferrets can only see the colors red and blue
11. litter- DO NOT BUY clumpable litter. Buy the paper litter or the cheap cat litter that is dust free.

I have so much more info that I could give you, but it is hard to write it all in here. Please e-mail me and I can give you a bunch more. [e-mail]

Here are some web sites.
http://www.ferretfacts.com
http://ferrethealth.org
http://www.ferretcentral.org/
http://www.ferret-universe.com/
http://www.maferrets.org/info/index.htm

and there are many more sites with information, just google "ferret information"

Lastly, make sure you heavily research the common medical problems with ferrets. You will be the first to notice a problem, and usually the quicker you notice a problem and get your baby to a vet, the better your baby's chances are. Some signs are not ones that will slap you in the face, they are very mild and you might not realize that something is wrong. This one peice of advice will be what I consider to be the most important thing I can tell you.

Answer 2

Hi! Ferrets are very friendly, playful and social pets. The only drawback you may encounter is that they do have a musky scent, even after the scent glands are removed. If you buy from you local pet store, it should already be descented and spayed/neutered. Before purchasing a ferret, you need to make sure that your home is safe.

Ferrets can fit into surprisingly small and possibly dangerous spaces. You will need to block off any small openings that your new pet may want to explore. Common dangers would be refridgerator, stove and dishwasher, where there may be spaces between the appliance and wall that the ferret can crawl into. Check the spaces under your cabinets for breaks or lapses in the trimming. Keep the doors to the bathroom closed. If you keep cleaning supplies underneath your kitchen sink, either move them out of the ferrets reach or secure the cabinet doors.

Ferrets know their world by tasting it and may nip at you in the beginning. This is done out of curiousity, not malice. When he bites, GENTLY pop his nose with one finger and say "no".YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO CAUSE PAIN, JUST GET HIS ATTENTION.

Ferrets can be trained to walk on a leash... well kinda. You can get them used to specially made harnesses, but you must be careful to get the right fit. House training consists of finding the place your ferret has chosen and placing a litter box as close as possible to that spot. When your pet relieves himself, move the droppings to his litter box and then show it to him. Harsh disclipline does not work with these animals and will only cause them to be afraid of you and more likely to bite.

Answer 3

I'm completely satisfied to look that you're doing all of your homework BEFORE you're getting a ferret, which btw, isn't categorized a RODENT, however a carnivore. It is honestly in the direction of a cat than a rat, they're honestly involving the European polecat. I have 4 ferrets and love them dearly, however they don't seem to be a exceptional puppy for every body. One or 2 ferrets? It all is dependent. Ferrets are plenty like humans in that they have got unique personalities. Some can't do with out the manufacturer in their possess type others might as an alternative are living as a unmarried fert with their hooman beans. It additionally will depend on how so much time you'll spend on it. Are you very busy? A ferret demands no less than four hours out of cage playtime and a well facet of that are supposed to be spent with you, EVERY DAY, even if your buddy has a celebration, you could have a date or plenty of labor to do. You have got to feed and water every day, scoop their muddle two times an afternoon no less than, maintain their ears and tooth blank and clip their toenails. The largest main issue I have determined with ferrets is that they are able to run up really the vet charges even though. For one, they want annually determine americaand vaccinations. Not too dangerous cash clever, however then there are the injuries and problems their curiousity can get them into. Ferrets like to chunk on matters in most cases main to bowel obstructions. Somtimes obstructions are brought about by way of whatever as useful as a hairball, on account that ferrets can't hack them up. My oldest feminine needed to have one eliminated despite the fact that I had stored her on hairball prevention. It price nearly $800 to have the surgical procedure. Ferrets are susceptible to a couple of gigantic sicknesses as they age, a few of them treatable, however all at a fee. So in case you do get one, be certain you begin striking cash away in a fund or get a bank card to stash away for emergencies.

Answer 4

There are several answers with great information, but my best words of advice for people thinking about getting a ferret is this: start a medical savings account for it. Ferrets develop several diseases after the age of about 3 years, and treating them will run several hundred dollars or more for each problem. Also, emergency care for things such as intestinal blockage can be terribly expensive as well.

If you can't afford to put money away for its care, don't get a ferret. Too many of the little rugrats end up dumped in rescues every year because they are sick and the owners can't afford to help them get better.

Answer 5

Be prepared for cleaning them A LOT... i was cleaning mine 3 times a day and i had three. also we clean ours at work (PetSmart) 2 x daily... They can be very nippy... also can be the sweetest things... they need a lot to do... otherwise they will figure out how to get out the cage... and you eeven though you may only be gettin one... should have a fairly large cage... My cage was 6 ft long x 4 ft wide x 4ft high... we built it. they also do better if you have more than one as well! and the vendor Marshalls isnt that great... i had three from them... they are not very healthy... how you know they are Marshalls is they will tattoo their ear with a little dot usually in their right ear. And the food Mazuri Ferret food is probably the best food for them... NOT cat food despite what people tell you!

Answer 6

ferrets are pretty smart, very active, and very social.
they can be litter box trained just like a cat.

even if you have a cage for them, they need some time every day to run around for exercise. you will need to 'ferret-proof' your home. kind of like child proofing. cabinets that lock, cover all outlets, dont leave breakable items out, that kind of thing.

and they are very social, so you should own at least 2. a single ferret will get very lonely and not be happy.

Answer 7

They will steal anything shiny. Mine will take forks and coins and hide them behind the dryer. He will steal anything he can get his grubby little hands on.
These are some informative sites to check out.
http://www.ferretcentral.org/
http://www.ferrets-ferrets.com/

Answer 8

well i dont know a lot about them but i do know that you have to be very carful around them because they are sensitive!Their boddies are very then and they dont have a lot of warmth,so you have to keep them very warm,expessely during this time of the year.Just do this and feed them ,give them plenty of attention and luv and you will be fine.

Answer 9

had one, she was fun but even tho I had her spayed and scent gland taken out, she still has a very distint smell, so if its going to be in the house and your particular how your house smells you may want to re-think.

Answer 10

This is a pretty informative site:
http://www.dookranch.com/tips.html

Here is another one:
http://www.caresheet.com/ferret.html

Hope these had the information needed.