what the f**k am i supposed to do with this ferret?

Question

our neighbour found a ferret wandering around our street today and we took it in cause you cant just leave it loose, it was starving and thirsty and has been snoozing in a cat carrier in our kitchen for the last couple of hours. it's clearly been neglected and smells like a public toilet. my bf is desperate to keep it and has called it george but i dont want any more pets as we already have 2 dogs, 4 cats and two fish tanks. we're disagreeing quite strongly over it and he refuses to take it to rspca. any suggestions? what are ferrets like anyway? how do they get on with cats and dogs?
aaargh! help!!!!

Answer 1

I don't see why you should deny your boyfriend the ferret! If he takes good care of pets, then you will be doing the ferret a favor and might provide a better home than someone else will.

Maybe you can just tell him it is 100% his responsibility, and if he slacks, then you can try to find it a new home? He already named the little guy :-( let him give it a shot :-(.

Answer 2

If you don't think you have the time to give to the ferret, definitely don't keep it, they need a LOT of attention. You'll have to get a new cage, ferret food (cat food is ok for emergencies, but it'll slowly die of malnutrition if you feed it only cat food. Ferrets are ferrets, cats are cats, and both have different nutritional needs, even if they are similar, similar does not equal same). You'll have to be careful that your cats and dogs don't think its a new toy (people seem to think that only cats hunt smaller animals, but dogs are just as apt to shake the hell out of something they think is food/toy). So you'd have to socialize them all to each other and keep a careful eye on them for a few weeks at least. If the ferret isn't already trained, you'll have to train it to not bite and to use a litter box. No matter if you decide to keep it or not, before it gets near your other pets you should bring it to a vet to make sure it isn't carrying anything that your other pets can catch, since it was running loose before you found it, it could have anything. Oh, and if its a female it'll need to be spayed else it will get an infection and die, unless you wind up breeding her.
Someone else mentioned that you should try finding the prior owner, and I second that notion. You never know how the ferret escaped, maybe it slipped out when a kid went outside and they're desperate to find it. Try calling the local vet and asking if they've been asked about missing ferrets.
Ferrets can be really fun pets, but they aren't low maintenance by any means, and you know best if you have the time to take care of it. For all the people out there who are calling you lazy or mean for not keeping it, it would be far worse for you to just stick it in a cage and not be able to play and care for it, they're social animals and need one on one time, else they wind up half-wild.

Answer 3

Lol... I sympathize. Ferrets are a little insane. I work in a pet store, and they're one of the more *interesting* creatures to care for.

First of all, ferrets are carnivorous - so feed it cat food and make sure it has water. Most ferrets are litter trained (it's a natural instinct, like cats) so that makes things a bit easier for you.

Most ferrets get along well with cats and dogs (providing the cats/dogs themselves don't mind the ferret). Be aware that in the wild, ferrets will hunt, kill and eat small animals - so don't let it get near anything smaller than a bread box! (seriously!) So long as it doesn't bite, the ferret should be a perfectly good pet. Make sure you 'ferret-proof' any area you might want to let it run (ie. make sure there's no wires/books/shoes to chew, nothing that it can climb). You can also get some good ferret shampoos to minimize the smell - or just use a very small amount of baby shampoo.

Also, they really like those small-animal balls (the ones where you can put them in, close it and let them run around in it) - works wonders for that abundance of energy!

Good luck!

Answer 4

If you live in California, Hawaii or a designated city or state where ferrets are illiegal to own as a pet, they will be put to sleep if you take them to an animal shelter. George sounds like he needs some TLC.

I volunteered at a nature center where we had permits and had two ferrets. Both were so much fun and we enjoyed them immensely. Ferrets can get along with dogs and cats but need to be supervised at first. The odor may be part of their scent glands even if he has be "descented".

If George still doesn't win your heart, please look for a ferret rescue where he can be placed with someone who would take care of him.

Good luck.

I have attached some links that may help.

Answer 5

Take it to a vet and get him to spay/neuter it.This is essential to the health of females who can die if unmated.Males should be neutered as it stops them smelling.

The vet should also give it a booster for canine distemper which ferrets can catch.

After that bath it and keep it.They make great pets and are really affectionate and playful.

Assuming the dogs and cats don't attack it, it will probably be fine with them.Ensure the fish tanks have covers though as it might decide to go fishing-seriously they are keen hunters.

I have 2 and they cannot be allowed near my smaller pets cages although they get on fine with my cat and dogs.

Get a large indoor cage for it,with a small litter tray.When you let it out leave the cage open so it can use it's tray-most ferrets are happy to use litter boxes.

Most large pet shops sell food for ferrets.You can buy dry complete food.

Answer 6

Awww bless it! Alough u dont want it good of u to take it in.

Ferrets can be ace pets, great fun, there age span can be anything from 6 to 12 years.. 8 being the average.

I have a 3yr old male ferret bought him as a baby. He lives loose in my appartment with me. He gets on fine with my dog and cats.. well actually he like to pick on them and stalk them around the room until he gets board, but they never attack each other. You woud have to be more carefull of ur pets hurting him/her. So for the time being I wouldnt leave them all loose together with no one there just in case.

If u need some emergancy ferret food... dry kitten food would do, or normal cat food (alough can be a bit rich for there bellys) or just plain chicken.. theres loads of diffrent food tips online if u need any more ideas, ferrets are popular as pets now so it shud be easy to pick up a decent ferret feed, dairy products are genrally a nono but a little bit wont hurt. I feed my ferret adlib so he chooses when he eats.

As for the smell.. u can bath the little guy just be gental with him again a cat shampoo will be alright, I use a ferret one or if I havent got any johnsons baby shampoo does the job! They can be kitty litter trained, cleaned out regually stops the smell no problems. Also castrating them helps to.

Ferrets sleep most of the day so dont be surprised if you find him sleeping alot.

If I was u I would run him down to the vets for a check over and advice and go from there really.

If you do decide to keep him theres an ace book out called ferrets for dummies, I bought a copy from amazon its been priceless for times when my little chaps been ill etc.

heres some websites to help you out...

http://www.ferretcentral.org/
http://www.everythingferret.com/
http://www.ferretstore.com/

Failing all them... google (if u havent already)

ooo take a look at www.youtube.com theres loads of home vids of ferrets in general but also doing a ´´weasel war dance´´ sounds bonkers, but u´ll see ur new guy from time to time having what looks like a hissy fit.. actually he just wants to play.. I had my fetter for ages before I realised that was the case I thought he was just pi**ed with me!! lol!

Any ways best of luck with him, what ever u decide to do! If I was still living in the uk I´d take him off ur hands, I´d love another ferret!

Hope this helped!!
Em

Answer 7

Any pet store has everything you need for a ferret. My ferret gets along ok with my dog and cats. Try giving it a bath, low warm water in the bathtub and any shampoo (don't use on face), that should help with the smell, but beware not al ferrets like water.

Answer 8

Ferrets are awesome when properly taken care of, make sure you feed it good food and get it a decent sized cage. Ferrets will usually get along with other animals but you have to be really careful dogs may accidently hurt one during play.

Answer 9

Did you try to find the owner? you know put up Found Ferret signs maybe post an ad in the newspaper -- chances are good that someone wants the ferret back -- it's like when a little kid finds a animal and wants to keep it -- you tell them we have to try and find the owner ... or you could post it as a free giveaway on Craigslist or Freecycle -- http://www.freecycle.org -- somebody will want it if it's free ..

Answer 10

There are plenty of Ferret Rescue branches around the country, just have a look at the link below