Should i get a male or female ferret, or both?

Question

I am thinking of getting 2 ferrets and cannot decide on 2 girls, 2 boys, or one of each. i have done alot of research on ferrets because i didn't want to buy them and find out that i had no idea what i was getting myself into. so far i know that male ferrets are larger and smell worse. so i was thinking i should get female ferrets (i know female ferrets smell too, but they don't smell as bad right?) but then i was wondering about female problems. i read that female ferrets can die if they don't have a mate. would this be an isue if i had them spayed? i have gone to many many websites and i have found mixed answers. i'm just worried about the female ferrets going into heat. does this happen to ferrets who have been spayed? also, i was thinking i might just get a boy and a girl and then i won't have to deal with this confusion, but alot of people said that their male and female ferrets don't get along. so who is more likely to get along, 2 boys, 2 girls, or a boy and a girl?
thank you!

Answer 1

If you are overly concerned with the smell, get two female ferrets. They could die if they go into heat and are not mated, but if they are spayed it solves the problem. Most ferrets sold in the USA are Marshall Ferrets and already descented (this does not mean they won't smell, it just means their scent glands have been removed) and spayed/neutered. You can identify a Marshall Ferret by two blue tattooed dots on one ear of the ferret (one for each procedure). They are great pets. I have a male ferret, he does have a musky scent but it is not unpleasant. Female ferrets are usually smaller than males. I have been thinking about getting another ferret for mine as he is lonely sometimes. They require a lot of interaction and exercise. Ferrets are not a pet to watch from afar. Good luck to you future fellow ferret lover.

Answer 2

OK...are you sure you have done your research? There are some questions you are asking here that are common knowledge if you have indeed done your research. Maybe you are visiting the wrong web sites? Let me list my favorite ferret site for you:

http://www.ferretuniverse.com

I currently own 4 ferrets. I have one female and the rest are males. I didn't choose them based on their sex. What I did was handle the ones that were available. I purchased the ones that seemed to have the best temperament.

I have owned ferrets for over ten years and have not seen any differences between sexes. In a nutshell, it doesn't matter if you pick male - female - or both. It will be fine.

I always recommend getting two. They do better in pairs.

There is no connection between the sex of the ferret and its smell. For example: Just because it is a male does not mean he will smell worse. Keeping litter pans and bedding fresh and clean will reduce OR eliminate any odors.

When you purchase a ferret they will have 2 dots tattooed on their ear. One dot is for the descenting, the other dot is put on when they are neutered. If you get a female she will be spayed and descented...if you get a male he will be neutered and descented as well.

Answer 3

I highly reccommend doing alot of research before purchasing a ferret. A wonderful book is Ferrets for Dummiess.... It's one of the best books out there on Ferret care.

Answer 4

i have got lots of ferrets and they all smell no matter wot sex or if u bath them. but more or less wot do u plan on doing with your ferrets. i work my ferret and they do like to eat meat like rabbit, duck, chicken, stuff like that. and no female ferrets do not die like that OK so don't worry about that but if u have a male and a female when she come in heat be careful because the male will do almost any thing to get to her. we have a male that eat his way throw a wooden cage and throw her cage. females can all so eat there baby's if it is her first time plus ferrets fight a lot and you may find that if you put them together they may kill each other no all the time but some time . i think because you do not know that much about them i would not get one yet OK

my own and my dads experiences

Answer 5

99 % of the times you buy a ferret it is already neutered/spayed and descented. Just ask whoever you're buying it from. I've had every combination, they can be the same sex, different sex, doesn't matter. But, I think my boy and girl played together more than my two girls. I would reccommend buying them together.
Just keep in mind that ferrets can become expensive. When they get sick, the vet bills can skyrocket. I learned so much along the way about cancer, insulinoma, diahrea, etc. I'm not trying to scare you, but they aren't like a guinea pig. Get a good vet from the start, feed them good food like Marshalls ferret food. I give mine filtered water, just because I've dealt with cancer in three of them, I guess I figure less toxins in the water might help. And they are very social animals, so spend time with them!
Good luck with your new fuzzies!

Answer 6

I used to breed ferrets before the law passed a law requiring that all ferrets sold to the public have to be spayed, neutered and desented.

I suggest two females, the males are pretty cruel whith females, even after neutering.

Answer 7

I just want to say that I have read on bored.com that if female ferrets dont have sex while in heat,,they will die.I am not sure of this but thought that I would tell you so you may want to inquire if this is a fact.

Answer 8

one of each would be better.