Ferret question?

Question

Hi! I want to get a ferret and I am doing my research before I get one, but I would like to know if any of you have had any experience with ferrets and what they are like in general. Should I get a boy or a girl? Or does it matter since I will have it spayed or neutered?

Should I get my ferret from a breeder (don't know if there are any anywhere close to where I live) or a pet store like Pet'sMart?

Answer 1

Gender does not matter f you will neutre it. Here are some tips and experiences with my ferret. Ferrets are energetic, curious, and always interested in their surroundings. They actively solicit play with their owners.

Ferrets tend to be very nippy as kits, requiring patience and persistence in handling. Nipping is the act of biting in a playful manner reminiscent of mock fighting and sparring; young ferrets are also more prone to chewing and teething. Older ferrets tend to chew far less frequently and, when trained correctly, almost never nip a human hand. Younger inexperienced ferrets have a tendency to nip and bite harder, which may irritate an owner who does not understand ferret behavior. For this reason, some young ferrets end up neglected, when owner's patience runs out and the ferret is abandoned to its cage.

Ferret life-span can vary widely, but usually falls between six and ten years, though in rare cases ferrets can live into their early teens.

In the USA, ferrets typically cost around $75 to $150. In Australia it is usually from $25.00 to $80.00 and the desexing is done by the new owners. Additional costs of a secure cage, food, bedding, veterinary check-ups, and medicine should be taken into consideration by prospective owners. Descenting is often considered a mutilation by vets in Australia.

Answer 2

Hi there,

I am an owner of ferrets myself, currently having 9 (six adults and three kits left from a breeding this year). They are wonderful animals and providing that you have room and time to care for them - very rewarding!
They are extremely playful and loving, and the more time you spend with them the better they will be (the same as any animal really). They should be allowed to exercise for around 3 - 4 hours each day, ideally a "ferret proofed" room in the house is the best thing, and lots of toys to keep them amused! Their cage should be large, spacious and multi-levelled with at least one hammock and some comfy cloth to snuggle in. They are easily litter trained, and once this is acheived you can use blankets or towels on the bottom of their cage rather than any kind of litter (never use wood shavings with them - these are quite bad for their respiratory system). They are very social animals too, so keeping two or more is the best solution.
Both boys and girls make good pets, the only difference being as already pointed out, the girls are a bit more petite than the boys.
If you CAN find a private breeder that is ideal. In the UK (where I am) you do not find large commerical breeders like Marshalls, and all the ferrets are bred by individuals meaning they're much friendlier when sold, the breeders know the history of the babies, and the babies themselves tend to be generally healthier. Buying an animal from a large commercial breeders, even one which is supposedly as good as Marshalls is never a good idea. How could people breeding animals on that large a scale ever have time to properly socialise and play with the animals they have there? And to check up on any potential genetically carried health problems? So if you can find a private breeder - all the better!
All I can recommend is to do a lot of research, and have a look at the book Ferrets for Dummies by Kim Schilling - it's a great reference guide! And if you can try contacting a local ferret rescuer - not only will they be able to help you out but you might have the chance to go down there and meet some of the animals they have and that'll help you decide if ferrets really are the right pet for you!
Oh yes, and also have a look at vets in the area too, you'll need to find a vet who's happy and competent enough to treat your ferrets ailments before you purchase one.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I have owned over 20 ferrets over the years and run a ferret rescue, so lots of ferret experience here.

First off, sex doesn't matter too much. Females are usually smaller and males get larger. Females generally are more energetic and playful throughout life, while males are more laid back and cuddly. There are some exceptions to this, and most males also have a wild side to them, but generally they are more laid back.

All petstore ferrets are bred by large breeders, Marshalls being the largest breeder, Real Canadian Ferrets being the second largest, and then Path Valley Farms, and Triple F ferrets being the less common ones. All those ferrets are fixed and descented before getting shipped to the petstores.

Marshall's ferrets are the most prone to get medical problems down the line. They are genetically weak due to inbreeding. Dark-eyed whites, albinos, mutts, blazes, pandas, and other specialty color patterns are more prone to medical problems and many of those are also deaf at all. Also Marshall's does have a 1 year guarantee on their ferrets, but if something does go wrong with the ferrets, its is difficult to get them to pay up and give you a new ferret. Usually it costs you a lot more in the long run. Real Canadian Ferrets are larger than Marshall's and seem to be healthier. Different PetCo's sell both of these types of ferrets.

Private bred ferrets are the healthiest if you get them from a reputable breeder. But they are usually much more expensive and you still will have to pay about $100 to get them fixed.

You can get ferrets from ferret shelters/rescues as well. Most shelters have a wide variety of ages and color patterns available. The benefit of adopting from a shelter is that the ferrets will already be fixed, current on shots, and they will be litter box trained and nip trained already.

Ferrets can be great pets but are expensive. You'll want to feed very high quality food. Marshall's and Kaytee brand foods are the worst for ferrets. They don't contain enough protein from actual meat sources. Innova Evo Ferret, Innova Evo Cat & Kitten, Zupreem, Totally Ferret, Pretty Pets Gold Ferret, and 8 in 1 Ultimate food are the best. Avoid foods with fish and sugar.

Use a newspaper pelleted litter or wood stove pellets. Clay cat litter can cause respiratory problems.

You'll also need to ferret-proof your whole house or at least whatever rooms the ferret will have access too. Very simple to do, basically baby-proof it and pick up all plants off the floor. Get plastic electrical outlet covers as well. Ferrets also are very prone to getting different cancers down the line. So setting up a medical fund ahead of time is a great idea. Just sticking a couple bucks a month in a separate account, will really help when the time comes for a surgery.

If there is a local ferret shelter/rescue located near you. Try to go volunteer there or see if they'll let you come by and play with the ferrets. It's a great way to get hands on experience with ferrets, and you can decide if it really is the right pet for you. Shelters also have a wide variety of cages and other ferret supplies for sale for really good prices, usually half the petstore price. Here's some sites for shelters:
www.ferret.org
www.supportourshelters.org
www.petfinder.com

Good luck!. Ferrets can make great pets.

Answer 4

For the most part these answers were okay.

But there are a few things I disagree with.

December says that Marshall "produces" the best ferrets. First of all, Marshall does not produce the best ferrets. They just produce the MOST. Marshall Farms is the equivalent to a puppy mill.

Mustang says Marshall's is "proper" food. In my opinion, and many other ferret owners' opinions, Marshall's is one of the worst ferret foods out there. Yes, technically it has the desired amount of protein but not enough of it comes from meat sources. Too much of it comes from grains and fish. As well as not being the best nutritionally, it makes for much stinkier poops. And Marshall's only "guarantees" their animal if you feed it strictly Marshall's food exclusively for a year. That's because they know that ferrets are finicky eaters and once they become accustomed to one type of food, it is very difficult to get them to switch.

(Sidenote: Ferret food needs at least 36% protein, 22% fat, and less than 3% fiber. Also, the first three ingredients should be meat. Marshall's and Kaytee are the worst ferret foods you can feed. Ferrets are obligate carnivores and don't posses the right "equipment" to process fiber, carbs, or sugar. The less you give your fert these things, the better. Foods I recommend are: Totally Ferret, ZuPreem, Innova Evo for ferrets and kittens, Eukaneuba Kitten, Iams Kitten, Wellness Core for cats and 8-in-1 Ultimate. Generally you don't want to feed your ferret cat food. The above foods are okay when fed in conjunction with a quality ferret food. Also, it is recommended that you feed your ferret a variety of at least 3 different foods.)

Margecutter says to make sure ferrets are legal in your area. This is a MUST. Currently they are illegal in California, Hawaii, New York City, Dallas, Washington DC, and many other cities and counties around the country.

Motzeye is correct in saying that finding a private breeder is ideal. However, they are significantly more expensive and there are thousands of ferrets in shelters in need of forever homes.

Ryan V, Motzeye and Crazyferretgirl know their stuff. I couldn't find anything in their answers to nitpick. =)

Good luck and happy ferreting!

P.S. Be sure to pick up "Ferrets for Dummies"

Answer 5

Yay to new ferret mommies! I'm also researching before buying my first ferret, and I would suggest a book called Ferret for Dummies. You can find out a lot of things you need to know through free sites on the internet, but Ferrets for Dummies covers absolutely everything, even things you won't read about online. The book is cheap, I got mine used for six dollars at a local store. It also makes a good ref. book.

The biggest issue you are going to want to make sure you can handle is how legal a ferret is in your area, and the cost. You are going to have to pay atleast 300-400 dollars at first.

Answer 6

I have two, one male and one female. Ferrets are great however they are a hand full to watch. They have a need to explore constantly and this can get them into some very dangerous situations. As an example we were in the room when they were playing and all the sudden we did not see the male. He had got into a bin with paper towel in it and got his head stuck in the cardboard holder. He ended up OK but it scared us. The bottom line is you MUST ferret proof any room you are going to play with them. Also they sleep about 18 to 20 hrs a day however they need to come out and play so they develop social skills as well as learn to interact with you and your family. So if you cannot dedicate 3 to 4 hours per day don't get one.....Also there is a abused Ferret places that you can get one as a thought. We ended up getting our female this way. She was never let out of her cage and she was in very bad shape. In about 2 months with the proper food ( Marshall's) and exercise she is doing great. Also you should consider getting two, they will play and provide you many hours of entertainment. This will also keep the single one from getting bored. I could go on but I think this is the highlights. Good Luck!!

Answer 7

yes, i have two ferrets...two girls. if you care about the size of the ferret, girls are generally smaller and boys can get alot bigger. I also got my ferret from a place called the pet superstore they sold Marshall ferrets which i found to be the best type of ferret.marshall delivers ferrets to authorized pet stores all over the u.s. and abroad...so you can do some research to possibly find a pet store that carries them by you. you would ask if they carry marshall ferrets. they also come with a garantee to be healthy and if they were sick they would replace it for you. you do need to make sure the animal is healthy cause in two cases i had friends that bought a ferret and it was sick and passed,was not a marshall ferret.i also bought one from pet smart(not a marshall ferret) and the ferret was nasty..always trying to climb up my husband and I and bit us.i couldnt even go into the room and clean its cage without it trying to bit me..so i returned it and got another marshall ferret.i got two so the other ferret wasnt lonely.they cost me $120 each.they are expensive to own as well...the cage is big for the two of them to have lots of space and to grow in..that was $200..than you have the toys bedding and food..but overall they are great pets to own..very fun and entertaining as well

Answer 8

Just a caution - if you live in the US, make sure ferrets are legal in your state. There are some states (like California) where it is illegal to have a ferret for a pet, and other areas where local laws restrict ownership.

Answer 9

I don't think sex really matters with ferrets. Their all fun souls to be around.