i heard that ferrets are illegal to buy in california but not to own. is this true?

Question

and if it is, should i just go to nevada and find a baby one at a regular petstore or do i have to go to a special place? and also how much would a baby cost?

well my brothers friend has a pet ferret and they say that its only illegal to buy

and how long do they live?

Answer 1

They are illegal in california...
the law: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/pdffiles/fg1518.pdf
"California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Excerpts
§671. Importation, Transportation and Possession of
Live Restricted Animals.
(a) It shall be unlawful to import, transport, or possess
alive animals restricted in subsection (c) below "
ferrets can be found in section (2) (K)
there are of course exceptions for those with special permits like zoos, shelters, etc.

and...
from http://www.ferretsanonymous.com/rights.html
"Due to the constant threat of confiscation and euthanasia, and the impediments to proper veterinary care caused by its "illegal" status, the California Domestic Ferret Association (CDFA) does not encourage ownership or posession of this pet in California. "

If Your Ferret is Seized: http://www.cdfa.org/seized.html

and still more info...
http://ferretsanon.com/miscpages/Avoidcheckpoints.htm
http://www.ferretnews.org/facts.html
http://www.legalizeferrets.org/
http://www.ferretsanonymous.com/
http://www.ferretcentral.org

oh and lifespan is about a decade.
http://www.ferret-universe.com/
http://www.ferrets.org/Caring_For_Ferrets.htm

Answer 2

No, buying a ferret outside of the state and bringing it in is still illegal. It is illegal to possess a ferret in the state of California, it doesn't matter where you got it from.

Answer 3

As far as I know they are illegal to buy AND own.

I would not risk owing a ferret in CA. If you are caught with it, animal control can take it away and have it put to sleep.

Best to find a different kind of pet instead of risking a ferret's life.

Answer 4

true. you cannot BUY a Ferret in Cali but you can OWN one. we knew someone whom happened to start out owning & buying in a state that allowed Ferrets to be bought, but under unfortunate circumstances had to move to every other state that does not allow them to be bought, Which brings me to also tell you the unfortunate thing about owning ferrets in california is that their are VERY few Vets that will be able to help your ferret if something bad should happen to it. Our friend had to drive about 50 miles into Pasadena from where she lived because it was the closest place that would treat her ferret.

Good luck though.
Babies cost anywhere from $75-$300
they of course cost more than adults. & ferrets are usually better if you get 2.

Answer 5

That is correct.
They are illegal unless you "move" here with neutered ferrets.

Yes, go to Nevada and "move" back with a ferret. My friends (who are veterinarians, and animal control officers) do it all the time.

I don't know a good place to get one. I highly recommend adoption/rescue.

Answer 6

yah. i had adopted one a nghbr didn't want. as far as i know you can own but can't buy one in cali. the police station was acrs the st from my apt and the cops used to stop and pet it when i was out walking her on a leash.

the ferret i had when i lived in ny cost $75. not sure how much they run on the west coast.
you can try to call petco or petsmart... they are a chain that carries ferrets...
oh make sure when you get it fixed you get it descented too.
make sure to have a steady hand when you clip the nails too... they fidget and you can cut too much and make them bleed. you might want to get one from a breeder that hand raises them. store bought tend to not be sooo ppl friendly bcse of lack of handling. males are nicer than females in my book
mine looved potatoes lol