Ferret info?

Question

Do ferrets poop alot like hamsters? Or do they only go in their cage? And do they smell really bad or is there a way to get the ordor down? Also can you get them to not bit you? Cause my teacher use to have a ferret that bit like crazy!

And what do they eat? Is there any food thats poisonous to them. Also I give my rat veggies and stuff can they have that too?

Answer 1

marshall farms make a liquid that u can put in the water or food for the order it does work I had 2 ferrets and no one knew I had them. don't rough play with it. they poop when they get up so before u take out of cage make sure they go. they will poop also out of the cage in a corner

Answer 2

Ferrets do poop a lot, but it's not the same as hamster poo, it's more like cat or dog poo. They can be trained to use a litterbox like a cat, but they won't always use it 100% of the time (mine used their littebox 99% of the time when kept in a cage; once they were free roam, they used it about 90 - 95% of the time).

They do have a slight smell to them, but I never minded it. I actually liked their natural scent, but some people are bothered by it. If you keep their cage and bedding clean and scoop the litterbox(es) at least twice a day, that will really help keep the smell down. As for the actual ferret, the less you bathe them, the less they will smell (that sounds odd, but it's true). Our ferrets got 3-4 baths a year, that was it. In the beginning, we actually bathed them more often (once or twice a month). Once we cut back on their baths, we actually noticed that they smelled less. (Over-bathing them strips their skin of oils, which causes their bodies to go into overdrive and produce more oils, which then causes them to smell more.)

Yes, they can be trained not to bite. Ferrets are very mouthy critters - they play very rough and most of the biting they do is done in a playful manner, it's not meant to be mean and nasty. Ferrets have very tough skin, so they can tolerate much harder bites than us humans. It just takes a patient person to work with them and teach them that they can't bite us as hard as they would another ferret. The scruffing method works best - as soon as they bite, scruff them, give a gentle shake, and a firm "NO!"

As for diet, ferrets are carnivores and should not be given fruits or veggies - their bodies cannot digest them properly. There are a few fruits which can be given to ferrets, but only in very teeny, tiny amounts no more than a couple times a week, but it's really best to just steer clear of them.

Oh, and as for poisonous foods, I can't think of any foods that are poisonous to them, but there are a lot of things that are unhealthy for them - chocolate, candy, soda, and other products high in sugar; veggies; most fruits; alcohol; caffeine; seeds and nuts; salty foods; and dairy products (although that's kind of debatable, but they don't need it, so I say stay away from it). If tiny amounts of those things are ingested by accident, a ferret should be fine, but they're not things you want your ferret to be eating/drinking all the time.

Answer 3

Ferrets do go to the bathroom often, but can be litter box trained, unlike a hamster.

They do have an odor about them, but this smell can be drastically reduced by washing the bedding (I use fleece bankets for my ferret and wash them every few weeks at least). Keeping the litter box cleaned every day or two also helps a lot, as does having a large enough cage for the ferret. My ferret has a large cage (about the size of a refrigerator) and is kept in our kitchen. You cannot smell him unless you stick your nose on him. He gets bathed once every other month. If you bathe them too often, they may secrete more oils to keep their skin moist, and this makes them smell more.

I have had three ferrets over the course of my life and have NEVER been bitten. If you are gentle with them, treat them nicely, and play with them and become good friends, you won't get bitten, either.

Good luck! Ferrets are wonderful animals when taken care of correctly.

Answer 4

Litter-box training will help a *lot* to keep the cage cleaner & the odor down. This does take some patience & persistance but it's really worth it. There are also deodorizing sprays made just for ferrets but we didn't much care for these when we had our girl.
Well-socialized ferrets don't usually bite unless they feel threatened. One exception is baby ferrets, who will playfully nip like puppies, kittens or many baby animals. It's really easy to teach them not to play-bite-- say No firmly & put them back in the cage for a couple minutes. Once they get the idea that biting=no more playtime, they stop.
Ferrets are smart, very playful little guys. They're not rodents btw, but more closely related to skunks & weasels.

Answer 5

First off, you posted this in "Rodents". Ferrets aren't rodents. They're Carnivores and in the Mustelid family that includes otters, mink, weasels, martens, fishers, etc.

Secondly, get the book "Ferrets for Dummies" - it will answer all these questions.

And no - they don't smell bad. What smells bad is an uncleaned cage and rarely changed litter so blame the piggy owner - not the ferret.

Answer 6

Hi my friend keeps ferrets, they poop like dogs'or'us one big turd, maybe couple of times a day,because they use a corner, litter tray can be used,I don't think the ferret itself is very smelly, but they eat meat, so poop is, perhaps on a level with ours.....my friend had one that bit, she cured him, but when she bought her female she got it from a baby, it has never bitten, very soft, friend does nothing but kiss her, so train right shouldn't bite......................