Ferrets :)

[Duck-Madx]

Well, we have been looking into getting a ferret.

Would very much be appreciated if any of you know could give me the basics of caring for a ferret, needs of caging etc.
And if anyone knows of anybody who breeds ferrets or is selling any, or even if a rescuse centre has one for adoption etc.

Mainly would be for my daughter, aged 13.
She knows everything about caring for a ferret, but I necessiarly dont, and her explanations arn't too good.
See what i mean?

Anyway, thanks alot for taking your time to even read this

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

well I have 4 ferrets and I love them but the first thing is read read read. Also try this site http://www.ferretuniverse.com/ there is a messager board and all complete with loads of pics.

 

[edbama2]

I use to have 2 ferrets which I really enjoyed. The hardest part is cleaning the cage out. There is alot of cleaning involved. I liked to let mine roam around the house at times. They are little thieves, They will try and grab things and drag them under the sofa. Probably the funniest was 3 beers in a 6 pack holder, They were dragging it under the sofa. Did I mention alot of cage cleaning? LOL

 

[4H kids and mom]

As stated above, the cleaning is the hardest part. If your 13 y/o is capable and WILLING to clean their cage several times each day, then they make a fun pet. However, if you go even ONE day without cleaning the cage.....whoa! Watch out!

I had MANY ferrets at one time. We had adopted 8 of the little furry rascals from a local ferret rescue. They are histarical to watch! They bounce and play and roll around like kittens and puppies. They nibble human toes (which you should discourage because once they get bigger it HURTS!) and chase you (or other ferrets, your dog, or anything else that moves!) and make cute little happy noises. They enjoy a good snuggle and (once they are OLDER) will curl up in your lap and nap.

However, keeping ferrets is racked with heartache. They are so overbred that cancers and other problems are the NORM not the unusual.

Most, often end up with one form or another by the age of 2 or 3, and pass on well before they should. You become SO attached to them (they're like little dogs...) that their death will crush you. We burried 6 of our eight over the 4 years we owned them and finally rehomed the last 2 because we couldn't bare the loss anymore, and just couldn't think about those 2 passing. We never got anymore either, and though I think they are adorable, I would never own another. Its just too sad for me.

My kids are 8 and 7 and they LOVED the ferrets and running up and down the halls with them, and hearing their silly little "he he he he" noises they make when happy. I have thousands of photos that we cant bare to look at anymore. When our personal 'fave' of the 8 passed after we spent hundreds of dollars trying to save.....that was it for us. Our hearts were broken real good.

Ferrets are rather expensive to keep, when done correctly. They need a large cage, and top of the line foods, toys, and they need to see a vet twice as often as a puppy does. When (if) they get sick, many vets are inexperienced in treating them, so proper vet care might be a problem. Even if your vet can treat them, it will cost you top dollar. They need to be vaccinated like puppies, and if you 'miss' a dose, you have to start all over again. Some cities and states dont allow them, so you'll have to check on that as well.

Bottom line, they are adorable and fun. But, you as the parent will end up responsible for most of the cleaning up (we all know how it goes with kids and pets!), the feeding, and the vet bills. But it will be your daughter who will feel the pain most when they pass after the short lives comparable to that of a hamster.

If you are game for all that and more that comes with keeping ferrets, then go for it. If not, maybe she would consider another type of pet that doesnt require quite so much care? Hedgehogs are cute and fun, and MUCH easier to care for.

 

[animallover1]

well 4h pretty much explained it i have had 3 ferrets but i am down to 1 now (binx) every1 says they stink but as long as u clean there cage and give them baths every so often they dont i love binx they r so funny 2 watch and play with. binx loves little squeeky toys, so if your up to the work ferrets are a great pet

 

[jbowyer01]

My daughter has two and they are adorable! I call them my grandkids lol. Both are rescues and are spolied rotten. She has a huge cage, lots of toys and very good food and treats. They love to play with her cats (indoor and declawed, the cats that is

) they romp all over and they do make the cutest little noises. She is constantly cleaning the cage and the litter boxes. they also love baths which is good because they can smile musky.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I had a ferret at around that age. Of course my mom helped a lot with the cleaning. It is definitely more cleaning than an average hamster, but my ferret was a great pet.

See if you can get a young one so you can train it to go in a litter box. This will help with cage cleaning BIG time. It took about a day to litter train my guy and I started immediately after I brought him home. I noticed he would back into a corner before he had to go to the bathroom and as soon as I saw him doing that, I'd put him in the litter box. He picked it up real quick after a time or two of doing that.

As for the bedding in the cage, we actually used a towel and just changed it once a day. Mostly it would just get full of litter that came out of the box when Dusty (my ferret) came out of his box. He loved sleeping underneath the towel though. Other than that, we changed his water bottle once a day and gave him new food each morning. They do develop a bit of a smell even if they are desceneted, but I never thought it was overly offensive. You should give them a bath every other week though with special ferret shampoo. Again, I started my guy young and he used to LOVE his baths!

I never had a problem with my ferret biting me or nipping or anything like that because I held him so much when he was a baby. He was actually very calm as ferrets go, but he did love to play out of his cage.

I don't recommend buying a ferret from a pet store because they are expensive and prone to cancer. Mine died of cancer at age 5, but they can live to be 7-10 years old.

Good luck! let me know if you have more questions.

Ohhh, also...try to find a vet in your area willing to treat ferrets. We found out not all vets will treat them. We never had to bring ours to the vet, but it is important to know when you have to put them to sleep. Ferrets are more difficult to put to sleep than other animals because they don't have good veins and most vets don't want to deal with that because ferrets are considered exotics.

 

[thebritt]

Are you still in Ca.?, or recently moved FROM there? You know, they are illegal in CA (STUPID, I know), so you wouldn't want DD making it public - you never know whose parents may work for (or know someone who does) Fish & Game. I had one of those corner litter boxes for it's cage. The cage had shelves and a hammock (a hammock is essential!). Be sure the food bowl is attatched to the side in some way, or the weasel will push it until it spills and mixes with it's poop or other yuck. Same with the water. A TIRED WEASEL IS A GOOD WEASEL! Be sure he/she gets out a couple + hours/day, OR YOU WILL PAY! Good Luck!

 

[Crittercrazed]

Hey! I just wanted to say ferrets are one of the bestest pets you can own. They are affectionate, playful, entertaining, and overall: LOYAL. Though, ferrets can also be very expensive.
I just lost my ferret, Abby, and she was an awesome little girl. I only had her a year, but let's just say she made that year special. They can live to 10+ years, but sadly Abby only made it to 4.
She had had what we thought was a heart attack; I had found her hanging limply on the bars of cage after moving around a lot. Her heartbeat was slow, and I rushed her out and put her on a towel to keep warm until she was feeling better. When I later took her to the vet, they said that it could happen any time only it could be fatal. Which was our guess as to how she passed.
I had put some savings aside for her as she had Heart problems, Adrenal Gland Disease, and a bowel problem. I had estimated that she would cost me $400+ the next year.
She needed her teeth cleaned (about $150), her Desloreline implant for her Adrenal gland Disease (about $100), her checkup (about $50-75), and her Rabies and Distemper shots (about $100).


COMMON PROBLEMS

Adrenal Gland Disease
Bowel problems
Canine Distemper
Dental Problems
Swallowed objects
Spine issues (as ferrets can become stuck under couches, chairs, and rugs and are often sat and/or stepped on)

Something that's also bad is ferrets are labeled "exotic", so a lot of vets won't or can't treat them. Many don't have the training they need, so they can only do basic stuff. Also, find out if ferrets are even legal where you live, as ferrets are illegal in Hawaii, California, and certain parts of New York. (Plus many other cities). If you are caught with your ferret in one of these places, you may have them taken away where they can be euthanized.

(I wish you and whoever else who is looking into a getting a ferret the best of luck! They make wonderful pets! Just do your research first. Also the best place to check is your local animal shelter. There are many that get in ferrets and need them adopted out. Their are usually ferret rescues all over that have tons of ferrets. I know one that has over 200 ferrets. Some of them were strays or neglect cases, but most were people who didn't do their research and had given up their ferrets because of their medical needs, smell, or just attitude in general. Though, if ferrets are meant for you, then you will have the delight of owning such a wonderful pet.)