Ferret ownership - what's it like?

[Happy82]

I was reading through the local paper and noticed that we have a ferret rescue centre that's local and they're always looking for homes for abandoned small animals.

Has anyone here owned a ferret? What are they like and what are their living requirements? I've owned small pets before (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters etc) but was curious abotu ferret ownership

[IPK]

The children had ferrets. Good fun and good way of teaching children respect for animals. Make sure that they have an interesting environment to live, the ferrets, not the children. We had a male and a female and they bonded for life, they were like an old married couple. The children used to take them for walks with their leads and had them out in the garden most days.

[dhf]

Smelly and nipped fingers !

[Backseatdriver]

They do not smell if they are neutered or implanted. THEY DO NOT BITE IF TREATED WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS. They are huge fun - like a cross between a puppy and a kitten that never grows up. The best accommodation for them is their own shed with a hutch inside for them to sleep in with some blankets. A ramp from the hutch to the shed floor for them to play. They love a hammock to sleep in. They are obligate carnivores and should be fed a good quality ferret food - definately no bread and milk as they are lactose intolerant. Raw meat should also be provided regularly.

They hate the hot weather so some outside accommodation in the shade is required in the summer. Wonderful pets that are best in pairs or more. There are thousands awaiting loving new homes in rescues as you have discovered. We have got 10!!

[R300will]

Backseatdriver said:

They do not smell if they are neutered or implanted. THEY DO NOT BITE IF TREATED WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS. They are huge fun - like a cross between a puppy and a kitten that never grows up. The best accommodation for them is their own shed with a hutch inside for them to sleep in with some blankets. A ramp from the hutch to the shed floor for them to play. They love a hammock to sleep in. They are obligate carnivores and should be fed a good quality ferret food - definately no bread and milk as they are lactose intolerant. Raw meat should also be provided regularly.

They hate the hot weather so some outside accommodation in the shade is required in the summer. Wonderful pets that are best in pairs or more. There are thousands awaiting loving new homes in rescues as you have discovered. We have got 10!!

They do smell, just not as much when neutered. However they are brilliant little things, really intelligent and playful.

[PaulB81]

I had a ferret. She was great fun. The girls are less smelly I believe. Ours lived inside. They do nip but in a playful way. Ours idea of fun was to hide under the sofa, come charging out, nip your toes then leg it and hide again. Shes used to think it was hilarious. Youtube ferret war dance and you will see what she used to do. They are really playful, as someone else said, a bit like a permenant kitten.

[Sam_68]

PaulB81 said:

The girls are less smelly I believe.

They are, but bear in mind that unless they are spayed or allowed to breed, they have a habit of dropping dead from aplastic anemia (the symptoms of which are not always easy to spot).

[R300will]

Sam_68 said:

PaulB81 said:

The girls are less smelly I believe.

They are, but bear in mind that unless they are spayed or allowed to breed, they have a habit of dropping dead from aplastic anemia (the symptoms of which are not always easy to spot).

I think they are spayed by the breeders before they are sold, well most are anyway.

[Happy82]

For indoor living, I guess they need a large cage or similar for overnight and free-roaming during the day (as long as the doors and windows are kept shut!). I've also read mixed reports on whether they should stay indoors or out, some saying they cannot cope with cold and some they cannot cope with heat


Thanks for the replies, just trying to get an idea of what ownership is like as the ferret websites can be a little biased, sort of like an animal mx5oc

[PaulB81]

We had a tall cage for ours about 5ft with multiple levels so she could explore a bit. If you are going to leave your out and about be very careful. They will go in anything that looks like a hole. They are great at escaping / disapearing. They can be a bit kamikaze