Choosing a ferret naturally implies a certain emotional commitment. But there are several objective factors that you can consider to help you in your decision.

Age is one of the primary factors a future ferret owner will need to consider. Older ferrets might be already litter or bite trained. If they are, that could be an advantage. However, younger ferrets, like any pet, will not have formed any specific attachments. Having them attach to you can start those bonds forming early.

But training needs will be much higher with a younger ferret. They require much more care. They will require inoculations and litter training, and a lot of attention. Ferrets are not hamsters. Left all day long to their own devices, they can become unruly and unhappy.

‘Unhappy’ may seem an odd term to some to apply to an animal very different from a dog or cat. But ferrets are domesticated and can bond with their companion, whether human or another ferret. Left alone, they have no outlet. There are some exceptions, however. Older, non-neutered males will frequently revert to wild characteristics. They may exhibit what is known as ‘same sex exclusivity’ and seek to isolate themselves from other non-neutered males. You may want to consider getting more than one.

That leads to the second consideration. Should you spay or neuter your ferret? Unless you are an experienced ferret breeder, it’s best to leave that to the experts. Breeding dogs is difficult enough. Ferrets are much harder. It requires considerable knowledge and can lead to great expense. That may be a legitimate long-term goal, but one that should be worked up to.

Which sex?

Males are slightly larger, about 18 inches and around 3-5 pounds. Females, on average, are slightly smaller – about 15 inches with correspondingly smaller weight. Once spayed or neutered, ferrets of both sexes get along fine. Males play and mock-fight with females as much as they do with males and vice versa. But males do have a slightly higher tendency to spray, if they haven’t had their anal scent glands removed.

Incidence of disease is about the same in both neutered males and spayed females. However, non-spayed females will of course raise special concerns. They come into heat seasonally from March to August. If they don’t mate, they can remain in heat for almost six months.

Apart from their cycle, females can also suffer from the usual higher incidence of tumors as a result of raised levels of hormones. But males, too, have their own risks in this regard, so the numbers are not radically different between the two sexes.

Such considerations as color and individual personality are completely personal preferences, of course. But keep in mind that one choice, albinos, can create the need for special care. Like other albinos, they can suffer from vision problems. They are also more easily preyed on, if they get loose where the dog or cat can get to them.

Provided you practice proper care for your ferret, you can hardly go wrong, though. It’s easy to see why these friendly, funny animals became a favorite domestic pet. They’re terrific!

Ferrets really are joyful pets to own and are a great alternative to cats or dogs. They can also be an addition to your existing pet family if you already own cats or dogs!

Some parts of the world require a license to keep pet ferrets. Others have a ban on ferrets altogether (most likely due to poor owners letting their ferrets loose which has an effect on native wildlife). Check with your local authorities if you are unsure of the pet ferret laws in your area.

Now with that out of the way, I bet you just can’t wait to hear all about ferret care!

Let’s start with a ferret’s food requirements.

Ferrets enjoy a meat diet as they are carnivores. You may feed your pet ferret premium cat food or special ferret food.
Although ferrets can and will eat cat food, it is more ideal to feed specialist ferret food. You should have no problem finding ferret food as it is becoming more common nowadays.

Unless you want to breed ferrets, you should desex your female ferrets if it has not already been done. Male ferrets should also be desexed to avoid aggressive territorial behavior as well as of course halting the breeding process.

Ferrets are master escape artists and as such should have sufficient enclosure space so that they can not escape. IF you can’t supervise your ferret then you need to provide a cage for him. The cage should be big enough to be able to house food, litter and bedding. These items should not be placed too close together so consider that when purchasing or making a cage for your ferret.

Ferrets do not enjoy hot temperatures so if it is too hot outside you need to keep your ferret indoors. It does not take extreme temperatures to stress a ferret. In fact a ferret can become stressed in temperatures above twenty six degrees Celsius (Which is certainly not overly hot to humans).

If you wish to give your ferret toys then avoid soft toys and go for harder toys such as dog chews, hard plastic toys and even golf balls.

If you have just bought your ferret then it is wise to get a vet check up to start with. This will eliminate any possible illnesses that you will need to deal with later. Your vet will also be able to advise you on a suitable vaccination plan as well as answer any other ferret care questions you may have.

Ferrets are happy animals provided they are well cared for and attended to. Make sure you provide the best ferret care you possibly can and you will be rewarded with a playful and affectionate pet ferret.

Many ferret owners – or potential ferret owners – think about getting two ferrets instead of one. Should you get two ferrets? Absolutely – two ferrets mean twice the fun, but it also means twice the care and twice the expense of care.

A second ferret should be considered for many reasons. First, experts agree that ferrets that have another ferret as a companion seem happier, and often even live longer than ferrets that do not have another ferret as a companion. Naturally, you want your ferret to be happy.

Another reason that a second ferret is a good idea is that they can entertain each other. Ferrets really do require love and attention, and if you have a busy life, you may not be able to give your ferret all of the love and attention that it requires. This usually isn’t a problem if there is another ferret in the home to keep the first ferret company.

As mentioned earlier, two ferrets are more fun than just one. While they are entertaining each other, you will find that they are also presenting you with a great deal of entertainment. They will play all sorts of games with each other, work together to build nests, and generally become life long friends and companions.

Two ferrets can share many things. This includes a large cage, food and water bowls, and even litter boxes and bedding. There is no need to double up on these types of items. However, you will need to double up on food. You will also need to double up on ferret toothpaste, vitamins, baby shampoo for bathing, and of course they each need their own toothbrush.

You will also need to double up on your emergency vet fund. Ideally, you should have $500 in your emergency vet fund, but if you have two ferrets, you should have about $1000. The chances of one ferret getting sick at a time are slim. They pass germs back and forth just like humans do.

On that note, if you notice that one of your ferrets doesn’t seem to be acting right, immediately separate the two ferrets so that you might prevent one from catching an illness from the other.

Ferrets are highly sociable – with humans and other animals. They will groom each other, play together, and may even have a few skirmishes. Don’t worry – they will work it out themselves, but it is a good idea to check each ferret for wounds when the skirmish ends. Call the vet concerning any bites or scratches that they give each other to find out how you should treat them.

Other than this, again, two ferrets are great fun. You will notice that they have two very different personalities, even if they share the same play and work habits. Those personalities will quickly be evident to you – and the chances are good that you won’t even have to wonder which one of them strung the roll of toilet tissue all over the house!

The history of one of our favorite domestic pets is still awhirl in controversy. Some points are generally agreed on, but much is still shrouded in mystery.

References to ferrets, or at least very similar animals, goes back many centuries. Though not identified exactly, something very like ferrets is mentioned in a play by Aristophanes and essays by Aristotle over 2,500 years ago. More certain are the many pieces of evidence to ferrets, both in writing and paintings, in the late Middle Ages.

There are references in the 13th century to ferreters who were part of the ‘staff’ of the Royal Court in England. Between 1200AD and 1400AD ferrets were a favorite pet of royalty. But, ‘pet’ has a slightly different meaning when applied to an animal many centuries past.

Animals were expected to ‘earn their keep’ in times past. They were probably bred for that very purpose. With the growth of rabbit and mice populations, and the increase in grain stores and agriculture, an animal that would hunt down those who fed on them was helpful. Ferrets were very adept at sliding into burrows and flushing out rabbits. They could also easily chase out a mouse to waiting cats.

Which type of ancestor is difficult to pinpoint precisely. Because their tiny bones decay so thoroughly, it’s hard to find fossil evidence to trace their exact history. The leading theory is they were descendant from Western European polecats.

Scientists have numerous clues to work with in trying to verify that. They can examine general body characteristics (so called ‘morphology’), and compare with other species. They can look at teeth and make good guesses about diet, which helps them narrow down location and type. They can examine fat distribution within the body and compare to genetic cousins. And, they can examine actual DNA and make careful comparisons and distinctions with known species.

Scientists have assigned ferrets, like most animals, a Latin name as well. They’re part of a family called ‘mustelids’, which derives from the Latin ‘mus’ (for ‘mouse’). But they are not rodents. The full name is Mustela Putorius Furo. Putor refers to their odor and furo is derived from the word for thief. The last suggests that even centuries ago ferrets had been commonly observed to snatch items and hide them.

Gradually, through the 19th century, they evolved more and more as working companions. They have even been trained to string cables through pipes in the North Sea and to run wires through small conduits in jets. By the time of the 1970s and later, they became purely pets for millions of people. That is, animals were kept around solely for the joy of their company.

And, that may be the best answer of all to ‘Where Do Ferrets Come From?’. They come from our desire to interact with these funny, friendly and fantastic creatures.

The first tip anyone new to ferret breeding should hear is “Don’t”. It sounds rude, but breeding ferrets is much more difficult than breeding dogs. At first blush one might think the ferrets are doing all the ‘work’. But throughout the process, the breeder will be involved in some way. It’s a lot of effort and certainly not worth it for any money you might make by selling the kits (baby ferrets).

You’ll need to make sure the pair are not too closely related, as mother and son for example, in order to reduce the chances of birth deformities. Kits often don’t survive birth, and that can be heartbreaking for the breeder and any fascinated children nearby. Vet bills will increase substantially, as each kit will need at least his or her first shot, and possibly a second one, before they’re sold or given away.

Still want to try? Ok, here are some signs to watch for.

The first essentials are, of course, two breeding ferrets – one male, one female. This isn’t as obvious as it sounds, since many ferrets are spayed or neutered. A neutered male is usually easy to spot, but a spayed female may not be. But once the female, called a ‘jill’, comes into heat, it will become clear.

Female ferrets are polyestrous. They can have more than one heat per season. In the Northern Hemisphere, that’s March through August, on average. If they don’t mate, they can remain in heat for the entire time. Look for an enlarged vulva and wait two weeks before introducing the male, known as a hob.

Hobs who sense a jill in heat act a lot like dogs, only more so. They run around restlessly, urinate then drag themselves through it, and generally make a pest of themselves around the female, if they’re allowed to. Once they begin, the fun really starts.

An aroused hob will grab a jill by the neck and drag her around, then mount. A willing female allows this, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if they are willing or not. Just make sure the male doesn’t get too rough.

Once the male mounts, there is no safe way to separate them. The male has a ‘barbed’ penis bone that locks the pair together. So be careful. The actual insemination takes only a few minutes, though they may stay coupled for much longer. Once the hob is done, the pair will often eat and drink, then begin the process over again later.

Check the female for any deep puncture wounds, and treat them as needed. Males will often bite a female on the neck and scratch them during mating. The process can be fascinating to watch, but it definitely isn’t ‘cute’ or pretty.

If mating has been successful, the jill’s vulva will return to normal in a couple of weeks. Gestation lasts about 42 days and, about halfway through, you’ll notice the female become larger and gain weight. She’ll often pluck her hair out at the tail or elsewhere.

Make sure you’re prepared with all the necessary equipment and tools for helping out during birth. Seek the advice of your veterinarian.