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.

Pet ferrets require a comfortable clean cage. The cage should be large enough to fit the ferret’s food, drink and toys in as well as sufficient space for movement and exercise.

Some people call ferret cages “kitty condos” due to the fact that the cages are becoming more like houses than traditional pet cages! Ferrets do not need to be constantly kept in cage, however it is recommend that if you are out or can not supervise your ferret that you place him in a cage rather than let him freely roam the house.

As ferrets can be quite destructive and mischievous, most owners prefer to cage it than let it run free when they are out of the house.
You do not have to go overboard when constructing or buying a ferret cage. In fact, just making a ferret proof enclosure with boards or fences is sufficient enough to keep the ferret contained.

When temperatures are excessively hot or cold outside, you should keep your ferret indoors. A simple wooden constructed enclosure is a cheap and easy way to house your ferret when you are not playing with him.

If you prefer to buy a ferret cage, expect to spend anywhere from $80 to $1000 depending on what you want, how big it is and how luxurious it is. Just like cat and dog accessories, there are also gourmet ferret accessories and houses – they just aren’t cheap!

There are a variety of ferret cages available. Anything from a simple ground based cage, right up to the exotic multi level pet mansion.
Multi level cages, whilst more expensive, are actually ideal for the ferret as you can separate his food from his litter area and his sleep area. Ferrets prefer their litter to be located away from their food that’s why a multi level or at least a large one level cage is mandatory.

It goes without saying that some things should be avoided. For example, cages with slats or openings big enough for the ferret to get his head or feet stuck in, coated surfaces (some coats are safe, check before buying), metal bottomed cages and anything else that may seem hazardous to your ferret’s health.

Ferret cages are a fun way to house your ferret when you don’t want him on the loose. Take your time choosing one, and it will last a lifetime.

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!

If you are thinking about getting a ferret, you need be aware of diseases and conditions that are common to ferrets. Ferrets are not diseased animals but, like any other pet, they do get illnesses that may shorten their lives.

The first thing a ferret owner should be aware of is intestinal obstructions. This is not a disease, but a condition caused by your ferret swallowing something that cannot be digested. Like small children, anything a ferret gets a hold of goes directly to their mouth – and they may swallow it.

Intestinal obstruction is the number one cause of deaths among ferrets. Unfortunately, it is a slow and painful death for the ferret if you don’t realize that there is a problem and seek treatment from the vet. Items that the ferret may want to chew are also a danger, because small pieces can come off and be swallowed. Ferrets are especially fond of rubber items, like sink stoppers. A ferret is most likely suffering from intestinal obstruction if he is lethargic, vomiting, has problems having a bowel movement, or refuses to eat or drink. He can die very quickly from this.

Lymphoma is also a common disease that ferrets may experience. Lymphoma is cancer, and is indicated by diarrhea, weight loss, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. In most cases, your vet can help you to make your ferret more comfortable. He may even try radiation therapy, which is expensive – but there is no real cure for lymphoma.

If your ferret passes bright green feces, he most likely has ECE or Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis. This is highly contagious, and known as the Green Slime Disease. The ferret may vomit as well, and is at high risk for dehydration, malnutrition, and ulcers. He may also have seizures. At the first sign of green, slimy feces, you should contact your vet for treatment.

You may have a diabetic ferret on your hand. Insulinomas are growths on the pancreas. They cause the pancreas to release too much insulin, which in turn makes your ferret suffer from hypoglycemia. If your ferret is weak, lethargic, or sleeps too much, call the vet. Serious symptoms include vomiting, disorientation, and seizures, among others.

Adrenal disease is also common among ferrets. Adrenal disease means that there are growths on the adrenal gland, which may or may not be cancerous. Common symptoms of adrenal disease include hair loss, starting just above the tail and moving up the back. The ferret may also experience weight loss. If the ferret is a female, the vulvae may be swollen as well. A ferret usually won’t suffer from adrenal disease until he or she is between three and four years of age.

The good news is that you don’t have to diagnose your ferret. All you have to do is pay attention. Anytime there is a change in eating habits, sleeping habits, play habits, or bathroom habits, call the vet and get the ferret checked for a potential problem.

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.