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.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
i’ve an 8 month old and it is biting (drawing blood when i pick him up. how do i stop him from doing this ?
I have read up on ferrets because we are thinking of adding a ferret to our pet family. What I have found is if they are biting it is a simple indication that they are wanting to play. If they are biting too hard…it has been stated in articles that if you simply show your discomfort they will understand it hurts you and learn that it is not nessicary to bite so hard. The ferret “bite” is to initiate play.