Everything You Need To Know About Ferrets

Many people have never had the joy of owning a ferret or, as more correctly stated, being owned by a ferret. Ferrets, also commonly known as speed bumps, weasels (and a thieving weasel at that), fuzzbutts, furkids, or carpet sharks, are wonderful pets even if you reside in a small apartment. Although dogs and cats are considered two of the most popular pets for families, a ferret is a nice alternative and thought by many to be the third (and fastest growing) most popular pet today. Ferrets are extremely social animals with engaging personalities and crazy antics and they enjoy one on one interaction with their human and with each other. If feasible, it is always nicer for the ferret if he has a “ferret buddy” for when you are not home. Besides, two ferrets are always more fun than just one.

Ferrets come in a variety of colors, description, and sizes. There are sables, cinnamons, silver mitts, blazes, panda heads, marked whites, and albinos. Most have masks, but some do not. The average weight is 1-4 lbs with the females being a little lighter than males. The average length for an adult ferret is approximately 20 inches, but that may vary with each individual. A female ferret is a “jill” and a male ferret is called a “hob”. Ferrets normally live 7-10 years, though there is some anecdotal evidence that many have lived even longer.

Like any other inside pet, ferrets need food, water, a litter box, a place to sleep, toys and a safe environment. There is quite a bit of work in owning a ferret, but they more than compensate for it with their loving natures and crazy antics. They love to play and hide their toys and are as curious as any animal in checking out your coat pockets, the space behind the sofa, or the shelf that is just out of reach. Or, was it? I looked up one day to find Ice Man, one of my eleven ferrets, sitting on top of the refrigerator happily digging through a box of cheese crackers. How he got up there is still a mystery to this day unless he climbed a nearby curtain and made a flying leap over four feet!

Ferrets will chase each other or you and love to have rides on towels or a trip in your hoodie. They love “hidey holes” where they hide everything from toys to your (now his) favorite sock and even their food. Many ferrets have a “favorite toy” which may be a yarn covered plastic egg, a squeaker toy, or an empty juice can. They will hide their toys any place they can make it fit and then go off and bring back even more, often even those toys belonging to someone else. My ferrets love hiding in plastic gallon mayonnaise containers and you would be surprised at what they can hide in one or even how many ferrets will fit inside at one time.

Ferrets can also talk to each other and you with a sound similar to chuckling and also known as dooking. Ferrets can also make other sounds such as hissing, chattering and, if they happen to get scared or startled by something (or a toenail caught in a piece of material), vocalize a very loud scream.

Ferrets also dance. They arch their backs, open their mouths, and seemingly on tiptoes and with no spine whatsoever, jump around forwards, backwards and sideways. My ferrets have gotten so physically caught up in dancing, they have fallen over, danced off an end table, flipped head over hills, or danced right into a pile of sleeping ferrets that promptly jumped on the offender and buried him in the pile. This dance itself, a springing leap, is often called a weasel happy dance or a war dance, depending on whether they are gleefully playing or upset about a toy that was abruptly taken away.

When selecting a diet that is beneficial to a ferret, owners must understand that they are obligate carnivores. This means they eat meat and the main ingredient of their diet must consist of meat and related products, including bones, bone marrow and even eggs. Ferrets should be fed approximately every four hours because they have a very short digestive tract. They need to eat often and having dry kibble available at all times is the best way to go. Remember, what goes in also comes out just as quickly.

There are several commercially made meat based kibbles and soft foods available for ferrets. The rule of thumb is to select a kibble or other food source with a guaranteed analysis protein level of at least a 36%, 20% fat, low carbohydrates and a minimum of 3% fiber. It is also recommended that the first five ingredients should be meat or meat based. Not all commercially prepared food meets these requirements, so read the labels! It is also a good idea to select two or more different kibbles and mix them in order to keep the ferret from becoming used to just one kind of food in the event one of the foods they are familiar with becomes unavailable or if the formula is changed.

If you are one of the braver ferret owners, you may decide to feed a natural diet consisting of completely whole raw prey such as frozen baby mice, frozen baby chicks or pieces of other raw meat such as organ meats (heart, liver, gizzards). They can also eat chicken, rabbit or turkey, mealworms, crickets and fish (ex. sardines). Many people do not have the time or ability to deal with feeding a raw diet and that is when having a commercially prepared ferret food is great to have available.

Vegetables and fruits should not be fed because ferrets do not have the necessary digestive organs necessary to digest vegetable matter. They lack the cecum, a portion of the intestinal tract found in most omnivores and that has the responsibility of digesting fibrous vegetation. Owners need to be careful about feeding too much grain, such as corn, because it can also contribute to a blockage. Some ferret owners also like to give treats to their ferret. Some of these treats include raisins, yogurt treats or vegetables and fruits such as mangos, watermelon and tomatoes. It is now believed that treats or food high in sugar or carbohydrates may increase the chance of your ferret developing health problems, especially insulinoma. The best treats are made out of meat and your ferret will be just as happy taking a piece of his regular kibble from your fingers.

You can also make a soup (called Duck Soup) out of cooked chicken and other meats (such as rabbit, venison, fowl, beef) and by adding a combination of any or all of eggs, goat milk, heavy cream and even a supplement such as Ferretone. Cook all the ingredients until the bones are soft, blend them into a soft mush, divide into meal-sized portions, and freeze. When thawed out, add a bit of warm water and your ferret will have a treat or an optional food source that is good for them. This soup is also a good alternative if your ferret becomes ill because the soup is easily digested.

Water can be given in bowls, drip bottles, or through automatic water dispensers similar to those used for rodents, rabbits and other small animals. Just make sure to clean the bowls regularly and keep the water fresh. Always try to have more than one bowl available in different places or in their cage.

Ferrets like corners when they have to find a bathroom area. Most ferrets are easily trained to use a litter box and it helps if it is kept in the same place in their cage or in the corners of your “ferret room. They will usually use it if it is available. Having more than one litter box is a very good idea if your ferret has the run of your house or a large area. They do have accidents and forget to look for the box, so the more areas covered, the safer your floors will be. Even puppy pee pads will work in corners you would not normally have a litter box and are easily disposable.

The material used as litter is also important. Hard wood pellets, cat litters made out of natural products like wheat, and pelletized newspaper are all good litter materials. The use of pine and cedar shavings or clay found in many cat litters is not good litter material. These materials are thought to contribute to respiratory problems in ferrets and the clay may settle into an intestinal blockage when ferrets clean their bodies and feet.

Toys can be almost anything a cat or dog would play with, but owners need to make sure there is no soft rubber or plastic pieces they could chew off and ingest. Having to rush your ferret to a veterinarian is no fun when it means having the ferret operated on to remove a blockage that can often be fatal. The best toys are the kind they can carry around and chew on without damaging the toy. No matter how safe you believe a toy may be, it should be inspected periodically just to make sure there is nothing wrong with it.

Housing and cage options are important for your ferret. Many owners allow their ferret to free roam around the house and may or may not use a cage at night. For others, having their ferrets live in a cage with playtime outside (for two to four hours a day) works best for them. If you decide on a cage, make sure you select one large enough for your ferret to be able to move around and play. When you buy a baby or young ferret be conscious of the fact that they grow to be an average of 1-4 lbs and several inches in length. Do not buy a cage that will be too small. Make sure you install plenty of hammocks or ferret cubes for your ferret to sleep in. My ferrets love plush fleece blankets and will tunnel through the folded layers to find the “perfect” spot to take a nap. Many ferret owners have turned their old but still perfectly serviceable sweatshirts into sleeping quarters and the ferrets have fun running in and out of the sleeves.

Ferrets have the ability to get into places your other pets may ignore. If their head will fit, they can usually manage to slide the rest of their body into any open space. Ferret proofing is probably one of the most essential parts of owning a ferret. Owners need to make sure they do not have access to areas like the motor on the refrigerator or the area behind your oven. Owners also have to make sure there are no open places existing that their ferret may be able to escape to the outside world, such a pipe openings under sinks, air conditioning vents, or a loose window screen that can be pushed open. Watch for chewing, especially around items such as electric cords. You can buy covers for cords to protect your ferret if they cannot be hidden away.

The last and probably most essential thing to consider is the health of your ferret. When you buy one or agree to take one from a shelter or a private individual, get as much personal information on him/her as you can. As they get older, some ferrets may develop Insulinoma or Adrenal disease. Ferrets should have bright eyes and be very active when awake. Find a ferret friendly veterinarian in your neighborhood that is familiar with ferrets. Most vets will not mind if you ask questions about their experience with ferrets. Check on the regulations in your area about whether or not you are required to have your ferret vaccinated against rabies.

It is also a good idea to make sure it is legal to keep a ferret in the state or municipality in which you live. In some states, such as California, they are illegal, though efforts are being made to change that.

New owners should do research about owning a ferret BEFORE getting one. It is easy to get information online and many sites exist out here in cyberspace that gives very good advice and information concerning the health of your ferret. One of the best books to read is the “Ferrets for Dummies” by Kim Shilling. This book provides a great deal of basic information for the first time ferret owner. Another is Ferret Magazine, which comes out six times a year. The following are also excellent online resources for information about owning and caring for your ferrets:

http://www.ferretuniverse.com/

http://www.ferretfacts.com/

http://www.ferretcentral.org/

Ferrets, which are from the Mustildae family, make them a distant cousin comprised of the weasel, European polecat, skunk, badger, mink, otter, marten, fisher, and wolverine. Records show they have been domesticated for approximately 2500 years and perhaps even longer. Due to this relationship, unaltered male ferrets have glands that secrete a strong musky-smelling oil for their skin. This smell can be quite strong and not one every person will enjoy; however, most ferrets in the United States are usually sold de-scented and spayed or neutered. Even so, most ferrets do have a musky smell even if altered, but there are products that can reduce the smell if you want your ferret to smell more like a flower. Too many baths will cause your ferret to produce more oil that contributes to this musk and, unless they are really dirty, only need a bath a couple times a year. Personally, I like the smell and it is much nicer than the smell of wet dog hair.

Unlike their cousins, the domesticated ferret is neither wild nor feral. There are no wild ferrets in the United States with the exception of its distant cousin, the black footed ferret. Contrary to what many people believe, ferrets are not rodents and are not remotely related to animals such as mice or rats. Their survival instincts are minimal at best and most homebound ferrets have no basic instincts on how to hunt, how to protect themselves from larger carnivores such as dogs or other wild animals. In fact, if a ferret escapes or is left outside on its own or dumped by an unscrupulous owner, a domesticated ferret would most likely die within a few days. Because ferrets have little concept of what is dangerous, they are very likely to be killed if crossing a roadway. Therefore, once again, ferret proof their play area.

That said, not every person is a good candidate for being a ferret owner. Ferrets require a lot of time and socializing with their human. Some ferrets are susceptible to health problems and they may have a need for quality health care that could last a portion of their lifetime. Food is often more expensive than other small animal foods. So before you decide to go out and get one of these crazy critters, do your research! Talk to other people who have ferrets or visit one of the ferret shelters in your area. You just might run into a ferret that wants YOU and you will be glad you made the trip.