Pet Ferret

As every ferret owner knows, our little friends love to get into trouble. Whether your ferrets live in a cage when you’re not around or are free all the time, whether they live in a single room or have the run of the house, the first line of defense, both for your ferrets and for your possessions, is a well-ferret-proofed home.

Domestic pet ferrets, Mustela furo(sometimes called Mustela putorius furo), are not wild animals. They have been domesticated for a very long time, perhaps two or three thousand years. They’re not equipped to survive for very long on their own; escaped pets suffer from dehydration, starvation and exposure, and usually don’t survive more than a few days unless someone takes them in.

Like kittens and puppies, ferret kits must be taught not to nip. A ferret which has been bred to be a pet shouldn’t be vicious or bite, but ferret play does include mock combat, and young ones won’t know how hard they can put their teeth on you without hurting you.

The key ingredients in any food for ferrets are fat and protein, specifically animal protein, since ferrets’ short digestive cycles prevent them from getting enough nutrition from vegetable proteins.

Ferretone and Linatone are two popular vitamin supplements. They are also one of the most common treats, since nearly every ferret loves them.

Most ferrets enjoy some fruits and vegetables. Although they’re not necessary for good nutrition if you’re feeding your pets a high-quality cat food, small amounts of these won’t hurt. Just be sure you don’t fill your ferret up on fruit, since he’ll need to eat his regular food to get the required protein.

Dominance fighting is normal in ferret introductions. The severity can range from nearly nonexistent to all-out war. Prepare for the worst, and then anything less than that will seem like a piece of cake! Patience is the most important virtue.

Many people keep their ferrets in a cage or very well-ferret-proofed room whenever they can’t be supervised. This drastically reduces the risks of digestive-tract blockages from swallowing indigestible objects, injury, and escape. However, even if you plan to let your ferrets have the run of the house at all times, you’ll want a cage at first for litter-training and other kinds of training as well as for temporary use.

Cat toys work well for ferrets, though you need to be sure they don’t have any small, removable parts or foam stuffing which might cause digestive-tract blockages. Most ferrets are rather harder on toys than a cat would be, so choose accordingly.

Depending on your ferret, either a nylon kitten collar, a thin, flat leather puppy collar, or a piece of ball chain will work well. A leather boot lace can also make a fine collar; just knot it at the right size.

Ferrets can be trained to use a litter pan, but unlike cats, they don’t take to it automatically.

Ferrets intended as pets must be neutered or spayed. Neutering drastically reduces the odor of a male, prevents him from marking his territory with smelly slime, and makes him less aggressive (males in season may kill other ferrets, even females).

Vaccines are extremely important for your ferret and should be administered at the appropriate frequency by your vet. Here is a short guide to to standard vaccinations and possible reactions.

Ferrets can suffer from a range of health issues, from intestinal blockages to lymphoma. Here is a guide to help you spot symptoms as early as possible.

Ferrets are domestic animals, cousins of weasels, skunks and otters. (Other relatives include minks, ermines, stoats, badgers, black-footed ferrets, polecats, and fishers.)

As with people, a ferret’s inherent personality is more important than color or gender. Here are some things to consider when you are about to make your choice.