Basic Tips for Keeping Ferrets

Prior knowledge and preparation.

If you decide that ferrets are the pet for you, it is crucial that you find out as much information as possible about them first. Ask yourself whether you have the time and commitment to provide for it's needs.Talk to other ferret keepers, your local vet or a ferret rescue for advice.When you are satisfied that a ferret is the right pet for you, then suitable accomodation, food and other accessories can be aquired before taking a ferret home.

Finding the right ferret for you.

There are many rescue centres up and down the country with ferrets desperately in need of kind new homes, also R.S.P.C.A animal centres often have ferrets available for adoption. You can also ask your local vet for advice. Many rescue ferrets are already neutered, this reduces smell considerably, especially for the hobs, and prevents jills becoming ill through being left in season too long. Hobs once neutered can usually be mixed with other neutered hobs and jills.

Ferrets are very sociable animals and enjoy the company of other ferrets, however there are exceptions and some just prefer to live alone. If you intend to adopt just one ferret, make sure you have the time to interact and play with them daily, as they will soon become bored and miserable. If you feel kits are for you, it is important that they have regular handling, which will make for better temperaments when they become adults. It is also important to get them neutered at around 6mths old.

Unhealthy/ healthy animal signs.

A healthy ferret will be alert and bright eyed with no signs of discharge from it's eyes,mouth or nose. It should also have no bald patches,broken patches in it's skin or lumps and bumps. A ferrets teeth should be clean and it's gums pink. The ferret's coat should be soft rather than harsh and there should be no signs of fleas or other parasites. A ferret's tail and rear end should be clean and free from faeces or diarrhoea.

Ferrets are vulnerable to heat exhaustion, so be sure to never overheat them and make sure they have fresh clean drinking water at all times. Ferrets can also catch human influenza and it is important to keep them away from people who have it.

Feeding

Ferrets thrive very well on dried ferret complete food, there are many different brands to choose from. It is also fine to feed small amounts of mince beef, chicken or even tinned cat food (chunks in jelly or gravey being the best). You can also give whiskas cat milk as a treat, as it contains hardly any lactose, so will not upset the ferrets stomach.

Housing

If you intend on keeping your ferret indoors, there are many metal and plastic indoor cages on the market to choose from. Ferrets can be quiet easily litter trained, usually they will go to the toilet at the furthest point from where they sleep, so place their litter tray in the opposite corner to their bed. If you intend letting your ferret run loose around the house, make sure that all outside doors are closed as ferrets are great escape artists. Also be watchful where there are young children or other pets around.

If housing your ferret outside, a large rabbit hutch or homemade pen is ideal, or a sectioned off part of the shed. If they are to live in the garden, make sure they are in a sheltered position and not in direct sunlight. Ferrets do not tolerate heat well and can easily suffer from heatstroke.

Toys

Ferrets enjoy a variety of toys, from small cat toys to piping for them to crawl through. They love hammocks to curl up in, and will spend hours snoozing in them. Try different things and find out what your ferret makes of them!

Hygiene

Ferrets are very clean animals, there is no need to bath them reguarly, once or twice a year is enough. Their claws will require trimming reguarly, avoid cutting them too short, as you will nick the vein and make the claw bleed.

Treats

There are a few ferret treats on the market, 8 in 1 pet products include ferretone and ferretvite, which ferrets really enjoy. You can use this to pacify your ferret whilst trimming their claws.

These are a few basic tips we hope will help you.