Ferrets

Information and Care Sheet

This pamphlet is designed to give soon to be ferret owners, current
ferret owners, and store employees a basic idea of the care a ferret
needs.

Is a ferret the right pet for you?

Ferrets are wonderful, energetic & intelligent animals and make great
pets... but not for everyone! Caring for and living with a ferret is
NOT the same as having a cat, dog, hamster or gerbil. Their care,
feeding, and illnesses are very individual to the species. Ferrets
require a lot of time!

Ferrets are not wild animals and have been domesticated for about 2500
years. They cannot live in the wild and will surely die within days if
they were released in the wild or escape.

Ferrets are thieves! And they stash their "bounty" anywhere and
everywhere. Ferrets generally have very little fear. Diving in to a
"black hole" doesn't phase them, but may have you tearing down walls if
you do not ferret proof properly. Any hole of 1" - 1.5" must be
blocked- very securely!

And yes, there is "that smell!" Most ferret owners do not even notice
the musky smell after awhile. But, remember, you will never get rid of
it completely as long as you have ferrets.

The book Ferrets For Dummies by Kim Schilling is a great book and
should be read by all ferret owners.

Setting Up a Cage

Your ferret will be living in their cage when you are not home, so you
need to find one that fits your budget, but has enough space for your
ferrets needs.

The size of a cage should be at least 3' long x 2' wide x 2' high for
one ferret. The bigger the cage the better so that there will be enough
room for a litter box, sleep area, play area and feeding area. Ferrets
do not like their litter boxes to be too close to sleeping and eating
areas, so take this into consideration.

Ferrets should only be housed with other ferrets in a cage. They may
recognize other small animals such as rodents as a meal, so it is
safest to keep them separate.

Cage bars should not be wider than 1" between bars. Any stairs or
bottoms made of wire should be covered so the ferret doesn't hurt
their feet. Use carpet or linoleum to cover these areas.

You will also want to find a cage that is easy to clean with big doors
for easier access to clean the litter boxes. Ferrets are amazing escape
artists if given the chance. Make sure all doors can be properly
secured.

The cage needs to have good ventilation. An aquarium is not a proper
cage for ferrets. In glass enclosures, when urine builds up, it can
lead to illness and disease.

Ferrets love their bedding. Hammocks, sleep sacks, sleeping bags should
be placed throughout the cage. You should have at least two per ferret.
Ferrets love fleece and cuddly warm blankets. Old sweatshirts work
great! Make sure to wash bedding once a week to cut down on the odour.
The oils rubbing off on bedding is what causes most of a ferret's
odour.

The food dish and water bottle should be left out at all times. Ferrets
have very high metabolisms and need to eat every few hours. Water
bottles are easiest to use, as ferrets often like to play with water in
a dish often. Some ferrets will not use one or the other, so whatever
works best for you. It is also a good idea to get a food dish that
clamps to the bars of your cage so your ferret can't flip it over.

Proper food to feed

Ferrets are carnivores (meat eaters).  They live on ferret kibble or
kitten kibble.  For a ferret, you cannot buy the cheapest food on the
market.  It can cause major problems down the line.  When selecting a
ferret kibble, read labels!  The first four ingredients are the most
important.  Look for meat products such as chicken or chicken meal in
this area.  Also, stay away from foods with corn meal and other plant
products near the top, as ferrets cannot digest them properly.

The protein should be at least 34% and the fat content should be at
least 20%.  The ash and fibre contents should be as low as possible.
It is good to find a food with taurine added as it helps keep the
heart and eyes healthy.

Avoid fishy foods as ferrets don't really like it very much and the
litter box will tend to smell stronger. Ferrets are very picky eaters
so it is a good idea to mix a few different foods together so they
won't stop eating if one of the foods becomes unavailable.  Ferrets
imprint on food at a young age, and it is often hard to switch them to
different foods when they get older.

A hairball remedy should also be given to your ferret about once a week
to prevent hairballs in the stomach.  If they are shedding, you may
want to increase this to every two days.  You can use a store bought
hairball remedy or mix some ferretone in with regular Vaseline.  Both
remedies work well.

Treats

Treats should always be given in moderation and are often very useful
in training your ferret.  You can reward them for good behaviour (using
a litter box).

Ferretone is a skin and coat supplement, but can be used as a treat
since ferrets love it.  N-Bones, Chew-weasels, Totally Ferret Treats,
and Bandits are a favourite for many ferrets.  Raisins and cheerio's
can also be used, but in moderation.  No more that 1-2 a day.

Non-sugary treats that you buy from a store are often good, but steer
clear of the ones with dried fruits as they can cause intestinal
blockages if a larger piece is swallowed.

Ferrets also see a regular piece of their kibble as a treat if it is
given by hand.  Use this if you are training and don't want to use too
many treats.

Never give a ferret any of the following items: diary products, coffee,
tea, alcohol, sweet drinks, seeds, nuts, chocolate, sugary foods, salty
foods, and raw egg whites.  These items are all bad for ferrets in
different ways.  Some cause illness; some cause blockages in their
system.

Playtime

Your ferret is not supposed to sit in a cage all the time like a rat or
hamster.  It needs at least 4 hours of playtime out of cage every day.
If you have only one ferret, you will have to dedicate more time to
playing with your ferret so it doesn't get bored.

It is very important to ferret-proof your house.  Get down on your
hands and knees to see what your ferret might get into. Reclining
chairs or furniture with moving parts are not safe with a ferret.
Accidents with this type of furniture can result in the death of your
ferret.

Make sure you board up all small holes; look for escapes to outside
like a dryer vent, screen door, window, or doggie door. Make sure
electrical cords are not frayed, and plants are not within reach, make
sure they are non-toxic and cover the top of the dirt with rocks.  Put
up security gates between ferret areas and off limit areas.  Kitchens
and laundry rooms are not good areas for a ferret as there are more
dangers in these rooms.  Make sure the gate is tall enough your ferret
can't escape, but so you can still climb over if there is a need.  Baby
gates are not tall enough for some ferrets and they have holes for
climbing!  Make sure to use a surface for your gate that is flat with
no holes like Plexiglas or wood so that it is impossible to climb.

Once you have ferret-proofed the room(s) that your ferret will be
playing in, keep in mind that ferrets are extremely curious animals and
have very little fear.  Why might this be a problem?  They get into
everything!  Be it a shelf of knick-knacks, a pocketbook, an open
refrigerator, and most can open a kitchen cupboard with ease.  They
also get under things such as scatter rugs, bags, boxes, and cabinets
so you have to be very mindful of where you step when your ferret is
out.

Basically, if you think for a second, I wonder if my ferret can get
into that?  The answer is almost always: yes!  Make sure you watch your
ferret closely when he is playing for the first little while so that
you can see what you missed!

Litter and Litter Training

Ferrets cannot always be completely litter trained.  Most who are
litter trained still miss on occasion.  Poop is something you will
learn to deal with, as ferret poop is not hard to clean up.

You should make sure to have lots of litter boxes in the corners around
your play area, as ferrets like to go in corners.  You should have at
least one per room.  Many ferrets will not use corner litter pans if
they cannot fit their entire body in them as adults.  You will figure
out a litter box that will work best for you.

You should select a litter that is non-clumping as it can cause
problems if your ferret snorkels through his litter.  Clumping litter
can get stuck on the insides of the nose (moisture) and prevent proper
breathing.  Clay litters are ok, but often have way too much dust, even
in 99% dust free kinds.  That can also cause breathing problems.
Scoopable litter can also cause problems due to the dust in it.

Wood shavings are a big no no.  Cedar and pine wood shavings have been
proven to cause respiratory problems because small particles are
breathed in.

You best choice for litter is something like Yesterday's News.  It is a
pelleted litter made from recycled newspapers and is quite heavy so
your ferret won't be able to kick out as much.  It is good with
absorbency and odour control as well.

Ferrets are very clean animals and hate when their homes are a mess.
To show your ferret where the litter box is, place a starter poo in the
box so that they can smell where to go.  Always clean up accident spots
completely to get rid of the smell.  You most likely will not get a
ferret who uses a litter box 100% of the time.  Expect about 80% of the
time for most ferrets.

If you see your ferret backing up into a corner or against a wall with
the tail up, that means they are going to go potty.  Gently pick them
up and place them in the closest litter box.  They should figure out
that is where to go.

Ferrets almost always have to go potty within 15 minutes of waking up.
Use this to help train your ferret.  Place them in the litter box when
they wake up.  Keep putting them back into it until they figure out to
go.  You can reward them for using a litter box, but you may get a
ferret that will fake potty if they think they might get a treat.

Grooming

Ferrets do not need to be bathed often.  Keeping the cage and bedding
clean will get rid of most of the smell.  Bathing a ferret strips the
skin of natural oils, so if you give your ferret a bath, you will often
notice a stronger smell after a few days since the body is producing
the oils to replenish the ones removed.  Some people never bath a
ferret, some do it a few times a year.  It should not be done more than
once a month.  Use a ferret shampoo as it is designed for their fur.

Nails need to be trimmed about every two weeks; many pet stores can cut
them for you for a small fee.  If you do it yourself, buy a pair of dog
or cat nail clippers or use fingernail clippers.  Cut about 1/8th inch
below the quik (the red part in the nail).  If you cut too close, it
will bleed.  Have No Bleed available just in case.

Ears need to be cleaned about once every month to prevent build-up.
Use a cotton swab and dip it in an ear cleanser (bought at a pet
store).  Swab inside the ear but don't push down hard.  You don't want
to compact the wax.  It is a good idea to have a helper, as ferrets
don't like this very much.  Scruffing a ferret means to pick them up by
the skin on the back of their neck.  This can be done to help cut down
on squirming and movement.

Brushing a ferret's teeth should be done about once a week.  Use a
small cat or dog toothbrush and cat or dog toothpaste.  Most ferrets
don't like brushing teeth, so start when they are young.

Vaccinations

Ferrets need three Distemper boosters (first one is usually given when
they leave the ferret farm).  Distemper boosters are given about one
month apart.  You need to find a vet who is a ferret specialist.

Rabies vaccination should also be done on a ferret as a precaution.
Though rabies is very rare in ferrets, having the papers stating your
ferret has been vaccinated against rabies may save its life if it bites
someone.  In many places it is not mandatory to have a rabies booster,
but it is still a good idea.

Illnesses

Ferrets are prone to illness and often develop problems when they
are around 5 years old.  Vet care and surgery can be costly, so saving
money monthly for vet care is a good idea.  Many suggest about $20 per
month per ferret is a good start.

Ferrets can develop things like Adrenal Disease, Insulinoma, Chordomas,
Skin Tumours, and many other things.  Please research common ferret
illnesses as this section could go on for quite some time.


I hope this information has helped you learn about ferrets.  I am not
a veterinarian, or an expert, just a person who loves ferrets.  I felt
that it is often hard to find information about ferrets, even from a
pet store.  I made this information pamphlet just so you have a very
basic idea of ferret care.  Please do more reading and research, as
many things are not covered in these two pages.  I mainly used
information I found talking to various people on the Internet in chat
groups.

[Posted in FML 5393]