On Wed, 24 Dec 1997 "Endel H. Randoja" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I basically have herd a few things that have put me off a bit from deciding
>to purchase two ferrets as pets.  I have herd:
 
>1. That ferrets are very territorial and will mark their territory, our
>home, all over the place and very frequently.  And that the sent marking is
>very smelly, "even worse than a cat's" as one person told me.
 
No.  Pet store ferrets are generally neutered.  Generally they also have the
anal scent glands removed although it has been shown that this is uneccesary
as it has little or no effect on the odor.  Provided they are neutered they
do not behave territorially or scent mark.  Un-neutered males are completely
different and are unsuitable as household pets unless you are a real
enthusiast.
 
>2. That ferrets, all ferrets, eventually bite, and become bad pets as they
>grow older (seems hard to believe from my brief encounters).
 
No.  I currently have five, some now as old as six years.  Biting depends on
how they have been treated.  Some of ours have never bitten.  Some were
extreme biters when we rescued them from an abusive environment and now only
occasionaly nip.  We did nothing to discourage biting except regular gentle
handling.
 
>3. That the ferrets odor becomes every increasingly more strong, and that
>there is nothing you can do to remove, neutralize, or mask the odor.
 
No. If they are kept clean the odor that they start with will not get worse
and often gets less as they can be kept in a cleaner environment than most
pet stores.
 
 ----Things you didn't ask but which you should consider-------
 
A. They are not suitable for pets if you have very young children.  They
should always be supervised when playing with children.  Ferrets and
children are both excitable.  When ferrets get excited they play by jumping,
dancing and occasionally nipping.  When the child gets scratched or nipped
they generally shout or jump and the ferret thinks they want to play some
more.  [While we have no children at home anymore, we do have grandchildren
and nephews and nieces that visit.  Ages range from 2 to 16.  Some of these
can be allowed to handle and play with the ferrets as they do not get over
excited.  Others have to be watched every second.]
 
B. Ferrets may be expensive.  A high grade ferret food like Totally Ferret
costs about $35 for 15 lbs which will feed two ferrets for about three to
four months.  Vetinary bills are generally higher than cats as many vets
treat them as "exotic".  They need rabies and canine distemper shots each
year.  They can't be given together, safely.  Thus two visits, ours
typically cost around $35 each visit.  Adrenal tumors seem to be more common
than many of us would like and the operation, which is usually successful,
costs around $400.  [We have five, only one has developed this illness and
she is now fine, and has been for the two years since the operation.]
 
C. Ferrets require regular play time and attention.  We let ours out for an
hour twice a day.  Keep them caged at other times because they can get into
places where they can get hurt.
 
IN ORDER TO KEEP THE ODOR DOWN AND PREVENT "ACCIDENTS" IN THE CAGE:
   (i)   Scoop out the litter box twice a day.
   (ii)  Empty the littter box and wash it completely once a week.
   (iii) Wash all bedding every one to two weeks.
   (iv)  Clean up and disinfect/scrub any "accidents".
   (v)   Don't bathe ferrets too often. It actually worsens the odor.
         We only bathe ours once a year now.
 
D. Check out Pam Grant's ferret home page
(http://www.optics.rochester.edu:8080/users/pgreene/central.html) for
accurate information on owning ferrets.
 
Bottom line:  they make excellent pets if treated reasonably.
[Posted in FML issue 2165]