General guidelines:
 
Two ferrets are non-invasive.  They don't take up a lot of space.  They
generally have one cage, one litter box, & one set of food & water bowls.
There's not a lot of accidents in corners when they're out to play.
 
Four ferrets can sometimes be in one large cage... but need at least two
litterboxes.  If they're in two cages, you've got double cage maintenance.
 
Six ferrets can also generally occupy two medium sized cages.  Maximum
litter box load is three ferrets, even if it's cleaned twice a day.
 
The main consideration is your lifestyle... not what it is or how it is or
how it's likely to change... but how you can adapt it and make adjustments
to your daily activities to allow time for the extra cage maintenance.  I
know that statement may startle some people, since we all know that
people/fuzzy interaction time is the most important consideration... or
do we?  The truth is, no one can predict a change in lifestyle.
 
If the total people/ferret time is only the 30 minutes while you're
getting ready for work and they're stashing treats in the shoes you've got
set out to wear (packing your lunch!) and the hour in the evening in the
kitchen while you're preparing and eating supper (or 30 minutes if you're
a microwave cook) while they inspect the trash and beg for more treats or
lap up the soup you warmed for them while cooking.... THAT'S ENOUGH!
 
You'd be amazed how many times you can twirl a dishtowel at a war dancing
ferret and still get dishes done.  A ferret owner is the property of the
ferret... not the other way around.  You are THE most important part of
that ferret's environment.  Your smell, your clothes, your presence...
preferably across the room where you can't interfere with whatever he's
getting into.  He only needs to play with you just a few minutes... the
rest of the time he's happy to play CLOSE to you.  Ferrets don't play in
cages.  Your lifestyle must incorporate a ferret safe area that they can
play in while you go about daily activities in that area.  They'll come
to you when/if they want your attention.
 
Human children don't count.  Don't depend on them to provide play time
for the ferrets.  They're busy (the children).  The new wears off and
they've got friends to consider.
 
So really, the only "time factor" to worry about is cage maintenace time.
How many cages do you have time to clean?  Allow 10 minutes per cage per
day as an average.  And again, human children don't count, although some
are real gems in this area, for the most part, they're not.
 
Six ferrets is about the max number for families where all adults work.
I'm sure there are families than are exceptions and that's because they've
adapted their lifestyle to make it work.
 
Eight ferrets is ok where an adult is home all or most of the day.
There's more time for the cage maintenance and separate play times that
number often requires.
 
Avoid 10 or more.  You'll find yourself spending as much time cleaning
boxes, changing food, and wiping up poop as you do watching ferrets play.
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
 
Practical & easy training, care, & maintenance articles available at
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/
[Posted in FML issue 3675]