Ferret Questions

[Reptilian]

Hey all you ferret owners or those who have thought about getting a ferret.

A few questions:

1. What do you consider the pros and cons of owning a ferret?
2. What do you think of clothing designed for ferrets? Like it? Don't? Why?
3. Walking harnesses...can they be left on a ferret 24/7 like you would a puppy? What about a collar with a bell?

Thanks.

[Argentra]

I've never owned a ferret myself, but I've cared for them quite a bit in stores and at the zoo (educational animals). Here's what I would say:

The pros would be how playful and smart the little buggers are. They are so cute to watch and fun to interact with. Just be sure to get them young so you can train them out of the bitting stage, or get an adult already trained. Either way get them from a trusted source.
Cons would be that you have to bathe them at least once a week or get the scent glands removed (unnecessary but lots of people look into it) especially with males. They are the consummate escape artist, and can get into ANYTHING so you have to ferret-proof your entire home, rather like having a destructive toddler. Also, you need the biggest cage you can afford, or you have to take them out for exercise and play time quite a bit. They need companionship and attention.

The clothing...it's just like the clothes for dogs: totally unnecessary. Mostly it's made for girls who want to dress up their pet all cute. Leave that stuff on too long and it will be shredded in no time. Plus the difficulty in getting it on them in the first place...it's not for nothing my BF calls them furry slinkys.

No, those harnesses should not be left on all the time. Heck they shouldn't really be left on a dog ALL the time, but I know it's for training purposes. Collars, harnesses, and other such things are put-on-when-needed, take-off-when-not items. Since ferrets can compress themselves to fit into the smallest spaces, if they have something around them all the time they could get it twisted and choke. Ferrets are so much like little babies or toddlers it's not funny.

Hope that helps.

[Reptilian]

Thanks for the tips. I didn't know about the weekly bath thing, I heard it maybe nessicary, but not to over do it.

Also I am considering getting one from a petstore. Yeah yeah yeah I know, but they look very young and I believe come from Marshell Farms, so they are usually altered and descented at least here in Ohio.

So thanks, if anyone has anything to add that would be great.

[Shadowspider]

Hey all you ferret owners or those who have thought about getting a ferret.

A few questions:

1. What do you consider the pros and cons of owning a ferret?
2. What do you think of clothing designed for ferrets? Like it? Don't? Why?
3. Walking harnesses...can they be left on a ferret 24/7 like you would a puppy? What about a collar with a bell?

Thanks.

1. I'll just list the cons from my past experience with owning ferrets.
They are master escape artists and "ferret proofing" your house is an enormous task... and an on going one.
They can squeeze through an opening an inch wide (get the idea how difficult ferret proofing can be? )
They have an oder even if they are de-scented.
If you play rough with them, expect them to play rough back (and they're much better at it than you are).
Even the best litter trained ferret won't always use the litter box.... if he/she decides at that moment that the box is too far away.
They do NOT make good pets for children (remember the playing rough thing... a ferret's jaws lock and don't unlock until they are darn good and ready to unlock them)
You have to bathe them every week. Yes that IS necessary.... truuuuust me. You *will* need an appropriate "shampoo". I always use/used "Oatmeal conditioning all breed pet shampoo". It is NOT an actual "shampoo" because it does not contain soap and *that* is what will dry and irritate your ferret's skin, or any animal's skin for that matter. It is an all natural moisturizing cleanser the rinses clean and does not leave a perfumed scent behind.
They WILL try to get to your snakes and kill/eat them if given even a remote opportunity.
They are excellent thieves and will take off with anything from your slippers, watch, ear rings and even the potatoes and hide them in the hole they made in the bottom of your sofa that you didn't even know was there.
There are others but my brain is nearly mush right now.

2. Clothing... never used it, never saw the sense in it. They're animals, they have fur, they don't need a jogging suit. They should NOT be taken outside in extreme weather, and "humanizing" an animal in general just kind of bugs me.

3. Walking harnesses... only if you can find an actual ferret harness (they're not cheap). You can NOT use a cat, rabbit or similar harness for a ferret. Their heads and shoulders are more slender than their body and thus, they can squeeze out of a harness very easily. A collar with a bell.... don't even waste your time, they would have that off in a heart beat and it would either be a toy or would disappear for the next 10 years until you moved your fridge and pulled up the old tile to replace it, thus noticing the little cubby hole they made in the wall that extended to your sub flooring and, hey, waddaknow.... there's that dang collar.... and that $50 that came up missing back in 07 that I blamed my S/O for swiping.... oops!!!!.
As far as leaving a harness on ANY animal 24/7 why on earth would you do that???? That's a good way to cause a lot of problems (hanging and/or choking/cutting off circulation being only some of them). You should not leave a harness on any animal 24/7. Plus, with a ferret, they will try everything to get it off... from chewing it to death to chewing on themselves.
Permanent harness=bad idea.

P.S. I see in your sig that you have rats and mice... a ferret will try and "play" with (eat) them as well.

[Monty]

ferrets pros there cant be any cons with something that cute.

cons read above.


its cute i just ordered the bomber jacket

no do not keep harnesses on 24/7 if they get caught on something and you cant find them or hear them that can mean big trouble.

collar and bell same thing unless its a break away

[Reptilian]

P.S. I see in your sig that you have rats and mice... a ferret will try and "play" with (eat) them as well.

Thanks for the info both of you! Yeah that is a concern for me, so maybe I'll wait till the rats and mice pass on. Ferretproofing seems like a huge job. I'd be worried they get stuck behind the fridge or something. What are some ways you can ferret proof wires? My idea was to get some thick clear or colored hose and cover the wires that way.... I've read they need shots, yearly. For rabies and something else...that's another concern.

It's so hard to get over the cute factor though......


Off to think more. Thanks again.

[Shadowspider]

Yes, ferrets need their vacs just like a cat or dog, however, there *are* things that ferrets are prone to, I'll have to look it up and get back to you with the specks because I can't remember what it's called at the moment.

I have not owned a ferret since marrying my second husband and having kids (he doesn't care for ferrets and, as I said earlier, they don't make good pets for kids).
Ferret proofing is indeed a huge undertaking!!! The best thing you can do is, don't let the ferret have the run of the whole house. When it is out and about, always have it in your sights and be actively playing with it. If it opts to play with your cats, keep an eye on all of them as ferrets can be bullies and bitey ones at that.

Wires, uggg. What I did was, I tapped up all wires for the TV stereo, VCR etc. to the back of the entertainment center, then secured a piece of press board onto the back of everything where the wires were.
Insulating the cords in heavy tubing is also a good idea, but either way, you *will* need to keep an eye on a ferret. They are very sneaky and very fast and are often hell bent and determined to do what *they* want and ignore you altogether.

I've had my ferrets get back behind the fridge as well as the stove and I gaurentee you, that only happened once!!! It can be difficult to completely secure every possible cubby hole in your entire house and the kitchen can be one of the hardest so, keep them out of the kitchen. Oh, and they're very good at opening cupboards too so.....keep them out of the bathroom.
Have designated rooms for the ferret and have designated "out" times when they are out of their cage and zooming around the living room.

[Reptilian]

I've been reading that ferret food (dry mix) spoils quickly. Is that true? Is there anyway to prolong it, by putting it in airtight containers adn maybe freezing it, then thawing out what is needed the night before?


I know wet/moist food will go bad very quickly, so to remove that as soon as they finish.

I do best buying all of my animals food at the beginning of the month (we when get paid), so I will buy a big bag of cat food, the rats mixture and blocks all in the beginning of the month. So I'd be buying a big bag of ferret food at the beginning on the month.....

[Shadowspider]

I can't tell you anything about pre fab ferret food as I never fed it to mine and know nothing about it (heck, I don't even know what's in it). I always fed mine a species appropriate raw diet.

[Brett89]

Ferrets are the schiznit. I have two. Only bad thing is getting them to use a litter box when you let them run and you have to bathe them about once a week but dont' over do-it, their skin dries out really easily. And I HATE the clothes.