Ferrets?

[OsirisRa32]

Worth it or not?

I am looking for a small mammal...have wanted a ferret for years...I've been stalking Satomi's ferret posts and am aware that a raw diet seems to be the way to go...wondering if it can be that epigen 90 kibble with whatever raw thrown in interrmittently...as a pure raw diet isnt feasible right off the get go for me.

Also wondering if there are any good websites/books I can do some research through?

Thanks

[GoingPostal]

I would recommend the holistic ferret forum and also plan on huge vet bills and heartbreak. Ferrets are a lot of fun but after a decade and 9 of them I think I am out once my last one goes. Most won't eat raw or kibble, they will prefer one and ignore the other. If it's expense, raw would probably be about the same cost as epigen anyways. I would also recommend 2 ferrets vs a loner and buy it from a breeder not a pet store if possible.

[OsirisRa32]

define huge vet bills?
and why?

Any resources to find breeders?

my understanding is most pet ferrets in the US are from Marshall farms or w/e and quite inbred hence the high risk health problems?

[satomi325]

All petstore ferrets are mill bred. Basically they are puppy mills for ferrets. They are highly prone to different types of cancers and other illnesses. The big three is Adrenal Disease, Insulinoma, and Lymphoma.
Most of these mill ferrets are from Marshals. But there are two other mills on the East Coast called Triple F and Path Valley. But all mill ferrets share the same issues. I wouldn't necessarily say its due to inbreeding. Inbreeding can improve certain lines. It's just poor breeding. They are not selecting for health. They are selecting for looks. And they don't care if a ferret has a short life span because that keeps them in demand.

Definitely try to get a private bred ferret from a reputable breeder. There is a breeders listing on the American Ferret Association site.
Private bred ferrets are sold intact and you will need to get it spayed/neutered/descented yourself. But do not neuter/spay before at least 6 months of age. Mill bred ferrets are sterilized well before 8 weeks of age. More closer to 4-6 weeks of age and its been linked to Adrenal Disease due to the ferrets not being able to get the right amount of hormones. Artificial light cycles have also been speculated to contribute to Adrenal Disease due to hormonal function related to light cycle, so its best to keep your ferret on a natural light cycle.

Check out the Holistic Ferret Forum for raw feeding. They also have a facebook page.

My ferrets can eat both raw or kibble. I prefer feeding raw. And they prefer eating raw and that's what I feed 4 out of 5. The 5th one will not eat raw so we have to give him kibble(Orijen).
Wysong Epigen is the ONLY good ferret specific kibble out on the market. Other than that, Orijen Cat-Kitten, Welness Core grain free kitten, and Nature's Variety Instinct are 'good' dry kibbles to feed. The other ferret designated kibbles are total junk.
Out of the 3 cat foods I listed, I like Orijen the best due to their ingredients list.

The reason why its good to feed raw is because ferrets are obligate carnivores. Most kibbles use grain/corn/soy/carbohydrates as fillers and binders. Some include fruits/veggies as well. All of these ingredients are not good for ferrets and will increase chances of your ferret getting Insulinoma(hypoglycemia).

[GoingPostal]

define huge vet bills?
and why?

Any resources to find breeders?

my understanding is most pet ferrets in the US are from Marshall farms or w/e and quite inbred hence the high risk health problems?

My first ferret cost me over a grand in her short lifetime, she got the "trifecta" of ferret diseases, adrenal at by age one, lymphoma and insulinoma at 4.

The next made it to about 4 as well and fell/had a stroke? Not sure but had to put her down, she'd had one emergency in her life, ear mites that lead to a bad infection and she was showing adrenal signs a little before her death.

My 3rd girl grew tumors like a champ, had 2 removed about $300/pop, the last one we just left and by age 5 she had adrenal and insulinoma which required meds for the next two years, she ran up about $1800 and I had to put her down a few months ago. She was a Petersen's milled ferret, the rest all Marshalls.

Tweek my fourth was a rehome and died a year later in his sleep, other than a few fecals and exams to try to figure out his lack of bowel control he was fairly cheap, a few hundred.

My 4,5,6th came from a friend, one got ill suddenly, too sick to even make it to my vet so we ended up local and had to euthanize him, necropsy didn't explain anything but showed he was undiagnosed adrenal. Another got sick, ended up being lymphoma, he made it a few months past diagnosis. Those two cost several hundred a piece. The 3rd of that group lived 5 years with me but the last two was adrenal and insulinomic and he had a liver infection at one point too, a little under a grand in his care.

My 8th, Pip, another one dumped on me started showing adrenal signs a year later, went on meds but male ferrets with adrenal sometimes get prostate/bladder issues and he blocked up one day, $1500 later, (we had to go to the local vet 2x, emergency vet out of town once and then surgery at my normal ferret vet), he was all fixed up. 3 months later he lost the use of his back legs, ended being cancer in his spine and he was put down.

My last boy so far hasn't cost me anything other than a couple exams but he's getting up there in years, highly likely he will get adrenal disease and insulinoma down the line. Basically plan on spending a possible grand on any ferret you bring home, their health issues are extremely common and besides the big 3 there are more and more with heart and digestive issues, they also get blockages, stepped on, hurt by other animals, injuries from being little troublemakers. Finding a quality vet can be hard as well, we drive almost 3 hours to ours.

Like a lot of people I got in over my head and had 7 at once at one point, a lot of fun until multiples of them get sick and you are losing ferrets left and right, giving meds and food every 8 or 12 hours, constantly worrying. They are so smart and have a ton of personality, they really do need a lot of time out and enrichment to be happy. Mine haven't been caged in 7 years. They are also really messy critters and can be destructive to furniture and carpet. If you have other animals that's a concern as well, most of mine have been scared of my dogs, want to attack my cat, would love to kill small animals in the house, my last boy lost his home after killing a parrot, my friends 3 I took had started trying to kill the kittens in the house. Some don't get along with new additions, I know quite a few people who have to run separate playgroups.

[GoingPostal]

whoops double post

[OsirisRa32]

Thanks for the info...after hearing all that....I am definitely reconsidering.

Know anything about sugar gliders?! lol j/k

[GoingPostal]

Haha no don't know much about them, they can be kind of messy too I think but damn cute. My boyfriend fell in love with a cute little hedgehog at the pet store, don't know much about them either but love the albino ones. I always wanted a skunk but they aren't legal in my state.

[OsirisRa32]

I really want a kinkajou or a raccoon....but neither are legal in my state (not that that would stop me)....but more importantly dont have the space or my own property yet for a kinkajou or raccoon.

[MrLang]

Satomi - what do you think about a ferret kibble called EVO... that's what we feed as a vet recommendation but may switch to one of the brands you listed if we can get the little buggers to try something new.

For the OP - ferrets are incredible pets. As mentioned, they are prone to health issues. At the end of the day there is only a high cost if you deem the cost of treatment worth more than simply accepting that they had a nice life under your care and letting them pass (of those main diseases, they are all a matter of prolonging the life... not curing the sickness). Very insensitive of me, I know, but all animals get sick and die at some point. Ferrets can live for 5+ years even with those issues, which is much longer than other 'small mammal' pets.

Considerations for ferrets:
-They are MENACES, which is awesome but requires a ferret-proof room for them to play in.
-They need LOTS of time out to run and play, especially as babies. It would be hard to keep up with that on your own, so you would want a 2nd ferret so they can tucker each other out.
-They have a particular odor - I wouldn't say it is foul unless you don't clean often enough, but it is strong.

After saying all of that, they are AWESOME small mammal pets. It really feels like you have a little wolverine for a pet. I think Kinkajous and Raccoons are not appropriate domestic pets for 99% of people, but ferrets are as close as you can get within reason. They really feel like an exotic pet, but have care and requirements more closely aligned with a house cat or low-activity dog.