Ferret for food?

[Craiga 01453]

I really hope you don't do this!!! I have a ball python and 2 ferrets living in my household and honestly the thought of someone feeding ferrets to their snake really upsets me! Ferrets are incredibly intelligent and friendly animals that form bonds with humans. On top of that as far as animals go I think they are better compared to dogs and cats than mice and rats. They are not rodents. In America they are sold desexed, if that helps paint a picture that they are PETS. Nobody would take the time to spay and neuter feeder animals. They also have a life-span of up to 10 years, which is more than some breeds of dogs! Mice and rats rarely live over 2 years.

I also doubt a snake would even take a ferret as food? Like I said, they are not rodents. They are closely related to weasels and other animals like that. They smell nothing like a rodent, instead having a musky smell. And in the wild weasels and other animals related to the ferret like the mongoose actually hunt and kill snakes, so honestly I really don't think a snake would take it as food. Let me just say, if I put my ferrets and my ball python against each other the ferrets would quickly kill him. They are PREDATORS of snakes!

I think it would be very cruel to buy a ferret that is 99% likely to be a pet (Free ferrets? Definitely not from a breeder. And who else keeps ferrets other than pet-owners?), kill it, and then leave it for a snake that would most likely not recognize it as food. (Also I'm not sure what kind of snake you'd plan to feed it to, but ferrets might be bigger than you think they are. They vary in size but some grow to almost the size of a cat! Just Google "big ferret" and you'll see some pictures of some real chonkers! Especially right now in winter when they get some extra chub to keep them warm, lol.)

I feel like I have some valid info about ferrets since I actually own them and reptiles, so I really hope you listen to all the people who are saying that you shouldn't do this! Ferrets are such friendly and human-dependent animals. They aren't like feeder animals which are bred to not really care for humans, bred to not be at the same standard as pets, bred basically just to be food. Ferrets are bred to be pets, companions, and family just like dogs and cats.

I have 4 ferrets as well. You made a lot of good points.

...and honestly, how freaking cute are they?!?! They're a LOT of work, but tons of fun. I turned a 4x6x6 closet into their enclosure. It's full of ramps, tunnels, a dig box, and stuff to climb and a few spots to sleep.
They love it. Those little goofballs. They all look so funny with their winter weight and fur. Little chubbos!