Ferret Home Secrets Unlocked

August 8th, 2010 | by admin |

So the day has finally arrived and you are bringing home the new member of the family which happens to be a cute little ferret.   Its going to be exciting to have one of these enjoyable little pets in your home but their are a few things to consider first.   Ferrets can provide years of great companionship if a few of these precautions are followed. The first consideration is housing.   Ferrets can be allowed to freely roam around a ferret-proofed room but they should be kept in a cage most of the time.   There are many types of cages available at pet stores or on line and the primary requirements are that they are safe, relaxing and comfortable.   Ferrets are very active during their waking hours so the cage should be large enough for active playing and multi-layers make them even better.   Another desirable feature of a cage is that they be constructed of plastic only rather that plastic covered metal because the plastic can be chewed off and this could cause digestive problems for the ferret.   Also the cage should be constructed so that there are  no gaps or crannies where the ferret can get stuck.   Ferrets sleep about twenty hours per day so bedding is important.   They like cozy and comfortable sleeping facilities as much as humans so the cage should be equipped with either sleeping sacks or ferret hammocks in a back corner that affords privacy and warmth. Ferrets are very playful and love to scurry around during the few hours per day they are awake so if you want to keep them happy provide them with toys that are ferret safe.    This means that the toys should be durable, safe and easy for your ferret to play with.   Care should be taken to not allow them to have toys that are foam or plastic because the ferret will chew them up in no time and you could end up with a mess and a sick animal.   It is a good idea to always accompany the ferret while they are playing with toys because they could break the toy and swallow the parts and this could cause some serious problems for the little animal. If your ferret is going to be a pet only and not intended for breeding down the road it should definitely be neutered and de-scented.   That’s right, de-scented.   Ferrets are members of the weasel family (Mustelid, if you’re interested in zoology) and similar to skunks they have aroma glands that are used for such things as expressing fear and marking territory.   Since they won’t be needing to emit their defensive odors in your home it is a good idea to eliminate the feature at the earliest and most opportune moment which is around six weeks of age.   Neutering and de-scenting should be taken care of when the ferret goes to the veterinarian for their first round of vaccinations. Food for the ferret is another important area of consideration.   They are meat eaters and it is important to follow a strict diet regimen for them.   The pet store should be able to provide good advice about the proper ferret food.   It is important to determine what diet the ferret was on with the former owners and if you plan to make any changes in the diet it must be done gradually.   Sugary snacks are a definite no-no. Follow these simple considerations and you will have a health and happy ferret friend for years to come.


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