Ack! New Ferret!!

[CarpetShark]

So for my 19th birthday, my family finally bought me a ferret. (After I had asked for one like 6 years ago. Took 'em long enough! )

But now that I have one, I have some questions for people who own them already.

1. After I have Ferret-proofed my house, is it safe to let her roam around on her own for a bit?

2. Luna (the ferret) is VERY hyper. She's a bit older than 1 year, and I'm not sure when they start to calm down. She also doesn't seem to want to spend time with me, unless that means jumping up and down, making a squeaking sound, and trying to get around me to get to the other room. Is all that normal? How, if its even possible, do I get my little furball to calm down?

3. I got her a pretty nice sized cage, its about 4' wide, 3' deep, and 3' high. Lets just say that its sitting on my dresser and it takes up the entire top of it, and my dresser is part of a queen-sized set. Is this cage big enough?

and lastly.. 4. I know I'm a new ferret owner, but I keep reading that its best to get them a playmate, and I honestly wouldn't mind 2 ferrets. Should I get another one, or just spend more time with my carpetshark?

 

[Flopsy Rabbit]

You can let your ferret run about and play, but it is always good to supervise. They can get into mischief in all kinds of ways!!! They can squeeze into tiny places and places they could get hurt. Also they can easily get an intestinal blockage if they eat something they shouldn't off the floor, or a piece of carpet... so it is best to keep an eye on her. Ferrets are generally hyper, but it varys with the individual ferret too. As for when they settle down, that varys too. If you wear her out playing for a while she will probably go to sleep in your lap. Her having some time to get to know you will help too. Play with her alot, feed her treats, hold her alot, let her go in and out of your shirt. The cage you have is plenty big enough. Ferrets like other ferrets to play with. They play quite roughly with each other. They seem to have the feeling "the more the merrier" Usually you will have no problem adding as many ferrets as you want, just put them together. Very occationally there might be a ferret that is cranky or harasses the others, but this is the exception not generally the case. A bath towel folded in half works great for a cozy hamock in her cage, just pin it on with diaper pins. If you have a problem with her moving or flipping over her litter box, you can clamp it on with little c clamps you can get at the home depot or the squeeze kind of clamps. Also wood stove pellets also sold for animal bedding work the best for litter, they absorb smell, are clean and when they potty in them they turn to wet sawdust. Be careful not to use any clumping litter especially because they can get a blockage very easily from injesting the dust... which will clump inside of them. Just make sure if the pellets are labled for stoves that they are additive free. Give your little weasle a big kiss from Flopsy Rabbit