FeRReTs

myquestions · Dec 8, 2005

does anyone own ferrets?
are they good pets?

Dagna · Dec 8, 2005

Ferrets make fabulous pets if you have the time and can care for them properly. They need a large cage (these generally cost about $200+ at Petsmart) and they can't be in their cage 24/7. They need lots of play time running around. They can be litter box trained but obviously, it's not wise to leave them alone unattended since they can hurt themselves. Also, you have to think about proper diet. You can't just give them cat food and expect them to thrive on it, although many people think you can. Their diet might require special ordering or you may make your own, it's just something that needs to be decided before you get your pet. Also, lots of toys. Lots and lots of toys. Anything that they can't rip apart easily and nothing that has small parts they can swallow. Also, vet care. It can be expensive. Ferret's should be neutered, however they should also see a vet once a year for a checkup, just like any dog or cat.

So, yes they make fabulous pets, but you have to be committed. In my opinion, it's easier to own a dog or a cat than it is a ferret or other small exotic animal.

MesaBoogieGrl · Dec 8, 2005

I agree with the previous poster on all counts. They can be a lot of fun, but they are expensive and they can be sneaky troublemakers. Another important thing to consider is that most ferrets don't die of old age. They are extremely cancer-prone. They are also very susceptible to adrenal gland disease, which is treatable, but it will eventually kill them. I had two ferrets (a male named Friday and a female named Banshee) for 5 or 6 years. Friday died of cancer (he had a tumor in his belly that was about the size of a baseball) and Banshee died of adrenal gland disease. It was very difficult to watch and we spent a lot of money trying to keep them alive.

Loved those critters though. It was so hard to keep them out of the Christmas tree!

awashinlove · Dec 8, 2005

myquestions said:
does anyone own ferrets?
are they good pets?

When I was little I had a babysitter with ferrets, and there are great memories there. I know some say they can get nippy, so pet quality probably comes down to adopting the right one from the right place (as is usually the case). There are rescues out there for them, if I'm not mistaken.

Sabina41 · Dec 8, 2005

Yup, there are LOTS of ferret rescues...mostly because people get them as a novelty and think that they are cute (which they are), but they don't do any research. Once they realize how expensive ferret vet trips are, how easily ferrets find and remove every little thing from it's place in your home, how forgetful they are of where their litterbox are, how nippy some can be, etc...they lose their glow. They are wonderful little pets, if cared for properly with a good deal of research and planning beforehand.

myquestions · Dec 9, 2005

thanks for your replies guys!
so do they like 'care for your feelings' if you knoe what i mean. like can they be a good companion like dogs. and have feelings. like do they get sad or happy

soblessed53 · Dec 9, 2005

I had 2 before my husband died. I have never seen or even heard of one that is consistent with using the litter box outside their cage,so that is a factor to remember. They are a blast to watch play as they are very playful with tubes and each other,and the rest of time checking EVERYTHING out. Your house MUST be Ferret-proofed. That means every crack and crevice must be blocked,under and beside appliances, they can get inside probably every chair and sofa, cannot have a bunch of wires around, or you must keep "bitter apple" on them. Lastly they are not really cuddlers,they always want to be on the GO-GO-GO! It would be inhumane to keep them in a cage with no play time outside of it so you must be prepared to take all these precautions. You can buy special ferret harnesses so you can take them outside,which feels like walking a snake,LOL! As to your last question,I would say ferrets are totally oblivious to your moods/feelings. One last thing about ferrets they all have a "stash" where they hide everything they steal. We saw ours running behind my triple dresser so my husband pulled it out and there was 2-3 socks,dog food,a partial roll of breath mints,but mostly dog food that they had evidently stolen a piece at a time,and I did not leave the food bowl down all day,so it just showed how tolerant my dog was,LOL!

MesaBoogieGrl · Dec 9, 2005

soblessed53 said:
We saw ours running behind my triple dresser so my husband pulled it out and there was 2-3 socks,dog food,a partial roll of breath mints,but mostly dog food that they had evidently stolen a piece at a time,and I did not leave the food bowl down all day,so it just showed how tolerant my dog was,LOL!

ROFL!! That reminds me of our old ferrets! They are little bandits, aren't they?
Our used to love it when I would drag a blanket across the floor. They'd run like crazy after it, pouncing the blanket and each other. When they wrestled each other, they were more entertaining than WWE!

Oblivious is a good descriptive for ferrets. They're definitely NOT cuddlers and they have really short attention spans.

soblessed53 · Dec 9, 2005

Oh yes,they are theives for sure! My husband could no sooner come in from work and pull off his boots and socks and if he didn't put his socks up where they couldn't reach them if I had them out when he came in,it was snagged in a flash and all you would see is a blur running to the bedroom. It is amazing how fast they can move that long body. You are certainly right about their short attention spans! I'm can't even think of another pet which has a shorter one. They are hilarious to watch like kittens,but kittens can be better litter-trained.

myquestions · Dec 9, 2005

are they more like rats or cats?

MesaBoogieGrl · Dec 12, 2005

I've never had a pet rat, so I can't really say. I don't think they're really much like cats. They definitely have more of a propensity for getting into trouble than cats. They're more energetic than the stereotypical adult cat, for sure.

*Lu* · Dec 12, 2005

random thing

wen i was driving home from church the cars infront had stopped but i couldnt see why, so i waited, wen they started driving off i saw there was a ferret (alive) mooching about at the side of the road!! It was sssoooooooooooooooooooo cute!!! i think it must have escaped from a near by house u dont really get wild ones round here, but awwww they look lovely hehe.

warmfuzzy65 · Jan 8, 2007

Hi, I'm new to this fourm stuff
I have 2 ferrets & love them both.
Wedgett & Squirt.
They are so much fun and cuddly too.
They each have thier own personalities (Ferretalities)
They only bite when playing with us & each other.
Squirt dese bite my husband from time to time but thats because she wants his watch.
I use puppy pads instead of alitter box, I let them pick thier favorite coners & that is where the pads go.
It works!

My Son (my only child) is a firefighter in the air force & is in Italy He says he has been replaced by Ferrets but he knows he is my whole life.

I have 4 nisesthat do anything they want to them (even the 3 year old) & none of them have been bitten.

My Ferrets rome the house like a cat would & sleep in draws, and yes they have stashes of food, toys, & enything else they can get away with. like bathtub stoppers, keys, checkbook, shoe & boot liners.

Love my warm fuzzys

warmfuzzy65 · Jan 8, 2007

myquestions said:
are they more like rats or cats?

Ferrets are more like cats.
they are desents from polecats

soblessed53 · Jan 10, 2007

warmfuzzy65 said:
Ferrets are more like cats.
they are desents from polecats

I would say more like kittens that never grow out of the kitten stage,LOL!

Plus they have teeth like a cat, in every way,not like, rodents teeth that never stop growing.

coolchicka · Jan 23, 2007

I dont have a ferret but I would like to get one. Ive held them they seem pretty nice. But mischevious! Lol.

comana · Jan 23, 2007

Ferrets are fun but VERY demanding of attention. They are quite messy in their cage and it takes work daily to keep it clean.

I had two a couple of years back. They were a joy when they played but they sure loved to steal stuff!

After about 4 months they became too much fo my family and so we found a new home for them and gave all of their stuff along with.

If you want ferrets I would be sure that you have 2-4 hours a day to play with them and that you have a ferret safe room to do it in. They are not so easy to litter box train and they will tear up furniture and carpet while you are not looking.

BTW, ferrets are carnivores and not rodents. Some people are not aware of what kind of animal they are. They have teeth like a cat.

Also they are very intelligent and will get what they want even if it seems out of reach. Trouble but fun if you can handle them.

doomBot · Jan 25, 2007

Ferrets are wonderful pets, but like everyone else said, they are a lot of work. We had three, Chuck, Claudia, and Nick, and they were a great fun! A good source for information is Modern Ferret magazine. If anyone is thinking about getting ferrets (having two or more keeps them busy and gives them companionship when you may not be around), I suggest picking up a copy (at Petsmart) or getting a subscription and reading up before you take the plunge. They are very different in a lot of ways from any other animal.

K9_Trainer · Jan 25, 2007

lol! Ferrets are WAY worse than kittens

They're more like a kitten/racoon mix lol.

Ferrets are awesome creatures, but they're very demanding and alot of work. They need at least 4 hours of out of cage time daily and they require a high protein diet. They also get into EVERYTHING. If you even think about letting a ferret loose in a room, you have to get down on your hands and knees and inspect every nook and cranny of that room for any little holes in the wall. Even worse? If you have a ferret who has an appetite for rubber, cork, or latex, then you have to comb the room and make sure any item with rubber, cork or latex is well out of their reach. And keep in mind that they can open cupboards and drawers unless you've installed baby locks. They will also climb up on chairs to get on desks and tables. Then there's the typical ferret behavior....Usually not a good pet if your looking for a cuddle buddy. They're ok when they're half asleep, but most ferrets do NOT want to be held after they come out of the cage, they want to play!

I have had ferrets before and I currently have only one left. She is about 11 years old, blind and deaf and missing some teeth, so I have to prepare special food for her. The other one died of natural causes when he was 7. 11 is actually pretty old for a ferret, so I'm blessed that she is still around.

PeppermintTea · Feb 5, 2007

I don't know anything about ferrets. This has been interesting!

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