Ferrets?

[Elijah_A]

Anyone here owns a ferret? Do they make good pets? can they sit on your shoulder or maybe curl it's furry body around your neck?

 

[JesusRox]

Ferrets are really neat. Yes, they can make good pets. I've never owned any but known people who have.

 

[ORCALOVER]

I have a ferret, and yes the will curl up around your neck, I put her there every time I have my hands full. They make excellent pets. They are like a energetic puppy who never grows up. Also fearless, my ferret will attack my 90 pound dog. If you have any small animals be careful, they are excellent hunters, and cats and small dogs are also on the menu. Some ferrets can become friends with cats tho. They also need to be taken out of the cage alot, and I only put by ferret back to eat nd sleep, they use a litter box so you don't have to worry about poop in the house.

 

[MadeInOz]

I'd love to have a pet ferret... unfortunately, they're illegal in queensland... *sigh*

My pet cat is a friend to all animals for some reason... even the ones that sneak up and eat his food when he's not looking

 

[andiesmama]

We used to have 2 ferrets, they are soooo cute! We would even get little ferret kissses! They are very energetic, but pretty easy to litter-box train, you just have to work with them at the beginning like a cat. Beware because they like to steal & hide stuff....slippers, brushes, socks, etc, they will drag them & before you know it you have a veritable treasure trove of missing items under your couch or bed!! But I found ours to be really lovable, I just wouldn't advise if you have really small children! But they are soo cute!

 

[Elijah_A]

We used to have 2 ferrets, they are soooo cute! We would even get little ferret kissses! They are very energetic, but pretty easy to litter-box train, you just have to work with them at the beginning like a cat. Beware because they like to steal & hide stuff....slippers, brushes, socks, etc, they will drag them & before you know it you have a veritable treasure trove of missing items under your couch or bed!! But I found ours to be really lovable, I just wouldn't advise if you have really small children! But they are soo cute!

I've been looking for them furry things here in the Philippines ... no luck as of yet. They're energetic? cool, and yes I've heard some stories about them hiding stuff. I'll be careful ... I'll put 'em in a ferret box or something

 

[Pearls_FlamingFire]

Hi. Our pet ferret Lukey died just a couple of months ago, so I miss him heaps. He loved playing in a black rubbish bag with you moving it on the outside. He also really enjoyed attacking old 7 Up plastic bottles and dragging them around. We had a wire screen door which he ate through, so you have to make sure the cage wire is pretty sturdy. They are really strong, and if there is a hole anywhere, they'll find it. They really enjoy going for walks and especially digging holes in the garden.
We can't have another one though, because in New Zealand there have passed a law to say that they are a pest!

 

[jdomino]

Ferrets are great pets! But they do take a lot of time and can be costly. Over the last 10 years or so I have owned about 30. Not all at once though. I think the most I had at once was 12 or 13. Most of mine have come from animal shelters.

Ferrets like to play and will need plenty of time out of their cage. But unless you can provide a completly ferret safe area, they will need supervison. They are very curious and like to explore. Make sure they can't get outside. Domestic ferrets can't live outside on their own for very long. Other things to watch out for are electric cords that they might chew on. Some will try to get under a couch and then climb into the cushions. They will also get into the walls if there is a hole big enough and they don't need a very big hole. Another thing to be concerned with is what they might eat. A piece of rubber from your shoe, a remote control button, or foam from a pillow could all cause an obstruction that could cause a painful death or an expensive surgery. Try to think of them as perpetual two year olds!

You might consider getting two ferrets as they will have a blast playing together. Make sure to get your ferrets spayed or neutered. Often the ones in pet stores have already been spayed/neutered. Breeding ferrets is a big job that you don't want to take on until you are an experienced owner.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. You can PM if you want.

jd

 

[Elijah_A]

Ferrets are great pets! But they do take a lot of time and can be costly. Over the last 10 years or so I have owned about 30. Not all at once though. I think the most I had at once was 12 or 13. Most of mine have come from animal shelters.

Ferrets like to play and will need plenty of time out of their cage. But unless you can provide a completly ferret safe area, they will need supervison. They are very curious and like to explore. Make sure they can't get outside. Domestic ferrets can't live outside on their own for very long. Other things to watch out for are electric cords that they might chew on. Some will try to get under a couch and then climb into the cushions. They will also get into the walls if there is a hole big enough and they don't need a very big hole. Another thing to be concerned with is what they might eat. A piece of rubber from your shoe, a remote control button, or foam from a pillow could all cause an obstruction that could cause a painful death or an expensive surgery. Try to think of them as perpetual two year olds!

You might consider getting two ferrets as they will have a blast playing together. Make sure to get your ferrets spayed or neutered. Often the ones in pet stores have already been spayed/neutered. Breeding ferrets is a big job that you don't want to take on until you are an experienced owner.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. You can PM if you want.

jd

I was wondering if there's any way to purchase one online and have it delivered here in the Philippines? will it survive the trip? I don't think there are any laws here against ferrets but I just can't find any on the local pet shops ...

another question: what do they eat anyway?

 

[psychedelicist]

Ferrets are great. The only problem is they take really nasty smelling dumps. I also like to let mine (I have 2)run around a bit, so you have to be careful where you step, they like to hide under clothes, or something like that. They also like getting in little closed spaces where you can't reach them, and take a nap while you frantically search for them and hope that you didn't step on them

And they eat ferret food, of course

 

[jdomino]

I doubt you could purchase a ferret online and have it shipped. Try searching the net for a ferret club in your area or asking a local vet.

Ferrets should have either dry ferret food and/or high quality dry kitten food. Totally Ferret and Sheppard & Green are a couple of good ones. As for dry kitten food, most ferrets like Pro Plan chicken flavor. Avoid cat foods like Friskies or Kitten Chow. They really aren't good for ferrets. Ferrets have fast digestive systems. It's important that dry food and water be available to them all the time. You don't have to worry about them eating too much. I give my guys a raisin or two now and then for treats. They also like cherrios. There are treats made just for ferrets too. Most ferrets love Linatone or Ferretone. It contains fatty acids that are good for them. It's available in most pet stores in the US. You could probably get it online though.

Search online for the American Ferret Association and Ferretcentral. They have alot of info.

jd

 

[Myah]

I Had nine ferrets at one time. Their favorite play thing was a dryer tube that they could run around in, or a blanket on the floor to tunnel under.
Ferrets sleep VERY deeply, so if you can't wake your ferret up at first, don't be suprised. A hand tip for trimming claws: Get a finger full of ferret-vite and rub it on the fuzzy's tummy. They'll be so preoccupied with getting all that yummy vitamins that they'll hold still long enough for you to trim their claws.