Advice on ferret care

[NovelNerd]

I shouldn't have more pets at the moment, but I can never seem to leave one behind that needs love. I've wanted ferrets for years but never got one and recently a breeder I've been speaking with that I got my rats from mentioned she had one. He came from a neglected home where basically this girl starved her pet rats and him included.  The breeder took several of them including the ferret but cannot keep him. Someone else was supposed to get him and they backed out, so she asked me and of course I couldn't say no. Typically before I bring a new species of animal into the house I do months of research instead of spur of the moment things. I thought some people might have good advice. She says he is friendly but not as happy with other animals.

I'm setting up what was going to be my pony room into a room for my rats.  I thought he could stay there since no one would be out st the same time and it's where I can go sit and let the critters free range and roam and play or watch Netflix or read a book. I thought maybe him staying there and slowly seeing how he likes my other animals might be ok?

I've been asking some of the ferret people here for advice but I'm open to hearing from others. I'll be taking him to the vet soon as I doubt he has had anything checked in a while and the breeder said she thought he had an ear infection and has been treating it.

[joce]

If a rat got in with him he could attack it. They are not good with other animals except their own kind. They are a ton of work. I wouldn't put them in a pony room as the smell could stick to the plastic. They have a ton of health issues. I'd worry ear infection could be a sign of something else??

  They are fun and cute but I always had two to occupy each other to. Think about if it's a good time.

[NovelNerd]

I'm not putting them in with the rat their cages would just be in the same room and they would free range in the room but separate. I meant introducing him to my cats and dogs as I've been told they can get along.  You don't mix other animals with rats. Like my poodle tolerates them because of me, but they don't have free range time with any other animal. I'm very protective of all my animals. The idea would eventually be to get a couple babies to introduce and try to make friends but I don't see that as a massive priority at the moment with him having been alone his entire life and needing to recover.

I'm saying also I'm dismantling my pony room and selling them all off. They are in tubs or in a cabinet. It was going to be a pony room, but I decided it was better to make a place my rats could run without my cats about. It's a guest bedroom but like a smaller room so seems good to me.

I meant more advice on food types and litter training some other stuff.  I've gotten some good links but always up for seeing others but know randomly searching in the internet can give you lots of crap.

[Rhubarbpie]

Hello I have 4 ferrets.

https://sites.google.com/site/sammysclubhouse/moredooksferretfoodchart/more-dooks-nutrition

This is a basic run down on how to feed your ferret. Basically speaking, they are obligate carnivores, meat or high protien kibbles only. The page I have linked here has a link to a food chart which shows you the best and the worst kibble brands to buy. Some of the best kibbles are actually cat food which are included in the list because of their excellent protien content.

NO VEGGIES, CARBS OR DAIRY - ferrets are mostly lactose intolerant. They are also very sensitive to sugars, feeding a high carb diet or allowing sugary treats can and will trigger a condition known as Lymphoma which is like a cancerous diabetes, it is often fatal though some ferrets can be managed through this with careful medication, although this is expensive and as always, prevention through a good diet is better than the cure.

Raw feeding is recommended by many ferret owners as it eliminates carbs entirely and is regarded as the natural diet.

As for litter training, first you need to get a non-clay based kitty litter, the dust of the clay type can cause respiratory issues, a wood pellet based or paper based litter is best.  Ferrets like to poop in corners.  Try to place a litter pan in the corner but do not be surprised if the little silly decides to sleep or play in it. toilet training ferrets can be a long process.  I allowed my boys to choose their own corner and then I put their trays there, its worked so far 

Anyway, if you've any more questions please don't hesitate to ask 

[Princess Lala]

Okay MY turn  help you out here! I have lots and lots of info to share!!! Its a LOT of reading but hopefully it can help! INB4 sorry for typos! 

Not only do I have two very healthy ferrets, one of them being a show ferret, but my BEST FRIEND is a vet in exotic animals and she actually owns 4 ferrets of her own. She has given me the MOST professional ferret advice ever and is NOT paid by commercial brands (like Marshal ferrets, Iams, Science diet. Etc.) to say "use this brand of food!". She is pretty hardcore to say the least, I trust her 6 years of school! Most people do NOT know how to properly take care of their ferret and result in early ferret death. I dont want to see sad owners or sad pets here!

My words are not opinion they are FACT.

First off RESEARCH before you get your ferret! I know yo uare already doing so but keep stalking forums to find out tricks, "ferret hacks" I call them, to ferret proof your home and tips to make keeping a ferret easier! A ferret is a lot like constant babysitting and ferrets must be supervised at all times! Even in their cage. Also be finacially prepared- ferrets NEED their shots every year (heartworm, canine distemp., rabies) and do NOT ever skimp out getting their shots!!! I always go on "half-off vaccs day" Every third Thursday of the month type of deal to save a little but I never miss their shots! And YES ferrets DO need heartworm vaccines! ESPECIALLY if you take them outside.

Ferrets are the best OMG. I have always wanted one since I was a little girl and I finally got my dream ferret years ago. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me and just when I thought i couldnt have a luckier life with my husband and Miku, I met Yuki!  I love my family so much, I dont know what I would do without my ferrets or husband. I spoil my 2 ferret girls a little too much in fact I make sure their food is better than even my own! I Will gladly eat Ramen for a few weeks if it means my babies get the highest quality food or the softest bed!!!!

Space. Ferrets NEED lots of space! NEED. I spent $200+ on Miku's cage before I got her and its a 5-story setup that is as tall as me. It has plenty of levels to seperate her bed, litter box, food, and playareas. Do NOT get those Kaytee brand ferret homes ALL of them are TOO SMALL! Even that purple one omg no no no. All Living Things actually has an optimal big ferret/chinchilla enclosure that is anti-rust and has many levels in it- go with something like that! I keep my doodles enclosed while im gone and let them out to play (ONLY during daylight hours!) when they wake up. They sleep a lot, but they need enough space run around to burn off that energy too!
****** make sure to ferret-proof your home too! Things like narrow spaces in the kitchen, bathroom, under dressers, etc.

DO NOT USE PAPER OR WOOD BEDDING. Not only is pine and other wood shavings actually TOXIC to small animals, but it attracts mites and other pests plus its uncomfortable. I see a lot of beginner ferret people FILL the bottom of their ferrets cage with paper bedding like what is used in hampsters and guine pigs- dont do it repeat dont do it. Nkt only Will your ferret poop in that but their waste Wil lbe absorbed in the paper bedding....have you ever heard of jungle root? Fungal or respitory infections cased by bacteria and ammonia? Its common with small animals EVEN if you keep it clean so anyone reading omg dont use that stuff ever! The best bedding is BLANKETS! Ferrets wont poop where they sleep, blankies are comfortable, and is easier on the webs between their digits. Blankets are also waaay less messy and EASY to wash! No vaccuming your carpet to haha!  I got my blankets for $1 at Walmart (those rolled fleece ones in housewares!) and also baby blanket fabric is recondmended!! Pillowcases are also nice!

"So if you dont use paper bedding, where do your ferrets go to the bathroom!?" I am asked all the time!  And hey, you can teach an old ferret new tricks! My newest girl, Yuki, was not in any way potty trained when we adopted her from the shelter. She pooped and peed everywhere in her kennel and when I took her home I trained her to use the potty box! It took a few months but now she is a professional litter pooper!  Okay so their litter is VERY important (and also really cheap!). Only use paper pellet litter such as "Yesterdays News" or the petsmart bag which is $9 for a big bag that lasts me all month! The Yesterdays News bag comes in a huuge bag in the cat section and is more worth yoir money! Stay away from dust litters, clay litters, and wood/bedding. Paper pellet litter the the most ideal for ferret litter boxes I swear by it! Absorbs a lot and easy to clean if they decide to dig in it. Keep the litterbox in their favorite corners they like to go to the bathroom, and everytime they use the potty box give them a treat so they know they did good. If they potty somewhere in a no-no spot gently scruff the ferret near the poop and tell it "No. No. No." releatedly and they will get the idea! They pick up on it really fast too, I love how smart Miku was omg she was litter box trained by day two!!!!!!

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FOOOOOOOOOOD. READ ALL THIS CAREFULLY! *First and formost what you put into your pet Will determine how long it will live and ferrets are no exception! I Wil lput this here not just for the OP bit to anyone wishing to own a ferret so I will explain it as strict and simple as I can. I want to see healthy ferrets out there!!!  DO NOT GET FERRET MARKETED FOOD. NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Just because there is a ferret picture on the bag doesnt mean its boilically appropriate ferret food- most brands of those are crap and toxic to your ferret. Rhubarbpie sent a really great link, make sure you read it carefully!

 Im going to throw a great link here too:

http://moredooks.herobo.com/search.php?chart=ferret
Check out this website, notice how my brand Orijen is near the top and all those commercial ferret brands (like Marshalls Ferrets) are allll the way at the bottom. Just because a food "says its formulated for ferrets" does not mean it actually is. Theres 1 brand of ferret food I can think of that is ACTUALLY formulated for ferrets- its the one at the top of the food list and Wil lcost ya a pretty penny. High quality Kitten/Cat food is the way to go for dry food.

Ferrets are OBLIGATE carnivores WHICH MEANS THEY ONLY AND OOOONNNLLLYYYYYYYYY EAT MEAT. This is NOT an opinion, this biologically correct for ferrets. Your ferret may get sick and have an early death or suffer from serious health problems like kidney failure, organ failure, tumors, all kinds of bad things if you dont read the ingredient label in dry foods.

That means NO DAIRY, NO CORN, NO GRAINS, NO BI-PRODUCTS, NO FILLERS, NO FRUIT OR VEGETABLES. You do not care about your ferret's health if you feed them these items. Every dry food may have something like pea starch near the very end of the ingredient list and that is fine but check the first 10-15 ingredients and make sure they are meat based. If you give them foods with plant matter at the top of the ingredient list- you ARE asking for a sick or dead ferret along with many vet bills. Sorry that sounds harsh, but would you feed a vegetarian animal meat? Uh no... you wouldnt. So never feed a carnivorous animal vegetation- same concept. It's downright cruel.

Honestly I feed my ferrets mostly raw organic meat, their favorite is duck and other game birds! I shop at whole foods for their food just to make sure they have the best.They occassionally get beef and chicken as treats! Their "potty treats" are pure dried organic chicken jerky breast you can get at Walmart in the dog section, nothing in it but freeze dried chicken! *****If you decide to go with a dry food Orjen is my favorite brand!!!!! I give mine the cat one (since cats have a an identical diet to ferrets!)The ingredients are all made of meat and contain none of the bad stuff- you can SMELL the quality just by opening it!!! Smells like beef jerky. xD  I buy their trial size bags for $5 at the pet store, two of them last us about a month since my babies eat mostly raw organic meat. Just make sure if you choose dry the first 15 ingredients are meats and the fat/protien content is very high. Coconut oil is another great treat for them! Mine go bonkers over it omg! When I was at the Dallas Pet expo with Miku I got like a billion compliments on her increbily rich soft white fur, healthy gums, healthy skin, and hey that all is a part of a fine ferret diet! One of the judges came up to her and said Miku had the purest white albino ferret fur he has ever seen (because albinos typically turn yellow from their oils after a year or two). Her incredibly good looks come from her diet and proper care! 

Also with whole meat diets ferrets digest their food better and therefore have less poop! Because they arent passing out crap they cant biologically CANT digest! Less poop to clean up is better for us owners haha!

They may dig in their food bowl, so put their food up somewhat high so they are less tempted to dig in in.

For water, I dont recondmend a bowl of standing water as it gets yucky fast with food, dust, bacteria, etc. I use a really big water bottle that hangs up on the outside and they lick the spout the water comes out of, kind of like a guinea pig or rabbit water bottle! Nice and cheap ones will work from walmart, just make sure its BPA free and all that jazz. 
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Baths. You will find on almost every ferret websote that ferrets "need a bath once a month" which personally I dont agree with. If you are Taking proper care of your ferret and its enclousre you shouldnt really have to bath your ferret! I occassionally bathe mine about ever six months or so but ferrets kind of groom theirselves like cats do. As long as their are de-sexed ferrets should not really have a bad stink. Miku has a French toast-like smell to her face around her glands and Yuki smells like cappicuno all the time!  Keep their litter box cleaned and their blankets clean, remove any uneaten meats from their dishes before bed and there really shouldnt be any bad smells. To me cats amd dogs downright STINK and meanwhile my ferrets smell like breakfast foods! Mine have never stunk before EVER. When I do bathe mine I wash them in the bathroom sink with just warm water- no shampoo or body wash! Ferrets are sensitive to perfumes and chemicals and warm, not hot water, is really good to washing them. A warm wet-rag is also really good and doesnt disrupt their oil production.

As fsr as grooming, they need their nails trimed and their outter ears occassionally cleaned bit thats really it! I let my babies lick coconut oil off their bellies while I trim their nails, it distracts them to where they arent fidgety and they get a treat out of it!

Playtime! Ferrets love allll kinds of toys like cat toys, slippers, shoes, and in my babies' case anything that feels like silicone (like my phone case!) make sure to stay aeay from feathers because LOL ferrets might tear them and eat them like they would a wild bird! My girls love the fishing pole mouse that sqeeks and they love to roll around on my blankets. They also love to play in my reusable shopping totes! They sleep in a soft plush dog /cat bed when they are worn out.

Cons of owning a ferret I have experienced are that ferrets DO make noise whenever theycare in their cage, wheather they are boted or tryi ng to birn off access energy they Wil ldig at their cage and it annoying at times. I found out of you wear out uour ferrets during playtime they sleep soundlessly!  Also with their playtime hours, play with them during daylight hours only! They have a "fur cycle" and if you constsntly take out your ferret t night I nartifical light you are putting your ferret at a big risk for developing adrenal disease! Common with people who work morning to mid afternoon who want to play with their ferrets when they come home, they need a lot of nightime hours or darlness for healthy melatonin levels. Another con I encountered is if you planvacationing- you need a ferret sitter! Ferrets need so much attention and care, never leave them a whole day alone. Hmm... I gues supervising them is a con because you just have to make sure that they dont get stuck behind furniture or in Yuk's case open up the fridge! @_@ I snap my fingers three times and say "No! No-no spot!" and mine dart out of the area they are in. No-no spots are associated with scruffing sessions and they just want to play when they are out, so its easy to train them not to go in the kitchen.

Fur- ferrets are  hypoallergenic! No dander and shed twice a year for their summer or winter coat. Their shed takes about a few weeks to come in and they will gradually loose fur, never in large amounts....much less than a cat or dog. If you notice shedding or baldness near the tail- seek a vet. It usually means adrenal disease!

In fact, become really familiar with ferret disease as you will need to closely monitor any early signs!

Not nessesary but I had both my ferrets microchipped. In fall/winter I take mine out amd we go play on the lawn or in the park! Just the rare chance a ferret slips away and ends at an animal rescue al lthey have to so is scan their neck and my info will come up so they can be returned to me! Mine have the Home Again chips.

As far as temperment, I would say ferrets have a bad reputation they dont deserve. I think people who say "Ferrets are evil!" have never owned a ferret because I have never had a sweeter pet since Miku. Although she has PTSD and was mean to other ferrets when she was in the petstore (she was actually scheduled to be put down) and was biting my arm like crazy holding her when I first got her she is now the most affectionate pet ever! When I got Miku on day one she hissed, snarled and bit like crazy. I let her bite me and just kept petting her and talking to her softly until she understood I wasnt a threat then kept playing with her. After day 2 I want to say she stopped the biting/intense scratching and started dooking and licking my face when we played. Now she is a sexy and well behaved ferret, she makes a certain when she wants specifcally me and follws me everywhere! I love when im in the shower she lays down on the bathroom floor all sprawned out on the floor mat and waits for me to come out! She cant be picked up a certain way or it triggers her PTSD and she cries like a squawking monkey, but we jave worked around it and she is the best pet I have ever met. Always licking my nose when I wake her up, always goes to the litterbox, and knows what areas to stay out of like the kitchen. She loves being held now amd she loves sleeping on my blankie and posing for pictures! The before and after is very contrasting.

And Yuki on the other hand ooooooooh my gosh! She is still a little naughty (like tries to open the fridge, digs at the plastic in her cage on the floor levels, and tries to get behind furniture but she is sooooooo sooooooooooo sooooooooo sweet omg! When I first adopted her she loved Miku right away when they were ready to be introduced and lickd her ears and muzzle. She is super sweet to people and will lay still when held! She is super vocal and dooks very loudly! Its super cute! She loves eat a lot and will occasionally chatter in her sleep. She licks peoples faces like crazy and LOVES playing! She follws my hisbamd around and pounces on his legs!! When he lays down Yuki will pounce on him arctic fox-style and dook until he plays with her!

Ferrets have a wide range of personality, and I feel like I got lucky with both of mine. Both were ferrets in need of a lovimg home and I dont ever regret getting them! I was scared getting my second one like, "OMG what have I done are we and Miku really ready for this!?" the first night I had to work after we adopted Yuki but I came home and they were cuddling sound asleep! They have yet to fight and after we get a house I think I want a third! 

Ferrets are a lot of work but they are totally worth it omg. I can't stress that statment enough!!!!!


As far as rats, putting them in the same room should be fine as long as there is a lot of space between the two. Ferrets see generally 4 feet in front of them so maybe more than 4ft distance. Ferrets can be nosey and if they see something movi ng in the distance they might be annoying trying to figure out what it is haha! Ferrets actually get along well with cats, not sure about dogs. Miku loves my bearded dragon although my grumpy pancake doesnt care for her haha! Ive had them out together before and I was holding my beardie, Miku just kind of sniffed her hopped backwards and ran off to get a toy lol. Be careful with rats though! Ferret would probably try to eat them not that I think you would mix the two xD
I hope all of this helped the OP and future ferret owners out there, ferrets are simply amazing and great pets! Someday I would love to become a vet myself and help sick ferrets get better so I take intense care of mine. Good Luck to the OP and I hope you are able to get a ferret! I recondmend choosing from a shelter vs a pet store