| Your New Ferret |
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So you've decided to add a ferret into your household. Congratulations! Now comes the fun part of getting everything ready for your ferret. Hopefully, by this point, you have read up on what it is like to have a ferret, or you know someone who has a ferret. If not, you may want to do so before adopting the ferret. Ferrets are high maintenance pets that require a lot of care. They are more than worth it, but it is a good idea to be prepared.
Ferret Necessities
Cage
You will need a cage in which to house your ferret when you
are not home or will be gone for an extended period of time. Cages
should be made of a wire mesh for ventilation with at least two
levels. Aquariums do not provide enough ventilation, and will make the
ferret feel isolated. Wood cages will absorb any ‘accidents’, and
will be very difficult to clean. What size cage you get depends on how
much time the ferret will be spending in the cage. If the ferret will
be out running around most of the time, a 1x2x1 cage will be
sufficient. If the ferret will be caged for any length of time, 2x3x2
or bigger should be used. The bigger the cage, the more room the
ferret will have to stretch his legs. Also, you will want at least two
levels so the ferret can have his sleeping area away from the litterbox and
food area. Although wire cages are good for ventilation, the wire mesh
is hard on ferret feet, so you will need to cover the floors with towels,
sheets, blankets, linoleum , or carpet remnants to protect their paws.
When purchasing a cage, check to make sure that it is sturdy and well put
together. Also check for sharp edges not filed down that could hurt
your ferret. Make sure that you can reach into all parts of the cage
for ease of cleaning and to be able to get a hold of a ferret.
Food Dish
You will need a heavy ceramic food dish for your
ferret. Plastic ones will be easily tipped, and used as a toy.
Do not buy a little one just because you have a little ferret, you will be
amazed at how much they can eat in a day. About 4-6 inches in diameter
is about the right size. Some people also have success with bird food
dishes that can be securely attached to the side of the cage.
Water Bottle/Dish
Just about any size water bottle will do, but depending on
how often you want to keep filling up water bottles, a 16 oz size is just
about right. Most water bottles will have a small amount of leakage,
it is a good idea to either place a heavy ceramic dish underneath it, or
place the water bottle just over the edge of the litter area.
Otherwise, your pet may end up with soggy bedding. Some people are
able to use water dishes, these are fine for some ferrets, but most ferrets
will end up digging all of the water out, making a soggy mess, or spilling
food and litter into the dish.
Litterbox
When looking for a litterbox, look for something with sides
at least 3 inches high all the way around. Any lower, and the litter
will be all over the floor. Small cat litterboxes work fine, so do
rubbermaid shoe boxes from a discount store. Triangle litterboxes work
okay for some ferrets, most ferrets like to be able to put their whole body
in the litterbox to go. The litterbox will need to be secured in the
cage by something. Binder clips work well, so does bungee cord and
string. You can also buy the stick-up toothbrush/razor holders from
the store, stick them to the litterbox, and attach the holder around the
cage bars. Whatever you use, you will want something that you can
easily remove, but not the ferrets. You will also want a few
litterboxes to strategically place around your home in places that your
ferret will be. Most ferrets do not like to have to travel far to find
a litterbox.
Food
When looking for a good ferret food, check the back for the
ingredients. Just because a food is labeled for ferrets does not mean
that it is necessarily good for ferrets. On the same note, some kitten
foods are just as good for ferrets, if not better. The requirements
are, 30-38% protein, 15-22% fat, and no more than 3% fiber. Corn
should NOT be in the first three ingredients, the first ingredient should be
meat, preferably chicken. Ferrets can not digest fiber, and will not
get any nutrients out of the corn, resulting in more eating, more waste, and
a less healthy ferret. A ferret on a high protein high fat diet with
mostly meat will eat less, have less waste, and generally be healthier with
more energy and softer fur. Foods we recommend are: (In this order)
Totally Ferret, Eukanuba Kitten, Eukanuba Cat, Iams Kitten, Excel Kitten,
Marshall Ferret, Mazuri Ferret, Innova Feline. Grocery store foods are
NOT acceptable.
Litter
Due to ferrets joy of playing in clean litter, most
regular cat litters are not good for ferrets. Clay litters are very
dusty, and can cause respiratory problems in ferrets. In addition,
clumping clay litters have been known to clump up inside breathing passages
and cause respiratory arrest. Wood shavings are NOT a good idea for
ferrets, in addition to being dusty, they can have aromatic oils that can
cause respiratory problems in ferrets. Never use any kind of cedar
chips with ferrets. Wood pellets, on the other hand, are excellent for
ferret litter. Due to the heat treatment process, there is no dust or
oils to aggravate the ferrets. In addition, when wet, they
disintegrate into soggy sawdust, so you can tell where your ferret has
gone. They are also excellent at absorbing odors. Newspaper
pellets, sheets of newspaper, or corn cob litters will also work.
Nail Clippers
Ferrets claws need to clipped at least once every other
week, unless they are free roaming 24hrs a day, and have something to dig in
to wear down the nails. If not clipped, they can splinter off, and
cause the ferret to get caught on items. Either small cat clippers or
regular nail clippers work fine. When clipping, the easiest way is to
put some Linatone or Ferretone on the ferret's belly, and direct their
attention to it. You can then clip away without the ferret squirming
much. Just be careful not to cut the red line in the ferret's nail, as
that is the blood vessel, and will bleed profusely if cut.
Bedding
You will need something soft for your ferret to cuddle up
in. Old towels, blankets, sheets, or clothing works great. You
will also need a hammock, the softer the better. Old t-shirts also
work great as hammocks, weave the arms through the top of the cage, and use
binder clips to hold up the two bottom ends. Ferrets are creatures of
comfort, they like soft cuddly items. Never use wood chips, your
ferrets will not be comfortable in them.
Treats and Deterrents
Linatone or Ferretone are excellent treats and work well as
training aids. Just be careful not to give your ferret too much, as
these are high in vitamins and fatty oils. A few drops a day are
sufficient. Other treats include: Pounce cat treats, raisins, Cheerios,
and Twizzlers. Just about anything can be given as a treat, as long as
it is not in excess. Deterrents, such as bitter apple or bitter lime
can help nip train a ferret, or keep a ferret away from cords or anything
else they may chew on. Tobasco sauce may be used in extreme cases
only.
Toys
Be careful when you get toys for your ferrets, soft rubber
and latex toys are a big 'no no'. They can chew off pieces and end up
with life threatening blockages. Ideal toys are, plastic balls with
bells, plastic golf balls, squeaky stuffed animals made for dogs, dryer
tubing or cardboard tubing. Ferrets are also just as happy with
cardboard boxes, plastic grocery bags, and the wrapper they toy comes
in. Ferrets also like variety, they get bored easily. Alternate
they toys you give them, so they always have something ‘new’ to play
with.
Veterinarian
An experienced ferret vet can mean the difference
between life and death for your ferret. There are some really good
vets out there, but unless they are experienced with ferrets, there is
always the possibility that they won't know how to treat something until it
is too late. When looking for a vet, ask around. Talk to other
ferret owners, and if possible, a ferret shelter operator. They can
probably give you some good recommendations. Don't just blindly assume
the vet is always right, or that they know they are doing. Do some
research, and ask questions. Don't be afraid to voice an opinion, or
get a second opinion from another vet. Remember, your ferret's life
could hang in the balance. Also, find a backup vet in case your vet is
out of town, or unavailable. Don't wait until the last moment, do it
now.
Ferretproofing
Before you let your new ferret run around your house, you
will need to ferretproof it. Ferrets are small, curious creatures, and
can easily find there way into places you never thought they could go.
Rule of thumb, if their head will fit, their body will follow. You
will need to crawl around your entire house on your hands and knees, and
look for small holes, crevices, loose ventilation covers, etc. You
will need to check every room for these. Even if the ferret will be
confined to certain rooms, sooner or later, they will slip past the
barriers, and get into ‘off limit’ areas, and it is better to be
prepared for this, than to end up tearing your home apart looking for them.
You will need to check over all appliances for holes and areas that the
ferret could get inside of. Ferrets can get up inside of some
refrigerators and get hurt on the fan. Ovens have insulation inside
that can be ripped out, if it is a gas oven, there will be a pilot
light. Dryers have tubing that looks like a ferret tube, ferrets can
tear a hole, get inside, and even get outside through the exit vent.
Cabinets may have holes inside that will lead inside of the walls, and
ferrets can open cabinets. Couches can be very dangerous to
ferrets. Most couches have a thin fabric lining underneath that
ferrets will easily get through, and then up inside of the couch and the
springs. To prevent this, you can either heavy duty staple hardware
cloth over the bottom, or nail plywood cut to fit. Depending on your
type of couch, you can also just take off the legs, so that the ferrets can
not get underneath. Many long term ferret owners simply give up and
get a futon. Recliners and sofa beds can be deathtraps for
ferrets. Ferrets can get up in the gears and springs, and when the
owner goes to recline or pull out the sofa bed, assuming the ferrets are
elsewhere, the ferret can be seriously hurt or worse. It can sometimes be
impossible to completely ferretproof your entire home, even with the best of
intentions. In these cases, you will want to block off rooms that are
dangerous. You will still need to do your best to ferretproof every
room, just in case the ferret get in there, but blocking off a room will
keep them out of there for the most part. An easy way to make a
removable door block is to take an average wood frame baby gate, buy some
hardwood carpet vinyl from your local hardware store, cut to fit, and staple
onto both parts of the baby gate. This way the gate is still
adjustable, and the ferret cannot crawl up or get through it. Other
options are to cut a piece of plywood or Plexiglas to fit, put in brackets,
and just slide in and out as needed.
Vaccinations
If you have purchased your ferret as a baby from a pet
store, you will need to get three distemper vaccinations, 3 weeks apart, and
1 rabies vaccination. If you do not do this, your ferret will not be
protected. Even if the pet store says the ferret has been vaccinated,
ask for proof. Unless the kit has had three shots, they are not
protected. They may have had the first one, but will need two
more. Fervac-D is used for distemper vaccinations, Imrab-3 for rabies
vaccinations. These are the only approved vaccinations for
ferrets. Always wait at the vets at least 20 minutes after a
vaccination, reactions are uncommon, but life threatening. If you have
gotten a ferret from someone else who can no longer take care of the ferret,
ask for proof on paper of vaccinations. If they don't have it, and
cannot give you the name of a vet who does have proof, you will need to get
two distemper shots, three weeks apart, and one rabies shot. If you
are adopting the ferret from a shelter, ask about vaccination status.
Most shelters give the distemper vaccinations themselves, and so will not
have a sheet of paper from a vet certifying vaccination. However, you
can usually take their word for it, and can request the shelter operator to
put down the date and type of vaccination on paper for you. Rabies
vaccines can only be given by a veterinarian. Once you have
ascertained that the ferret is protected, you will simply need a yearly
booster shot for both distemper and rabies.
Litterbox Training
Ferrets can be trained to use the litterbox. However,
depending on the ferret, and how much time you are willing to spend on
litter training, your ferret could have anywhere from a 100% hit rate, to a
0% hit rate. Most ferrets average about 75% hit rates. This
means you may occasionally get a little ‘present’ in the corner of the
room. Some ferrets even go out of their way to move the litterbox and
go behind it. You must be prepared to spend several hours to several
months litter training, and the more attention you can give it, the more
likely you will have a litterbox trained ferret. When litter training,
the best way is to start the ferret out running around in a small room, such
as a bathroom, and work you way out from there. Ferrets will generally
go within a few minutes of waking up, or after eating. When you first
wake the ferret up, place him in the litterbox. Do not let him out
until he has gone. At this point, immediately give him a treat.
If you catch your ferret going somewhere he shouldn't be, immediately place
him in the litterbox. Try to get him to associate going in the
litterbox with receiving a treat. This can take a lot of time and
patience, and it depends on how tolerant you are of ‘accidents’ as to
whether a ferret will work for you. Never physically punish a ferret
for any reason. They will only learn to fear you, and will not
associate something they did 5 minutes earlier with why they are being hurt.
Bathing and Ear Cleaning
Ferrets are just like cats in that they groom
themselves. Ferrets do not need to be bathed for cleaning reasons,
they will clean themselves. Ferrets do have a light musky odor though,
that will be removed temporarily by bathing. 2 weeks after a bath, the
odor will return, ten times stronger, as the oils in the body try to
compensate for the drying effect from the bath. Frequent bathing can
tend to dry out a ferret's skin. If you do decide to bathe your
ferret, you will need to use some kind of conditioner afterwards.
Humilac, available only from a vet, is an excellent choice. There are
also some over the counter conditioners that will work. Ferrets have
high body temperatures, so warmer water will make for easier bathing times.
Ferrets frequently have ear mites, these can be
treated topically using Tresaderm, or orally using Ivermectin. Some
people prefer to keep their ferrets ears clean, if you decide to do this,
have a vet or another ferret owner show you how to safely do this.
Other Pets
Ferrets can usually get along just fine with other pets,
depending on the type of pet and temperament. Most dogs and cats live
together fine with ferrets. Pets that are usually not a good idea to
have around ferrets are; birds, snakes, gerbils, hamsters, mice and
rats. Ferrets are mousers by nature, and will attack and sometimes
kill small rodents and birds. Snakes will see ferrets as prey, and the
ferret does not usually come out the winner. Cats will usually get along
fine with ferrets, you will just need to supervise encounters at first, to
make sure no one hurts each other. Most cats don't know what to make
of ferrets, and will avoid them until they get used to them. With dogs, it
depends a lot on the breed and temperament. Natural hunters need to be
taught that ferrets are not prey. The larger the dog, the more careful
you will have to be when introducing them. The most important thing is
that the dog is obedient, and understands the word NO. The best way is
to have the dog on a short leash, with the ferret running around, and you
holding the leash. If the dog acts like he is going to hurt the
ferret, you can pull back sharply on the leash, and let the dog know that it
is not okay. Never leave the ferret and another animal alone together
unless you are 110% sure that neither one will hurt the other.
If you have any more questions on your new ferret, please
do not hesitate to call us anytime for any reason. We are Chris and
Shelley Knudsen, and we run the Legion of Superferrets of Nebraska Ferret
Shelter. Our contact information is:
P.O. Box 762, Hastings, NE 68902-0762
402-463-0190 or 402-461-6541
ferrets@tcgcs.com http://www.tcgcs.com/~ferrets
Or contact:
Ferret Fanciers of Omaha Ferret Club
Chris Nielson or Lia Hoevet
402-731-1264 snackpack@home.com
For extensive information on the internet about ferrets,
please check out:
http://www.ferretcentral.org
If you found this pamphlet helpful, and would like to
help distribute it, feel free to photocopy it and distribute, or e-mail us
at ferrets@tcgcs.com. We also have several other pamphlets available:
What is a Ferret?
Adopting a Ferret, is it the right pet for you?
Ferrets, Frequently Asked Questions
Ferret Medical Info