Everything about ferrets?

Question

I might be purchasing a ferret, i know lots about them i've been researching for like the past year (been wanting a ferret for 3). I would just like to know supplies i would need, i have a 3 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot cage, it's quite big, i talked to alot of people and they said that's a suitable size? I would be letting her out everyday. Is it okay to shred newspaper and put that at the bottom of the cage? I also have a homemade hammock that hangs from the top (it hold my very large rabbit so it's sturdy) would that be okay? Give me a list of supplies needed and what not. Also is there a better s*x? Should i get a female or male, or does it matter?

Thanks.

Answer 1

i would suggest wood shavings from a lumber yard. wicked cheap. the cage should be fine. a water bottle like what you have for your bunny is needed as well. try and give them more height to that they can climb. mine loved to climb! I would call your local shelters and see if they have any ferrets up for adoption before you "buy" one. there are tons of ferret rescue groups out there. check out petfinder.com to find shelters in your area! enjoy your new pet and good luck!

Answer 2

I don't use newspaper or wood shavings. My ferrets like to dig in it. I use small blankets. Go to walmart and get rally soft and confortable fabric. Cut that into small peices and just lay it out. You will need to find things to cover the corners or else your ferret will go to the bathroom there. You must tie the object down because ferrets like to redecorate their whole house. They move everything around. They love hammocks and they love being comfortable. Boys get fatter than the females which makes them so much cuter. Girls are small, but are often smarter. I think you should get two, because they are very social creatures. We got one and thought we would let it out of its cage and roam around every day. But it's hard to do this everyday because you have to watch them so they don't get in trouble. So we ended up getting another ferret because we didn't let it out very often. Make sure you play with it everyday. If your getting one, you should get a girl. If your getting two, you should get a boy and girl. If your getting three, you should get two girls and a boy. The boys are often very territorial so try not to get too many boys. I don't nkow how many ferrets you are getting, but you should start out with two, potty train them, then get another one and potty train them. Once you get one, your gonna want another. They are great pets. And I love mine.

Answer 3

Ferrets are not rodents and are happier when you have a multiple layer cage where you can set up different dens and play areas since you have to keep it caged.  Since ferrets don't like to have their food and toilet area on the same level, I use the bottom layer for the toilet by lining up three cat litter pans which fit almost perfectly across the bottom of the cage. Remember that ferrets cannot use clumping litter because they can get it in their bottoms and nostrils and this can cause huge medical problems.  Use a recycled paper litter like good mews.  So, I think you need a larger cage where you can hang several hammocks and provide an environment like an underground maze like a wild weasel would live in.  You will need hammocks, soft blankets, tubing for tunnels, water bottles and water bowls.  Use heavy duty bowls so they cannot tip them over because they get bored in the cage and like to explore the bottoms of everything.  Learn to understand the ingredients in animal foods and try to feed your ferret the best food you can afford.  Stay away from cheap cat foods that are full of grains like corn and wheat and watch the fats.  Ferrets are prone to so many diseases and the food they eat will greatly improve their health and support their already weak immune systems.  If you can, try to get your ferret to eat raw chicken and meat products. You can add vitamins like flax seed oil and herbs and your ferrets teeth will stay cleaner than if the ferret is just fed kibble.  

http://www.thechipster.com/fert-man.html

This is a good site for general information but make sure you keep reading, lots of reading.  

As a general rule, I don't think that the s*x of the ferret is as important as the personality.  And if you can find a pair who are living together, get two and not one.  Ferrets like ferret company that they bond with.  They all have different personalities but as a first time owner, I would advise you to pick one (or 2) that is at least a year old and who has a quiet and sweet personality who has been in a loving and caring home.  There are so many ferrets who have been in homes where people did not understand the commitment and the ferrets become fearful and then they do not make happy pets.  Baby ferrets need to be taught to be social with people and you must be very patient and understanding of their nature so you can make that bond.  

My ferrets are all free roam during the day and litter box trained.  You can litter box train ferrets but don't expect them to be perfect because it is just not in their nature.  They are far too busy to search out boxes and are opportunist poopers.  Their metabolism is very quick and food moves through their systems very quickly so it is just a ferret thing.  If you want to keep the odor down, clean the boxes at least once a day and wash the linens once a week. If you don't, the smell will not be pleasant.  

OK now I have shared my thoughts.  I wish you good luck in your new adventure.  Just keep reading and look up your local ferret rescue groups.  They have a lot of experience in all ferret matters so you will have someone to talk to when you have questions.

Answer 4

You can shred newspaper to put on the bottom, but i wouldn't recommend it. A couple towels, an old blanket, an old t-shirt/sweatshirt would do wonders (there's nothing more adorable than a sleepy ferret cuddling up in a blanket). The hammock sounds perfect. Supplies you would need would be a litter box (ferrets litter-train fairly easy, and it saves a lot of clean-up in the cage), ferret litter (yesterdays news is what i use and it's great), a food dish, ferret pellets (i would recommend marshall ferret pellets), a water bottle, some sort of cleaner to clean up accidents inside and outside the cage (Natures miracle Just for ferrets works wonders!). Some ferrets are chewers and need an alternatives to chew on, there are these things called chew stars, three come in a package by little guys love them. I would also recommend cat toys (such as balls with bells in them) and anything else. The #1 thing to remember is to not feed it tons of fruit or oats. Cheerios are the most healthy form of snacks. Others are too sugary and can make them sick. As regards to sexes, i have two males and a female and i love them all. If you get it from a pet store they will most likely be fixed already, so you don't have to worry about getting a female and having it get it's period. If you have any other questions please feel free to email me at [e-mail], I'd be more than happy to help. Good luck! :]

Answer 5

DON'T use wood shavings. this can actually be dangerous to ferrets and we have seen our share of ferrets with breathing difficulties from shavings and blockages from them nibbling on it.

for bedding on the bottom, go for something cloth. these critters like to burrow and nestle...things like old tees, an old pair of jeans (they love to burrow thru the pant legs) or soft towels work great for them.

the hammock sounds wonderful, but you may want to use more than one. at the very least you'll need two - one for use and one to put in there while the first one is being washed. their bedding (any cloth items in the cage) need to get pulled out at least once a week and washed. having a bunch set aside will let you switch it out while the other set is being washed. this will cut down greatly on any nasty scents lingering in the cage. (scooping the litter box every day and totally scrubbing it down weekly helps with the rest of the scent.)

gender not a factor. both are chaotic, loving, happy go lucky, sweet, crazy beasts. we have had both boys and girls, and as long as everyone is neutered, it really does not matter at all. (males only get territorial if they are intact. otherwise they are as loving as anyone else.) if i had to make a suggestion, though, i'd go for one that is NOT a kit if you're a first-time owner. getting an older one will be a bit more settled and generally better behaved yet it won't sacrifice the fun stuff. they aren't any less playful at a year than they are at 8 wks...but you WILL experience less nipping & better training when it comes to using the litter box. training (social behavior or litter box) an older one is easier all around & less stress on the owner AND the ferrets.

the cage sounds like its a good size, but you might eventually want to move to a larger one. these guys are very social critters and do better in pairs - both physically and behaviorally - so a larger cage may work better if you get more than one. (many rescues will even give discounts if you're adopting two or more at the same time.) you can mix and match sexes or get two fo the same kind. they don't care. they just love having a mate to be with.

let's see. off the top of my head, these are the supplies i have with my boys:

* cage

* litter (wood pellets, yesterday's news, even a regular clay litter is fine, just don't use clumping)

* litter box (at least two - one for each corner in cage or to use one when it's out of the cage so it doesn't look for a  corner to use)

* soft bedding

* water dish/bottle (some ferrets do fine with a bottle, some don't. you won't be able to wait them out and make them use the one you want. i use both.)

* food bowl

* food (good ferret food like 8 in 1 Ultimate or EVO or a high quality kitten food if you are not going with a homemade diet)

* hammocks/slings

* harness & leash for each (these must be ferret-specific. they will get out of anything made for another animal.)

* vaccines/vet care - VERY IMPORTANT. they need it regularly just like a puppy does, so don't skip this. Revolution is a good flea/tick/intestinal parasite/ear mite product for them, on top of their regular shots & health care.

don't know what you've read so far, but i cannot stress enough the importance of making sure it ALWAYS has food and water available. NEVER let it run out of these. they have really high metabolisms and burn thru what they eat in about 3 hrs so don't ever let their bowls go empty. ferrets crash quickly from not having enough to eat. vitamins aren't really necessary, but it does no harm if you do add them. i use BIO-ODOR in the water to help cut down scent of poo even further, but it doesn't work with all ferrets. worth a shot.

also, don't bathe very often. it makes the scent stronger by stripping the coat of oil (so the body compensate by overproducing it) & it causes dry skin. every couple of months is best. (mine get a bath about 3 times a year.)

if you haven't already, get a copy of Ferrets For Dummies and make it your bible. it's an excellent resource for new (and experienced)  ferret owners.

good luck!