How much mischief do ferrets get into? And how can i ferret proof my furniture so they can't tear it up?

Question

My parents said i can get a ferret if i don't let it cause mayhem in the house... our couches are durable but I'm afraid that the ferret will rip the bottom... and we have a whole T.V area and basically our playstation and wii are on a built in shelf and there are cords exposed in the back. We also have a bunch of cabinets in the kitchen that are low to the ground and a spinning cabinet, i don't know if i can fix it so a ferret cant get into it. Any tips? I just don't know.

Answer 1

A ferret can be trained, but generally expect a handful. We had two, one was SO energtic and was constantly hiding anyting fuzzy, and he also liked to hide shoes. The other was more laid back but still got into things from time to time. You will need to take boards and board up behind your tv,just to make sure. Ours never chewed on cords, but that doesn;t mean all ferrets dont. as for your couch, you could board ii up or rather blick it somehow, but we never had problems with that, our ferrets just liked to get into drawers a lot.

Hope this helped!

Answer 2

I've never owned a ferret myself, but friends of mine have and they get into a good bit of trouble.

It does depend on your individual ferret though.

&As for the "ferret proofing" your house, just put up things you don't want ruined as you would for a puppy. Other than that, its all in obediance.

Answer 3

They are very curious animals.and where there is a will there is a way and they will find it. is there one room in the house that you could let them out to play in. thats safe?   that would cut down on your parents worries

Answer 4

Here's some ferret proofing information:

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/ferretcar...

http://www.ferret-universe.com/care/ferr...

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/ferretcar...

Answer 5

You really can't own a ferret without it causing mayhem in your house! To make sure they don't rip a hole in your couch, you have to staple a bed sheet to top of the mesh-like material to prevent digging- you can also just take the legs off of the couch and let it sit on the floor. And no rockers or recliners. Ferrets can get in them, get stuck, and then get squished and killed! About the cords, most ferrets would leave them alone, but some will find them entertaining and tasty. Someone I know simply used a zip tie to hook all the cords together then stapled it to the wall- you can also spray a product called Bitter Apple on the cords to slow the chewing down. For cabinets, you'll have to get those baby locks to keep them closed. Ferrets can open cabinet doors and drawers with ease. The spinning cabinet will be dangerous to let them around, so they'll need to be watched closely the entire time they're out unless you can stop it from spinning.

Now, I don't want to rant, but I must. A ferret is not an easy pet. I've had nights where I've had to stay up until 10:00pm just following my ferret around so she could get her 5 hours of play time. Vets are extremely expensive because even though ferrets are the 3rd most common pet in the US they're still, apparently, "exotic pets". They trash whatever they have access to, and will happily eat anything dangerous, such as rubber, fruits, vegetables, sharp pieces of who knows what, and just about anything else that's small enough to be eaten. It will cause a blockage and you'll be at the vet spending hundreds to get it removed. Good quality food is expensive, and they need their teeth cleaned, nails trimmed, and ears cleaned every other week. I suggest you buy the book "Ferrets for Dummies, 2nd Edition"- it's really the ferret owner's bible and is a must-have. I also suggest joining these forums- here you can see all of the good things about ferrets, but you'll also see how there are people who get up 5 times a night to keep their sick ferret alive and spent $1000's on medication and vet appointments for the ferret, only to lose them a week later.

http://www.ferretvillage.org

http://www.ferretopia.proboards51.com