Im GeTtInG a FeRrEt!?

Question

now that i got your attention,

im getting a ferret really soon, i've never had one before, but i have had hamsters and guinea pigs, so what are so things i need to know about ferrets?

examples: diet, play time, nosies, behavoir ex..

Answer 1

It's a mammal not a reptile.

Answer 2

well let me say... get one thats descented! most Marshall ferrets are already descented. it makes them smell ALOT less. and before you consider getting one, make sure you have the time. ferrets require alot of time. they need to run around and excercise when they are not sleeping (they sleep alot). they eat just regular ferret food, it looks like cat food a little. and anytime I ran out of ferret food I actually fed them some of my cats food. but not alot.

they also need yearly vaccinations like a dog or cat. and to keep the smell away, weekly baths. ferrets are tons of fun. mine used to hop around the living room when we let them play. mine were also good around dogs and cats. they would beat them up :)

email me if you have anymore questions. good luck on choosing your friend!

Answer 3

im sorry you answer is wrong a ferret is not a reptile it a is a mammal

Answer 4

Ive had 2 ferrets and as cute as they are they freakin' stink!.. You should know that they have these glands and you can't get rid of the smell, its in their nature. It smells real musky and nasty and your house/room will smell like it. they p**p like 5 times a day and Its watery. As far as their diet, Its just hamster food, they are very playful though. They will play with you a lot and they are very cool pets. But not for keeping, they stink so bad!!!

Answer 5

Hello; I absolutely love ferrets, but they definitely aren't for everyone. I've owned four of them, and here are some of the pros and cons, that include some of the things you are wondering about. Hopefully this will give you a bit more information on them since you are planning on having them as pets. :)

Pros:

1. Very playful, smart, and affectionate if trained well and handled regularly from a kit.

2. Enjoys human interaction, and is often good with other animals. Mine would romp with my cats and small dogs without even the tiniest hint of hostility between them.

3. Can be trained to use a litter box.

4. Very fun to watch them run around the room dooking, dancing, getting into mischief and otherwise enjoying life.

5. Can be a great apartment pet for someone whose landlord doesn't allow dogs or cats.

6. While they do need to be vaccinated, they aren't 'disease and bug ridden'. Most of them are actually very clean, and for every 20,000 cats that get rabies, 10 ferrets do.

7. While their up-front cost is expensive, they seem to be cheaper to keep over-all than a dog or a cat.

8. No matter how bad of day you are having, it is impossible not to smile with them running around excitedly, trying to get you to join in their games.

9. If you have a rodent infestation in your house, it will be no longer. Ferrets are exceptionally good mousers.

10. While they do have their own unique set of noises like a light 'hee-hee' noise when they are playing, 'dooking' when they are happy, a soft hiss when they are mildly annoyed, and a high pitched babbling shriek that sends owners running in their direction when they are scared or hurt; ferrets are usually very quiet.

Cons:

1. As you've likely heard, they DO have a natural musky odor to them. However, the smell actually really doesn't stay on the ferret, and if someone cleans out their cage and litter box every day or every other day, then they hardly smell at all. A tip, though. Feeding your carpet sharks the right food reduces the odor considerably. I use Nutro kitten food in the pink bag, and oddly enough people have actually commented that my ferrets smelled like a musky perfume. Using incense, diffusers, and scented candles are also great for odor-eliminating in a ferret-occupied area.

2. They are higher maintenance then say, a dog or a cat. They need lots of attention, someone to spend a minimum of two hours a day with them playing and keeping them out of trouble, and they need to have their litter and bedding changed a minimum of five days out of the week.

3. They will never be 100% on litter training like a cat will. They will occasionally have an accident, and if someone can't handle that, this isn't a good pet for them.

4. They get into EVERYTHING. I always say that if beavers are the architects of the animal kingdom, then ferrets are the interior decorators. Cupboards will need child proof locks, you will find them in places that it astounds you they could even reach, they will dig up potted plants, they will "reorganize" their cage, they love stealing phones, remote controls, car keys, pencils, feather dusters, water bottles, and anything else they can get their paws on. Ferret comes from a Latin word that means "little fur thief". This is not a cute little moniker. This is an omen. Putting things up and out of the way of a ferret will become a way of life.

5. You really need to get two or three of them. Most of them don't do well alone.

6. If ANYTHING goes wrong in the handling or training of a kit, you can have a monster on your hands. They need to be nip-trained, played with, and handled for hours on end when they are babies to make sure they are the friendliest they can possibly be.

7. They are illegal in some areas, and there is a heavy fine for anyone caught with them somewhere that they aren't allowed. In California it is a 2,000 dollar fine per ferret.

Over-all, if someone has the right household, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. They certainly aren't for a lot of people though. They need to be with a very tolerant, responsible, patient owner who is tidy enough to keep up after them but not so much of a neat-freak that they get upset when the ferret decides to demolish a roll of paper towels all over the living room floor. But to be honest, the biggest thing that a ferret owner needs is a sense of humor to deal with these pesky yet adorable little critters. ;)

If you are looking for a book on ferrets that goes further into their care and behavior; I would highly suggest picking up (and this is NOT an insult, just the best book on the subject) Ferrets for Dummies. It is a great, funny, interesting, accurate, very candid and informative book on the subject, and is one of my personal favorites.

I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions about ferrets whatsoever, please feel free to message me and I will be happy to assist you. :)

Good luck!