What is it like to own a ferret?

Question

Do they chew on things like rabbits do? What do you feed them? Are they playful? Do they cuddle?

I don't want one b/c I don't think a ferret and my bunny would get along, lol, but every time I go to the pet store and see them, I wonder what it would be like to own one?

Answer 1

Well....

Ferrets have an instinct to dig and chew, so you need to provide them with lots of toys to keep them amused. They are very intelligent animals and need to be kept on their feet or they will suffer from something called "cage stress", which is when they become very bored and depressed. But anyway, toys are an absolute must.

Ferret owners feed their ferrets a variety of things, from real chicken (bones included; ferrets can digest bone), to ferret food to high quality cat or kitten food. Ferrets need at least 36% meat based protein (not grain based because they cannot digest it), and 18-20% fat in their diet. Also, low amounts of ash and fiber in their diet are good.

Ferrets are very playful animals. They sleep up to 20 hours a day, but for the couple hours they are awake, they are crazy! They need at least 2 hours of supervised playtime with the owner every day.

Some ferrets are cuddly, and others aren't. It just depends on the attitude of the ferret.

For more info...

-Read "Ferrets for Dummies" by Kim Schilling. An excellent book for new and old ferret owners alike.

-Check out this site: http://www.hugawoozel.com/

They have contests, a message board, photo gallery, and a lot of cool stuff.

Good luck learning about ferrets!

Answer 2

You're right. A ferret & bunny would not get along. Ferrets are predators. Rabbits are prey. That's a huge conflict.

Ferrets are like permanent kittens in personality. Constant playing. They have a diet specifically formulated for ferrets, although some people I've met, feed mice to their ferrets since it's closer to their natural diet.

They like to nibble, but they're not HUGE chewers. I suppose some can be, though. They can be cuddly once they're tired out from playing.

Answer 3

That's right, ferrets and rabbits don't mix. That doesn't mean you can't have both, you just can't ever let them out together.

No, they don't chew on things like rabbits, but they do like to chew on rubber things (not good for them to do though). They don't have teeth like a rabbit or rodent, they are like that of a cat or dog, so they don't need to chew to keep their teeth trim. Ferrets are carnivores, so they need to be fed meat. They cannot properly digest fruits or veggies. Most people feed them a ferret or cat/kitten kibble, but more and more people are getting into the more natural diets (whole prey like chicks, mice, and rabbits).

Ferrets are very playful! They're very hyper and wild & crazy during their play time out of the cage. But they also sleep a lot (some will sleep up to 20 hours a day) and some even like to curl up in your lap for their little naps. Don't expect them to cuddle when they're all wound up, but most will let you cuddle with them before they're fulling awake and in "play" mode.

I always tell people that owning a ferret is kind of like having a toddler - they have no fear and are always getting into something. They rarely listen and the more you tell them "NO," the more they want to do whatever it is they're not supposed to be doing. LOL. =) It can be very frustrating at times and they require a lot of patience, but if you have what it takes, then they really do make an excellent pet. I have five and wouldn't give them up for anything. They've cost me thousands of dollars over the past couple years, done some damage to some things, and driven me nuts from time to time, but I love them to death and they always make me smile (even when they're being bad).

The worse thing about ferrets is that they're prone to a lot of very serious (and expensive) illnesses and they don't usually live very long.

If you're really interested in knowing what it would be like to have a ferret but don't actually want to get one, then maybe you could look around for a ferret shelter in your area to volunteer at. I'm sure they could use some extra hands and then you'd get to experience the joys of "ferrant-hood."

Answer 4

its like having kittens they like to play and explore their really curious and friendly. you feed them ferret food and no they dont unsually cuddle unless they are asleep. THe only thing that i can complain about is the smell

however its not so bad once you find the right food and mix their litter box bedding with a bit of cat litter.

the whole bunny thing not sure if they would get along depends on how much your bunny likes to rough play  LOL

so yeah maybe mixing them is not a great idea

Answer 5

It's hard to answer your questions because each ferret's personality is different. Some are more playful than others, some are more aggressive, some are more serious (though I rarely see those). My little girl is very playful, gentle (with everyone except our cat), and she likes to cuddle as long as there isn't some very interesting and new object for her to explore. She loves to fall asleep on me.

As for what I feed her: good quality ferret food. Every now and then, as a treat, I give her what is called a "ferret sundae" which is a dollop of chicken baby food (ice cream), some Ferretone drizzled over (sauce), and a raisin on top (cherry). She goes NUTS over it.

I have no idea if your bunny would get along with a ferret. I suppose it would largely depend on the personalities of both, but if you ever do decide to get a ferret, introduce them gently. You would have to get a separate cage for the ferret, but put it close to the bunny's so they can see/smell and get used to each other. Keep that up and maybe they can overcome any objections to each other and become friends one day.

As for chewing... EVERYTHING interests ferrets, but most of the stuff they can't/shouldn't have. They'll still try to get it and certain things can be very harmful to them. If you want something for them to chew on, stick with the little ferret chews found in the pet stores. I get mine lots of those and we also stay on the lookout for the tiny stuffed animals with squeakers in them for dogs. We just make sure we have a lot of them (she likes to beat them up) and when they start showing threads/holes/signs of wear, it's time for a new one. NEVER give a ferret a plastic toy as this can really mess up their little digestive systems and likely kill them. Hope this helps!!

Answer 6

Kind of like owning a rat...on caffeine....0.o

Answer 7

Well they are totally different animals than a rat or rabbit.  They are carnivores and not rodents in the weasel and skunk family.  They do chew, but they have teeth like a cats mouth and not opposing like a rodent.  They are particularly fond of rubber items like keys on remotes and so on.  They are really fun when they are socialized to humans and can play with you.  They are still fun to watch even when they will only play with other ferrets.  They do like to cuddle for short periods of time but it must be pretty short.  The older your ferret gets and the more time you spend with them, the longer the will sit and be held.  Some ferrets are more active than other also. and they are very cute.

They have very short digestive systems and really high metabolisms so they must eat and p**p about every four hours.  Cleaning of the litter box must be done every day and sometimes twice a day if you want to avoid a smelly house.  They like to sleep in soft cuddly clothes so you must wash their bedding about once a week also.  You want to use a litter like a recycled paper product because they wipe their buts after using the toilet and you don't want them to get litter in their bottoms, plus they sometimes snorkel in the litter box so they get clumping and clay in their noses. I love my ferret kids but I do spend a lot of time on them every day.  Ferrets are prone to Adrenal disease and Cancers so vet bills can be very high in ferrets 3 years and older.  

They eat a high quality ferret or cat kibble or if you really want to feed them a natural diet, mice or baby rats.  I feed raw chicken and organ meats plus Innove/Evo kibble.  

That's it in a nut shell.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&cl...

some images for you

http://www.everythingferret.com/index.ht...

some general information on ferrets

Answer 8

there alot of work and they smell, there funny and cute but there also smart and get into everything so you have to baby proof your house so they don't get into anything that will hurt them, and yes they can be aggressive and possibly hurt your bunny

Answer 9

Ferrets are an absolute delight to own!  I have a little girl named Sophie, and she is incredible.  However, they are a huge responsibility.  When you purchase a ferret, its not like buying a hamster or a rabbit.  You are basically adopting a two year old ;)

They LOVE to play.  Its all they live for!  They jump and run and will play with anyone who is willing.  My little Sophie even loves to play with the cat.  But you have to watch them; they love getting into cracks and crannies, which are usually pretty dangerous.

Keeping them happy is also a full time job.  They have to have a huge cage, and they absolutely must have out-of-cage time to play and exercise.  They are incredibly social, and NEED constant interaction!  If they dont get this interaction, they basically become depressed and very ill.  Keeping them clean is somewhat time consuming too...  I have to clean out Sophie's litter every day, and do a deep clean every week.  But you can litter box train them, so that is helpful.

Even though they are a ton of work, ferrets are amazing little creatures, and completely worth it ;)