Ferrets are curious and bright animals that love sleeping, although when they are awake they are playful, active and lively, and really need positive attention to keep them out of mischief. They are becoming more and more popular with adults and children alike to keep as pets. Generally speaking, Ferrets are usually fairly easy to care for.
Two cute pet ferrets
Health Care for Ferrets
Ferrets can catch colds and flu from we humans, and it should be understood that if a family member is sick with a cold or has flu-like symptoms, they should not have close contact with their ferrets. However, as with humans, if you keep your ferret healthy with a nitritious and healthy diet, and a balanced immune system, as well as minimal contact with anyone who has colds and flu, there should be no serious problems.
Pests to Ferrets:
Fleas: Ferrets can have fleas, just as cats and dogs, simply because they have fur and are a great hiding and nesting site for fleas. Most flea preparations for pets also suit ferrets.
Mites: Ferrets can also pick up mites transmitted by dogs and cats, as well as by other ferrets. Your ferret may shake it’s head, scratch at it’s ear or generally show signs of discomfort around the ear area. Seek assistance from a pet care specialist as to what is the problem, however it is likely that it could be ear mites that can be readily treated and exterminated.
Health Checkups
If you are a geniune ferret lover who has a ferret as a household pet, it is important to have a regular health check-up to prevent health crises, and help keep a happy ferret at home. Many people like to have a ferret for a handbag pet or a pocket pet, and this type of intense pet ownership carries a responsibility to keep your ferret healthy and happy.
Vaccination: It is very important to regularly vaccinate your handbag pet in order to keep it healthy and free from disease. Vaccinate for distemper at 8 wks, 12 wks & 16 wks of age, then every 12 mths it is necessary to obtain a booster shot.
Feeding Your Ferret
Ferrets are strictly carnivorous; that is they eat meat, have teeth that rip and tear meat, and can also bit humans. If you wish to feed your ferret tinned food, remember that ferrets thrive better on the diet of cat food rather than dog food due to the additional protein in cat food. Ferrets can actually become very depleted without that additional nutrition.
It is best to feed ferrets in the evening, and be sure to remove any discarded or uneaten food from the pen to avoid contamination and disease.
Ferret Hygiene
Ferrets like to be clean, but only have a small area to maintain personal hygiene. It is up to their owners to help them. Ferrets like to excrete in the same place, so it would be advisable to provide them with a litter tray, and your ferret will very quickly show you how interested they are in maintaining a daily routine in this regard. Keep their food area well away from the litter tray.
Fertility in Ferrets
Desexing is recommended if you are not planning to breed from you ferret, as mating season can bring on changes in behaviours and unpleasant odours in male ferrets. Desexing also calms the ferret and can reduce the likelihood of some diseases.
Mature ferret females remain in heat until they mate, and this can cause Pyometra, a uterine condition which can be fatal. Therefore, desexing both male and female ferrets is recommended.
The female ferret will come on heat between 6-9 months of age, so the best time to spey is before this, and males should be desexed at around 7-8 months of age.
Your Ferret House
Ferrets need somewhere secure; an area that they can sleep and exercise in. The ferret house should be above the ground, water proof, weather sturdy, and no light. The entry to the ferrets house should be at least 10m across, facing away from the weather. A nice soft blanket and cosy area will be welcomed by your ferret because they love to sleep. Make the entrance/exit hole to your ferret’s house approximately 8-10cm (half curve) which is well away from the weather. Straw or paper is not warm or snug enough and they can become cold; whould you give your dog or cat straw to sleep on?
Surround your ferrets house with a safe and secure exercise area which you can access at any time. Remember this: ferrets are tricky and clever, and if their area is not completely secure, they are great escape artists, and it might be too late if you have to find this out from experience, because a new pet can be gone very quickly and never seen again. Also remember that ferrets can dig, so you need to ensure that this is not a possible means of escape.
Ferrets love to play, so this exercise area should have pipes, platforms, rope ladders, noisemakers etc to maximise fun and avoid boredom.
Also very importantly, never forget to provide water, clean and continous, especially if you live in drier areas such as inland Australia.
More About Ferrets
- A ferret’s lifespan is between 5 to 10years
- The average bodyweight of a ferret is 0.5 to 1.5kgs
- The gestation period for live birth of baby ferrets is 42 days
- Ferret litters number up to 18
- Ferret puberty is between 6 to 8 months
- The male ferret should be kept away from the mother and babies up to and after birth, as the male can kill and eat the babies (carnivores remember?)
- The female ferret is called a ‘jill’
- The male ferret is called a ‘ hob’
- The young ferret is called a ’kitten’
