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Ferret Facts - Brush up on these curious pets before bringing one home
By Brenda Story/ Copley News Service
If a domestic ferret, which is becoming an increasingly popular pet, is on your wish list, here are few things you may want to know before asking for one.
Kitty Yanko of the Peoria (Ill.) Humane Society said ferrets are very different from traditional companion animals — like dogs and cats — and a lot of special care is involved.
Ferrets have very sharp teeth and occasionally bite when they are startled, excited or handled improperly. They sleep much of the time, but when they are awake they are curious and highly active. They should not be confined to small cages and they need close supervision when they are allowed out of their enclosure. Your home needs to be “ferret-proofed” before you bring one home.
Ferrets also require routine veterinary care and must be spayed or neutered before they are 8 months old.
Here are some basic ferret care tips:
- Cage: A wire cage measuring 18-inches high, 24-inches wide and 24-inches deep will house one or two ferrets comfortably. Cover the bottom with a towel or piece of carpet cut to fit. Place a small litter pan in one corner.
Your ferret will want special areas for sleeping, hiding or digging around. Provide a towel, shirt, sock, stocking cap, cardboard or wooden box in the cage.
Keep your ferret caged when you’re not at home or at night to prevent chewing accidents or injury to your pet.
- Litter box: Ferrets can be litter trained most of the time. Provide yours with a small, low-sided box about 2-inches high. You can use paper litter, rabbit pellets or shredded newspaper in the litter box. Clay litter, cedar and pine chips are not recommended because they can cause respiratory problems, eye irritations or intestinal blockages.
You’ll need to change the box daily. When your ferret is loose in the house, place several litter boxes or newspaper in various corners. This will decrease the likelihood of accidents.
- Toys: Ferrets like to chew and swallow rubber, which could result in an intestinal obstruction and death. Never give your ferret soft rubber toys. Ferret-proof your house by not allowing it access to rubber bands, balloons, squeaky dog or cat toys, ear phones, stereo speakers, rubber-soled shoes, pipe insulation, molding, remote controls, tennis shoes, etc.
Safe toys include golf balls, paper bags, cardboard rolls, very hard plastic toys, baby rattles and PVC pipe.
- Food: Ferrets are carnivorous — that means they eat meat. You can feed your ferret high-quality cat food or ferret pellets. Mixing cat food and ferret food also is acceptable.
When checking ingredient labels, make sure that the protein level is between 32 percent and 38 percent. A protein content of more than 40 percent is not good for the kidneys of older ferrets.
Cooked meat or egg scraps are suitable table foods for your ferret. Don’t feed it anything that contains bones or that is high in complex carbohydrates or refined sugar. Fruit and vegetables may be offered sparingly as a treat.
Ferret favorites are cucumber, green pepper, banana, raisins and melons. But remember no more than one teaspoon a day. Of course, a fresh supply of water should always be available.
Here is some information about ferret health care:
- Ferrets should be vaccinated, just like dogs and cats.
- They should not be bathed more than once a month. When you do so, be sure to use a very gentle shampoo. Bathing can strip their skin of essential oils and can lead to dry, itchy skin. If fleas become a problem, use sprays recommended for kittens.
- Ferrets are highly susceptible to human colds a nd flu. They will develop a runny nose, watery eyes and may even sneeze and cough. Ferrets also can pass colds and flu back to humans.
- They are prone to hair balls and other objects can lodge in their intestines.
- Trim your ferret’s nails at least once a month. It’s very painful for ferrets to tear a nail that’s caught on bedding or carpets. Be careful not to trim them into the pink, fleshy part of the nail called the quick.
- Clean your ferret’s ears once a month, but check with your veterinarian for what types of solutions to use.
(c) Copley News Service
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