Why SHOULDN'T I get a ferret?

[debilorrah]

Everyone mentioned the stink already. What most have skirted around is the they are sneaky, playful, practical jokers. They are smart and use it to a fault. If you use something consistently make sure you put it somewhere the thing can't get it, because they WILL take it and hide it from you. And you will surprised at what they steal when you finally do find the stash. They have been known to streak across a dinner table and appear to take nothing, only aftewards someone notices their roll is gone.

Do not leave beer out and available. Fred was an alcoholic. Ethel just laughed at me for chasing him around. They like hair, ladies, beware, their claws are sharp and they LOVE to stroke a persons hair.

 

[bagendhens]

my experiences with ferts...

1: the MORE you bathe them the more they smell, never bathe more than once a month, even clean descented ferrets have a lignering musty odor...it realy bothers some, not so much other people...

2: the litterbox will always smell, their poop and urine are both very strong, so unless you clean the box imeditaly after use every single time there will always be at least a slight odor...

3: while ferrets can be "litterbox trained" its not like training a cat, the idea is you put a box in every corner because they seek out corners...some ferrets can be fairly reliable about going back to their cage or going to 1 litterbox, however most ferrets will pick any corner...if youve got a box in each corner, its not a problem...lol

4: ferrets are incredibly high energy and very social, unless your home pretty much all the time, you HAVE to get two...(personally i think even if your home 24/7 you should never have just one ferret)

5: they get into everything...it doesnt matter how safe and secure you think your cage is, they will figure out a way to escape...
and they will always wedge themselves and anything of interest into tiny little spaces you simply cant get to

6: they are theives...plain and simple. if its not bolted down and they decide it looks like something interesting...its theirs and will be quickly hauled away.

7: they can be nippy...this is not because "all ferrets bite" its simply because the nature of the ferret at play is to nip and bite, ferrets have veyr thick tough skin and high pain tolerences, when they play they play rough, biting kicking wrestlign and doing something akin to the death roll done by crocs lol....unfortunatly many ferrets esepcially when young dont understand that human being flesh isnt quite as tough as ferret flesh lol.

8: HEALTH...unfortunatly the mass production mill situations by marshals and many other ferret farms has produced a weakend animal highly prone to most commonly adrenal issues (though they are also prone to many different illnesses...) and not a single one of the "common ferret ailments" are "cheap" to treat...even routein vet care is very expensive, but once they hit the 2 yr mark adreanal issues and other genetic ikkies become incredibly common and VERY expensive to treat...

ive got friends who have and work ferret rescue and they have a rule of thumb that you shouldnt get a ferret if you have less than $2000 in an "emergency vet fund" for these guys because they are so prone to issues. these issues are 100% the result of mill like breeding practices, and finding a PRIVATE breeder will help reduce those risks (youl also see an insane difference in size, build and coat condition between the likes of a marshals and a private bred ferret) but private breeders are incredibly few and far between because ferrets are incredibly difficult to breed.


they make fun pets for the right person whos prepared for the "attitude" highe energy and high cost of keeping them.

 

[thebritt]

Chickerdoodle made a good point about the cancer possibility. Every one I've had has died of either pancreatic cancer or lymphoma. Be sure you have a vet nearby that knows about ferrets, and I highly suggest keeping an account for it, as vet bills for exotics are ridiculous! If you're prepared, I see no reason not to get one - they're like having crazy kittens around...for years and years

(I don't think they ever really grow up and mature, like dogs and cats - they only mellow when they're sick or quite old)!
I miss having one, but alas - can't afford one

 

[kburen]

We have 3....My husband loves them. I love them too, but could be okay without them (though I'm not willing to give them up, I wouldn't be happy to get more if something happened to them). They are sweet and fun to watch....But they stink. You can't bathe them often, it actually makes them smell MORE....and their poop really does smell pretty bad.

 

[JulieNKC]

Ferrets are fun, but they stink. I used to have 4 and adored them. They will miss their litter box and go over the sides if at all possible. Babies bite, toes especially. They like company, and 2 are more fun to watch. They will bond to eachother, and if something happens to one though, you have a lonely depressed ferret left. You HAVE to vary their diet when little. Mix at least 2-3 kinds of good kitten food or ferret food. They will sometimes get used to one food if you don't and eat that kind only. Then if that company shanges it's formula, you have ferrets who won't eat. Marshall farms ferrets is where most all pet store ferrets come from, and they are prone to cancer and other disesases. One of mine lived to be 9, the others only 4-6 years old. It's hard to lose them, I was very attatched to mine. Also they are prone to heatstroke if kept somewhere above 80 degrees or so for any length of time.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Like everyone said, they smell and will kill other small animals, plus they may bite you.

 

[mandelyn]

They're like little stinky kitties with loads more energy. And a lot more mischievous than a kitty. Your favorite earrings on the bathroom counter? Gone. All your hair ties? Gone. Finger nail clippers off the coffee table.. gone. Can't find it and looked all over? Check in the hole in the bottom of the couch's dust liner. The new hole, made by a ferret. On the new couch.

Are you a big fan of "hunt the smell" games? You'll find that poo spot in the corner of the dining room behind the buffet. Like someone else said, litter boxes in EVERY corner if you "free range". They make those big fancy ferret nation cages for a reason, you can't trust them running loose for long. Invest in a BIG cage, and provide lot's of toys, hammocks, all kinds of fun things for them. Then let them out when you're going to interact with it. They make a sad face if you cheap out on the cage. They'll say "PPPlllllleeeaaaassseee let me out" .... All the time. BIG cage, seriously.

You might get lucky with the perfect ferret. Might not. Might end up with the one that bites and hides it's poop. They're super cute to play with, until they get way too excited and get rough. Don't rough house with a ferret, they usually win.

I never chose to have a ferret, but I housed one for two months for someone. Only 1 week made me an expert on how awful they can be. Longest two months of my life. I've met some sweet ones though. But they still stink and steal stuff.

I'd rather bottle raise a whole litter of kittens than ferret sit for one ferret. But that's just me. Many people are able to over look the love nips in play, the stink, and missing items. You'll eventually find the stash. When you move. Or during a deep Spring cleaning.

It helps if you're a cat person. I'm not one of those either.

 

[debilorrah]

This is soooo funny!!!! They are such little theives and I think they laugh at us too. It helps if you don't have many cubbies they can hide stuff in because they can rack up a substantial stash.

 

[thebritt]

Quote:
The "killing small animals" thing - VERY TRUE. One cannot teach a weasle to not be a weasle. Must be very vigilant if you have any caged birds/small mammals in the house...Just sayin'

 

[pips&peeps]

the female once in heat MUST be bred or she will most likely die from prolonged heat, of aplastic anemia​