Ferrety Goodness.

[Tribe]

Well you guys asked for me to share pictures if i did decided to get one, i have completely fell in love with an awesome chocolate sable boy whom is rather large XD Hes already newspaper potty trained and seems to get along well with other animals (ie cats and dogs) It did take some serious thought though because the pet shop i go also sales some amazing lionheaded rabbits and he wanted way less for one of those but i could justify spending less on a pet and not wanting it nearly as bad. Needless i was just to drawn to this boy. I shouldve bought him on the spot but i wanted to wait until i had time to think (a ferret is a rather expensive investment and they are not like most rodent like pets you have to give them attention) they are just like a cat they need to be out and about and they need people. So this extremely fat boy is what i decided on for sure, though im a little thrown off by this coat on for sure what color he is im sure it could be considerd a choclate sable (its just really rather long compared to most ferrets) Hes also got his blue dot so im extremely happy with him. I tried to consider a baby hedge hog how i just cant get over my fear of them. They i considered waiting on a baby chinchilla because he was expecting little ones out of his pair but they are just to higly stressed to be a part of our family. I just knew this big boy would do perfectly.

So me and my hubby got a cage set up for him (he perfers not to climb to much so i bought him something with one layer. Plus he'll be allowed range of most of the house so im not really worried about a huge $500 cage really.)

Ill share pictures of the cage in a few, i just wanted to post saying i was for sure getting him and ill of course share pictures of him!

[YourLoveOnly]

A lot of the animals you just mentioned are nót to be kept alone.
They can be kept alone, but are very social creatures and will be a lot unhappier alone no matter how much attention you try giving them. Rabbits are defenitely that way.

[BabyKittenCandy]

Just a thought, didnt you say you were pregnant too? Tbh, I would have steered clear of a pet if I was, we had to rehome my poor Conure after I had my baby cos we didnt have the time for him and he just couldnt be trusted.

[IvySpring]

Oooo!! Congrats on the ferret!!! I've been researching them, thinking about maybe getting one when I move :] I'd love to see pictures and read updates about how things are going so I can get some personal insight- you can only get so much information about owning a ferret online, and it'd be cool to hear how you handle owning the little guy :] Keep a ferret diary!! haha

[Tribe]

I actually had a hard time finding anything online, indigo helped me a little as she owns them & lets see i did find one website that told you little on training though i think that really depends on the owner.

As far as having a baby goes and not having pets i have 2 dogs 2 cats already one is a kitten & one is a pup. I know my animals and i know how to space out time between everyone no worries there.

This really isnt a thread that im aking opinnons on wether or not i should get the animal. Hes been paid for and hes coming home today so i please ask that either be supportive of my decision of refrain from posting in this thread for the shear fact that i dont like people who try to talk others out of animals for some reason or another.

[SplitX]

Sounds adorable~! :3 I want pictures! I used to want a ferret so badly, but my parents hate ferrets, so... xD That'll have to wait. <3

[Tribe]

They are alot of animal to take care of. And thier body has this naturally musky smell due to oils on thier skin and hair. So most people arent to fond of them splitty XD not to mention the fact they they seen as HUGE rodents.

YLO i totally missed your post the first time, now see to me ive had rabbits and most of the animals listed and all the ones i had pretty much hated human contact and wanted to be left to thier own devices. But then again we've always had them in pairs + so they had company of thier own kind could be why they were okay with not being delt with. I helped a friend once with her rabbit while she was away he was litter trained and all but he still seemed to not be very social and he hated the other animals. This ferret is in a pet shop with a couple cats & a small dog so i think him being naturally raised around them he'll be more willing to deal with them when hes out and about. The hubs really did love the lionheaded rabbits but they were so skiddish and i didnt feel theyd be goood in a home with other animals.

[YourLoveOnly]

Yea if you get rabbits you should defenitely get them in pairs.
If they are properly socialized then they will come to you when you feed them and you can pet them, but almost all rabbits hate to be picked up and they like to sit on your lap or anything else that petstores try to tell to get them sold >.< Of course, like humans, pets have different personalities so not all are the same. But yea, you are right about rabbits, they like to live in pairs and do their own thing. They are great fun to look at, but if you want something more cuddly they are not the right pet for you I never owned a ferret, I heard they are like little children, very clever and demand a lot of attention, especially if you have just one. They are very social creatures ^^

[indigowulf]

To start with Hunni, I know you didnt say they are a rodent- this is for anyone else reading these posts and considering getting one who may be under that assumption.

they are NOT a rodent. that is a huge misconception. Ferrets are in the family "Mustelidae". They are more closely related to badgers, otters, and skunks (and obviously weasels) then rabbits and mice.

Rodents are prey animals with oversize inscisors designed to gnaw, which continue growing throughout thier life and require chewsticks if you have a pet rodent. Ferrets have canines, like a cat or dog, which will not grow back if the adult tooth is broken or falls out for some reason.

I point this out for 2 important reasons.

1) people think ferrets are rodents, and rodents chew things up. The only reason a ferret will chew something up is, like a puppy, for fun.

2) Rodents diets are primarily plant matter. A vegetarian diet could kill a ferret.  From a-z-animals.com

Ferrets are small carnivorous mammals and therefore a pet ferrets diet should mainly consist of meat. In the wild, ferrets will mainly hunt mice and small rabbits and sometimes, the ferret will be lucky enough to feed on a small bird.

From about.com

Ferrets are obligate carnivores, and food passes through the digestive system of a ferret very quickly. They also lack the ability to derive nutrition from plant matter. For this reason, a ferret diet must be high in animal protein, high in fat, and low in fiber. All foods, including foods intended solely for ferrets, are not created equally, so be careful what you are feeding your ferret.

They share dietary requirements rather closely with a cat, but need higher caloric content. I feed mine a combination of foor formulated for ferrets, available at most pet stores, and regular cat food. The reason they get cat food, I have no available place up high to hide my cats feeder, so they share when they wish. After consulting my vet, this was allowed.

There is a nice website I just stumbled upon. The have links on the left of this page with several articles on ferret care:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=11+2065&aid=2753
If anyone else is considering a ferret and has questions, feel free to ask!


I am very excited and happy for you. Im also glad you have other pets, who can keep your rugshark occupied when you have to be sleeping or away. I cant wait to see pictures!

[BabyKittenCandy]

Since this is a casual chat area I figured people were allowed opinions/thoughts but I guess not.

Good luck and I shall refrain on posting, thoughts or otherwise.

[indigowulf]

Oh, forgot to mention, that link I posted has a list of common household toxins under the emergency section- could be useful.

My roommate was feeding ours raisins, until we found info and pointed out to him that they cause liver damage. We now have a rule in the house that only the owner of the individual ferret is allowed to give treats, unless its a pet-store, ferret specific treat. (we had been telling him no on the raisins, but he wouldnt stop til we found proof)

[IvySpring]

@ Indigo- would you recommend a ferret for a single owner (as in non-family environment) that had ample time to socialize with the ferret? I read somewhere that ferrets are better for families, but I think that might have been just because of the fact that they need lots of socializing.

Also- do you ever take your ferret out of the house? I might just be crazy in thinking this- but I keep having fun imagining having a ferret in a little ferret harness that rides around in the hood of my sweatshirt or jacket when I run out places :] haha just wondering

anybody want to post pics?! I'd like to see :] what colors do you have indigo? after looking at some different colorations- I'm partial to the mostly white ones, I think they're gorgeous

[Tribe]

Well hes home now, hes offically scared the kitten and the pups going to loose her tounge to him (shes trys to lick him through the cage and hes either trying to kiss her back or bite her i cant tell yet. So shes no longer around the cage, hes back to his cage now after a run through the house so he can settle in pictures will come later!

[indigowulf]

I got some pics of ours. Ready for hijack of doom?

Rowdy (belongs to roommate not on Secundi) with a stolen pen.


Rowdy again, posing for a treat.


Rowdy next to the only female, Bella. These 2 roughhouse so bad you'd think they were killing eachother.


Coolduff (Bellas owner) holding Bella so I could get a shot of her.


My BJ, playing peekaboo from behind one of his many stuffed animals.


BJ again, in the sand bath. He is trying to reach my hand. He is almost pure white, that dark on his body is sand! (works better and is better for them then bathing in water) BJ hates water baths, will scream and panic. They all love sandbaths.


All 3, left to right, Rowdy, Bella, BJ


And finally, how ferrets take over your house (click for larger)

[indigowulf]

@ Indigo- would you recommend a ferret for a single owner (as in non-family environment) that had ample time to socialize with the ferret? I read somewhere that ferrets are better for families, but I think that might have been just because of the fact that they need lots of socializing.

Also- do you ever take your ferret out of the house? I might just be crazy in thinking this- but I keep having fun imagining having a ferret in a little ferret harness that rides around in the hood of my sweatshirt or jacket when I run out places :] haha just wondering

anybody want to post pics?! I'd like to see :] what colors do you have indigo? after looking at some different colorations- I'm partial to the mostly white ones, I think they're gorgeous

They really do need companionship. If 1 person can provide, that's fine, but I'd suggest getting siblings if you're the only other living thing in the house.

Bella is scared of going out on her leash. Rowdy has gone around the yard a few times and digs it. BJ has gone out enough that he knows what walk commands mean "come on" ect.

Whenever there is a celebration in town (parade or whatever) I bring BJ along. He loves meeting people. He is a spokesman for ferretkind! I am always answering questions for people who are interested, showing them the "tug test" to see if they are biters, letting them smell BJ and see what they really smell like, and more.

I wouldnt suggest a hood to carry them. They can get severely hurt or killed if they fall from that high, and they are very squirmy when something upsets or interests them. When I allow a stranger to hold BJ, I keep the leash in my hand, and short, so if they drop him, he gets caught about waist high on me and doesnt hit the ground.

Also, if you are going to travel with them in a vehicle, get a cat carrier, not one of those soft carriers. If someone runs a red light and hits you, don't you want the protection of a hard container for your baby? And it keeps them from opening thier carrier and possibly getting under your break peddle (BJ can unzip a softy from inside in about 3 seconds flat!)

Getting them used to thier carrier is also good if you take them out in public. If they get tired or overwealmed, let them sleep in thier carrier. Make a *VERY* strict rule that once they are in the carrier, nobody, including yourself, handles them or pokes at them. Let them have a place they feel secure. That is vital for ferrets leaving thier home for more then half hour at a time.

eta- for leash/harness, i also have personal experience advice there. Rowdy's owner got him one of those jacket type harnesses. Bad idea. Since it is a fixed size, even though the straps are supposed to tighten to hold it, Rowdy can slip his paw inside, and then manages to squirm out. They may look nicer, but always opt for a nylon adjustable strap type of harness. And not just a neck collar, it must have an under the armpit strap, or they will just get out.

Good:


Bad:


best ferret toy ever made:


although some ferrets would argue THIS is the best toy ever:


Oh just found a great safety list-
http://www.browardferretrescue.org/ferretproof.html
I personally have never seen a ferret interested in electric outlets, but better safe then sorry! These are mostly things I wouldnt have thought to suggest because they are second nature to me now.

[YourLoveOnly]

There's a dutch website that makes all kinds of fun customizable toys (like tunnels and hammocks and other fun things like that), different types for different animals. I have some for my guinea pigs, they have some great ferret-only ones as well. Too bad no one else lives over here xD

[IvySpring]

Coolness!! Thanks for all the awesome information and pictures :] BJ is beautiful!! Doesn't the sand bath get them more dirty though?

[indigowulf]

Certain creatures with a double-layer type coat do well cleaning themselves in sandbaths. Chincillas, minks, and other popular fur animal do this. In the wild, weasels and ferrets do not bathe in water- they sand bathe. Large sand grains scrub impurities off thier fur and skin (dirt, fleas, any random icky) while the finer sand grains remove excess oils and dead skin.

Sand bath actually leaves them soft and shiney. The sand itself comes right off when they shake.