Should I get a ferret?

[Gabi]

I've been thinking about getting a ferret and wanted to know if there is anything that I should know. I would buy it from a pet store like petsmart or petco. I want to know things like how much room do they need to run around, how big should their cage be, is it better for them to eat store brand ferret food or should it be on a whole prey diet or something close to that? Also I know they have to get shots, how much do those usually cost? Any other information you think I should know will be great
- Gabi

[Deleted]

Hello and welcome to this forum! I am sort of new here but I will answer for you what I can.

I think a good question to ask is do you have the TIME for a ferret. I spend a minimum of 5 hours a day with my ferret, and I only have one. This includes playing with him, feeding him and cleaning his cage. That is minimum, and doesn't include the time I spent each week preparing his food. This forum is very centered on raw feeding, and I suggest reading some of the threads on the natural diet board so you can see if raw feeding might be right for you. Otherwise you will do best spending a bit more money on high quality kibble.

I'd also suggest reading the information on the health board so you can see what kind of experiences others have had with sick ferrets/vet bills. You can also contact a vet in your area to ask about the costs of vaccines and checkups.

A ferret cage should be at least 3x2x2' and they should be out of it at least 4 hours a day. I hope some of this information was helpful to you, and good luck!

[lyles]

If money and time isn't an issue then go for it.

If you are on a tight budget it is better to find a friend that has some and go play with them in the evening. lol

[Deleted]

I always think if you get 1 ferret you may as well get 2, it's so much fun watching them play together (and then once you have 2 get another 2 then another 1 , then maybe another 2 again ...)

[Bonbon]

I agree with Rock about getting two. I myself am a new ferrent and ferret math gers to you fast. It's sometimes easier to buy two off the bat then deal with introducing a new one a little later, because they are already familiar with the ferret.

As for costs of shots it really depends on the area in which you live. Here I have found that rabies as around $28-32 and the ferret distemperment shot was priced around $22-28 depending on the vet. But the ferret distemperment shot isn't available right now so they substitute the puppy distemperment shot.

Ferrets and especially kits are wild and need a lot of time out of their cage. My guys are out at least 6hrs a day and I gave a big pop up play pen for them to be crazy in as well.

I think raw diets are the way to go personally, but I also helps with teeth health, nail growth, and fur health, plus it minimizes there smell. I noticed a huge scent difference between Bonbon whose been on raw diet since 9/14/15 compared to Benji who I just bought and was fed a kibble diet. Plus most kibble lack the proper nutrients or have ingredients that aren't needed for your ferrets diet like corn.

[Sherry]

Time. Minimum four hours out of cage time daily. These are highly intelligent animals who need a LOT of interaction and stimulation. If they become bored, they can become destructive.
Money. Have a minimum $1000 EACH put away for emergencies as they are generally not a "wait and see" sort of animal where health is concerned. If they are acting sick, then they need to be seen asap. AND you need a ferret savvy vet as well as an emergency vet as things like blockages happen in the night.
Litter boxes. In the cage you can often get 100% training. Out of cage it is usually a different story. Anywhere within about a foot of the several out of cage boxes and/or potty pads seems sufficient to many ferrets lol.
Diet- raw/whole prey. Anything else is setting them up for insulinoma. And if they happen to be one who has a genetic disposition to it, it is almost guaranteed without it.
Otherwise, read through the boards here. I'd start with enrichment, and health and medical
And one more word of advice- get an adult from a shelter/rescue. They will already be vet checked, and you won't be the one who has to litter box train or bite train. All babies are nippers/biters as they don't know any better. There are some good techniques(do NOT scruff), but they do take a bit of time and consistency to work.