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Post by muncharoo223 on Apr 28, 2011 20:44:22 GMT -5
So I got sneakers, my first ferret, just about three weeks ago. He's been a good boy, using his litter pan inside and outside the cage (yay!) but he doesn't really play with me much. Then my friend found out she's moving and can't take her ferrets so I told her I'd take them. She has two boys, ones really skinny and ones really fat.
My question is how do I go about introducing them ( do I need to give them all a bath to make them smell the same and rearrange the cage and such?) and what's the smallest cage three ferrets should be housed in? The cage I have is a cubes and coroplast cage I built myself and is easily made bigger or smaller. It's about 3.5 feet long 2.5 feet wide and 3 feet tall with 2 levels and 2 hammocks. Is there anything else I should get?
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Post by Sherry on Apr 28, 2011 20:52:08 GMT -5
Have you ever seen an FN 142? That's a good size for that number of ferrets  As for introductions, can you keep the two new ones isolated til a vet check? Just to make sure there are no ear mites, etc. After that, try putting them together for a playtime, and see what happens  Number one rule is, no poop, no blood, no foul They are going to fight for number one spot, and the very worst thing you can do is interfere. It may look and sound awful, but the more you intervene, the less likely they are to get along. |
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Post by muncharoo223 on Apr 28, 2011 21:30:53 GMT -5
Yes I've seen the ferret nation cages. I wish I could fit one in my bedroom :/ I've noticed their poo is a little reddish in color, could that be dog food myfriend insisted was what "best for them"?
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Post by Sherry on Apr 28, 2011 21:32:38 GMT -5
Oh, very easily  There are a ton of dyes in that food, unfortunately. But please try to tell your friend- ferrets NEED taurine, just like cats. And dog food doesn't have it in there. |
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Post by muncharoo223 on Apr 28, 2011 21:43:13 GMT -5
Well she dropped of the little ones a little while ago and they got baths and nails clipped. They are currently sleeping in a comfortor they pulled off my bed and onto the floor  Is it safe to just give them the food sneakers is eating? She didn't leave me any food she kinda just gave them to me in a box and left :/ |
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Post by Heather on Apr 28, 2011 21:51:44 GMT -5
What food does Sneaker have? You're going to have to do the radical switch so you will probably get tummy upsets, there's really nothing you can do, especially if you don't have the dog food that they've been eating. They may take to raw, I've had rescues who's diet was terrible and they switched with few issues (they did have tummy upsets but only because of the garbage they've been eating all their lives)
ciao
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Post by muncharoo223 on Apr 30, 2011 20:41:00 GMT -5
Sneakers is eating a mix of Marshells ferret food and blue buffalo wilderness cat food. My hedgehogs eat the wilderness mixed with either wellness or purina naturals. I still live with my parents (I just graduated college and can't afford to move out yet) so I can't feed raw, mom would flip if she opened the freezer and found dead mice :/
Is there something else I could mix in that would be better than what I'm giving them now?
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Post by fearless on Apr 30, 2011 21:27:03 GMT -5
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Post by Sherry on Apr 30, 2011 21:30:10 GMT -5
Yeah, I'd ditch the Marshall's food asap. Check out the moredooks food chart, find the one you can best afford that you can easily get. With kibble, try to have a mix of at least 3, in case the pet store runs out, or even if the manufacturer changes formula. That way, you aren't stuck with ferrets who do not recognize the food anymore.
If you can do it, I'd move to freeze dried foods as well.
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Post by muncharoo223 on Apr 30, 2011 21:30:28 GMT -5
So I looked at the chart and the blue buffalo wilderness food is in the Blue part of the chart which is good |
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Post by fearless on Apr 30, 2011 21:34:42 GMT -5
Then I'd keep it and add one or two more to the mix, 8 in 1 Ultimate isn't too pricey and is highly rated. Zupreem can be a bit more pricier easily found and is also highly rated, I'm not familiar on cat food brands... but I hear good things about Evo.
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Post by muncharoo223 on Apr 30, 2011 21:35:26 GMT -5
What do you mean freez dried food? Where would I get it?
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Post by Sherry on Apr 30, 2011 21:46:59 GMT -5
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