How I learned my ferret likes water - An Epic Saga

[Deleted]

My ferret, Artemis, is my first ferret and is only 5 months old. She's pretty good about using her litter boxes and normal gets free reign of my studio apartment when I'm home. However, I don't want to be where I can't keep an eye on her, so when I take a bath I shut her in the bathroom with me. Thus, the saga began.



Despite having a dig box, toys, a towel, and my jammies to play with, she was fascinated by the pretty water. I hoped she would be content to pop up and look, but no...



Cute as h*ll, so I couldn't be mad, and I decided that keeping her away from the tub would only increase her curiosity and, well, it's a lush bath bomb (those tend to be very all natural and not immediately harmful) and I was right there if anything happened so I decided to let her either show off her balancing skills or learn her lesson.



They were very good balancing skills. Unfortunately she flew a little too close to the sun and...



She slipped and just floated there for a split second before I fished her out and dried her off. I thought she'd learned her lesson.



I was wrong. 15 minutes later and she was back. Fortunately for us both, bath time was over



Artemis, goddess of the hunt, had vanquished Poseidon. Zeus is gonna be pissed, but I'm still proud of my baby. 

And thus, I learned that she loves water and in about a few days (when I bring home her brother) I'll set up a little ferret pool for them in the tub where they can control how deep they go, and have cat toys to fish out of the deep end. 

[LindaM]

Oh this is pretty normal for some ferrets. Both my babies LOVE "mommy bubble bath" time. Usually, my husband will be sitting next to the tub talking with me, while my ferrets use him to climb onto the bath ledge and down again if they want, or haven't fallen off the ledge onto the memory foam rug.

Now, both my ferrets love to try and snorkel my toes through the foam, the foam doesn't seem to bother them a bit, no matter how many times I have my husband wipe off their faces and heads, those little faces get stuck right back into the foam to try and bite a toe. Occasionally, one will end up sitting on my head as well, while I try to simply not get scalped, lol.

And of course, we've had a few times where they've fallen into the tub as well. We just fish them out, and place a towel on the floor and they dry themselves with it. And sometimes even try to get right back on the ledge, if they don't end up scurrying off playing with each other.

By far, Athena likes water more than Loki. When Athena hears a loud tap run, like the bath, she's there, in the blink of an eye, jumping up and down the side of the tub. When the snows fell on Christmas, the day after, I went out and fetched some bucketfulls and added it to our guest bath, and Athena for the longer part of that week believed that bathtubs are magical and will just give her snow whenever she wants, poor baby was so broken when it turned out not to be true.

These photos are gorgeous btw, and very similar to what I face with my ferrets too.

[Sherry]

LOVE the tale :heehee: And here is hoping your new guy loves water the same.

[Deleted]

So precious!

[Deleted]

Lol thank you! And yeah, it's definitely a reminder that they're related to otters Apollo loves water, too! but he prefers to snorkel in a plastic tub rather than take a swim in the big tub lol

[Deleted]

Hahaha! What fun! Neither of my two show interest in water; I have never bathed either in soap, just oatmeal soaks for itchy. Will definitely bring them in the bathroom during my next bath and see what that will bring! Thank you for sharing your story!

[LindaM]

@hugs Some like water, some are just less inclined. Between my two ferrets, Athena has an unholy obsession with water compared to Loki. She will come storming into a bathroom when she hears a tap running. Sometimes it just depends on the situation the water is in too. Both of mine love when I have a bubble bath, more than a normal bath without.. they see the foam as perfect for a game of toe snorkling. Which is great fun for them, and possibly a bit of pain for you, lol.

Be prepared for some clumsiness and potential slips into the tub with you though.