|
Post by lunartwist on Jun 11, 2011 13:23:47 GMT -5
So before I decided that a ferret better suited my lifestyle, I had planned on getting a small dog. However with me working full time, and about to move into an apartment without a roommate, I realized a dog wasn't going to do, as it was going to be cooped up for a better part of the day. So now I'm going through my dog supplies, separating what I can use for ferrets (the leashes, toys, potty pads) and what I can't (collars, rawhide). My question is: I have a ton of small Nylabone DuraChews, probably about 10 of them (they were on clearance for 20 cents! I couldn't help it!). Are they safe for ferrets? They're non-digestible and made of some sort of nylon-plastic-stuff. (Ingredients: Nylon, natural flavor.) It says bits of plastic the size of a grain of rice or smaller should easily pass through the digestion, should it be swallowed. Anyway, just wanted to ask, seeing as I'm going through that stuff right now. It'll let me know whether or not to give them away to someone, or to keep them for a chewy ferret.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Jun 11, 2011 13:33:37 GMT -5
No....I wouldn't consider them safe. A ferrets teeth are much sharper and their jaws are stronger, they will break off chunks of the bone and this has blockage potential...sorry ciao
|
|
|
Post by lunartwist on Jun 11, 2011 13:35:00 GMT -5
Okay. Just wanted to make sure. Thank you!
|
|
|
Post by melcab on Jun 11, 2011 13:57:36 GMT -5
I'm a new ferret owner so take my advice in that light, but when you say the dog would have been "cooped up for a better part of the day", this would also be true of your potential ferret unless you intend to give it free roam of your apartment while you are working. If you plan on keeping them in a cage (as many of us do), they need to be let out for a couple hours a day to play. And either way you need to make the room/apartment "ferret proof".
It's good that you're finding these things out now though.
Also, make sure ferrets are allowed in your apartment building. My fuzzes were purchased by a woman who adopted them and then found out they weren't allowed. She assumed they would be since they were in a cage and don't make a lot of noise. She had them a month and then I rescued them from her since she couldn't keep them. Lucky for me, lucky for the ferrets (that I was there), not so lucky for her.
|
|
|
Post by lunartwist on Jun 11, 2011 17:13:17 GMT -5
Oh don't worry. Its only going to be in its cage during working hours. The rest of the day it'll be roaming, so it'll be getting way more than just a few measly hours outside its cage. Most of my shifts are like..6:30am to 3pm shifts or earlier, so I still have the entire day to spend with the ferret. And I wanted a ferret specifically for a pet that I could actually play/interact with. If I wanted a pet to just roam around and be looked at, I'd get a cat! -Cat owners, don't hate me, lol- Well yeah, that's a given. I have a beautiful red-footed tortoise with me as well (who will be kept in my room, with the door closed, not in ferret-range) that I don't think I could ever get rid of, so no matter what, I'm finding a place that will allow animals in. Thankfully, most places in Seattle have pet-friendly apartments. Thanks for your information!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 19:49:07 GMT -5
Ooo I would love to see pictures of your tortoise. I totally have a soft spot for tortoises, they are just so ancient looking, I love it But yes nyla bones not good, I don't even really trust them for dogs half the time. They just really don't seem all that digestible despite what they say At least you can use some of your supplies for the ferret? And I'm sure you could probably sell the rest online or donate it
|
|
|
Post by lunartwist on Jun 11, 2011 20:50:56 GMT -5
I'm having a huge garage sale with a friend in a few weeks. Gotta get rid of a ton of stuff and get some cash~
Aaahh, I have a camera, but I lost the USB cable forever ago. ;w; So I don't have any pics...sadface.
Ahh my tortoise is indeed cute! I love their grouchy, old-man faces, like ">8("
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 21:00:50 GMT -5
Haha aww that sounds adorable. I saw a baby tortoise at petsmart today while I was doing some collar shopping for my little dog and it was soooo cute! Only $600 too hahaha. How big is yours? And where in the world do you keep it? They get so HUGE!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 21:57:07 GMT -5
I probably wouldn't leave one alone with a ferret, but I wouldn't panic over them either. If it's the red-and-white Durachew variety, it would take a pretty determined ferret to chew off a piece. (Of course, some ferrets are pretty determined.) There's a Nylabone "Durable" that's been around our house for awhile... the ferrets keep finding it and stashing it, but they haven't left a mark on it. Tortoises are fantastic! I got to "babysit" a Russian for several months while his owner went through some housing issues. That was when my guinea piggers was still alive, so I'd take the two of them outside for dandelion-eating parties.
|
|
|
Post by lunartwist on Jun 12, 2011 1:22:54 GMT -5
Just to be safe, I'll sell it with the rest of the dog stuff I can't use for my soon-to-be-ferret.
And my tortoise is about 5 inches long, shell length. But being a Red-foot, she'll get about 10 inches or soon shell length. She's going to be a big girl!
I keep mine in storage containers. They're more recommended for a tortoise, since they grow so wide. Also torts are kinda clueless about glass being a solid wall, and typically end up rubbing their faces against it. So as my tortoise grows bigger, I'll just get bigger storage containers. Which is nice, because those giant 55 gallon ones are only like..$20 at Lowe's!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2011 5:57:52 GMT -5
Nice idea, and those storage containers are easy to clean too-and you can get a spare to set up and swap out. I love tortoises, I just am unable to commit to their life span, my kids already will end up with the parrots as it is! (and likely a ferret or two......) I am lucky my kids are good with and enjoy animals! I would sell or donate the nylabones to a shelter. Just in case
|
|
|
Post by melcab on Jun 12, 2011 12:32:06 GMT -5
@lunartwist yeah you'd think that was a given lol, but look at my own fuzzies. Like I said, that's how I got them. You know what they say about "assume"
|
|
|
Post by miamiferret2 on Jun 12, 2011 12:38:10 GMT -5
Since this is your first ferret, do not let it free roam without supervision. They chew on a lot of things and can get stuck in places. Ferret proofing is a long ongoing task... buy yourself a roomy "Ferret Nation" cage and put hammocks, toys, etc in there.
|
|
|
Post by lunartwist on Jun 12, 2011 13:41:39 GMT -5
Oh I know! I was actually thinking of getting one of those ferret playpens (or two) and attach it to the cage as a sort of "ferret run". I saw it once on youtube, and I thought it looks really neat. But he'd still get lots of supervised out of cage activities. I also want to take him outside with me a lot (as I am an ourdoorsy person...why I wanted a dog first), on hikes or walks through the park and such.
|
|
|
Post by hails on Jun 15, 2011 21:35:56 GMT -5
I actually got a few Nylabones for my kids to stash and none of them even liked them enough to hide them. The only toy mine chew on are the red Kongs which I really have to watch cause they tear them apart so easily. Next time I'm trying the tougher black ones to see how they hold up. My flip-flops have also taken a beating from being dragged from hidey-hole to hidey-hole and me trying to wrestle them back.
|
|