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| Q: | Where do you get your ferrets? |
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| A: | They find us! |
| | Once the word gets out that you have a shelter, people come out of the woodwork. Some people find me through the internet, some through the Three Rivers Ferret Council, some by being referred by other shelters, through other ferret owners, etc. |
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Q: | "I have two ferrets about 10 weeks old, and they go absolutely nuts when I try to give them treats. I mean CRAZY. Does anyone have any other ideas, or am I on the right path?" | | |
| A: | LOL! You're describing baby ferrets. |
| | This is the ideal time to get them used to eating GOOD treats, like pieces of cooked chicken, but watch your fingers!!! Their instincts tell them to fiercely protect their food and that's what they're doing. :) They don't know the difference between your fingers and food, either. They grow out of it quickly, as long as they have PLENTY to eat all the time.
Sometimes ferrets don't ever completely grow out of fiercely protecting a favorite treat. I had a couple who growled when they had N-Bones. Other treats were no big deal, but N-Bones were apparently something worth fighting over. |
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| Q: | Why do people get rid of ferrets? |
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| A: | Many, many reasons |
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| | Financial: Ferrets are more expensive than cats or dogs, and owners find they simply can't afford them. |
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| | Between March 2003 and May 2003, we received 19 ferrets, about 15 due to financial reasons. |
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| | Interests change: Sometimes people lose interest or become bored with taking care of the ferret. This happens with other pets, too, like cats and dogs. |
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| | Allergies: Ferrets are sometimes called a "non-allergenic pet." This is not really true. It's true that sometimes people who are allergic to cats and dogs may not be allergic to ferrets, but this is not always the case. |
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| | Having a baby: Some people feel they can't cope with a baby *and* a ferret. Please take your future plans into account before you adopt a ferret. |
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| Q: | What expenses are involved with owning a ferret? |
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| A: | Below is a general list |
| | Basic setup: |
| |  bedding to cover floor of cage |
| | cage |
| | ear cleaner |
| | food |
| | food dish (must attach to cage) |
| | hammock |
| | litterboxes (large rectangular -- not the little triangles) |
| | litter scoop |
| | litter (newspaper pellets, compressed wood pellets, corncob -- no clay, clumping, crystals, wood shavings or shredded style) |
| | nail clipper (you can use a cat claw scissors or a small human nail clipper) |
| | toys (balls, dryer tube, etc.) |
| | treats |
| | water dish (must attach to cage; give water in bowl as well as bottle) |
| | water bottle |
| | q-tips (to clean ears) |
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| | Good to have: |
| | flea comb |
| | Frontline (kitten dose, put 1 drop in each ear to kill ear mites, and 2-3 drops on back of neck) |
| | shampoo (don't bathe more than once a month) |
| | tooth cleaner for animals (use a q-tip to apply ... they hate the toothbrush) |
| | small rubber brush (to remove loose fur; don't let your ferret chew on it) |
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| | Ongoing expenses: |
| | good quality food |
| | litter |
| | vaccinations (yearly) |
| | vet visits |
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| Q: | I have children. Should I be concerned? |
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| A: | People with small children should never leave them alone with ANY animal, ever. |
| | You just never know when a small child will reach out and grab a handful of fur. Anything with teeth will instinctively protect itself. |
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| | With supervision, children and ferrets can get along quite well. The parent needs to know, though, that they are ultimately responsible for the care of the ferret as well as the safety of both the animal and their child. They need to protect the ferret from the child, as well as intervene if the ferret gets overly excited. Many a child plays dress up with the family pet -- and sometimes the pet not only tolerates it, they might even enjoy it. If the pet doesn't enjoy it, though, it's up to the parents to show their child appropriate ways of interacting with the pet. |
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| | It's also up to the parent to demonstrate how to take proper care of the pet. It's the parent's responsibility to schedule annual vet visits for checkups and vaccinations, sick visits, etc. as well as to show the child how to clip nails, clean ears, clean teeth, bathe and brush the ferret. If the child forgets, doesn't have time or is sick, it is the parent's responsibility to see to it that the ferret is cared for, including fulfilling daily exercise needs. |
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| | The rumors of "baby-killing" ferrets have been greatly exaggerated in the media. There are so many more injuries from cats and dogs that ferret-related injuries barely register. Anything with teeth can bite (including other children -- that's an interesting statistic if you're into such things). Ferrets are known for being "nippy" sometimes. Most often that's the result of poor training when they were young (and ferrets are never too old to learn). |
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| Q: | I already have a ferret. What should I think about? |
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| A: | We have an article that answers this question. |
| |  Go To Article |
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| Q: | What is ADV? |
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| A: | Aleutian's Disease Virus. |
| | Aleutian's Disease is an illness which started out in mink and crossed over into ferrets. There is no vaccine against it, no effective treatment and no cure. Science isn't even completely sure how contagious it is. They're working on it, but in the meantime, to avoid spreading the disease, all we can do is keep ferrets exposed to it (ADV positive) away from those who have not been exposed (ADV negative). Hopefully, science will come out with a vaccine or treatment soon. It can be quite devastating in its acute stage and has killed many young, otherwise healthy ferrets. See these links for more information. |
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| Q: | What is the right ferret for me? |
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| A: | The shelter director is best suited to help you figure out which ferret would be good for you. |
| | Some people might like a wild thing who runs everywhere at top speed, steals anything not nailed down and is a general maniac. These people might be tolerant of a ferret who sometimes nips in play. Other people would like a sweet, gentle ferret who is playful but would never dream of laying a tooth on you. Some would like a lap ferret (very, very rare) and others want a playmate who looks to them for entertainment. Other people might prefer a ferret who amuses themselves, but enjoys a good cuddle now and then. It all depends on your desires. |
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| | Consider These Factors: |
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| | | Do You Have a Lot of Time? |  | Consider a young ferret, they generally have more energy and play more. | | | | | Are You Very Busy? | Consider an older ferret. They play quite actively, but then want to go take a nap. | | | | | Do You Have Children? | If you have young (well-controlled) children, consider a ferret who is unlikely to nip. |
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Adopt A Ferret
