How to take care of ferrets

Cuddly, social, active, and should I say energy bullets? These all are the terms most appropriate for the ferrets. Ferrets are beautiful creatures that make excellent pets. Likewise, a cat, ferrets tend to sleep more, and like a dog, they are very active, social, and playful. But in reality, they have a personality of their own, making them trendy pets. 

But they are not easy-peasy pets, and if you are thinking of having a ferret as a pet, you must have to research properly about it.

The most important thing related to them is How to take care of ferrets. So, if you are looking for tips, tricks, and a quick guide, you are in the right place. The whole article is dedicated to providing excellent care for your ferrets.

Information you have to know about ferrets:

To begin, I would like to tell you all the necessary facts you must have to know about ferrets. It’s essential to learn about your pet so that you can get a broader and broader image of the member you are adding to your family. 

Following are the crucial facts about ferrets that you should know before getting a one for you:

1. Ferrets bought from the pet stores are found to have a shorter lifespan than the ones purchased from the breeders.
2. Their average length is about 13 -16 inches and can weigh up to 3.5 lbs.
3. Ferrets which are males, are referred to as “Hobs.”
4. Female ferrets are called jills.
5. Ferrets are very loving, friendly, and playful animals; they love to be around you. In addition to this, they are brilliant as well so they can be easily trained for litter boxes. It makes you keener to learn about how to take care of ferrets.
6. They are not rodents; in contrast, they belong to the same family as weasels.
7. For most of the day, they prefer to sleep for almost 18-20 hours a day. Therefore they are very different pets, so you have to learn about How to take care of ferrets.
8. If you get obsessed with ferrets, you may tend to have more.
9. In some countries and states, the governments have declared them illegal, so always ask your local pet council or some similar authority to have a check.

Is it easy to have a ferret? 

You have to figure it out after analyzing the basic facts about the ferrets, what will your life become after adding this member to your family and daily life routine? 

In the following section, we are going to discuss all the aspects related to a ferret, which will make you ponder whether to have one or not. 

The surrounding which a ferret needs:

One thing for sure which you have to learn first about How to take care of ferrets is that they are very anxious and friendly creatures. 

Hence when they are awake, they always like to peep in almost everything around you. So, the experts recommend a strong wired cage which can either be a single level or multi-level. 

There are also glass enclosures or cages present in the market, but they don’t have proper mechanisms for the ventilation. Therefore there are chances of suffocating. So, glass cages are not recommended by most of the experts. 

In addition the cage should be placed in such an area where temperature can be maintained between 60-80 F. Bedding is also very important when you ask the question How to take care of ferrets.

Because most of the time, the ferrets are exposed to the material of the bedding. So bedding should be very soft like a blanket or these sorts of things. The best way to learn about the health of ferrets is to go to a vet, and he will tell you How to take care of ferrets.

Litter boxes should also be placed in the cage of the ferret. Litter paper should be covered in shavings like recycled newspapers etc. Avoid harsh shavings like cedar and line because these can affect the ferret’s health and can cause issues like respiratory diseases.

Ferrets Feed:

As we all know that ferrets are carnivorous animals; hence they cannot digest complex fibers and vegetable proteins. It is strongly recommended to feed them a diet that is rich in proteins and low in fat. 

In contrast to this, you should never feed them dairy products, vegetables, fruits because they are high in fiber, and ferrets cannot digest them. 

If you keep on feeding them complex fibers, they can develop fatal diseases as well. So you know how important it is for a ferret owner to learn about How to take care of ferrets.

Ferrets Physical activities:

You are well aware of the fact that ferrets are adventurous animals, and they mostly like to chew upon almost everything. So their toys should not be complicated, and they should not contain small parts or things that ferrets can swallow. Exercise is essential to keep your pet, so it is also a good point regarding How to take care of ferrets.

Toys that are made up of material like rubber, plastic, foam that can be easily eaten up by their teeth should be avoided. Besides ferrets to lobe, have time with you, so make sure you spend enough time with them if you cannot do it at least allow them to be outside of their cages. It is very important regarding their mental health as well. So, the importance of how to take care of ferrets is obvious. 

Ferrets Diseases or physical health concerns:

Many people have different myths in their minds about ferrets. They think they are small and also live in a small cage; hence they cannot develop many diseases and thus are cheaper pets to have. But that’s not the case. 

Expert Johnson said that ferrets are highly prone and are less immune to a variety of diseases, which includes gastric issues like ulcers, sometimes they swallow a foreign or inappropriate thing that can disturb their gut. 

Ferrets that are more than two years old can develop diseases of the adrenal gland. There is no enough evidence of why this happens. 

The major indicators of the diseases are abnormal hair loss, particularly at the tail portion, shoulder, and hip area. The disease can be cured or treated by both ways. If the condition is severe, immediately go to the vet and ask him about How to take care of ferrets.

Either the gland is removed by performing a surgery. Or by using hormone therapy. 

Another prevalent disease that is observed in ferrets of older age is Insulinoma. It’s a tumor that produces irregular and abnormal amounts of insulin. The signs of this disease are that the body of the ferret can suddenly lose control and can collapse.

In more severe conditions, you may observe seizures. This disease can be cured either with the help of drugs or surgery as they can develop such harsh diseases so you must have to learn about How to take care of ferrets.

Three ways to take care of ferrets

Ferrets are very popular pets due to their friendly nature. This fact provokes many people to have pet ferrets, and therefore, they seek guidance for proper ferret care. In the following section, I am going to describe all the methods to take care of your ferret. 

Maintain a calm, clean environment:

It is recommended to have a wired cage of height 18″ * 18″ * 30″. These measurements provide enough space for a single ferret. If you have more than ferrets then you will have to prefer a larger cage. Remember that ferrets can chew easily, so I won’t recommend wooden cages. 

In addition to this, never place your ferret in a glass cage/aquarium because they don’t have pores in it or cannot provide enough ventilation. Now, select bedding for the ferret. You can use a carpet or a blanket or any soft bedding and place it in the cage. 

If you observe that your ferret is chewing up the blanket or carpet, replace them with Linoleum tiles. A litter box is the essential thing that should be placed in the ferret’s cage. It should not be too small or too large; it should be just of the right size. 

Also, some litter boxes come with support through which you can attach it with the cage. 

Now place it in the cage and cover the box with plant or paper pellets, these are easily available in the market other types of shells can disturb the respiratory tract of the ferret. It is one of the reasons we are writing this article how to take care of ferrets. 

Remember to clean the cage and litter box once a week. Also, sanitize the cage as well with a natural cleaner. You can make DIY cage cleansers at home by mixing lemon juice and vinegar in water. 

How to feed your ferret? 

To ensure enough food, for your ferret you will need two bowls, one for food, and the other one for the ferret. Each plate or bowl should at least contain 8 ounces of food and water. Also, maintain the food all the time for ferrets. Daily cleaning of the bowl is also vital. It prevents any fungal or bacterial formation on the bowl. 

Ferrets Physical and mental health maintenance:

Likewise, many animal ferrets also need proper vet check-ups. In a check-up, the vet will generally check your ferret’s physical and mental health. 

Also, it is necessary to maintain a vaccine schedule that can only be done by a vet. The vaccine course is mostly for the prevention of rabies. 

Holding your ferret is very necessary as well. If you don’t pick it up carefully, they can panic or can get stressed. That’s why it’s essential to learn how to take care of ferrets and avoid picking or holding them by their tail.

Questions and Answers 

How to take care of ferrets at home? 

Provide a wide enough cage to them. Keep a check on their diet and health by providing them high-quality meals and vet check-ups, respectively. Provide them enough hygiene as well by keeping their cage clean as well.

How to take care of ferrets teeth? 

Massage the cheeks and mouth of the ferrets gently with the fingers. You have to repeat the process for several days. And then also try to rub their teeth fingers and do it for 2-3 days if they can tolerate this you can then introduce him to toothbrush and toothpaste.