Should Your Next Pet be a Playful Ferret?
Author: Joshua Harding
Author: Joshua Harding
Pet ferrets are unlike any other creature. If you are seriously thinking about getting one, you ought to ponder several essential questions first. Afterward, once you have decided to buy a pet ferret, you should get a few things arranged and decided before bringing your new pet home.
Ferret care is different than taking care of a cat or dog. Pet ferrets benefit greatly from companionship, so if they are always alone all through the day without companionship, they won't be as healthy or happy. If you're going to obtain a ferret make sure you have a good amount of quality time to spend with them every day.
If you are lacking an appropriate amount of time it is typically best to buy two ferrets to keep each other company. Getting more than a single animal brings up another critical question. Do you want baby ferrets running around your home in the future? If not, make sure to have them fixed or obtain two of the same sex. As these critters get older they tend to develop a distinct odor. Most individuals will simply have their pets de-scented, but if you are thinking about breeding them, removing their scent glands should not be done.
Like most other animals they should always have clean water accessible to them. You have two choices for providing water; hanging a water bottle on the side of their cage or in a dish within the cage. If you provide water in a dish you will need to change it at least one time, but preferably two times every day. These creatures can muck up the water fairly fast and as a result it's very important that it gets changed often. Consuming sullied water can cause diseases.
Dangling a water bottle on the cage is the best way to go and is the favored approach if you can get them to drink from it. Regrettably, from time to time a pet ferret will not consume as much from a bottle as they will from a dish, so you might be forced to use a dish.
These animals are asleep the majority of the day, as many as 20 hours for full grown animals. For them to be cozy you need to provide a hammock or sleep sack. A sleep sack is similar to a human sleeping bag and lies on the ground in the cage. It is supple and comfortable and your pet ferrets will enjoy it when the temperatures are cooler. Hammocks are suspended over the floor and are good when the weather is warmer. If you are the owner of more than one animal you should buy a larger hammock since they will derive pleasure from snuggling with each other in it.
Purchase a cage that has a plastic bottom tray. Bottoms made from metal will corrode rapidly while bottoms made from plastic will last a long time due to the fact that they will not rust. Some cages are made with plastic coated metal, but these can be dangerous. If a pet ferret gnaws off a portion of the plastic and subsequently swallows it, you will be forced to take your pet to the veterinarian to have it surgically taken out.
Always keep a watchful eye on your ferret when you let it out of its cage. An unwatched ferret can quickly become hurt or cause destruction to your property by chewing. They love to chew on things so make sure they cannot get hold of any plastic or foam items. They need to be provided time outside of their cage for exercise on a daily basis, but that requires a "ferret proof" area. Eliminate everything that might be dangerous or valuable from this area and watch over them judiciously while they have fun.
They can be trained to make use of a litter box which is yet another vital part of keeping a pet ferret. It's best to commence training as soon as possible, usually at about 30 days of age, and it must continue without disruption until they are fully trained. Handle them as much as possible so that they will become used to humans and you will most likely end up with a cuddly pet.About the Author:
Joshua is a ferret devotee. He has accumulated a good amount of knowledge regarding pet ferrets and likes to help other individuals become successful ferret owners. He keeps a web site where you can find loads of informative articles on the subject of
ferret care, diet, health disorders, and additional ferret information.
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