Considering buying a ferret

[Gazellianaimee]

Hello,

Assuming i can get round my landlord, i'm thinking about getting a ferret. They sound very fun, but also quite demanding, so i was wondering if there was anyone who lived close to me (coventry), if they'd mind me popping over for a little bit after my exams finish to hear and see a little more about what it is like keeping one - costs, preparations etc? And maybe interact with one a little to see if it is a pet for me, if everything else works out ok, before i commit to one?

Thank you very much for reading. I'm sorry if this is a little bizarre!

Aimée

[Nerys]

speak to daisyleo.. she is midlands and v good on ferrets

N

[reptismail]

have to say my brother got one about 1 week ago and they are the best ( playfull ) animla we have had but hes only 4 week old but hes still a little bugger lol.

[Doninha Princesa]

Ferrets are great pets, I have 4 of them, I started off with 1 female about 4 yrs ago, got 3 more, lost one, had another dropped on my doorstep, got 2 more, one was very very ill (cancer) and my ex has the other one.

They are very cute and friendly. Do lots of research, theres lots of info on the internet. You'll need a large cage, with a couple of levels if possible, i started off with an indoor rabbit cage for my girl, then a large rat cage for the 4, i built a c&c cage in my flat then had to take it apart when i moved to my dads, I then bought a huge display cabinet and converted it into a cage, which i had to sell when i moved again. They are now getting a purpose built shed in my garden and a large rat cage for night use.

They eat dry ferret food (one of the first Q's i get when i say i have ferrets is "What do they eat") Which you can get from many pet shops. Theres James Welbeloved, Pets @ Home own brand and Vitapet (I use this and order online direct from the company)
Cat food is a def no, ferrets have completely different dietary needs to cats. My Baby used to have whole chicks as a treat but i didnt like removing the yolk sacks from them so i stopped. They now get a bit of raw chicken now and then (they go mad for a bit of chicken) and they tend to steal a dog biscuit when they can. They will eat anything they can get their paws on, but most agree that fruit and veg is not good as they cant digest it.

Im no expert, this is just what i have learned through owning and researching them over the last few years.

The ferret care books are always usefull, I have a few I've collected over the years, even after 4 years I still look through one or two of them now and then to refresh.

My 4 are right little characters, Baby is a complete little B, she's a spoilt brat and is my little angel! lol She is the smallest ferret, altho being the oldest, and has a habit of biting every new person she meets, as a test, to prove that she is the boss (my mum says she has small dog syndrome),

Cocoa was the doorstep drop off, im pretty sure she doesnt realise that she is in fact a ferret. She loves being carried in a hoodie, sits inside with her head out the zip while Baby lays claim to the hood.

Bandit is my "special girl", Im pretty sure she is partially blind and/or partially deaf and has a tendency to walk into/off of things, so i have to block off all levels, shelves etc.

And Zorro is my boy, he's Bandits brother, and he is a big softy, love's laying on the back of my neck and sniffing my ears, he's such a sweet boy.

They are such loving and friendly animals, they make wonderful pets, are easily litter trained, altho they can be quite stinky, even when their litter tray is clean, they have a musky smell. I bath mine every couple of weeks with ferret shampoo or baby shampoo, they are better in a slightly warmer than baby bath water, but none of mine really enjoy a bath, altho they love having a shallow tray of water or a bowl of water to play in (supervised as they tend to stick their noses under and forget to come back up to breath, which is why they have water bottles not bowls)

I will happily help with any info you need but like i say, I dont class myself as an expert.

As a side note, my name "Doninha Princesa" is actually Portugese for "Ferret Princess" as my real name is Hebrew for Princess =)

Sarah

[bassy 1019]

if you are going to keep ferrets please give them fresh meat.

[Gazellianaimee]

Thanks for all the help and advise, i have looked on teh net a bit about them, but there seems to be quite varied information on them in as much as their needs. For example, i've read that apparently you're not meant to give them the water bottle, as you stated, because it does not allow them to rehydrate themselves quick enough.

lol . Seems a bit dozzy them forgetting to come up for air! lol. If i got one, i'd probably have to keep it in the shed in a cage, and let it out, inside or outside on a lead, or a combination of them for a couple of hours a day. I'd happily carry it round with me, if it woulld like in one of those bags you can get a little too.

Can anyone recommend any good insurance (cheap as possible)? As i wouldn't want to run the risk of getting landed with a huge bill.

[Doninha Princesa]

Mine can be a little dozy at times. The one that forgets about the whole breathing under water bit is a bit special anyway, so i have to make special arrangements for her. Been buying things to convert the shed and anything off the ground has to have a kind of fence around the edge as she doesnt seem to have any depth perception so will simply walk off things without noticing a drop. I had to get rid of my Rat cage and put LOTS of hammocks under any gaps in cages as she simply walks/rolls/falls straight off.

Mine love a bit of fresh meat, I dont really eat red meat so they dont really get that very often but whenever im cutting chicken for dinner i have a habbit of putting 4 strips in the tray for them (even when im at my other halfs without them) and ive never had any trouble with a water bottle, i use larhe rabbit ones and have 2 on their cage, plus if its hot they do get a shallow bowl while supervised.

Walking them on the lead can be great fun, good for introducing people too, once they are old enough and used to the harness/not able to escape.

I would say keep reading up, use common sense to determine what makes sense, also i saw this advert on this site

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/off-t...ting-sale.html

A book or two might be a good idea, like i say, i still use mine, sometimes just if i'm bored I'll have a read through them coz they are interesting.

Also, my personal request... Buy from a breeder or local rescue centre, please dont buy from pet shops!!!

I typed Ferret Rescue into Google and came up with these, but there are lots more specific if you search for your local area.

Ferret Rescues

The British Ferret Club

[Gazellianaimee]

I wouldn't buy from a pet shop, when i've seen breeders etc around. I remember when i was looking up about them before, i think there was a rescue near, or around coventry...might have to try find that again.

And, i forgot to say, like your user name! lol. Out of curiosity, why did you use portugese?

Also, how likely is it that they will need any vet treatment totaling to more than the insurance, in your opinion? I've read that there are a few things that they are prone to, but i'm not sure how common they are. Also, i assume vaccinations wouldn't be included in any insurance either? They need two, right? One for canine distemper and one for rabies?

Thank you again!

[daisyleo]

Hey give me a PM if you'd like to pop round OR Mercia ferret welfare is indeed in Coventry and Rose would let you go there and talk about them as pets and their needs with you as long as you needed.

Merciaferretwelfare.co.uk is the website, they also have a forum which has 100's of 1000's of threads on care and the pleasures of being owned by a ferret
P.s. there is also a top notch care sheet

[Gazellianaimee]

Thanks! I found the site yesterday again. I might take you up on that after my exams are finished (start on monday again ).