My missus and I have been looking at getting some ferrets for a while now and at the local market a respected breeder often takes a some of his stock. (not only ferrets). We are planning on going there this weekend to have a look around and maybe get a ferret while we are there. so heres a few qustions.

1) What size enclosure would be needed for one ferret?
2) What's the average price's?
3) I was planning on mainly dry food from the local shop as a diet, will that be enough or would I need to add other things in for a better staple?

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No one gonna help me here

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my advice ronster is to get a young one and handle as much as you can chances are it will have a nip but with loads of handleing it will tame nicley a 3ft hutch will do for his house dry foods are ok but cat food and the odd liver treat wont do any harm

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Ferrets are a big commitment, as they usually need several hours a day exercise in a "ferret proof" area.

Trust me, ferret proofing an area is NOT easy. They can fit through 2" gaps.

They need solid floored cages, wire floors and aquariums are no good. Preferably a multi-layered tank, the bigger the better.

As for the food I'm not sure what would be best. I know they should have a constant supply of "dry" food and fresh water.

They're better if kept in pairs, as they're very sociable creatures.

Apparently "The best diet is one of the complete ferret foods which are a dried food like a cat biscuit."

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^ Click Me!

and keep on top of cleaning out duties because ferrets have got to be one of the smelliest critters about agree about getting 2 they do like company

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1. a rabbit hutch will be ok for one,a two tier one would be best.
2. average price £8
3. james well beloved ferret food or a good all in one complete cat biscuit such as whiskers, you need it to have a high protein content, i feed mine just dried food but occasionally i give them pilchards in tomato sauce which they loveeeeeeeeeeeeee

if you are going to get just one ferret buy a hob (male) as a female(jill) will come in to season and will need to be bred by a versectomised hob to bring her out of season or by taking her to the vet for a yearly jill jab.

i keep groups of castracted hobs together and jills that have been spayed, most vets will do spaying at a reduced rate, however you can get a hob versectomised which is abit cheaper if you want to keep a few (male and females)
don't keep two entire hobs together as they will generally fight, two castracted hobs will live quite happily together though.

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LEOPARD GECKO CRAZY
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www.marksleopardgeckos.co.uk

i agree but if you get a male castrated this does help them to smell sweeter as they don't wiff so much

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LEOPARD GECKO CRAZY
our website:


www.marksleopardgeckos.co.uk

i haven't had my ferrets very long they are last yrs kits, but to answer some of your questions

ferrets do better in groups so i would get two if you can
not sure on average price but i paid £10 each for mine
i feed mine a mix of james wellbeloved ferret and chudleys ferret they don't really need anything else other than that unless they have been given raw fresh meat you could try them with raw beef mince or even day old chicks, no veg is needed to be given

as for the size of the cage it all depends on where you will be keeping them, indoors or out? theres a really good ferret forum that has lots of good advice Ferrets Forum

one thing tho just to let you know ferret kits can poop for england lol, i have to clean mine out daily

It helps lessen the smell but they still smell. Out of all the ones me and ma sis had 4 had been castrated and 3 hadn't been done (didn't have them all at once had 2 then they'd die or escape then we'd get another 2) the castrated ones still smelled just not as strong or musky as the entire males. I quite like the smell had 21 at one point 1 male, 2 females and 17 babies between the 2 girls, 10 in one litter and 7 in the other.

Also be careful what disenfectant you use. I think the stuff that's dangerous in some of them is called phenol (?) it's bad for cats as well. I think it's if it turns white in the water then don't use it. Will have to look at ma books for the right name. We lost alot of ferrets before we got told about it. It seeped in the wood of our hutch and leaked poisonous fumes out that can kill the ferrets. And we didn't find that out till after we stopped keeping them!

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Thank you all for your replies. I have got a 2.5ft rabbit hutch so I think I might be better of starting with a baby one anyway. As for 2 tier one I may as well just build ontop of the one I have already got Then when the top is complete maybe cut a big enough hole out of it.

If I was to go with 2 (the 2 being females as I don't really want to mate them till I have had enough experience and I don't know if I could really afford to get them snipped if they haven't been already.) Would I be able to use the 2.5ft hutch (baring in mind I am planning on buildin it upwards) for the 2 for life starting off as babies?

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