Ferrets are a playful, high energy mammal from the weasel family.  We will always say do your research if you want one of these as a pet.  They are so cute and can form a deep bond with their person but before you are sold on them read on.

They are obligate carnivores with high protein and fat with low carbohydrates diets.  You can feed your ferret commercial kibble or a raw whole prey diet. Some owners feed their ferrets mice, rats and day-old chickens. If you are looking for a treat for your ferret try small pieces of cooked beef, chicken, turkey or baby food without additives. You can also feed them a raw or cooked egg, or just the yolk.  Do not feed your ferret fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, dairy, dog or cat food, chocolate, caffeine or alcohol. 

They need a multi-level secure cage.  They also need 2 to 4 hours of out of cage time to play.  Their out of cage play needs to be supervised and in a ferret proof area of your house.  To ferret proof a room you need to remove hazards and block any hole 1 inch or larger.  Remove any rubber or foam from the room such as rubber bands, shoe insoles, foam earplugs and silicone.  They can cause fatal blockages. Crawl on your hands and knees to get the best ferret view of the room.  Look for holes in the wall or floor boards that they can escape through.  They are playful and curious so don’t give them an opportunity to escape. Cover electric cords so they don’t chew on them. Make sure the fireplace is secured.  Recliners and rocking chairs can be a deadly hazard for ferrets if they get caught.  Check your plants to make sure they are not toxic to ferrets.  Childproof cabinets, make sure the toilet seat is down and that they can’t get under appliances. 

Ferrets have some health concerns.  They are prone to adrenal disease, insulinoma, dilated cardiomyopathy, stomach ulcers, dental issues, UTI’s, lymphoma and the flu (from humans). Before you consider getting one make sure you have an exotic veterinarian.   

Ferrets are not recommended as a good pet for young children. They have a long, delicate spine that if dropped could cause serious injury. Ferrets play bite or nip which could scare a child, which will stress the ferret. 

It is illegal to own a ferret in California and Hawaii.  There are some local bans and restrictions such as New York City (they are legal in the rest of the state), Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and American Samoa. For the rest of the country in order to have a ferret you must have proof of current rabies vaccine and they have been spayed or neutered before sale or adoption.  If you  plan to breed or import them you need a special permit.

Fun facts for ferrets. They live 5 to 10 years.  They are crepuscular which means they are most active at dusk and dawn.  They sleep 14 to 18 hours a day.  A group of ferrets is called a business.  

They are curious, mischievous and like to stash things.  Ferrets will grab shiny things and hide them such as car keys.  If you don’t know where the stashing place is you may not get to where you need to go on time.  They love to stash anything they can get their paws on.

They can be a very fun pet that you can bond with, just do the research to make sure a ferret is the best fit for you.