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Ferrets

(Photos courtesy of The Ferret Company)

Ferrets are part of the Mustilidae family which also contains raccoons, ermine, mink, etc..  Unlike these other relatives, ferrets have been pets for many, many years.  They have grown so much in popularity that most people who own a ferret now own two, three or many more simply because they enjoy their mischievous tricks and comical antics.  There's never a dull moment when you spend time these curious creatures.

Choosing A Ferret
When owning a ferret as a pet it is necessary that one purchases a ferret that is neutered and descented.  Neutering is done to remove the breeding instinct out of the ferret, ensuring a mild, gentle temperament.  Descenting, of course, is done to help "de-odorize" your ferret (a ferret that is not descented will closely smell like a skunk!).  Once ferrets have been neutered, there is no distinct difference in personality between males and females.  Every ferret develops its' own personality directly on how it is raised.  Physically, males are larger, weighing 2 1/2 to 4 pounds, and females are smaller, weighing 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds.  Color has no bearing on personality.  (As far as colors go, most popular are sables, albinos & silver mitts.  Less common are sable mix mutations and silver mutations.  And next to impossible to find, are true cinnamon, sterling silver, and black-eyed white.)
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Setting Up Your Ferret
Proper set-up is vital to ensure a healthy, happy well-adjusted ferret, without some of the following necessities, problems that could have been avoided may occur.

Cage
An average ferret cage should be a minimum of 36x18x24H.  A cage should offer enough room for the ferret to completely stretch across and up.  There must also be sufficient room for a litter box and comfortable sleep area.  Also available, and preferred by most ferrets, are two-story and three-story cages sporting many ramps and levels for ferret fun.
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Litter Box
With proper coaching ferrets use a litter box fairly well.  In the cage most ferrets train 95-100%.  Outside of the cage they train about 80%, but with good observation and encouragement many ferrets will train 99% to the box (no animal is perfect!).
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Litter
The best litters to use are either premium clumping litter or recycled paper litter.  Both clean up quick and help to control the odor best.  Generic brands are not recommended because they do not clump as well, smell as good and sometimes use harsh chemicals that may irritate ferrets.  Regular clay cat litter is not recommended either because it tends to dry out the ferrets feet and coat.  Some ferrets like to play in their litter, if this is the case, the recycled paper litter is safest for the eyes and nose, and is less messy.
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Litter Box Training
Litter box training a ferret is just like teaching a dog to go outside.  You reward them either verbally or with a treat when they use the box, and send them to their cage if they have an accident.  You must have a cage with a litter box inside to start.  Show the ferret the box.  Most ferrets go to the box immediately in the cage.  If they go on the cage, scoop up the feces, put it in the box , put the box over the spot where the ferret went and show the ferret the feces in the box.  This normally does the trick.

Training outside of the cage is easy as long as the ferret is watched closely and taken to the box at least every 1/2 hour.  This is done to remind the ferret to relieve itself in the box, and even though it is excited about being out, it must remember to go back to the cage.  This is where you need to help it remember.  When the ferret goes, a treat will help the process. 

Hint: Most ferrets go to the bathroom within the first five minutes after it wakes up, so wake them up and wait until they go.  If the ferret has an accident, you must clean it up with Outright Floor Cleaner.  This product will completely eliminate the urine smell so the ferret will not re-soil the area.
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Water Bottle
Ferrets should be given fresh water in a bottle at least every three days.  A water bottle is most sanitary and keeps the water clean.  A water bowl is not practical.  Most ferrets will play in a bowl of water or step in it, causing bacteria to build in the water and inviting infection to you ferret.  Also, the water bottle should be guinea pig size or larger.  If it is too small, the nozzle may cause a callous on their tongue.
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Dish
Any heavy weight dish or clamp on dish will do.  Most ferrets like to see what's under their food dish, so ideally a clamp on dish works best.
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Toys
Most cat toys are best for ferrets or even small stuffed toys with no small pieces on their face are preferred.  Never give a ferret foam toys, latex dog toys or balloons.  These items if eaten may cause bad intestinal blockages that can lead to death if not detected.
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Dietary Requirements
Food
Ferrets need a high protein, high fat kitten food for the main staple part of their diet.  The best food out for ferrets is Precise Kitten Food.  Precise contains chicken meal, not by-products, which is the best form of protein.  Also, and most important, Precise does not contain chemical preservatives which could lead to severe health problems after prolonged use.  Never use grocery store food for your ferret, it may only lead to a future vet bill.

Ferretone
Ferretone keeps ferret coats soft and "well-oiled".  Without this supplement pumped on the food, a ferret's coat will begin to dry out and they may itch so badly they can cause raw spots.

Vita-Sol Ferret vitamins
Recommended to make sure your ferret's dietary needs are complete.  It is especially important that growing baby ferrets receive these in their water.

Treats
Vitacraft Yogurt Drops are a ferret's favorite snack.  These also work best for training.  Most ferrets will even learn to come to the sound of the box being shaken.  Dried fruits are another good choice.  Most ferrets are finicky, however, and may not like to try much.  Remember, these are treats, so try not to give more than four treats per day.  Never give a ferret chocolate or dairy product.  These can make a ferret ill.

Pet Sweet
This is a water additive to help break down ammonia smell in the ferrets urine.  It mixes in the water with the Vita-Sol.  This is not a necessity, just an odor aid.
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Cleaning Up
Clean-up is simple.  The litter box should be cleaned every three to four days.  The bedding (consisting of old towels, blankets or tee-shirts) get tossed in the wash every other week.  Your ferret, wash with Outright Ferret Shampoo at most once a week and at least every eight weeks.  Human shampoo will dry out a ferret's coat because it is not PH balanced for their skin and coat.  Also, if a ferret is bathed more than once a week, its body will produce more oils and smell even worse.
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Extra "Fun Stuff"
Ferrets also enjoy several other products made for ferret fun: Ferret Tubes, Hammocks, Tents, Tunnels, Crawl Balls and Walking Harnesses.  These toys help a ferret play as they would in the wild, crawling through tunnels and playing in small caves.
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A Final Word
Ferrets are incredibly intelligent creatures who are full of infinite energy and curiosity.  They want to explore every inch of their environment, just to check out what's what.  All ferrets go through their "terrible two's" in which they just can't seem to slow down or sit still.  Give them time to wind down, or give them another buddy to help wear each other out.  Besides, if there is more than one ferret you'll have a three ring circus in the middle of your floor. 
The laughs won't stop!

So remember, if you set your ferret up properly and give it all the love and affection you want returned, you'll probably be saying the famous ferret lovers creed:

Ferrets. . ...  "You Gotta Love 'Em
And you can't seem to stop with just one!!!"
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