Are ferrets a good pet for a ten year old?

Answer 1

Ferrets are definitely not good pets for any child or teenager, as it takes someone who is very responsible with plenty of time and money.

Ferrets and children

Ferrets can make good pets for some children, but usually do not make good pets for very young children. Important considerations include assessing potential danger to a human child by a pet ferret, and potential danger to a pet ferret by a human child, either deliberately or by neglect.

Ferrets are capable of delivering a bite almost as strong as a Large dog. Like any other domesticated animals, they should never be left unsupervised near infants or very young children. There have been rare cases where ferrets have severely injured babies but nearly all such incidents involved neglect, abuse, or roughhousing that the ferret likely perceived as an attack, and some of the animals involved were ferret-polecat hybrid crosses. Given that young children and ferrets can be both excitable and prone to rough play, interaction between ferrets and children must always be closely supervised for the protection of both. With regard to the danger of potential pet ferret attacks as contrasted to attacks from other pet species, statistics would imply that the danger is probably overstated. In the United States, a government study by the California Department of Health Services on national pet attack statistics found 452 reported incidents of ferret bites during the ten year period 1978-1987. By comparison, pet dogs accounted for an estimated 585,000 injuries that required medical attention in the year 1986 alone, with the total number of pet dogs in the United States in 1996 estimated at 55,000,000 and the total number of pet ferrets in the United States in 1996 estimated at 800,000. Adjusting for the proportionate ratio of dogs to ferrets in the United States of 68 to 1, dog bites occurred 5 times more often than ferret bites.

As the possible danger to a human child by a pet ferret must be assessed, the possible danger to a pet ferret by a human child should also be considered in determining whether or not a ferret will make a good pet for a child. Younger children may play too rough with a ferret, or fail to anticipate the physical danger to a ferret from things like closing doors, heavy objects, or accidentally stepping on the animal during play, all of which may lead to severe injury, and often the need for surgery, for the ferret involved. Repeated rough play may psychologically and physically stress the ferret and increases the likelihood of a provocation and a defensive response or bite from the animal. Additionally, as with any pet, young children may fail to appreciate the responsibilities of care and maintenance of their ferret, including attention to proper food and water supply, cage and litter maintenance, grooming, and the need for daily activity and attention when the ferret is alert and active. If a parent or responsible party is not present and willing to step in and fulfill these needs, a ferret is likely a poor choice of pet for a child, due to the problem of neglect.

For children who demonstrate responsible behavior, in regard to both playing with their pet and to consistent care and maintenance, ferrets can make good pets and are often loved by children for their social personalities and engaging antics.

Source: From wikipedia - wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferret

How old should you be to own a ferret?

Ferrets are not pets for children under 8 years old.Domestic ferrets are a big responsibility, and require a great deal of time, patience, training and knowledge of the pet and it's special needs, more than a cat or dog. And they can also be quite expensive, needing special equipment (cages), food, veterinarian care (vaccinations, wellness exams). Ferrets are not rodents or pockets pets, and cannot be left in a cage.

For a child over the age of 8 that is responsible, and careful, must have adult supervision at all times. A young ferret is like a mischievous 2 yr old that needs a lot of attention, training and direction. Ferrets do not like to be restrained and if a child suddenly tries to pick up or hold onto a ferret that does not want to be held may be bitten or scratched. Children must be responsible enough to know where the ferret is at all times. A ferret can easily be fatally injured in a recliner or in a door.

How should I convince my parents to let me get a ferret?

To show them you are ready to own a ferret, earn some money (you can do this secretly or not), surprise them and tell them you have money for the ferret, cage, bedding, food and a toy, then ask them to take you to the pet store.

advice from other contributors:

• Please don't. If they don't want it, then it's a bad idea.

• If you really want a ferret, you need to educate yourself on how to take care of them properly. They are not like cats, dogs, or hamsters, etc. They need a lot of training and time out of their cage. They are not caged animals, you cage them for their protection. Ferrets are prone to illness and disease if not properly taken care of and fed a good quality diet and veterinarian bills can be very expensive. Ferrets are a lot of fun, but you have to spend time with them.

• DON'T. If there is someone is the house that doesn't want one, you shouldn't buy one. It'll only cause problems down the road, and ferrets are affectionate creatures similar to dogs and cats... not the typical pocket pet that many throw away.

How can I get my dad to agree on having a ferret?

Depends on his personality. research about ferrets, like what they eat etc. so he knows you will be able to take care of it. Tell him they're extremely loving, very playful, and sleep most of the day so you won't have to worry about i getting bored. They're really fun, and not in the LEAST bit dangerous, just cute :3. If all this talking about ferrets doesn't help, then just hope YOU look cute and look all sad and stuff. Worked on my dad. Just make sure he can see a ferret in real life, they're just so cute!

• There is no specific age to own a pet, it's a matter of maturity and responsibility to care for the animal. To make sure that it gets food, has a clean shelter/cage, and is well cared for and not getting tortured or harassed. This may anger the pet and cause it to attack, and children are very vulnerable to attacks and can't defend themselves properly.

• Ferrets are not good pets for kids as they require a lot of time and care.

Answer 2

A ferret is a wonderful pet. They have wonderful personalities, very playful, funny, spontaneous, and if given enough time will steal anything they can get their paws on. They are really very funny. We have had ferrets for many years, and will always have them. They are great pets for kids, as long a they take care of them.

Answer 3

No. A ferret is a very difficult animal to take care of. they require constant attention, as they can and most definitely will get into anything and everything they can. This ranges from ventilation systems to toilets to dryer hoses to laundry hampers to refrigerator backs. They also are extremely prone to chewing/eating things they shouldn't. The ingestion of the smallest piece of rubber or plastic easily costs into the thousands to get removed. They are not 100% with a litter box, and as they are obligate carnivores (NEVER feed them sugar, veggies, fruit, or dairy products--they cannot process these foods correctly), their stools are much like that of a cat or dog. Because they have shorter digestive tracts, though, it is much softer, like toothpaste. Hard and gross to clean up.

As a ferret owner of six throughout the years, I would not recommend a ferret to anyone who would not be capable of caring for themselves. I have had an easier time caring for cats, dogs, turtles, mice, and fish than I have had for my ferrets. They are wonderful and entertaining, but need to be cared for by someone with lots of knowledge (check out the book Ferrets for Dummies), responsibility, and patience.

Ferrets are not good pets for children, see related question below

Answer 4

Just like cats and dogs, some ferrets are good with children and some aren't. It will depend on how tame the ferret is and how used it is to being handled. It will also depend on how experienced the child is at handling animals e.g they know how to catch and hold a ferret correctly, they can read the ferrets signals for wanting to be put down or not being happy.

I would not recommend a ferret for young children. Ferrets play roughly and may unintentionally hurt the child, but for older kids, maybe 12+ they make great pets.

Answer 5

yes they are perfect and i am 11 years old so i would know

Answer 6

Well Not Usually and i wouldn't recommended having them around the home. i recommended maybe a hamster or small mouse

Answer 7

Ferrets require a commitment of time and a responsible owner. If you are at home a lot, then a ferret may be a good pet.