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Care of Ferrets

Ferrets were first tamed by the Ancient Egyptians for food and clothing. Today, they are playful weasel-like companions that depend on us for love! This category contains questions about ferret health, history, and needs.

500 Questions

Can i use ferret shampoo on my dog?

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Most of these answers don't understand the question. The question was can I use a ferret shampoo on the DOG. As most ferret shampoos are very gentle, they should be very safe to use on dogs which can generally tolerate more stronger shampoos. That is the reason stronger dog shampoos are not recommended for ferrets.

Can bleach kill ferrets?

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Cleaning a ferret cage - All disinfectants are potentially dangerous, always read the manufacturers recommended dilutions and never mix two disinfectants together

You can use a warm soapy solution, or antibacterial soap

Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) - can be safe to use as recommended - use a very weak water and bleach solution(about 2% bleach and 98% water). rinse well with clean water and let dry and stand empty for about 30 minutes, Some ferrets like bleach and will drink it.

You should avoid using any phenol-based cleaning products(it will turn white when added to water) and products such as Lysol (the disinfectant spray too), Pine Sol (pine cleaners) when cleaning the cage. Lysol is extremely toxic in very small amounts if ingested and can be absorbed through skin.

How do you find a sleeping ferret somewhere?

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If you think your ferret is stuck somewhere - remember that any opening if their head can fit through the rest of the body can follow. Ferrets are burrowing animals and like to seek out dark secluded places. Ferrets nails sometimes split and can catch on fabric, which may entangle them. Ferrets like to get into large appliances - Stoves, under dryers and refrigerators, etc. Check all your furniture, appliances, drawers, kitchen cabinets. or anything that has small openings. I do hope you find him quickly.

See related question on "How to find a lost ferret"

How do you train a ferret for rodent control?

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The ferret is a carnivorous (meat eating) mammal of genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family including the domestic ferret and an endangered species, the Black-footed Ferret. For hundreds of years, the main use of domestic ferrets was for hunting called "ferreting". Ferrets have a long, lean body, with an inquisitive nature, that makes them very well equipped for getting down holes and chasing rodents and rabbits out of their burrows and nests.

For centuries ferrets have been used for rodent, mice and rat extermination and control. Ferrets have a natural instinct to hunt and kill rodents. One time I had a baby rat trapped and showed to my ferret, she immediately grabbed by the back of the neck and killed it in one bite.

  • Just read an account in Farm Show mag where someone as a kid on a farm kept ferrets for rats and rabbits. The description was that his father showed them the animal holes at about 5 mo of age, and most took right to it. He said gentle seeming ferrets would change when going to hunt, that they were sent in pairs, and he kept them in practice out of rabbit season with rats and mice. The rabbits they would flush out and shoot, they seemed to do that with rats outdoors as well, but they seemed able to kill rats, and chase them into holes, especially the smaller females.

Where can you buy a ferret in Atlanta?

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Check with your local pet stores, pet shelters, or look in the newspaper ads.

Can a ferret's tail become fluffy and large?

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Yes. It is commonly called "bottle brush tail" as it resembles a bottle brush. When a ferret has a puffed up tail he/she is either very excited or scared.

If the tail is puffed up and the ferret is backing away /hissing it is scared and should be left alone.

If the tail is puffed up and the ferret is dooking he/she is happy

Will a domestic ferret get sick if kept in a cold temperature environment?

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Pretty much everything can freeze to death so yes.

Which celebrities own ferrets?

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I couldn't find any UK celebs with ferrets but the following Americans have pet ferrets -Madonna, Paris Hilton and Holly Madison (playboy model)

Where would a ferret hide?

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When you get a ferret, the first thing you need to do is proper training for your ferret to come to you when called. That can be done with a toy with a bell or squeaker (or anything that makes noise and attracts their attention) while calling their name and using treats. If your ferret is in a place that you can't find him, he should come to you unless fallen asleep. Ferrets should never hide from humans - unless they are being abused or not taken care of properly. Properly socialized ferrets will seek humans and not hide.

Do ferrets get out of their cages?

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I don't see why you would have to catch them, my ferret comes right to me, but I don't cage him either. Ferret should always be trained to come to you. Are they being taken care of properly with at least four hours daily out of their cage Have they been socialized with frequent handling and playtime. Ferrets are not caged animals you only cage them for their protection. Ferrets are not "pocket pets" or "rodents". But if the ferret escaped to the outdoors, your can look to the link below to the question "How do you find a ferret that is lost"

Do you need a license to have a ferret?

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certain places it is illegal to own ferrets such as New York and California and Hawaii, i would recommend some one who is great with responsibality to own ferrets a lot goes in to their care,

Do ferrets hunt rabbits?

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A female ferret or Dam is very protective of her litter. Once the babies are born it is important not to disturb the nest for about 1 week. If the Jill feels threatened, or faced with danger, it may cause her to leave the nest and, in extreme cases, to cannibalize her young. Pick up and handle the kits at 3 weeks of age so that they become accustomed to humans. Baby ferrets are weaned from their mother at seven to nine weeks.

Should a ferret eat fish?

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It shouldn't be their only food but some ferrets do like fish. Some good choices would be tuna, salmon or whiting. The fish should be fresh, raw and unprocessed. The oils naturally contained in fish are a great source of vitamins and minerals which are good for the ferrets joints, skin and fur.

What is the proper name for a female ferret?

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A female ferret is called a Jill.

A mother ferret of a litter is called a Dam.

An unspayed female is a Jill, A spayed female is a Sprite.

A male is a Hob, and young are called Kits.

(In Germany they call kits puppies.)

What is the ferrets species?

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The black footed ferret is a carnivorous mammal called Mustela nigripes, a cousin of the domestic ferret is Mustela putorius furo, which rather amusingly translates into English as weasel-like stinky thief.

How much money is spent on pets in the Us in 2010?

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According to an August 6th 2007 issue of Business Week magazine, we spend 41 billion dollars on our pets annually.

Will a year old ferret get along with a baby ferret?

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Has the older ferret ever been around other ferrets? If not, he may not know how to play with another ferret, baby ferrets are a bundle of energy. A 2 year old ferret is almost considered to be middle age, considering a ferrets life span is about 7 years. Get a favorite toy to play with the older one and get the young one involved. You need to play with them until they learn to play together. My ferrets age are too far apart - a 9 year old female that mostly sleeps all the time and gets irritated at the 3 1/2 year old male wanting to play with her. So I'm the one that provides playtime for the young ferret.

Who sells ferret flea medicine?

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Most pet stores sell Frontline and Advantage. While these are not approved for use in ferrets, it is safe to use the smallest kitten dose on ferrets. About one drop per pound of ferret will suffice.

Revolution is the only ferret approved flea medicine (it also kill heartworm). It is available at most vet offices.

How can you stop your ferret from clawing at your carpet?

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Ferrets are naturally curious and one of their natural behavoirs they will try to climb if they can. To prevent climbing you'll have to obstruct the object they're climbing on, move it or move the ferret away from the area. You can not train a ferret not to climb on something. They're like little 2 year old kids, try to stop them from doing something just doesn't work.

Do you have to separate the male ferret when the female has babies?

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The female ferret should be separated from any other ferrets - male or female - before giving birth so she can prepare a nest (also humans) is a quiet dark secluded area . The dam (mother ferret) is very protective of her babies and if she feels threatened by other animals or humans, she may cannibalize (or eat) her babies.

Can ferrets eat liver all the time?

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Absolutely not - it contains a lot of iron and huge quantities of vitamin A. Just like all other creatures, they need a varied and balanced diet.

Will an aggressive Yorkie get along with a ferret?

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Hugely unlikely. A ferret is close in size to a Yorkie and would put up a nasty fight.

Can a ferret play in a bowl of water?

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it is actually better for ferrets to drink out of bowls, use a heavy crock or non-tip bowl. Most ferrets do not get enough hydration from a water bottle. Ferrets tend to dehydrate very quickly because of their rapid metabolism if they develop an illness or disease, which can be fatal, leading to death in just a matter of days. It is perfectly fine for ferrets to drink out of bowls, though you may want to watch them as they do like to play in the water, try to use a heavy crock (ceramic) bowl to prevent them from tipping it over. A ferret needs to learn to drink from a bowl, they will intake more water. It is also suggested to avoid tap water for ferrets, use bottled water instead.

Why do ferrets drag their hind legs?

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Some ferrets after using the litter box, will drag their rear on the floor to leave their mark or scent. Some will also exhibit this behavoir upon waking, also when crawling into something they will kind of slide over to leave their scent.

But if it is hind limb or leg weakness it is an indication of a problem, but not an actual disease itself If your ferret is has hind end weakness or dragging it's hind legs, HE COULD BE VERY ILL AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO THE VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY, IT COULD BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH. Your veterinarian will diagnose the illness. Hind end weakness is associated with many diseases

Refer to links below for more information:

When do ferrets eat?

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Ferrets eat small amounts of food regularly. They will usually eat ever 3 or 4 hours.