To maintain a ferrets life it's important to have a quiet and dark sleeping space with without noises or interruptions, they sleep an average of 15 hours (more or less). A good quality ferret food is very important, and not all ferrets foods are that good of quality. Marshall farm ferrets are more prone to illness and disease early in life, thought to be caused by genetics - inbreeding, and early neutering. But with proper care (meaning educate yourself and read everything you can about ferrets) they can live longer (My ferret Abby is a white albino female that weights about 1 lb and she's 9 years old)
From other contributors:
Marijuana can not cause ferrets to go into a coma and die
It depends on how old the ferret is...Young Ferret: Young ferrets are more hyper than older ferrets. Young ferrets sleep a lot, but when let out of the cage, they jump around and like to get into things. Despite being so hyper, ferrets are best trained to stay calm when they're young. Encouraging ferrets to be held at a young age usually makes older ferrets more content with being held.Old Ferret: Older ferrets can still be hyper, but if at taught at a young age, can happily cuddle and even sleep in your arms.
My ferrets died in their sleep.
It would be great if they only died of old age. However, some birds are run over by cars. Juvenile kiwi are often killed by stoats, and sometimes by weasels, ferrets, cats and dogs. Adult kiwi are vulnerable to dogs and ferrets only.
Black footed ferrets become able to reproduce at the age of one year in which from then on they can give life birth.
In the US, ferrets can be bought from private breeders, however they usually require an agreement or contract that you will neuter your ferret before breeding age. Breeding ferrets is very complex that requires a great deal of knowledge.
Black footed ferrets are solitary animals and do not convene in groups. But a group of ferrets as in "domestic ferrets" is called a "business"
Ferrets that are adopted from pet shelters, or bought from pet stores will be neutered. The largest breeder of ferrets in the US - Marshall Farms will have two blue tattoo dots on the ears indicating it has been neutered. Private breeders usually will not sell a ferret without the agreement that you have the ferret neutered. A whole male ferret has a really strong musk odor.
Ferrets can live from 6-8 years. Although with good care they can live up to 10 years. They do have alot of health problems though, such as cancer and adrenal disease. Most ferrets die from those illnesses.
Cost of ferret first year minus veterinarian - $337.00 - $922.00 Age 1-3 minus veterinarian - $247.00 - $419.00 Age 3 - minus veterinarian - $165.00 - $481.00
Yes, Ferrets need canine distemper shots, only one vaccine is approved for ferrets. Canine distemper is fatal in ferrets (they die a horrible death) and is an airborne disease, being easily transmitted or brought in on your shoes or clothing.
Ferrets are only bred with other ferrets