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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.
1,047 Questions
Wild polecats will bite in defense. Domesticated polecats are not vicious
What is the specific problem associated with a ferret?
There is not any specific problem associated with a ferret as long as they are taken care of properly they can live a long, healthy life
Can you use a file to trim your ferrets nails she moves too much and almost cut the nail too short?
Yes, on ferretdepot.com, they have pet nail files for use with ferrets
Do old and young ferrets get along?
From personal experience - young ferrets are too hyper for older ferrets.
Advice from another contributor:
Well that depends. Is the young ferret calm and quiet or hyper and loud. is it nice or mean? If the ferret is nice calm and quiet as long as the old ferret isn't mean they should get along fine. is you have a hyper ferret and an old ferret well it could work.
Can you give hot dogs to your ferret?
It is not advisable to feed your ferret hot dogs (usually highly processed with a lot of chemicals), would probably upset their stomach
No. Even though ferrets are carnivores, hot dogs are highly processed and contain a lot of sodium, which is very unhealthy for them.
---- Yes. Ferrets are carnivore and are very capable of eating hot dogs. ----
I believe you mean stoat. And no, stoats are not ferrets. The two animals are members of the same genus (the capitalized word in a species name) and both can be generally referred to as "weasels". Stoat is another name for an ermine.
How much is it to castrate a ferret?
The cost to castrate a ferret is can widely vary depending on where you live and even between veterinarians in the same city. Contact veterinarians where you live about costs.
What happens if a ferret twitches?
If a ferret twitches? As in a seizure? - It could be a sign of a serious illness or disease
my ferrets hate baths, but what i do is my sink has a sprayer on it so i can hold them, i make sure the water is luke warm, do not get it to hot then i rinse them off once, i use no more tears baby shampoo and soap them up, i don't get any near their eyes then rinse and dry well.
some ferrets will actually play in the bath tub in 3inches or less of water
EDIT: Since ferrets are generally clean animals, it is unnecessary to bathe them more than once or twice a year. Doing so more often causes the skin to dry out and the skin oil glands to overproduce and make the ferret smell.
Where can you insure your ferret in the UK?
There are several different pet insurance plans for ferrets in the UK.
Refer to link below for pet insurance plan comparison in the UK
Would rat wire be okay in a homemade ferret cage?
sure its your choice
but i think
no wire is good.
they could get their head stuck in it and get choked
or a pointy piece sticking out could hurt them.
List states where you can own a ferret?
You can own a ferret in every state except California and Hawaii
Why do ferrets like biting sponges?
because sponges provide nutrition for the animals, they are clever and know this.
The diet of an albino ferret is the same as any other color ferret.
Ferrets are obligate carnivores and derive all nutrition from meat. They should be given a balanced raw meat diet, or commercial kibble.
Does stress induce estrous in female ferrets?
No, in female ferrets estrous is control by the amount of light or daylight they are exposed to. Female Ferret "Jills" are "seasonally polyestrous" which means they have multiple heat cycles, in spring and summer.
The ferret is a photoreceptive breeder. Breeding season is triggered by photoperiod, the length of daylight hours, it's when there is more daylight than night or the ratio of daylight hours to night time hours to cause physical changes in their bodies.
Some babies flip at the last minute possible.. like during labor!! at 26 weeks the baby is plenty small enough to move freely about and most likely will turn. Usually it's not a concern until 36-27 weeks when they are starting to get to big to make that much of a turn-around! ~pawsalmighty
Why are ferrets legal in some places?
Ferrets are legal to own as companion animals because some people prefer to own ferrets for pets as apposed to a dog or cat
What type of relationship do ferrets and prairie dogs have?
Domestic ferrets have no relationship with prairie dogs.
Black footed ferrets are predators of prairie dogs, which is their main food source. The black footed ferrets uses the prairie dog burrows to live in.
How does the color of my ferret's teeth tell its age?
The age of a ferret may be determined by the teeth, they start to become translucent at the tip of the canines, and as they get older, more of each tooth is translucent. But this may not always be true if the ferret was fed improper food or malnourished.
How often should you brush a ferrets teeth?
It is recommended to brush your ferrets teeth about every other week
What kind of food and snacks do ferrets need to eat to get fat?
Ferrets will only eat what is necessary - they are carnivores (meaning meat eaters)
Scruffing a ferret is sometimes required to handle a ferret who is sick, injured, trying to escape or refusing to take a medication or have a wound looked at. It is the same concept used by moms to carry their young. You hold the ferret by the scruff of the neck, which is the loose skin on the back of the neck. It doesn't hurt but doesn't allow the ferret to escape either. The mother ferret scruffs her babies to discipline them and she also carries them by the scruff, like cat's do.
