Ferret Care Guide

A domesticated ferret is one of the most endearing pet one can ever have.  They are sensitive and animated creatures that can become emotionally attached to their owners like most of their more popular counterparts – the dog and cat.  Ferrets also have the ability to show their own personality in a way that’s unique to their kind.  More than caged animals like pet mice and hamsters, ferrets require a bit more attention from their would-be owners.  That is why a potential ferret owner needs to be abreast on how to adopt a ferret before actually getting one.

Involve the family. Before proceeding with your quest to learning how to adopt a ferret, you must first consult your family about it.  Adopting and rearing a pet ferret is similar to adopting a cat or a dog as it would require the agreement and cooperation from the whole family.   As the ferret will not be the full responsibility of just one family member, every members of the household must be made aware of his/her role in the ferret’s life when it becomes a member of the family.

Read about ferrets. It is recommended that a new owner or owners should read about ferrets.  Books that focus on how to adopt a ferret and how to raise them properly are now widely available in bookstores and some pet shops.   Learning your pet will now only be very useful for taking care of them but it also gives you insights about your ferret’s nature and personality.

Choose a good one. Each ferret has a personality of its own and you can identify which of them will have traits that would more likely fit to your family’s expectations.  Some owners find the light-coloured furs over the dark ones for the reason that they would immediately know when its time for a bath.  Those that choose the dark furred ones like that they do not have to bathe them as often.

Understand the requirements. Understanding how to adopt a ferret would require more than just knowing where to get one.  A potential owner needs to be aware that a ferret can have several health issues.  Annual rabies and distemper shots are required by law and should be updated on a regular basis.  You need to consider if you are financially capable to provide all these requisites before deciding to get a ferret.

Among the most important things you should know on how to adopt a ferret are the animal shelter policies.  Cost-wise, it is much efficient for you to adopt from a shelter than buying one from a pet store because the initial shots have already been taken care of by the shelter as part of the policy.  Animal shelter policy also has a provision for adopting owners that if a ferret has not been able to adjust into the family as they’d hoped it would given a period of time, the family or would-be owner has the option to return the ferret to the shelter.  Of course no pet shop would be able to offer this type of provision. So it is indeed better to adopt from a shelter than to buy from a pet shop.

The black footed ferret is considered an endangered species belonging to the weasel family.  These nocturnal carnivores are among the larger types of weasels and are usually described to be about 45 cm in height and about 1 kg in weight.  They have long furry tails that measure about 15cm.  Similar to the mink, they have a slender elongated body and very short legs.  What distinguish the black footed ferret among other weasels are their black face mask, feet and tail-tip.  They also are known to sport a saddle-shaped dark shade formed by their brown-tipped guard hairs found on the middle of their backs.

Although black footed ferrets are often confused and mistaken for the domesticated ferret, they are actually a very different species.  Although both belong to the weasel family, the black ferrets origin and evolution is traced in North America while the domesticated ferrets are believed to be from Europe.

Black footed ferrets are usually found in prairie ecosystems and are known to be night hunters that prey on prairie dogs.  An adult wild ferret would usually require an abundant supply of prairie dogs to survive.  Mating seasons last for about two months usually in March to April.  Gestation period normally lasts 41 to 43 days.  Most mothers would give birth to three to four litters at a time.   To feed their young, female ferrets are also seen hunting for food during the day.

These ferrets usually give birth to four or five babies once in a year, most common during the months of May or June.  They normally shelter their young in burrows below ground and would not allow them to see daylight until they are six weeks old.   Kits remain with their mothers for two to three months normally until mid-August.  Throughout the rest of August to September, the kits become progressively more independent and secluded from their other siblings and their mother.  By October, these young ferrets are already able to independently take care of themselves.

One of the greatest causes for the major decline in the population of these black footed ferrets is the continuing destruction of their prairie grassland ecosystem.  These prairie habitats have often been converted to agricultural and residential lands.  The elimination of the prairie dogs by farmers of these lands has also made it more difficult for the wild ferrets to survive.  The near-extinction of these wild ferrets has also been attributed to the sylvatic plague, which is similar to the bubonic plague that virtually wiped out most of these wild ferrets communities.

Efforts to recover, conserve and reintroduce black footed ferret populations have been instituted by state and private entities.  They have been sheltered and bred for the purpose of population recovery. These ferrets have recently been reintroduced and released to various large and managed areas that serve as ecosystems which are made suitable for black-ferret living.

With continuous efforts from the government and concerned citizens and the effective promulgation and implementation of the Endangered Species Act, the black footed ferret can definitely look forward to a much brighter future.

One of the most asked questions by new ferret owners is, “What do ferrets eat?” Ferrets have been popular domestic pets for a long time, coming in third next to cats and dogs, but very little is known about these fuzz balls’ diet. Most pet owners simply substitute cat and dog food for proper ferret supplement, not knowing that these grocery pet foods can do more harm than good to their pets.

This article aims to answer the fretting ferret owner’s question about what ferrets eat. There’s really no need to panic if you know the proper nutritional make up of the ferret pet food you’re planning to purchase.

Give your ferrets foods that are high in animal protein

The ferret’s ideal diet should include foods that are very high in animal protein. It’s important to know a little bit about their digestive systems. Ferrets are carnivorous by nature, and their tummies can’t process plant-based nutrients well. If you want to maintain your ferret’s luxurious fur, and keep the cuddly fur ball from having horrific bald spots and flaky skin, you should keep its diet limited to easily digestible meats.

This means that feeding your ferret leftover meat parts, which can’t be digested by humans, will simply not do. You need to give your ferret pet food, which both have high animal protein and could be easily processed by their tiny digestive systems. This diet could prove to be a bit pricy, but it can save you the trouble and expense of having to visit the vet because of frequent ferret illnesses.

Give your ferrets foods that are high in good fat

It’s vital that your ferret gets its daily requirement of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. These compounds can also be found in most high quality meats. Unlike some pets which can’t take in too much fat, ferrets thrive in foods that have high quantities of good fat in them.

Should you happen to have a ferret who’s slightly obese (a very rare case), just give your pet the usual recommended ferret diet because it’s never good to withhold food from your furry friend. Try to make them lose weight, instead, through regular exercise.

Avoid foods with high fiber and carbohydrate content

As we’ve pointed out in the previous sections of this article, ferrets can’t process plant-based nutrients very well. These include fiber and carbohydrates, which are usually found in grains, fruits, and nuts. If you’re wondering what ferrets eat then the answer is simply foods which are high in protein and fat. Grains, nuts, and fruits should be crossed out of the menu because they could give your ferrets serious digestive problems.

If you’re comparing the nutritional values of different ferret food mixes in the market, then you should take note of the carbohydrate and fiber content. Fiber could be good for humans, but they’re horrible for your ferret friends. Ferret food with a lot of extenders (ergo, carbohydrates) might be sold cheaper off the shelf, but it’s not very good at keeping your pet ferret healthy.

Never give your ferrets foods that are too sweet

If you could, you should avoid giving treats that are too sweet, because high sugar content is never good for any ferret. Chocolates are totally out of the question because it could give your ferrets nasty headaches. Ferrets would initially love sweets and would probably try to steal a bite off a chocolate bar in your hands, but don’t give in to their whims. You’re the pet owner and you should know what’s good for them.

Always follow these tips about your ferrets diet to keep your pet healthy and happy for a long time.