New Ferret Information

Question
Yah im Tyler and im gettingg a new ferret.I have a few
questions, like can my ferret play with towels, rags,
bottle caps, old cut up jeans. Can they eat raw veg. or,
wat kind of treats can i give them.

Answer
Hi Tyler:

Congratulations on the decision to get a ferret! I think it is wise of you to take some time to find out some things about ferrets BEFORE you bring one home, as they are very very much UNLIKE any other pet.

There are several places online where you can get really good information that will answer your questions - there are even books written about the very question you've asked because there are so many different questions we have as new ferret owners!

My best recommendation is that you READ READ READ every single thing you can get your hands on BEFORE YOU BRING THE FERRET HOME - especially the parts about FERRETPROOFING YOUR HOME...for your ferret's safety. You can get some GREAT information that covers "general new owner information" here:

     www.thechipster.com/fert-man.html

Also, there's a great website here: http://www.ferretcentral.org and a book available at any bookstore, Amazon.com or even on eBay sometimes gently used for really good prices:  FERRETS FOR DUMMIES by Kim Schilling. The second edition is now out and is a great book for ALL ferret owners. You can look up about any topic and get an answer 24/7.

It's very important that you get a special vet for your new friend - an "exotics" vet. Check your yellow pages, or check these lists of ferret vets submitted by other ferret owners:

VETS CANADA:   
* http://www.ferretrescue.ca/start.php
* http://tinylink.com/?TlVyYKa6e0
* http://www.ferrets.org/Veterinarian_Listings.htm   (British Columbia)
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/sask_ferrets/

VETS USA:
* http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/
* http://www.ferret-universe.com/vets/vetlist.asp
* http://www.ferretsanctuary.com/vets.shtml
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/

Your new ferret will need a checkup and will need vaccinations too, in addition to the fact that it's a good idea to get established with a good vet BEFORE you have an emergency.....even better to AVOID emergencies, so READ READ READ and FERRETPROOF:

FERRETPROOFING (do this BEFORE bringing a ferret home if possible):  
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/part2.html#ferretproofing
* http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/yourwebpage10.msnw
* http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/ferretproofing2.msnw

Be sure to research which cage is best for your ferret; decide if it's best for you to have one ferret or two; and be SURE you choose a food that will meet your ferret's nutritional needs:

  * http://www.mdferretpaws.org/care/food_treats.html

The more you read, the wiser the decisions you will make the first time around.  To answer your original questions::::::;;

Ferrets like to snuggle down into CLEAN towels as long as their toenails are kept clipped short so they don't get stuck in the loops in the fabric and rip a toenail out (they can bleed a LOT), so be sure to have your vet show you how to trim the ferret's toenails and do it about every 10 days); rags??? - if they are 'soft cloths' they will make good bedding...things like pajamas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, robes, baby blankets, sheets and quilts (and don't forget to WASH your ferret's bedding WEEKLY to keep your ferret smelling clean. Your ferret won't need a bath more often than about every two months if you wash his bedding every week.

Bottlecaps?  No, not really a good toy for a ferret. The cork in the caps are not safe, they could cause intestinal blockages, the bottlecap itself can CUT the tender skin of the ferret's mouth and tongue, even injure teeth.

Jeans pieces?  I cut the legs off an old pair of jeans and sewed them together to make one long denim tunnel that my ferret likes to run through - you can even cut little 'escape hatches' here and there in the tunnel.

Treats?  Ferrets are "obligate carnivores" which means they should eat MEAT and meat byproducts ONLy. You can feed any 100% chicken product, hard boiled eggs - shells removed. DO NOT GIVE ANYTHING WITH SUGAR (READ LABELS) or any ingredient that ends in "OSE" such as sucrose or fructose, etc. NO RAWHIDE because it doesn't digest in a ferret's short digestive tract. Never feed a product just because it says it is for ferrets. FERRETONE (liquid) is a good treat for ferrets, but should be cut in half with virgin olive oil and KEPT IN THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN NOT IN USE. Take out only a small amount at a time and the rest won't turn dark and rancid (throw it out if it turns dark or thickens). They can have up to a teaspoon or so a week to help keep a soft coat.

I give my kids "soup" for a treat. I make it with Uncle Jim's Chicken Soup (available at any ferret supply store) regularly; then about once a week I add Vetasyl (get at a vet supply store) and open one capsule into the soup every few weeks. This will work as a hairball laxative. It will move any loose fur the ferret has ingested through and out when he poops. If this fur doesn't get moved out regularly, it can become stuck in the intestine and the ferret can actually die because the poop cannot get past the blockage, so it's vital you keep a good eye on a ferret's diet, make sure he doesn't eat anything he shouldn't that could cause a blockage (like styrofoam, foam rubber, erasers, soft plastic, chewing gum, many many other items that MUST be kept out of the ferret's reach in normal FERRETPROOFING.

Hope that helps - at least gets you interested in learning more. Best of luck with your new little one when you find the one that's right for you. Know that SOME ferrets do bite and if you are not willing to work with trying to train a ferret not to bite, you need to choose a ferret that does NOT bite (there are many who do NOT) - so choose carefullly!  Best of luck & keep reading! Your ferret will be better, smarter, healthier and will live longer because of it!

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers