Ferret as a pet

Question
R these pets safe? Do they bite? R they hyper? Do u put them in a cage or let them roam free in ur house??
Thx!

Answer
Hi Mike!

Yes, ferrets are wonderful pets, but whether or not they bite and/or are hyper or unable to be handled depends a lot on how they are raised. It is very important for anyone considering a ferret to read a LOT about them, as they are nothing like having cats and dogs in the house. They take a LOT more one-on-one care and need your undivided attention and time (about like having a 2-yr old child).  Most people cage their ferrets for the majority of the day (while they work, etc) and then let them out to play for a minimum of 3 hours a day.  Other people have "ferret bedrooms" where they take a bedroom in their home, ferretproof it, put bunches of toys and ferret fun stuff in, and turn the ferrets loose in there instead of living in a cage.

There is a great book for potential ferret owners called "FERRETS FOR DUMMIES" by Kim Schilling and if you are thinking of getting a ferret, I would strong recommend you read thru it before getting one so you will have an idea of what lies ahead and how to raise a happy, healthy, ferret.

There is also a great website here:

    http://www.ferretcentral.org    

and click on FAQ's (frequently asked questions) and just start reading. They also have information about just about every topic on ferret care, including some diseases they are very prone to, especially in older age.  Ferrets seem 'expensive' in the pet store, but the initial outlay of money to purchase them is usually the smallest amount of money you'll put into them. They need specialized food for ferrets, vaccinations yearly, well-ferret checks - and you must pick up all things in your home that could be dangerous to ferrets (list on ferrets.org) and this is called "ferretproofing" the area.  Ferrets can't be in temperatures over 80 degrees or they begin to go into shock, so that's always a worry.

I don't know if any of that helps, but I guess the best thing I could tell you is if you are thinking of getting one, READ, READ, READ before you choose one and bring it home. Many "normal" household items are dangerous to ferrets and it's really important that your ferret not have access to these items; also that ferrets require so much one-on-one attention, so there is ia time commitment that one must make before bringing that little one home.

Here are a few more references online and groups where you can join and talk about ferrets; ask questions, etc. Hope they help!

http://www.ferretvillage.org     http://www.ferretuniverse.com     
http://groups.msn.com/FERRET---AlternateMessageBoard/messages.msnw
http://groups.msn.com/mynorwegianferretfamily/myferretgroup.msnw
http://www.ferretuniverse.com/

http://groups.msn.com/ferret/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-us

http://tinylink.com/?0lOuHXaduw

HOW TO JOIN FML (ferret mailing list):

http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/part1.html#fml


Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers