how old do ferrets live

Question
I have a ferret who is 7 years old and he seam to have lost his sight i thank i was just wondering how old he is in human years

Answer
Hi Mary:

Thanks for your question!

An average ferret lives to be 6-8 years old - however, there are MANY exceptions to that.  I know of several ferrets who have lived to be 10 or more years old with really good care.  A ferret who is 6-8 years old, however, is considered "elderly" and the chance that your ferret has gone blind at the age of 7 is very possible.

"Aging" a ferret isn't quite like a dog or cat.  A kit (baby ferret) reaches puberty at around 7 months old and is fully grown (adult) by age 1.  By age 3-5, they are considered "middle aged" and from 6-8 they are considered "elderly", however many ferrets live to be 10 or more years with regular vet care and lots of love in their old age.

It would be a really good idea to have your ferret's eyes checked by the vet. Especially at age 7, your ferret needs to be having regular vet checks about every six months from here on - just to keep on top of anything that might be happening as he/she ages. The sooner a problem is caught, the better the chances that the ferret can be treated and continue on to live to a ripe old age!

Do you have other ferrets?  If you do, you will be surprised - if you watch - the other ferrets will usually pick up on the fact that your elderly one does not see and will often serve as a 'guide ferret', leading your blind ferret around from one area to another safely.   If you don't have any other ferrets, I highly recommend that you do much as you would with an elderly person who has gone blind - don't move the furniture from where the ferret is used to it being, be sure to speak (a little loudly, because it's possible that your ferret's hearing is also getting poor at this age) before you pick up your ferret, so you don't startle it.  Imagine just sitting there minding your own business and all of a sudden something comes down and grabs ahold of you.....it could be scary!  So you will want to keep these things in mind.  

Lots of hugs and talking to your ferret will help make up for the fact that he/she is unable to see.  Sight is only one of many senses - there are others that you can enhance to keep your ferret happy and emotionally stable (they can get depressed if they are left alone too much).  So you may want to expose your ferret to lots of smells such as flowers that may be in bloom (be sure they aren't poisonous and the ferret doesn't eat them :-), even a handful of grass or a short walk around outside would be nice - a treat for that little nose! As long as he/she knows you are closeby, they will feel secure and enjoy the many different smells. A good idea is to wear your pajamas for a night or two, then put it in your ferret's cage for a night or two, then into the wash.  This way, your ferret "smells" you near them all night and gives them security and a soft comfy bed too! She may also enjoy some warmer blankies on chilly days, as her ability to hold body heat isn't as good as if she were active and running around. Baby receiving blankets, pajamas, sweats, she will appreciate whatever you put in for her. Even when it gets warmer, she may wish to have a light receiving blanket to wrap in for security in her cage.

Allow your ferret to smell things like shoes (but no chewing them!), which ferrets LOVE, and your socks when you take them off (yes, they love the stinkies LOL). All these things are things your ferret can enjoy and will enrich his/her life even tho sight is gone.

Now, more than ever, you want to keep your ferret close to you and help him/her feel secure and loved. Be sure to talk to her a lot - keep her close to where the family is when they are home; and when they aren't home, leave the TV on for the ferret, so there are sounds in the house that make it feel like someone is home.

Be sure to get those vet checks every six months and your ferret could easily live to a very old age and still be very healthy.  Loss of sight certainly is something to consider, as you will want to help your ferret in every way you can to not be frightened, to feel secure, etc - but it's really not a big deal to the ferret.   Ferrets use their sense of smell a LOT more than their sight. Even a young ferret has fairly poor sight, so with just a few adjustments, your blind ferret will do just fine.  Many ferrets spend their whole lives blind - and they never know the difference!

Older ferrets are a joy because they love to be held and cuddled and will often lay in your arms for hours, where a younger ferret won't sit still for even a minute!  Enjoy these extra special times you have with your ferret and appreciate the slower pace and more cuddly aspects of owning an older ferret.  Personally, older ferrets are my favorite!  I love to cuddle and rock them (don't use a rocker if you have other ferrets around on the floor, you could rock down on one and injure or kill them - just a warning because I've heard of it happening).

Best of luck to you and your sweet little one.  If there is any way I can help, please don't hesitate to write again.

sincerely,
jacquie rodgers