i might get one in a few years but i want some advise from peeps who have them
Answers:
I don't have one ANYMORE. But...they're very social animals. They're a lot of fun. They're a LOT of work. People don't understand they aren't like guinea pigs or other rodents. They're from the weasel family. Because people don't know enough about the ferret before they buy one, a lot of them end up sick or in shelters.
For food, the best is Totally Ferret. Another good choice is IAMS kitten food. But Totally Ferret is the least stinky going in and coming back out :) Because it's expensive (although your ferret will eat less of it), a lot of people like to mix the two. Best treats are cooked chicken or cooked egg, although some ferrets won't touch it. They LOVE peanut butter and raisins. But no more than 5 licks a day of peanut butter or a couple of raisins a week...perhaps a few cheerios :)
Ferrets love company and love to play. They do best in groups of 2. But if you have lots of time to keep him entertained, you can have just one. Make sure the whole house is ferret-proofed! They can squiggle under stoves, into vents...sigh..just about everywhere! They need to be out of their cages daily for play time. Cages are up next: regardless of what cage you want, they'll have to be modified. Those wire bottoms are hell on the ferret's feet. Loose pieces of carpets or bath mats from the Salvation Army are a cheap cover up and can be pulled out and washed. To toilet train a ferret, you need to have litter boxes in all the corners of the area you allow him to play. He TRIES to get to the litter box, but if he doesn't see one handy, he will go on the floor.
As for the smell: bathe your ferret every 2 weeks (believe it or not, if you do it more frequently, he'll smell worse!). Use a good kitten shampoo and don't dunk his head under water. They like the water BETTER warm as they have higher body temperatures. Oatmeal shampoo is another option. Regardless, after a couple of days, they'll go from clean and fluffy to sleek and musky..they ARE weasels!
Nail clipping and ear cleaning? I left that to my vet :) They..ummm...don't like it much. And don't even ATTEMPT it for a few days after the bath...they have memories and you'll get bitten sure as hay!
Take the time to socialize your ferret. Play with him. Let him know the human hand is a GOOD thing..brings with it pets and treats... Don't leave it in a cage 24/7. Feed him good foods, always giving access to fresh water. You'll have a happy, well-adjusted pet.
Personally? I recommend going on to www.petfinder.org and looking up ferrets in your area. Most ferret rescues will help you pick the PERFECT ferret for you. You'll know it's healthy and has been socialized even if not through its previous owner.
http://www.ferretstore.com/expert.html...
All I know is that they reek to high heaven of urine. Supposed to be lovable but it'd be like loving a baby with a dirty diaper all the time. Thats what I've heard, could be wrong.
They are funny to watch but sometimes they bite you on your nose if you try to kiss them. They always know where to bite on your nose where its most painful too. They are clean and easily paper trained they like to go in the corner and poop so put newspapers in the corners of the house
I dont have one but I know people that do. They love their ferrets but they stink and can get rowdy sometimes. I would read up about them Find out everything about Ferrets then decide if a ferret is the right pet for you. Most people just want a pet because its cool or they saw one on TV and now they want one but what people dont know is they dont read up on them and end up killing their pet because it was not fed correctly or handled correctly. Read Up!
Great choice if you have the time- we have had 3 at once and 2 have past and they need lots of attention- Can be trained for litter box- Which sometimes they will miss like all animals. Wonderful pet to have. You should have them out more then in a cage. Perfer to be out all the time . You can train them like a cat or dog. They are wonderful-
good luck
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