# Ferrets



## emilylp (Jul 31, 2009)

Would like to know few things on ferrets

:male or female recommended?

: do they stink?

:they need an enclosure and how big? and can it go in the living room or bedroom?

:do they need vaccines?

;what do they eat?

:do they poop like cats or like rabbits and how often roughly?

:how often should there enclosure be cleaned

: are they ''biters''

:how much do they cost?


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

it depends what you want in a ferret. Males are usually more cuddly and females are more hyperactive.

They do stink when unneutered, however getting them neutered cuts the smell by a lot and makes it quite a pleasant musky smell. 

They do need an enclosure. You should always have 2 ferrets or more as they like eachothers company (no human can substitute for a ferret friend) so you should have a cage big enough for 2 ferrets and they should have a lot of out time.

Vaccines aren;t necessary unless you work them. I think distemper is recommended if you walk them.

When I had my ferret I fed him a mix of ferret kibble and raw meat such as tripe, rabbit, beef, lamb and anything leftover. They also like chicken and chicken bones but always feed chicken bones raw.

They can be litter trained, mine always pooper when he got up and about half an hour after feeding time. He always went in the litter tray which I emptied out every morning and evening which stops the cage smelling too bad.

Litter tray should be cleaned every morning and evening and the whole cage should be cleaned out every week.

Kits can be nippy but with the right training they soon snap out of this.

Depends where you get them and what colours they are. They can range from £5 to £30 or even in the hundreds if you get an angora. You should ideally get 2 though. £20 is a good price for 2. However, you can go to a rescue and although you will pay a bit more, this includes neutering, jabs (sometimes) and they'll be nip trained.

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

Also if you get a female and you have no intention of breeding her, you shoudl get her spayed. If she goes into season (which she will) and stays in season she will die. If they are not mated or jill jabbed then they get a build up of hormones and develop aplastic anemia which (I think?) is basically bone cancer and will kill them. Pampered Pets will probably be on later and give you more information about this.

May I also direct you towards FerretsForum.co.uk - If you want to talk ferrets, this is the place! . There are a lot of very kind knowledgeable people on there who will help you out with any questions you have 

Please also bear in mind that ferrets are VERY high energy pets and require a lot of attention, sometimes moreso than dogs. They require 2-3 hours out of cage every morning and evening AT LEAST. My boy was free roam but not all ferrets can be. I have read some of your other posts and to be honest if you don;t have time for a high energy dog a ferret might not be right either. Do you have any other pets?

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## kelseye (Aug 16, 2009)

male or female recommended? i couldent realy say as i love both jills + hobs

: do they stink?yes they do but if they are clean then its not that bad its just the ferret itself that has a smell to it.i do bath mine when they get covered in wee!

:they need an enclosure and how big? and can it go in the living room or bedroom? 
they can live in a rabbite cage and a run.yes they can free roam but you have to make sure where they are is ferret proof...they get into everythink!!!

:do they need vaccines?
if you have cats or dogs then make sure they are flead wormed and had jabs as ferrets can easly catch thing off them. there is an injecton called Distemper, Ferrets are highly susceptible to canine distemper which is almost always fatal. Both pet and working ferrets can be at risk


;what do they eat?
meat only as there body cannot diegest veg!chicks,rabbits,cat food like iams

:do they poop like cats or like rabbits and how often roughly?
my ferrets poo is like cats!they poo about 6 times a day or more each!

:how often should there enclosure be cleaned i clean my ferrets every day i buy hay and straw my ferrets are litter trained and go in a tray.

: are they ''biters'' yes and they also lock on and dont let go untilll they want to but with a firm no and a lot of handling they become tammer with time.

:how much do they cost? i payed £35 for 4

hope this helps if you want to know anythink else mail me and i will help you out as much as i can.


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