# I want a ferret!



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

So, I really want a ferret and I've been doing a lot of research and have spoken to a few people about them but I still have a couple of questions! 
What do you worm them with? 
Do I only have to breed them on their first heat or do I have to do it every time they're on heat? (Desexing isn't an option where I live.)
Can they eat Supercoat adult cat food? (Unsure if I can get ferret food delivered to where I live and the brands of cat food is pretty limited)
Thanks!


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

Ferret don't really get worms, if they get worms then ivomec drops to the ferret's skin will get rid of them.
Where are you located? I've not heard of anywhere not allowing neutering except Ambivet who will implant ferrets instead of neutering.
And no, cat food isn't suitable.... High quality kitten food is okay but still not the best thing. A natural diet of raw and whole prey is best if you can't get ferret food.


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Alright, cool!
NSW Aus. Nearest vet is 4 hours away and the nearest ferret savvy vet is around 7 hours away. 
Ok, so no cat food. I'll try my hardest to find ferret food that can be delivered here..


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Would Vetafarm Ferret Origins Ferret Food be ok?


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

allsmilesfam said:


> Would Vetafarm Ferret Origins Ferret Food be ok?


I assume it would be yes.
Why not get hobs instead of jills, that way you do not have to worry about breeding them?


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Frolicking Ferrets said:


> I assume it would be yes.
> Why not get hobs instead of jills, that way you do not have to worry about breeding them?


I've been told they become aggressive ect so would rather a female. But I'm wanting to know do you only have to breed them on their first heat or every heat? If they only need to be bred once I'd buy one that has already had a litter so I wouldn't have to breed her.


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

Jills need to be bred every time they come into season or brought out using a vasectomised hob or a jill jab, or you can get a jill implanted and she won't come into season for nearly 2 years, she'll just need her implant renewing every 18 months-ish.

Hobs are not aggressive towards people at all, only towards other hobs during the breeding season. Generally hobs are much more placid and tolerant of people, not saying jills are aggressive because they're not, but hobs tend to be more easy going and calmer than jills. I have 4 jills and 2 hobs and the hobs are much more relaxed around people and I'm sure that they crave attention from us humans. My jills on the other hand wriggle and always want to run around and 1 of the jills is a little aggressive but she's a european polecat so her aggression is understandable.

These are my two hobs Vinnie and Jimmy, both entire so they don't live in the same housing otherwise they'll fight with each other but they're both great with people including children.


















The first photo is of Vinnie and the second is of Jimmy, as you can see they're both friendly and easy to handle. I have used both for helping educate the public about ferrets and they've been handled by lots of different people of all ages.


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

The person I was/am going to buy a ferret off of told me that they only need to be bred once, I wasn't going to trust his word though because his ferrets breed every heat and has never not bred them. Also if the females he breeds aren't good hunters or breeders he "puts them to sleep" so that's another reason why I was wanting a female. Another reason was because I wanted 2 of them.
Your ferrets are beautiful!


----------



## Codi (Jun 15, 2016)

allsmilesfam said:


> I've been told they become aggressive ect so would rather a female. But I'm wanting to know do you only have to breed them on their first heat or every heat? If they only need to be bred once I'd buy one that has already had a litter so I wouldn't have to breed her.


You can either get them spayed, jill jabbed, breed them with an entire hob or breed them with a vasectomised hob. It is unfair also on the Jill if you breed her on her first season. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get a Hob. I had an entire Hob named Fudge last year, he was the sweetest boy I could ever have the experience with (he was my first ferret). But due to me going back to College last year, I gave him to my friend and now he lives happily with her and her ferrets. I'm getting 2 hobs this July and 1 Jill also. Jill isn't any relation of the two Hobs but the Hobs are brothers. And I'm getting them all neutered/spayed for the fact is, I want them to live together and I don't fancy having litters, and since I know nothing about breeding, I'm taking the advantage of spayed/neutering. I wouldn't say Jills or Hobs are aggressive, only when it's breeding season, if more than two Hobs, they will fight. It's why it's always best to get them neutered, even getting Hobs vasectomised doesn't mean nothing. As they will still fight, plus it reduces their smell if neutered. Get a Hob, then when you are a bit more experienced with ferrets, then get a Jill..


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

Putting ferrets to sleep because they don't have a strong prey drive........... That is sad and rather infuriating to me, mine are all working ferrets and I would never do such a thing, it's cruel!!!


----------



## Tomskrat (Aug 11, 2011)

How will you take your ferret to a vet if it gets sick? Just curious.


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

I was wondering the same @Tomskrat since her nearest ferret savvy vet is hours away.


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Frolicking Ferrets said:


> Putting ferrets to sleep because they don't have a strong prey drive........... That is sad and rather infuriating to me, mine are all working ferrets and I would never do such a thing, it's cruel!!!


I couldn't either, I understand putting an animal down if it's sick and in pain but not for a reason like that. 
Around here most farmers are like that though, if their dogs aren't good workers, same thing happens to them. If a cow isn't producing enough milk, same thing happens. The list goes on. I don't like it but that's the way things work around here.


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

The vet situation, I guess I'd have to do the same thing I did with my rats. If some thing was really wrong I'd call a vet that knew what they were doing and ask what I could do and do the most I could.


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Codi said:


> You can either get them spayed, jill jabbed, breed them with an entire hob or breed them with a vasectomised hob. It is unfair also on the Jill if you breed her on her first season. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get a Hob. I had an entire Hob named Fudge last year, he was the sweetest boy I could ever have the experience with (he was my first ferret). But due to me going back to College last year, I gave him to my friend and now he lives happily with her and her ferrets. I'm getting 2 hobs this July and 1 Jill also. Jill isn't any relation of the two Hobs but the Hobs are brothers. And I'm getting them all neutered/spayed for the fact is, I want them to live together and I don't fancy having litters, and since I know nothing about breeding, I'm taking the advantage of spayed/neutering. I wouldn't say Jills or Hobs are aggressive, only when it's breeding season, if more than two Hobs, they will fight. It's why it's always best to get them neutered, even getting Hobs vasectomised doesn't mean nothing. As they will still fight, plus it reduces their smell if neutered. Get a Hob, then when you are a bit more experienced with ferrets, then get a Jill..


I'll definitely think about it. I'm unsure if I'm even going to get one. I don't just rush into getting pets, I always make sure I know what I'm getting into. 
With this "jill jab", what is it actually called and is it available to buy?


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

A jill jab is a hormone injection which brings jills out of season and cannot be purchased and must be administered by a vet or vet nurse. The timing of when a jill jab is given will determine how well it'll work, with some jills like my first ferret, it'll work for their first season but not keep them out of season after the second season and they'll keep seasoning, thankfully it is rare when this happens.
Most jills will need to be given a jill jab about 16 days after you notice her vulva swelling, if you get the jab too early, it'll only keep her out of season for a few weeks and if you get it too late then there's the chance of her developing aplastic anaemia before the jab is given. 
Any time during the 3rd week of the jill being in season is the best time to get her jill jabbed.


----------



## Cathie (Mar 17, 2013)

It's best to have a vet nearby for your ferrets because when they are sick, they go downhill very quickly and usually not much you can do to help them at home yourself.

I'd strongly recommend a nature prey diet also.
If you're squeamish to giving prey such as mice and chicks, you can do a frankenprey diet with normal Butcher/Supermarket Meats, Bones and Organs.
All mine are on a raw diet and having had Ferrets in the past die from Insulinoma from previous owners that fed Kibble, I can see the difference it makes in the quality and length of the ferrets life. Ferrets cannot digest carbohydrates, sugars and vegetables that are found in all Ferret and Cat foods.


----------



## Pappychi (Aug 12, 2015)

Cathie said:


> It's best to have a vet nearby for your ferrets because when they are sick, they go downhill very quickly and usually not much you can do to help them at home yourself.
> 
> I'd strongly recommend a nature prey diet also.
> If you're squeamish to giving prey such as mice and chicks, you can do a frankenprey diet with normal Butcher/Supermarket Meats, Bones and Organs.
> All mine are on a raw diet and having had Ferrets in the past die from Insulinoma from previous owners that fed Kibble, I can see the difference it makes in the quality and length of the ferrets life. Ferrets cannot digest carbohydrates, sugars and vegetables that are found in all Ferret and Cat foods.


Been reading this post with interest as I am wanting ferrets at some point next year. All seven cats and dogs are fed on Prey Model Raw and I've seen the benefits in them. Pleased to hear there are similar benefits to raw feeding ferrets


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

My ferrets are on natural diet of raw and whole prey and so far, no vet trips needed so that's proof in itself that a natural diet is the best thing to feed them.
I've only ever had 1 health issue which was a case an adrenal disease case in an entire hob who I lost this year, I got him from a backyard breeder who didn't care about the health of his animals. Anyway he survived a long time with implant treatment (4, nearly 5 years) before the cancer spread and caused a brain tumour which killed him.
Other than that 1 adrenal case with Jasper, I haven't had any health issues with my ferrets in the 10 and 1/2 years I've had ferrets.


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Cathie said:


> It's best to have a vet nearby for your ferrets because when they are sick, they go downhill very quickly and usually not much you can do to help them at home yourself.
> 
> I'd strongly recommend a nature prey diet also.
> If you're squeamish to giving prey such as mice and chicks, you can do a frankenprey diet with normal Butcher/Supermarket Meats, Bones and Organs.
> All mine are on a raw diet and having had Ferrets in the past die from Insulinoma from previous owners that fed Kibble, I can see the difference it makes in the quality and length of the ferrets life. Ferrets cannot digest carbohydrates, sugars and vegetables that are found in all Ferret and Cat foods.


Can they only eat mice and chicks on a raw diet? I don't think I'd want to feed them any mice because of all the bait that's dropped out here. The only meat we have is the stock we breed.


----------



## Frolicking Ferrets (Mar 1, 2016)

There's lots of raw meats and whole prey you can feed ferrets.


----------



## Cathie (Mar 17, 2013)

Yes Mice and Chicks are fine. However you can feed any prey or make your own "Frankenprey" Diet.
They need a full diet of Muscle Meat, Bones and Organ.

Holistic Ferrets on Facebook are very helpful with feeding advice and have menus/recipe plans to help.
Generally they should have weekly-75% muscle meat(pork, lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit etc Heart is also considered a muscle meat and is an essential in their diet, they should have twice a week), 15% Bone in Meal (Wing Tips, Ribs, Necks etc) and 10% Organ (Secreting such as Liver, Kidney, Lungs, pancreas, brain etc).

Pick fatter cuts of meat over leaner cuts. Try to include a variety of three different meats a week so that they get all their protein and nutrients needed.

I also give them raw egg once or twice a week to assist with any fur build up.

I done a lot of research into feeding before owning ferrets and have never fed Kibble. Any that i have re-homed that were previously Kibble fed have switched straight to a raw diet and they love it as well as i do! (And I'm a Vegetarian!)

I've experienced Adrenal in one of my girls who had it before i re-homed her, and also Insulinoma with one of my boys i re-homed. He switched to a raw diet which i believed gave him a little longer time with me but the damage was already done. He had 4 years of being fed Kibble.

The difference can defiantly be seen. My boy who is 4 has been raw fed from birth and he has no health complications and is so full of life still.

It's better for their heath as this is what they would eat in the wild, they have short digestive tracts so cannot process carbohydrates and sugars which in turn makes their Pancreas work harder causing Insulinoma. And it's also more tasty and interesting to them. Imagine if you had to eat the same dry food every day!

it's defiantly worth looking into 

Sorry about the rant!


----------



## allsmilesfam (Jun 10, 2016)

Cathie said:


> Yes Mice and Chicks are fine. However you can feed any prey or make your own "Frankenprey" Diet.
> They need a full diet of Muscle Meat, Bones and Organ.
> 
> Holistic Ferrets on Facebook are very helpful with feeding advice and have menus/recipe plans to help.
> ...


Thank you so much! I'll read into it some more. We have plenty of goat and beef and we some times get chicken.


----------

