# ferret care :)



## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

helloo 

ive never had ferrets but in a couple of years (when the time is right  ) im hoping to get some ferrets but i want to start my research now so i no what to do in the future 

on my work expiernce i met a lovly little ferret that one of the vets had she was really friendly and my friends dad breeds them and its allways nice to see the babies and they seem like great pets but i want to no more before i think about getting one 

i no some very very basic things such as they have a very high matobilsm (sp?) so feeding is important and that if a girl ferret (jill ??) isnt brough out of a season they will have complications but im not sure on what to feed them, what sex to get? what cages are best and things like that anything you can tell me will help it wont be for along time but id like to know if there right for me before i go ahead with it


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

Firstly congratulations on choosing a ferret as a pet, they make fantastic pets. 

You should get more then one ferret though as they do enjoy company and are happier in pairs or groups, unless you plan on breeding if that is the case Males (hobs) must be kept alone) Jills (females) can be kept together neutered or not, but it is best to get them as babies so they grow up together. You could introduce an older jill but sometimes they just never get along.

If you are having neutered pets you can get a mixed group of ferrets no problem. 

they can be kept indoors but I personally recommend outdoors as it is better health wise for them. you can keep them in a basic rabbit hutch perfectly fine aslong as they have a space to excersize when your able to watch them.

there are 2 ways to feed ferrets, one is with Dry food (there are many dry ferret diets available) or you can feed them Raw food (this is what i would recommend)


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## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

DKDREAM said:


> Firstly congratulations on choosing a ferret as a pet, they make fantastic pets.
> 
> You should get more then one ferret though as they do enjoy company and are happier in pairs or groups, unless you plan on breeding if that is the case Males (hobs) must be kept alone) Jills (females) can be kept together neutered or not, but it is best to get them as babies so they grow up together. You could introduce an older jill but sometimes they just never get along.
> 
> ...


thanks DKDREAMS thanks for telling me about groups because i didnt no that  i wont be breeding as im hoping to get some rescues (hopefully babies or a nice natured older males/females) i would prefer dry as i dont like handling meat but if its in the ferrets best intrested then thats what ill do, what does raw involve? amount? type of meat? and what size hutch would you recommend?


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

if the ferrets are only fed dry food then they can and most probably will get bad teeth tartar will build up and the ferrets will need dental work at some point in their lives, however some people feed only dry and offer their ferrets chicken wings 2=3 times a week and this helps keep their teeth clean. 

raw meats they can have mince, heart chunks, liver (only a small amount once a week) chicken necks, beef chunks,day old chicks (once every 2 weeks) as these contain egg and too much egg can cause ferrets to go baldy 

they can have raw eggs as a treat once in a while, or even scrambled, this isn't as bad as they are cooked. 

the size of cage depends on how many you wish to keep in a group. I have a group of girls in a 2 tier cage (with 2 sep beds incase they have a fall out anyone) but then they do have playtime daily so get plenty exercise ferrets are quite lazy when your not around they will sleep.


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## Fade to Grey (Nov 10, 2007)

DKDREAM has pretty much covered everything. ferrets sleep for 14 plus hours a day so are perfect for people who work. Mine are on a mixture of raw and dry food. I give them dry food all year around and give them chicken wings, eggs (very occasionally, as DK said they can make them go bald), they even have some of the minced raw meat the dogs have (all of our dogs are on the BARF diet) when they have raw, especially in the summer i leave it in with them for a little bit but take it out otherwise you'll find flies laying eggs in it and it smells. Mine have learnt that they don't need to hide meat as they get it regularly, they do still hide the dry food which is not a problem.


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## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

thanks both of you  i went down to the library and got a book on ferret care so ill have a read


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