Ferrets are intelligent and entertaining animals, which makes it very easy to fall in love with them. Like most pets, however, it is not wise to pick them up without first carefully considering whether you really can care for them.
There are pros and cons to owning a ferret, so make sure to consider them before taking one home. Homeless ferrets live in shelters, so if you want to own one, it is a great idea to rescue rather than buy from a shop.
Pros of Having a Ferret
Ferrets, like other pets, are kept for a variety of reasons.
Entertainment
Ferrets can provide hours of entertainment in your home. At least two hours of contact with your ferret per day is recommended because it makes them happier. By nature, ferrets love to play and often think you are them too.
They are intelligent and pick up new behaviors quickly, so it is easy to train and teach them new things.
If you have more than one ferret, just seeing two or more of them playing together can keep you entertained all day.
Temperament
Once you get to know a ferret, you will love them. They have great personalities and are enjoyable to have around.
A well-trained ferret is nurturing, playful, and curious. They are great with children as long as you don’t overwhelm them.
However, you should supervise their interaction with children.
They bond with their owners easily, so you can expect lots of snuggles from your cute friends.
Easy to Care For
Ferrets require attention regularly but they have other needs as well. Pet stores usually have specialized food made for ferrets, so they are easier to feed.
Their cage can be cleaned relatively easily given that they are trained to use a litter box.
They don’t mind being left alone for most of the day, so they are the perfect pet for those who work most of the time.
Just make sure to spend at least two hours/day playing with them. Your evening routine could easily include this.
Cons
Ferrets like other pets are not perfect. They have their bad sides two. These are the things that you should be wary about when you want to adopt a ferret.
Time
Ferrets need more of your time than you may want to give. Although they won’t be upset so much with being left in the cage while you go about your daily activities outside the house, they require at least for hours daily outside their cage.
You should spend a minimum of two hours playing or interact with them. Also, you will need to dedicate lots of time to grooming them because they need regular nail-clipping, ear cleaning, and tooth-brushing among other things.
Smell
Plenty of people don’t like the smell of ferrets; some are comfortable with it as well. It is not a bad smell or unpleasant, but it is musky and strong.
This smell can be kept minimal through regular cleaning of the ferret’s cage, especially if you can do it more than three times a week.
However, you should be careful not to dry out the ferret’s skin through frequent baths.
Don´t bathe the animal too often because it wears the skin out. This might trigger higher production of oil (smell).
Destructiveness
As a result of their inquisitive nature, ferrets like to touch everything and go everywhere around the house.
So they are not afraid to make a mess. That’s why any room you let them roam will need to be monitored.
These cuties won’t hesitate to scratch at a door or scrabble at things or burrow your sofa. They can chew electrical cables, and squeeze them into any tiny space they see.
They need to be supervised constantly when they are not in their cages to stop them from getting into trouble.
They poop a lot
The average ferret poop 10 times a day, and because their digestive tracts are so small, you cannot stop them from doing it.
You can train them to use the litter box, but not all of them can be trained, and they will poop outside the litter box.
How Much Time Do I Need to Spend Caring for a Ferret
Ferrets are active and inquisitive animals, so give them your time and allow them to spend time with you outside of their cage. However, you need to ferret proof your home:
Block Exits
Due to their size, ferrets can squeeze through tiny spaces. It is crucial to block any exit to outside or to the room where you’re playing with them.
Otherwise, you may end up spending hours looking for them. They may get hurt too if you fail to eliminate exit points.
Check the plumbing, and the dryer vent. You should remember that ferrets can chew through most electric appliances and die if the appliances are turned on, so be sure that you turn them off when they are running around.
Manage Playtime
Because of their playful nature, ferrets won’t stop playing even if you want to do something else.
It becomes increasingly challenging when you have more than one ferret in the house. It is important to pay attention to training tricks. This will help the ferret to know when you don’t want it to play anymore.
Things to Consider Before Getting a Ferret
Ferrets’ behavior is often mischievous, so training is important. You need to be patient, as it needs to be repeated as often as possible.
Ferrets are quick learners, so you don’t need to spend as much time training them as you would a small dog.
Ferrets are fed at least three times a day. Feeding must be considered in addition to the purchase of a cage, litter box, and lots of toys. Ferrets are more expensive to keep than traditional pets (read.. different colors in ferrets).
Also, they need neutering to help to reduce their body smell if it bothers you. The females need neutering because they stay in the heat if they are not, which can cause unwanted pregnancy or lead to anemia which could be deadly.
Conclusion
Ferrets are the most fun pets to have around. They are loving, snuggle often with you, and enjoy playing. However, they need attention more than most pets and their smell is not for everyone.
Ferret training is challenging, since most of the steps must be repeated often. They do well with humans, but need supervision with children.
You also need to watch their movement outside their cages.
Lastly, they are quite costly to maintain. However, they do make excellent pets, but you should take your time and consider your decision before getting one.