Basic Basics for the Ferret Parent

1. Ferrets are not legal everywhere in the US. They are illegal in California and Hawaii, and also in some cities with ordinances against ferret ownership. Check the laws in your area. If they are illegal and you decide to keep one anyway, be informed about potential consequences (which can be severe in California, include the killing of your ferret and jail or a hefty fine for you -- see Ferrets Anonymous for more on this ridiculous situation) and be prepared to pay them if caught!

2. Your new fuzzy requires regular vet visits and rabies and canine distemper vaccinations. Treat him or her just like a cat or dog in this respect.

3. Your new fuzzy, no matter the age, must be fed a high-quality kitten or ferret food. If Totally Ferret or Marshall Farms food is not available in your area, it can be ordered from places such as The Ferret Store. If this is not an option, a high quality kitten (not cat) food such as Iams Kitten should be fed. Supermarket cat foods such as Cat Chow, Friskies, etc., should absolutely NEVER be fed to ferrets except in an emergency, since these foods are much too low in protein and fat to sustain the high metabolism of these animals. Also, do not feed hard food such as peanuts or carrots, even as treats -- they cannot digest this material and it will cause an intestinal blockage!

4. Female ferrets must be either spayed or bred, or they will die. Male ferrets should be neutered to avoid odor and behavior problems. Breeding ferrets is difficult -- unless you really know what you're doing, your ferret should be fixed.

5. Don't overbathe. Once a month is sufficient. Neutered/spayed ferrets do have a slight natural musky odor, but it is non-offensive, and overbathing will actually only make it worse.

6. Descenting -- the removal of the anal scent glands -- is often performed on kits (baby ferrets). It is not necessary if the ferret is spayed or neutered, and it can be difficult to actually completey remove the scent gland in some ferrets, leading to health problems. Ferrets only spray (ferret owners call it "poofing") very rarely, such as when severely startled.

7. Ferrets need human contact and playtime. If you cannot let your ferret out of his or her cage for at least two hours a day and allow him or her free run of at least one room, consider a lower-maintainence pet.

8. If your fuzzbean misbehaves, time out is usually the best option.

9. Just as human babies require baby-proofing, ferrets require "ferret-proofing." They must never be allowed to chew on rubber (which they loooove) or any other soft, non-digestible material (rubber bands, foam, couch innards, shoe insoles, etc.) that they might swallow. Intestinal blockages are a leading cause of surgery and death in ferrets! For a first-hand account of this (very common) pica behavior in ferrets and the heartbreak it can cause, read Joey's Story.

10. Another main cause of death for ferrets is household accidents, and a large percentage of these are caused by couches, hide-a-beds, and recliners. Ferrets love to burrow into tight, dark, cozy places such as these. If you have a recliner or hide-a-bed in your house and are thinking of getting a fuzzy, you absolutely must either part with it altogether, or keep it in a ferret-free part of the house. Ditto for couches with coil springs. Many, many innocent fuzzies have been crushed to death in recliners and couches. My suggestion -- get a futon.

11. Like kittens and puppies, ferret kits play with their mouths and require nip-training to learn the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Young kits will bite -- they are treating you like another ferret! You must take responsibility for teaching your youngster the difference between delicate human skin and tough ferret hides.

12. Love your ferret! *g*
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