Considerations For Having A Ferret At Home
Before having a ferret at home, it is important to better understand its behavior, needs and specific care. Below, we summarize the main considerations about this animal.
The ferret: morphological aspects and behavior
The ferret is a small carnivorous mammal that typically weighs between one and two pounds. His behavior is very active and curious, and he is able to get along with adults and children when he is well trained.
These small animals reach adulthood when they reach their first year. They have a life expectancy of around eight years. It is nocturnal and can sleep up to 15 hours a day, although always in dark environments.
Having a ferret at home: care and considerations
The ferret is a wild animal, but it can be tamed
The ferret is a wild animal whose instincts can be tamed but not fully tamed. Having a ferret at home means taking it out of its natural habitat and inhibiting part of its instincts, so great care is needed with its adaptation to a domestic life.
Truly, the only fully domesticable animals are dogs and cats. These animals are the owners of a unique genetics and can keep the characteristics of their childhood into adulthood. This allows them not to fully develop their instincts and therefore it is possible to tame them.
Owner’s experience and time
This is a basic rule of thumb for all pets and for any owner. Those who adopt for the first time should choose the animals that are easiest to care for and handle.
Ferrets are hunters by nature, have a lot of energy and require great care with their hygiene, feeding and socialization. Interacting with these animals requires knowledge, time and patience.
If the intention is to give the ferret to a child, it will be necessary to teach very well about future responsibilities. Always remember that a ferret is not a toy that can be used and abandoned.
Environment and Habitat
As we’ve seen, ferrets have a lot of energy: they like to exercise, run freely, and play. Therefore, it is important to have space to have a ferret at home. The ideal is to have an outdoor area, with land, garden and trees.
For safety reasons, it is recommended to have a large cage to keep your ferret. But it is important to give them moments of freedom to preserve their physical and mental health.
Socialization and coexistence
The socialization process will consist of taming hunting instincts and adapting responses to different stimuli. This reduces the likelihood of aggressive behavior and improves the ability to coexist.
A ferret can be aggressive when not properly socialized. If the owner doesn’t have the time or experience to train him, a specialized professional can be the solution.
adjust budgets
Ferrets can be reasonably expensive animals, so it is essential to plan and have a realistic and adequate budget. It might be better to adopt another pet.
It all starts with the purchase price at a legal pet store, specialized veterinary care, and proper care throughout your life. Expenses for conditioning the environment must also be considered, in addition to toys, food and supplements for the animal’s health.
Passport with chip
It is mandatory that each domestic ferret has its passport with an updated chip. This document must be accompanied by a health booklet, with up-to-date vaccination and deworming.
Have a ferret at home: proper nutrition
The ferret is a carnivorous animal, but living with humans makes it adopt omnivorous habits. Your diet should contain adequate proportions of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
The easiest way to meet your nutritional needs is to prefer a good commercial feed formulated for ferrets. It is not recommended to feed your ferret raw meat, to avoid contamination by bacteria and toxins, nor human food remains.
Preventive medicine and veterinary care for ferrets
The ferret vaccination program begins in the second month of life and continues annually throughout the ferret’s lifetime. The most important vaccines are rabies and distemper, as ferrets are very vulnerable to these diseases.
It is essential to periodically deworm the animal and take preventive measures to repel mosquitoes. Recommended – is also castrated ferrets domestic animal to prevent escape during periods of heat.
Have a ferret at home: enhanced hygiene
Ferrets demand a lot of attention to their hygiene. They must receive periodic baths, two to three times a month. During the winter, it is recommended to reduce the frequency: a bath every two months will be enough.
It is essential to use specific products for the hygiene of ferrets. Human cosmetics and cleaning products can poison the animal and seriously harm its health.
Having a ferret at home requires time, knowledge and patience. Before choosing one as a pet, it is important to prepare your lifestyle and your home for their arrival.
