Pet Ferret Care

Assuming this is your first pet ferret, I congratulate you.  It is a wonderful pet to have and will be immensely rewarding.  For once, I will skip the whole responsibility speech because if you’re reading an article with this title, you’ve already taken the first step to being a good ferret parent.  Let’s jump in.

One of the first things you should do once you get a pet ferret is check up on its medical history.  Ensure it has all of the necessary vaccinations and so forth.  If you’ve gotten a kit, this will normally include a series of distemper shots and a rabies shot.

Ferrets try to get into everything, but if you have only a few things in the area available to them, you’re far less likely to be surprised.  If you can, set up one room in the mindset of asking yourself not whether the items therein could hurt, but whether they’re needed.  If not, try to take the items out.  Before you let your pet ferret roam, also keep in mind that they have flexible skeletons and are known as brilliant escape artists.

I wrote the prior paragraph presupposing that you are going to let them out of their cage rather often because they need play and exercise to remain happy and healthy.  Many ferret owners also enjoy taking their ferrets for a walk.  You do need a ferret harness for this, but your ferret will enjoy it greatly once he or she is used to it.

You want to feed your pet ferret a very specific diet.  Don’t feed it table scraps like you might a dog or a cat as it has a very unique digestive system that can not process fiber.  Ferrets also need certain nutrient ratios, mostly of protein and fat.  You can get ferret food at some pet superstores or online.

Aim to spend at least 30 minutes per day playing with your ferret, and always keep an eye out for details and changes in behavior.  Should your ferret be coming down with anything, it is your job to notice it, and get it checked out early.  In general, if you watch your ferret closely enough, you should have a long happy life with it.