Posts Tagged ‘ferret care’
A Pet Ferret: Is It The Pet For You?
Ferrets can make great pets but pet ferret care may be very different from what you are used to with cats, dogs, hamster and other pets. Ferrets have been domesticated but they still adhere to a lot of their natural or wild behavior. For example most ferrets will sleep during the day and then become active at dawn and dusk.
Feeding your ferret can be tricky as ferret nutrition is quite unlike many other pets. Ferrets are carnivores and cannot get any nutrition from plants. Also the ferret digests its food very quickly so they need to get a lot of energy and calories from what they do eat.
You will need to make sure that you feed your ferret food that is high in things like protein and fat, yet low in fiber. Always make sure that the food you feed your ferret is specifically intended to ferrets, as he probably won’t be able to process the food and it could make him ill.
Ferrets can be trained to use the litter box, however you shouldn’t expect it to be as easy as training a cat, who has more of an instinct for litter than a ferret. Make sure that the litter is easy to access, and when cleaning it, try to leave a little bit of used litter in, so that the ferret associates that area as “the potty.” Also, make sure that the food and sleeping areas have their own distinct section of the cage. Ferret cages should be kept in a general state of tidiness.
If you are unable to live with a distinctive “musky” pet odor, you may want to consider getting a different type of pet. Ferrets are notorious for their “musky” odor, and no amount of bathing will be able to prevent this. In fact, over-bathing your ferret can result in his skin releasing even more of the odorous oils to replace those which were stripped from his coat.
Ferret ownership can be very rewarding, but you must be prepared for the responsibilities of owning one. Make sure that you research all of the ferret pet supplies that you will need, as well as eating and behavioral habits. It is even a good idea to look into the diseases and various conditions that ferrets are prone to and set up a regular vet schedule for check-ups.