Ferrets

About Ferrets

Ferrets as Pets Ferrets are long and small robbers that have a face that anyone would forgive, they also are more like kids than anyone may realize. They don’t like to hear no, but will quickly learn. Ferrets are within the weasel family and are related to the mink. The are long, low to the ground playful animals that are now the 3 most common animal to have as a pet in the US. They can live as long as 10 years and have been associated to man as long as cats have. They can reach lengths of up to almost two feet in length, including the semi long hairy tail.

Advantages of Having Ferrets as Pets

The advantages to these pets are that they are easy to train, have unique personalities and are very energetic. Ferrets seem to have a daredevil personalities at times and are normally very curious. They are an ideal indoors pet and can be trained to use a little box in the same fashion as a cat can. They have superior hearing and keen night vision, although they are limited to their vision in bright areas. They like to play, jump around, and are very expressive in their own right. They have been know to laugh and even cuddle at times. They are also a lot more durable than they appear.

Ferret Food - What to Feed

Their diet requires them to eat a special food that has all the amino acids and proteins that are available. This is due to the fact that they are normally predators in the wild, although they like snacks of fruit and even cereal.

Other Characteristics of Ferrets

Since they are closely related to the minx family they need to be de-scented when they are young and even after this need to be bathed at least once every 3 to 5 days. They are also in need of being trained to not bite. They don’t understand that our skin isn’t as tough as their hides and they can cause harm. They are also a pet not normally suited for young children and can get jealous if not given enough attention by their owners. They also like to gather items and hide them (such as car keys, socks, shiny objects).

Photo Credit: Paddy Paterson