What you need for your
ferret :
CAGE
Even if you consider letting your ferret run around in the house at all
times you still need a cage to litter train him or for other purposes like going to the
vet. However, most ferret owners keep their ferret in a cage while they are not around. A metal mesh cage is the best choice for your ferret. Aquariums
are not recommended as cages because they don't provide enough ventilation. Wooden cages
are also not recommended because wood soaks up the urine and you will never have a clean
cage.
Like with all animals, the bigger the cage the better for the animal. When
you are gone nearly whole day, a 2 x 3 feet (60 x 90 cm) and 2 feet (60 cm) high is
recommended. Of course one with lots of levels and hammocks is even better. If your
animals runs around at all times and you only need a cage when you are vacuuming, when you
have visitors in the neighborhood or when you want to go to the vet, a 1 x 2 feet (30 x 60
cm) and 1 feet high (30 cm) will do.
FOOD AND FOOD DISH
Protein (esp animal protein) and fat are the most important ingredients in
their diet. Beef, chicken, lamb and turkey are perfect. Fish on the other hand makes their
litter pan smell worse and most ferrets don't even like it. They need 30-35% protein and
15-20% fat. Make sure their bowl is full at all times unless your ferret is overweight.
You have specialized food for ferrets like Marshall Premium,
or Zupreem Ferret Diet. Dog food is out of the question
but high quality KITTEN food (NO cat food) is a good alternative. Use brands like Iams,
Science Diet or ProPlan. Remember to give your ferret dry kitten food since soft food
contains less protein and can also lead to tooth decay. If you want to switch from one
brand to the other, start mixing it at first so your ferret gets used to it. Of course,
specialized ferret food is recommended. Use a food dish
that is hard to tip over.
WATER
Water need to be available at all times. Ferrets love to play in the water
and flip over the bowl so a water bottle for rabbits is a
perfect solution for this problem.
LITTER BOXES AND LITTER
Litter boxes designed for ferrets are
perfect but small sized cat litter boxes or other boxes are fine too. Make sure that the
sides are at least 4 inches high so your ferret won't make a mess over the sides. Use litter meant for ferrets. It is not recommended to use
clumping kitty litter since ferrets often dig in their litter and end up with clumps in
their eyes and nose, which is very painful and dangerous. Depending on the size of
your house, you will have to provide more litter boxes. You can find more information on
this website on how to litter train a ferret.
BEDDING
Don't use wood shavings as bedding. A lot of ferrets are allergic to it
and some of them get breathing problems. To many people compare a ferret with a hamster
but ferrets are more like cats so they will enjoy a towel or a T-shirt a lot more as
bedding.
BOX OR BASKET
A ferret doesn't really like to sleep on the open floor or in a cage. They
prefer a basket or a small cardboard box to sleep in.
TOYS
Toys for cats are perfect for ferrets too. Just make sure that the toys
are solid enough since ferrets like to chew on things. Make sure if you buy a ball with a
bell inside that the ball is strong enough so the ferret won't swallow the little bell.
Ferrets also love hammocks, tubes,
golf balls and even plastic bottles with the top cut off is lots of fun for them. Of
course, there are toys specially designed for ferrets.
VITAMINS
Vitamins like furo-vite or furo-tone are very healthy for your ferret and will be
considered as a wonderful treat for them although it isn't really necessary for your
ferret if you are using good food. Both contain vitamin A which is harmful if you give
your ferret to much. A few drops a day is more than enough.
BITTER APPLE
If your ferret starts to bite on things he shouldn't bite on, this could
be a solution to your problem. Bitter apple is a bad
tasting liquid or paste which will help to convince your ferret to stop with these bad
habits.
COLLAR WITH BELL
You can use a flat leather puppy collar, a nylon kitten collar or collars
specially designed for ferrets. Make sure the collar isn't
to tight so the ferret won't choke himself when it gets stuck on something. Don't forget
to put a tag on your ferret in case he gets loose so people won't confuse him with a wild
animal. To make sure you know where your ferret is at all times it is more than just a
good idea to attach a little bell (cat bell) on his collar.
H-TYPE HARNESS AND A
LEASH
If you want to take your ferret in public and you want to walk with him,
an H-type harness is an absolute must. The leash is
attached to the back of your ferret.
VETERINARIAN
Like with any animal, make sure you find a vet who knows something about
them before you even consider buying one. |
