Home
Updates
General Info
Caresheets
ExoticKeepersForum
Picture Gallery
Breeder Directory
Animal Educators
Rescues
Publications
External Links
EFExotics Store
Submit Info

Natural History
links needed!

Captive Husbandry
links needed!

To recommend a link please send an email.

Ferret Breeders

To recommend a breeder please send an email.

Domestic Ferret
(Mustela putorius furo)

So you’re thinking about a ferret,..
Article By Donna Waterstradt

Selecting a new pet certainly isn't rocket science, but there are a few things to consider before you go to meet some critters! Do you have kids? Do you have a busy work schedule? Do you have other pets? Are you adding to an existing business of ferrets? And what do envision for the future…do you think you might want to have another ferret someday? Of course it's impossible to make a final decision until you meet potential critters and fall in love with an individual, but there are some decisions you can make right off the bat to help you with your decision!

If you’re completely new to ferrets, we do recommend you do some reading before continuing in your ferret quest. Not that you have a required amount of reading to do to be a good parent, but there is much misinformation out there about ferrets and they still aren’t as common as dogs and cats, so doing even a small amount of research will be a tremendous help to you as you decide if a ferret is the right pet for you. We recommend the book “Ferrets for Dummies” and, if you have Internet access, check out the links at http://www.ferretcentral.org.

In Michigan, there are a few sources for a new ferret friend: Pet Shop, Private Breeder, Shelter or from a private owner. If you decide that you'd like to adopt a new friend from a shelter, there are some decisions you can make "on paper" before you visit. What kind of critter are you looking for? One, two or more? Male or Female? These questions might seem pretty basic and unimportant, but since Motor City Ferrets works together with other shelters around the state we often do try to do some matching up of critters and owners beforehand - so we can get good candidates together in the same city! J To help you make the initial choices and explain what types of critters you will find in a shelter situation, we've created some categories for the different types of critters we see throughout the year…

Bachelor/Bachelorette: These critters don't care for other ferrets, so they need a home where they can be the center of attention.

Considerations: If you’d like to add more ferrets, a single would need his/her own house and playtime apart from any other ferrets.

Swinging Single: A critter who's been social and has lived with others, but is not bonded with any other particular weezil. Lots of variety in this group…not all swingers will get along with all other weezils in the world, but if you already have one or more ferrets and are looking to add only one to your business, this is the type of critter you would be looking for.

Considerations: Swingers are social and have lived with others; therefore, they must be adopted into a home which already has a ferret friend to pal around with. All critters must meet to make sure we have a love match before considering an adoption!

Bonded Pairs: Critters who have been together for their whole life and cannot be separated.

Considerations:

Pair of weezils who are bonded, yet get along with others: a family might add this type of pair to an existing business or choose this type if they think they might like to have more critters in the future.

Pair of weezils who are bonded to each other and not social with others: Just like the bonafide single, these critters love each other, but will not accept future playmates. If the family wishes to add additional ferrets in the future, separate housing and playtimes would be necessary. Another consideration for this type of pair is definitely the critters future. Eventually, as time passes, one of the pair will pass on. If the other critter hasn't been social with others, chances are after he/she loses his/her buddy, he/she will be single. So if you're making the decision for a pair because you have a busy life, then you might end up with a single critter you don't have enough time for in the future!

For first time owners, we recommend a pair of critters. Why? Well, we have found that ferrets seem to be happiest when they have a buddy. After all, us humans have to go to work and have a life, so when we're away we think it's nice for the critter to have a full time buddy. Of course for our single critters life is a bit different…they prefer NOT to have a ferret buddy, thank you very much! J Two ferrets who live together really aren't any more "work" than one, and the pair can keep each other happy as new owners tackle the ferret learning curve.

· If you're the type of person who likes to come home after work and settle down for the night, consider a bachelor or bachlorette. These critters can be the most interactive with humans and can be super best friends!
· If you're an active person with a busy life, consider a pair (or more) so you won't have a lonely weezil while you’re away.
· If your family schedule allows for someone to be home most of the day, consider a single or non-social bonded pair - these critters need you! If you wish to add ferrets, you have enough people about the house to accomodate separate playtimes!
· If you have young children, definitely only consider adult ferrets. Babies are just too unpredictible and can be rather nippy as they investigate the world…a reputable shelter will offer only safe critters as candidates for adoption.
· If you have ferrets already, plan to bring them to the shelter for a meet and greet so they can choose who they like the best!

Hopefully after reading through this information you can see why our first question isn't always "which ferret do you like best?" but rather "which type suits your family and lifestyle?" Our goal is to find loving, permanent homes for our shelter guests; we hope this information helps our families look into the future and make good adoption decisions!

1. Ferrets do not come to shelters because of behavior problems.
Ferrets are surrendered to shelters for the same reasons as other pets. Owners may move to a new apartment where pets aren't allowed, experience a change in work schedule that doesn't leave enough time in the day to take good care of the ferret, or the most common reason: owners simply get tired of the ferret. Most times the ferret is a wonderful animal who simply wasn't wanted in the former home.

2. Most ferrets come to shelters already spayed or neutered.
Michigan pet shops are required to sell only altered critters and reputable shelters will only adopt out altered critters.

3. Ferrets are people oriented vs. person oriented
Unlike dogs and cats, who may develop a relationship with only one human in life, ferrets are able to bond with many "nice hooman beans" over the course of their lifetime. While changing from home/to shelter/to new home can be stressful for some, most ferrets need only a short adjustment period to find happiness in a new home.

4. Ferrets are very social
Not only do ferrets like people, but most enjoy the company of other ferrets, dogs and cats. Because of their rough style of play and perhaps a bit of instinct from the days of old when they were wild critters hunting for food, ferrets should not mingle with rodents, birds and other small critters in the home.

5. Ferrets are adoptable at any age.
Ferrets really don't get set in their ways. They do like to adopt a certain amount of routine in their home, but they do very well with change; in fact, because of their curious nature change is often a good thing! Ferrets remain playful and active throughout their entire life; they just need to nap more frequently as they age!

6. Ferrets are safe as pets.
Trained properly, ferrets will not bite - even under extreme conditions. Baby ferrets must be taught what the boundaries are; once established a ferret is a safe household pet. Of course abused and severely neglected animals of all types can bite out of frustration and fear; a reputable shelter will a) work with these ferrets to rehabilitate them and b) never foist a ferret with a behavior problem on an unsuspecting new owner.

According to statistics compiled by the New York Department of Health over a ten year period, you are 17 times more likely to be bitten by a human than a ferret!

7. Ferrets are not a rabies threat.
IMRAB, to protect against rabies, was approved for use in ferrets in 1990 by the US Department of Agriculture. Vaccination for rabies is required by Michigan law, although the chances of a ferret contracting rabies are very small - there have in fact been only 13 documented cases of rabies in ferrets since 1958!

NEVER IN RECORDED U.S. HISTORY HAS A HUMAN CONTRACTED RABIES FROM A FERRET!

8. Ferrets are indoor pets.
While ferrets may enjoy going outside for a walk or to play in the snow (always on a leash!), ferrets are indoor pets and should not be kept outside. Because ferrets are entirely domestic and housebound in this country, they do not constitute a stray animal problem. Plus, there are no colonies of feral domestic ferrets anywhere in the United Sates. The closest wild relative is the endangered North American Black-footed Ferret, a nocturnal mustelid which was once thought to be extinct and is currently severely endangered.

9. Ferrets are quiet and clean (we said clean - not tidy)!
Ferrets do not bark, howl, scream, squeak or otherwise offend; rather they have an adorable chittering sound that usually gets louder with an increase in excitement level. Ferrets do not require lots of grooming; an owner need only trim nails and clean ears weekly, then give the occasional bath (no more than once a month). Ferrets do require reminders/remedial training to keep using a litter pan and many have been known to redecorate their cages with wild abandon and glee, but for the most part the small size of the ferret makes keeping simple for owners.

10. Ferrets do not stink.
Ferrets smell like ferrets, just as dogs smell like dogs and cats smell like cats. Neutered ferrets do not have the heavy musky smell than an intact ferret will have. Properly kept (in a clean environment with proper food, litter and frequently washed bedding), ferrets have only a faint musky odor that many owners appreciate.