Wild Ferret – Do you want to keep them as a pet?
A species from the Mustelidae family, the closest cousins to ferrets are badgers, otters and skunks. Scientifically known as the Mustela Furo which is a Latin name of the domesticated ferrets and the wild black-footed ferrets are known as Mustela nigripes. The ferrets that you find in pet stores have been specifically bred to be domesticated and therefore make good pets for someone who wants to deal with a small animal constantly. Domesticated ferrets require a lot of attention. Wild ferrets are just that a wild animal. I strongly suggest that all wild animals be left to their natural habitat. Bringing them into our homes not only can be cruel but also harmful to their natural survival instincts.
If you are bound and determined to keep a wild ferret, be ready to experience a lot of adventure. You should know that it is a losing battle trying to domesticate a wild animal and ferrets, although extremely cute, are no different. Extremist’s pet lovers would rather work with a wild ferret because they are extremely adventurous and resilient enough to recover from any kind of nasty attacks because of their nature. They are definitely full of surprises and you will learn something new about them every single day, unlike ferrets that are tamed and mild in their behaviors. Wild ferrets are curious animals and love to explore places and things on their own, it are therefore best that you keep them occupied at all times with toys and enough playtime. Like many wild animals they are trainable, however don’t think that training a wild ferret is domesticating them. A wild ferret is definitely not a good companion for a small child.
You can never really own a wild ferret. Their wild nature is what has given them their survival skills and most wild ferrets will always be looking for an opportunity to get back to their own familiar surroundings. They are not considered to be loyal animals; they need their freedom and if it’s not given to them, could retaliate by tearing your furnishings apart. You need to give them their freedom so that they can go and come as they please. Freedom for your ferret could also mean that they could leave at anytime.
Wild ferrets are prone to early deaths and higher risks of diseases. This is because wild ferrets are scavengers and tend to eat everything and anything that they find lying around. Their eating habits have been identified to be one of the major causes of death among wild and domesticated ferrets.
Wild ferrets need to be kept away from toddlers since children become very playful around pets. The child’s playfulness may be seen as a danger situation to your wild ferret. This situation may cause the ferret to react in a defensive manner that may be harmful for the child and the ferret. Even a normal cuddling or petting could make your ferret feel as if they are being attacked and could end up biting or scratching the child.
There are just common sense reasons not to bring a wild ferret into your home. There are so many domesticated ferrets available for you to choose from and trust me they are active and more than a handful. You will have plenty of adventurous times without the need of bringing a wild ferret into captivity. The most common wild species is the black-footed ferret and as beautiful as they are do you really want to place them in a ferret cage? I don’t think so!
Taking Care Of A Ferret – Important Procedures
If you are going to get a ferret you should know a little bit about them and how to take care of them. Taking care of ferrets, although not easy, is definitely a joy for ferret lovers. It is extremely important to prepare a schedule so that you may take care of them well. A well-planned schedule will allow for proper feeding, grooming and sanitary conditions for their living space.
The ferret is commonly misunderstood to be part of the rodent family when instead they are really belonging to the “Mustelid Family.” Other members of the Mustelids are the weasel, badger, mink, otter and wolverine. Ferrets are ultradian animals, which means they are extremely active for short periods of time and then they require long periods of rest.
The basic daily care that you will need to give your ferret is crucial. Below is a list of items that need daily attention:
• Cleaning of the litter box at least once a day
• Make time to play with your ferret: it may sound like a lot but you should let your ferret out of it’s cage and play with them 2 to 4 hours a day.
• Change their food and water daily: food should be of high quality that is high in protein and fat, but low in fiber.
• Wash their litter boxes with a proper scrub down every week
• Provide a cage large enough for exercise: your ferret should be kept in a cage unless it is supervised. Keep the cage in a temperature-controlled environment and out of direct sunlight. Temperature over 80 degrees can be harmful.
Here are a few grooming tips for your ferret:
• Nails: Ferrets nails grow very quickly and should be trimmed every couple of weeks. The time frame for their nails to grow could vary depending on your ferret. When clipping their nails, make sure that you do not clip to close to the visible red vein that you see on their nail. You need to leave a little space after the vein. Invest in a pair of special ferret clippers for their nails; this will make it easier to clip them properly. If it’s your first time, make sure you talk to your vet to know the proper way to clip them. If you are not confident of clipping their nails then it is advised to get someone properly trained to do them for you.
• Brushing: Your ferret needs regular brushing especially when they are in their shedding season. If you fail to brush your ferret you will soon find a ball of hair. Ferret brushes can be easily bought from pet stores and investing in one is a wise decision.
• Tooth Brushing: Although brushing your ferret’s teeth could be a bit difficult, you should try using a bit of cat toothpaste that is flavored. You will have to use your finger to brush their teeth. Brushing their teeth will help, however it is very difficult to do a perfect job. Give it a try and stay with it.
• Ears: Make sure that you get your ferret’s ears cleaned every week. However the schedule could be different for every ferret. You can do this with a special ferret ear cleaner solution.
• Another hygiene factor that you need to take care of is washing their bedding & hammocks at least once a week. Using towels for bedding can make this process much easier since they can easily be wash and dried quickly.
As you can see, it is a bit of a task taking care of our furry little friends. It is advisable to consult your vet before you set up a particular scheduled. Your vet may have some good advice on when and how to perform these tasks. These daily and weekly ferret care issues are very important for the health and happiness of your pet.
Taking Care Of A Ferret – Baby Ferret or Kits
So you want a ferret and have decided on a baby or as they are known in the ferret world as kits. Since you are looking at a baby ferret then you may want to know about the entire ferret birth process.
The female ferret is referred to as a “jill” and the male is a “hob.” A jill’s pregnancy cycle runs about 42 days. When she begins to build a nest and shows signs of restlessness then you can be pretty sure that she is pregnant. If you have a hob you will want to remove him during the pregnancy period since the jill will require more sleep and more food during the gestation period.
It is a good idea to transfer the jill to a dark secluded pen about two weeks before delivery. It is not unusual for the jill to pluck her hair during this time to help prepare the nest for the kits. Outside of providing plenty of water and food during this time it is best to keep her warm and leave her alone.
It is extremely important to leave the kits and the jill alone during the whelping period. Although it is a little gross the mother will usually eat the placenta. The hormones in the placenta help the mother in the production of milk.
It takes around 20 days for the kits to get their color and begins to open their eyes and about 6 weeks for them to be weaned.
Ferret food is relatively expensive at least compared to cat food. It also has a much higher level of protein and fat content that is needed for a healthy diet. The food that you choose should have at least 35% protein and 20% fat. Ferrets need a high quality and balanced fats in their diet such as eggs and poultry meal. They should not eat soy or corn gluten meal since it may cause urinary tract obstructions later in life. After they are weaned they will need to begin eating adult food. Since ferrets eat very little the food, even though more expensive, will last longer than that of a feline.
Fresh water should always be available and changed daily for any pet. Hold off on giving them treats until you are ready to begin housebreaking your ferret. Watch out for the dairy products as well. Young ferrets love milk and ice cream, however your ferret will more than likely get diarrhea.
Your baby ferret will need the essentials in life. A cage with a large door and plenty of room to grow, the cage for a young ferret will need solid bottomed cage. Bedding material must be disposed of or laundered weekly. Towels are always handy to use and easy to wash but be sure and keep their nails trimmed or they will get tangled up in them.
You’ll also want to get a litter box and standard cat litter can be used.
One last thing or should I say things! TOYS, TOYS AND MORE TOYS! You can’t have enough toys for these playful little creatures. They will begin to learn them by name and will get them for you. Oh yeah, they will also hide them in the strangest of places.
