Ferrets Intro

As proponents of ferret legalization and welfare we get a lot of curious questions from people who have never met, sometimes never even heard of, a ferret. We are always happy to discuss ferrets and the care they need. The best way to aid ferrets and improve the political attitude towards them is to have the public well informed about their true nature. On this page we address some of the most common questions.

What are ferrets? Ferrets are a domesticated offshoot of the European polecat. They are in the mustelid family, relatives of weasels, minks, and otters. They have long thin bodies and commonly weigh between 1 and 3 pounds. They are highly intelligent, curious, and energetic animals. Their personalities are "kittenish" throughout their lives. Ferrets have been domesticated for at least hundreds of years. Historically they were used to aid in hunting, but in recent decades they have become increasingly popular across the United States and elsewhere in the world as companion animals.

Do they make good pets? Yes, for owners with the knowledge and commitment to care for their needs, ferrets make excellent pets. People enjoy them for their enthusiastic personalities. They do not require a large living space in order to be happy, they are quiet, and they shed very little. Each ferret seems to have its own individual personality and mode of playing. Ferret owners who are truly addicted tend to view their ferrets more as members of the family than as pets.

What sort of games do they play? Ferrets have two settings: asleep and hyper. While at play they love to run through tubes (plastic dryer hose makes a wonderful toy), climb in crinkly bags, chase jangly balls, and hide socks or stuffed animals. Ferrets are social animals who play beautifully in groups; they pounce on, chase, and roughhouse with each other. They also love people, who they view as large ferrets. Ferrets have a natural inclination to cache things. It is common for ferret owners to find long-lost wallets, socks, computer mice, balls of yarn, and other such household items tucked away under the bed or in the back of a closet during spring cleaning.

Can they be trained? Yes, ferrets are intelligent animals who are fairly easily trained through gentle and consistent handling. The two main considerations are litter training and nip training. Litter training methods take advantage of their natural tendency to use the same spot over and over, preference for corners, and their need to use a litter box shortly after waking up.

Nip training is important for any young kit. Ferrets communicate, explore the world, and play with each other with their mouths. They have thick skin and can play roughly with other ferrets without causing any harm. Through gentle and frequent handling, they quickly learn that humans are more fragile than their other playmates and must be treated with care. Serious biting problems are very rare in older ferrets and are usually the result of fear, illness, previous mistreatment, or lack of proper training. [We emphasize here that even the most serious ferret bite pales in comparison to a minor dog bite. A two-pound ferret is just no match for a 50-pound dog.]

Can you walk them outside? Yes, many ferrets enjoy exploring the outdoors on a secure harness which loops both in front of and behind their front legs. You will never find a ferret walking in a straight line. They tend to head straight for bushes and other items of interest. Many ferrets enjoy digging in the dirt and will create a nice tunnel for themselves.

Other than supervised walks outdoors on leashes, ferrets are exclusively indoor pets. They are too small and curious to survive the dangers posed by dogs, cars, and wild animals. Ferrets do not readily change to a new diet, and would not likely know enough to hunt for their food before starving to death. It is always a scary situation when a ferret manages to escape from its home environment; if it is not found and taken in by somebody, it will rarely survive on its own for more than a few days.

When, where, and how much do they sleep? Ferrets sleep around twenty hours a day and are crazy and hyper the other four. As long as they get several hours of playtime every day, their schedule is quite flexible. For example, they do well with owners who work full time but allow them time to run in the mornings and evenings.

Some owners choose to keep their ferrets safely in a cage while they are asleep, while others keep them in a well secured room when they are not supervised. Either way, ferrets usually enjoy snuggling down in dark enclosed areas. It is common to find them asleep in a chest of drawers (yes, they do find their way in), laundry hamper, linen closet, or cage hammock. Some ferrets enjoy sleeping in bed next to their humans. They especially like sleeping with other ferrets after a hard day of play; it is truly endearing to find a pile of three or four ferrets asleep together in a tangled pile.

What is ferret-proofing all about? Ferret-proofing a home with ferrets is just as big a job as child-proofing a home with a young toddler. In their quest for a new game, ferrets can be too curious for their own good. Care needs to be taken to remove or secure dangerous objects and plug up small holes where they could escape or become trapped. A short sample of dangers to watch for are: gaps in the baseboards under kitchen and bathroom cabinets; screen doors and windows that ferrets could scratch through and escape; soft plastic, rubber, or styrofoam objects that they might chew on; rocking chairs or lounge chairs; and foods such as nuts or chocolate which could cause a blockage or be toxic to their system.

What sort of veterinary care do they need? Ferrets need annual veterinary checkups and should be vaccinated against distemper and rabies. Ferrets have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years. They are susceptible to several types of cancerous tumors, so any ferret owner should be prepared to pay several hundred dollars for surgery at some point in the ferret's life.

Almost all ferrets are spayed and neutered, either before they are sold in a pet store, or at 4-6 months of age if purchased from a private breeder. Spaying females is essential because allowing a female to remain in heat without breeding her can be life-threatening. Neutered males tend to be gentler and less musky smelling than whole males. The fact that almost all ferrets are neutered is one of several reasons why ferrets are unlikely to ever escape and start breeding in the wild. It also prevents the tragic overpopulation problems suffered by dogs and cats.

Descenting ferrets is optional, though it is generally considered healthier not to. Ferrets with scent glands intact usually do not smell any muskier than descented ferrets, but when they are scared they will let out a strong odor which quickly dissipates.

What do they eat? Ferrets are obligate carnivores, meaning that they require a meat-based diet. They have short digestive tracts and require access to food at all times. There are a number of high-quality ferret diets which can be purchased in pet stores. These are usually chicken-based and come in the form of a dry kibble that looks like cat food. Some people who prefer a more natural diet for their furry ones feed them unprocessed chicken or turkey. Many ferrets enjoy a variety of fruits, raisins, or cereals, but these should be given in small quantities as treats only.

Why are ferrets illegal in California? A number of states classified ferrets as wild animals and banned them as pets before they become popular as companion animals in the United States. As ferrets grew in popularity, these bans were overturned in quick succession. At this point, California and Hawaii remain the only two states to prohibit ferrets. There has been no effort to legalize them in Hawaii, whereas the stuggle in California has been ongoing for fifteen years.

The stated objection given by ferret opponents in California is that ferrets could start breeding in the wild and pose a threat to agriculture and native species. Since ferrets in the U.S. are exclusively indoor pets, are almost always spayed and neutered, do not survive on their own for more than a few days, and have absolutely no history of breeding on their own anywhere in the country, we are not sure where these fears are coming from. Although the true motivation for opposing ferrets remains a mystery to us, we hope that the injustice will soon be rectified, either by the legislature or through a statewide ballot initiative.