Exotics

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Care of Ferrets

FEEDING

High quality cat foods are best. Always feed dry cat food as it is denser in nutrients than tinned food. Their toilet will also be firmer and less runny. If you have an older ferret with teeth problems, then a high quality tinned cat food will be okay or preferably dry food with a little warm water to soften it.

Iams® kitten or cat food is ideal, as is Whiskers Professional® growth formula. These are both available from vets or pet shops. They are more expensive than supermarket brand cat foods, but they are more nutritionally balanced to meet a ferrets needs.

If you can't afford these, Supercoat Puppy® from the supermarket is quite good but it should be supplemented with one of the above foods once or twice a week. Generally, never feed dog foods to ferrets as it has a thiamine inhibitor (a preservative) in it, which causes vitamin B 1 deficiency. Supercoat Puppy® has been fed to ferrets for long periods of time without any known health problems. Never feed ferrets pet mince as this may contain a lot of thiamine inhibitor in it.

Apart from the dry food they really don't need anything else. It seems boring - but animal feed companies have spent thousands of dollars developing the right blend of nutrients to provide the best food possible. If you feed them too many different foods you may upset the nutrient balance. Never feed only bread and milk as the older style ferret owners used to. Ferrets are carnivores and simply don't do well on this diet - it will only make them overweight and give them diarrhoea. It is good to give them a RAW chicken wing every two weeks to help clean their teeth. They will not eat it - they will just chew it and it is the chewing action that helps clean their teeth. (Never give any animal cooked bones.) Throw out the chicken bones the next day to prevent Salmonella contimation and food poisoning.

And of course, always provide plenty of fresh water. Do not give a ferret milk - apart from the diarrhoea, if they are given too much milk from an early age they are at higher risk of developing diabetes when older. Do not give them soy milk as this causes gas build up in their stomach and makes them uncomfortable. You can give them small amounts of (low lactose) pet milk (supermarkets and pet shops) but only as an occasional treat.

HEALTH

Ferrets are always best desexed. Uncastrated male ferrets become more aggressive and smelly during breeding season (September to March). They need to be caged separately during the entire breeding season. This is because they will viscIously attack any other male ferrets when they are in full season, and will mate any female ferrets whether they are desexed or not. The male uncastrated ferret becomes very muscular and so if he decides to bite it is 100% harder. They also lose most of their ability to play while in season, and become less like pets and more determined to find a mate.

Female ferrets have a bit more of a serious predicament. If female ferrets are not mated each time they come into season they will develop aplastic anemia. This condition occurs because the female hormone oestrogen stops the bone marrow producing the red blood cells (these cells are responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood stream). Unless they are very lucky, or have a ferret blood transfusion, they will die from the severe anemia. Ferrets usually come in season twice in a breeding season, but this can be as high as up to four times. Once the ferret comes into season she needs to be mated within 3 weeks, or desexed a.s.a.p. There are also hormone injections to take them out of season.

Entire female ferrets must be mated, spayed or given the hormone injection to take them out of season otherwise they are very likely to die.

If the adult (over 6 months), undesexed female ferret does not come into season or does not become fatally ill from not being mated it may not "just be lucky". It is most likely has a very serious problem with it's reproductive system.

Most female ferrets that survive not being mated have actually been found to have cysts or tumors in their ovaries. This can lead to a very sick and painfully short life.

Of course desexing your ferret is much preferable. The ferret can have up to 19 kits in a litter, most having between 3 - 10. Most ferrets will eat some of their young, or abandon them. You must be very careful weaning ferrets onto solid food to get the calcium to phosphorus balance correct or the kits will have permanent bone deformities that will show up later in life.

Finding homes for the kits is also very difficult. You may know people who will take them, but are you sure they will have a responsible home? It is also vital that they are vaccinated and wormed before they go to their new home, and it is almost guaranteed that instead of making any money from the sale, you will lose it if you have kept the ferret kits in a satisfactory condition.

Ferrets are best desexed by 6 months of age so that their hormone levels do not affect their personality. They are far more affectionate and gentle when desexed.

Ferrets need vaccinations against canine distemper at the vets - initially two vaccinations one month apart of canine 3 in 1, 4 in 1 or DA2, then once a year for life.

They need worming every 3 months with a kitten or cat worming paste, syrup or tablet. The worming pastes in the syringes seem easiest to give. They can be given Heartworm prevention, discuss this with your vet. They need flea prevention treatment as necessary - anything suitable for kittens or puppies is fine.

They can be washed in lukewarm water - only use pet shampoos suitable for kittens or puppies. Try not to wash them in shampoos more than every two weeks as this may cause their skin to become irritated. They can be bathed as often as you like in plain water. They will usually dry themselves if you throw a towel on the ground for them. Make sure they are thoroughly dry, when the weather is cold, before putting them in a cage outside.

Their nails need clipping usually every month. Hold the ferret by the scruff of the neck and trim the nails with a dog nail clipper. Look for the red blood line and avoid cutting it, If you accidentally do cut it and they bleed put some talcum powder on it to stop the bleeding, or you can drag the nail across a bar of soap.

They are susceptible to catching colds and flu from other ferrets and from people. As per a normal cold, try to let it run its course for a while, but if it continues over a week or if it becomes worse bring it into see a vet. Sensible nursing helps, and is the same as for cats with flu (see cat flu).

They can also get a mite commonly know as ferret footrot otherwise known as sarcoptic mange. This is a little microscopic mite that burrows into their skin - usually on their feet and tail first and causes brown, crusty, lumpy skin. Take the ferret to the vet for an injection to help kill the mites. To help prevent footrot, Frontline flea spray is a good product to use not only for fleas, but to prevent footrot being caught from other ferrets. If you use frontline, only use the spray not the spot-on on version, and read the label carefully for the dose rate. Do not overspray.

Ferrets live usually between 8-10 years. They have also been known to live to 15 years. Keep them in the best condition you can and they will live a good long happy life.

So as you can see, ferrets can be great pets, though they are not for everyone. But if they get the right amount of attention and fun they will be adoring little pets you can be proud of.

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