Ferrets

[buggi]

my ratty is dieing of old age (bless) and her two mates are only going to last a year now. they only live for 2 years and i'm looking for something with a bit of longevity now. so now i'm thinking about a ferret. maybe one of these with the mask across his face so i can call him Zorro or Bandit.

has anyone ever had one? he'd mostly have the run of my flat when i'm home and i just wondered how good they are when it comes to chewing (will i have to ferret proof my furniture?)

 

[Noodley]

my ratty is dieing of old age (bless)

 

[longers]

All I know about ferrets is they are a bit smelly. Very smelly. It's their glands I think. They're normally kept outside.

I had one in my garden a bit back. It was a lovely docile one and let me pick it up no bother at all. I washed my hands afterwards.

 

[buggi]

i know, she's all wobbly on her legs bless. she needs walking sticks, but she's still in reasonable health other than i've had to move her house "downstairs" in her cage because she can't manage climbing anymore. she doesn't seem to be in pain so i think she may just go in her sleep, fingers crossed.

All I know about ferrets is they are a bit smelly. Very smelly. It's their glands I think. They're normally kept outside.

I had one in my garden a bit back. It was a lovely docile one and let me pick it up no bother at all. I washed my hands afterwards.

apparently, having them neutered is the key as most of the smell comes from the hormones. although they can produce a smell through their anal glands, like skunks, as a form of defence, so not very often as they get to know their owners so aren't scared. vets will remove the glands if it becomes a problem but as a general rule they like to keep them intact just in case they get out, as it can ward off predators. it's generally considered more effective just having them neutered.

my sister found one once. she came to get me because she wasn't brave enough to pick her up. thought she had been run over, her back legs were paralysed and she looked like she was dieing. turned out she was, kind of; she was in season and had escaped to go look for a bit of nookie. her owner was really stressed. if you don't mate the females when they are in season they get aneamic and eventually die. the vet had to do it (i didn't ask how... i'm not really sure i want to know ) anyway, i saved her life because i was the only onlooker brave enough to pick her up. she was lovely.

anyway, i've done a bit of research. they are pretty much easy to look after although they do need lots of attention. no problem there. i live on my own and will love her to bits. just a tad worried about my very expensive leather settee. i read they don't chew furniture but just wondered if anyone had ever owned one and if that's true, or whether i will have to ferret proof it.

 

[longers]

One neutered Ferret for Buggi then .

Will you be putting it down your trousers? That's the other thing I know about ferrets.

 

[col]

my brother had one years ago,if you train them well they will stay with you for walks,but when they are young,they may bite a little,and what you need to do ,is not pull away when they do,just force your finger into their mouth,and put enough pressure on so they are trying to pull away,this is how you train them not to bite you for when they are older.

 

[bonj2]

the look great. just don't let her in the same room as you've got your settee in when you're not there, same as my mum does with her cat.

 

[longers]

I've seen one being taken for a walk on a harness round Dovestones Reservoir . Cols post reminded me of this.

 

[col]

keep their hut very clean,and the smell isnt too bad at all,a bit musky,but ok.

 

[buggi]

yea, i've read loads of stuff on t'internet and all the advice seems to steer towards that the best thing to do if your new to ferrets is go to a rescue place. apparently loads of people have them when they are kits, they are really hard work at this stage and they can't handle the biting and the madness and get rid of them. the rescue places take them in, have them neutered and get them used to handling and rehome them once they are trained. mostly they are about 10 months old when rehomed, and all the hard work is done for you, and they are just coming into having their own personalities and much better for first time owners. so i am thinking of doing this.

 

[col]

I've seen one being taken for a walk on a harness round Dovestones Reservoir . Cols post reminded me of this.

If your persistant with the training,you dont need a harness all the time,ours came to his name called,with a hunched back and that mm mm mm noise they make when playing,bouncing after us.

 

[Dave5N]

...if you don't mate the females when they are in season they get aneamic and eventually die. the vet had to do it...

 

[buggi]

the look great. just don't let her in the same room as you've got your settee in when you're not there, same as my mum does with her cat.

my brother had that problem, his cats wrecked their settee. but i did read ferrets don't claw furniture. too busy jumping out on you.

it was a long time ago that i found the ferret, as time went on i thought maybe i had misunderstood what the vet said but all the recent information i've read on females confirms it.

 

[buggi]

keep their hut very clean,and the smell isnt too bad at all,a bit musky,but ok.

rats can be a bit a bit musky too. i've had four of them at a time and you have to keep them really clean or they stink too.

 

[col]

rats can be a bit a bit musky too. i've had four of them at a time and you have to keep them really clean or they stink too.

Ours slept in its hut,and was only in the house if we were there,never had any problems,even when it wanted to have a pee,it lets you know in advance,by doing a backward type shuffle,so you know to pick it up and outside.