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"Why keep ferrets "? people ask.Apart from being a challenge I think it is because they are a combination of all the other pets rolled
into one furry ball.Ferrets are intelligent - extremely playful - very clever - never dull - easily trained - clean - fun to be with -
mischievous and worth all the effort you have to put in to keep them.

On the other hand if they are not cared for properly and left to live a life of solitude,given the wrong diet,never played with and
cuddled they can be - nervous - depressed - vicious, sick little creatures.

When you take any animal into your care you must remember they are your responsibility and they will depend on you for
everything.You will be responsible for their cleaning - grooming - feeding - health and finding responsible people to care for them
when you go on holiday.It is no good thinking that if you bung a large bowl of food and water into their pen they will be fine until
you get back - because they won't.

The first thing to do before you even think about adopting or buying a ferret especially if you have never owned them before,is to
find out as much as you can about them.

How much it will cost to have them spayed/neutered?

Is your vet ferret friendly? not all of them are.

How much will it cost to feed them?

What sort of diet should they have?

What sort of illnesses are they likely to get?

How much will it cost to build or buy a suitable pen ?

Who will look after your pets whilst you are on holiday?

Speak to experienced owners and reputable breeders about the ups and downs of keeping ferrets.

Spend time with ferrets and see their reactions.

Most important is to find a Vet that specialises in ferret problems not all of them do.If you are in the Coventry area you can do no
better than to use Broad Lane Veterinary Centre,Broad Lane,Tile Hill,Coventry. 024-76464789 where Mr Hands and his team are in
our opinion the best for ferrets and in fact for all pets.

The best book to buy in our opinion is "The Complete Book of Ferrets" by Val Porter and Nicholas Brown that can be ordered from
any bookstore for around Ł12.50 and well worth it.

When you feel you are ready to adopt go to a reputable breeder or Rescue Centre.

Ask to see where the animals are kept and if you adopt kits ask to see the parents to to make sure they are in good
condition,healthy and clean.

Make sure your ferrets have been handled so at least you have a chance of handling them without being bitten to bits.

Be wary of buying ferrets from the guy down the road or at fairs you could be letting yourself into a whole lot of health trouble with
your pets,some of these ferrets are not quite as healthy as they are made out to be - as we have found out.

Remember some people will sell anything as perfect just to make a measly buck.

Whether your ferrets are kits or adults in our opinion two are better than one as they will have their own kind to play with.If the
owners work like we do then a single ferret will spend hours hoping someone will come along to play with them.Also to watch two
or more ferrets play together is a joy in itself.

Like with the adoption of any animal make sure their eyes are clear and bright - ears are clear of wax - teeth are not broken - nose is
free of mucus - feet are clean and free from sores - skin is free from livestock and sores - fur is soft and glossy- body is free from
lumps and bumps.Remember you can always ask an experienced owner to assist you when adopting or buying.

The worst things ferrets can do is to trash your home or bite you down to the bone and from experience the
latter hurts.

On the other hand ferrets make wonderful companions if cared for properly.They are funny - loving and they
respond to kindness as we all do.

Ferrets are used for working in several ways the most popular being rabbiting.It is said to be the most humane
way to control rabbits.If poison and gas are used it not only kills the rabbit but other wildlife and even domestic
dogs that happen to be the area.

They are also used to lay cables under buildings that workmen cannot reach,in fact they were used to lay
television cables for the wedding of our own Prince Charles.

YOUR FERRET'S DAILY ROUTINE

Handle your pets everyday without fail and give them lots of cuddles.

While doing this check their coats for fleas and ticks especially if you work them.

Run your hands over their bodies to check for lumps and bumps that should not be there.If you find a lump get
it checked out with a Vet straight away as it could be a cyst - abscess or a tumour.Never leave it till later it might
prove to late.

During play young ferrets very often bite each other on the back of the neck causing redness and small
scabs.Keep an eye on the scabs and bathe with hospital Savlon diluted in warm water.If the scabs become
infected see a Vet although the latter doesn't happen very often.

Check your ferret's mouth for swollen gums and broken teeth.

Check their ears for earmites that appear as black tarry wax,if you think they have mites see a Vet for
eardrops.Always consult a Vet before administering any kind of medication.Wipe ears out regularly with animal
or baby wipes NEVER use earbuds.

Clean their toilet area every day.

Cut nails at least once a month - if you don't feel confident ask an experienced owner to do it for you.If you
should cut into a nerve put on soft soap that will help stop the bleeding.

The Black Footed ferret of America almost became extinct due to human flu and like their cousins the ferrets in
this Country are prone to this aswell.So do not kiss and cuddle your pet if you have the flu - get someone else
to help out until you are well.

If for whatever reason you are worried about your ferret's health consult a Vet as ferrets can become ill and die
very quickly.

Your kits should be 8-10 weeks old,weaned off Mum's milk and started on solids.They will enjoy ferret complete
biscuits soaked in water and beef mince given at room temperature.You will find like all baby animals they will
gorge themselves to bursting point if you let them.So it is best to give them small regular feeds until they realise
they don't have to eat it all at once.After a couple of weeks put a small bowl of un-soaked biscuits in their pen so
they can choose.The hard crunchy biscuit will help to strengthen their teeth.Make sure they have a supply of
clean water.

Older ferrets also need a high protein diet to maintain good health,skin and glossy coat.They will be happy to
eat ferret complete biscuits but make sure they are available 24 hours a day,as they are constant nibblers.As a
treat your pets can have rabbit and beef mince at room temperature.Ferrets also like an array of vegetables as a
treat but some owners don't agree with this.90 % of our members give veggies as treats in small quantities and it
hasn't hurt a ferret yet.In fact one of my own ferrets died recently at the age of 9 years and thrived on his daily
intake of veg.Obviously not all ferrets like veg but the ones that do just love it.Some of the veg that has been
reported to me as ferret friendly are - tomato - cucumber - broccoli - red/yellow peppers even apples - pears -
bananas and oranges.I had an e-mail from America telling me that they also feed their pets fruit and veg.To
much can of course cause diarrhoea which cannot be good news so beware.

Dairy products are not good for your pets even though I know of some people who give their ferrets ice-cream
which I know they love.

The odd egg mixed with tea is a great treat but not to often as you will find your pet's fur will fall out.

Make sure the bowls you use for your ferret's food are clean and free from dried on food.

Change their bedding regularly and replace with clean jumpers or shredded paper.

If your pets do have fleas and ticks FRONTLINE is recommended but do not over do it.I usually spray my rubber
glove and then rub it into the ferret's fur rather than spraying it straight on the the ferret, as it can cause
blistering of the skin that you must agree can be very painful.

Most ferret lovers and Rescue Centres are against breeding except for re-stocking working groups.Jills can have
up to 15 kits some of which will die due to her inability to feed them all.Many owners breed just to make a few
measly pounds at some game fair never giving a thought to the life the ferrets may be going to.Have your pet
spayed/neutered at 6 months old ensuring kits won't be born to an un-certain future.If you cannot find a Vet in
your area then phone/fax or e-mail and we will point you in the right direction.

Ferrets love toys and will spend hours exploring a new one.Plastic carpet tubes can be obtained from carpet
warehouses free of charge.Large cardboard boxes with holes cut out the side,stuffed with plastic shopping bags
that rustle will keep your pets happy for hours.Babies cast offs such as rattles and balls are great and you can
pick these up at any car boot sale quite cheaply.Squeaky toys will keep them amused.Make sure with any toy
that small pieces cannot be chewed off causing choking. Avoid anything stuffed with foam.

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This page last modified on Wednesday, December 14, 2005