I'm about as serious as it gets. lol j/k :)
First check out this site...I frequent it often and find it very reliable for ferrety information. http://www.ferretuniverse.com
I advise you get ALL of the things you need BEFORE you get the little fuzz-butt. Why? Well...you don't want to keep him in a carrier or box while you are trying to assemble a cage and set everything up. It would obviously just be best to have everything ready as soon as you come home with the little guy/gal.
You will need:
Good quality cage. I suggest a 4 level one.
Food and water dish. Get the heavy ';crock style'; dish as ferrets will turn-over anything they can.
Water bottle. Eventually (when he/she is not a baby anymore) you will want to switch to a bottle...you will find out why. :)
Hammock or two.
Ferret food...no cat food please. I like and would recommend 8in1 brand as well as ZuPreem. I mix the two together for my own ferret blend.
';High Calorie Vitamin';. A good one made by 8in1 and its called FerriVite. They really do require this, not only for a treat but for the nutrients as well.
2 or 3 litter pans. Buy the biggest ';corner style'; litter pans you can find! Ferrets like to be able to fit their whole body in the pan when they do the dirty deed. :) The bigger the better or else you will find that they will poop right next to the pan if it is too small. You will want one for their cage and 1 or 2 for that special corner of the room that they will frequent and use for a potty.
Toys. Ferret specific toys. They also enjoy cat toys as well.
Treats. Along with the FerriVite you can give them a little something extra. You will see all kinds in the ferret food isle of your pet store.
Bedding is really not necessary. I find that cotton T-shirts, old flannel P.J.'s, or small towles give them a nice place to rest if they are not in the mood for their hammock. Plus (and here is the bonus) the old shirts are free and can be washed and re-used. When you see the price of bedding you will thank me for this tip. :)
I think I about covered it...eventually you will want to pick up a pet carrier and little extras you find will be nice to have along the way. If your budget at all allows it I recommend getting another ferret as a friend to your first. They really do appreciate a friend their own size that can play with them the way a ferret likes to play. I have found over the years that they do better in pairs or groups.
Oh...and one more thing...don't forget the litter to go into the litter pans. I recommend getting the corn-cob litter until the litte babe gets over dunking his head in the pan. When he is a little more mature they I would go for the more inexpensive cat litter.
Good luck and take care of that fuzz-butt!Looking for advice on a new ferret?
Your welcome! Ferrets are tricky little fuzzers. ';Sneaky Snakes'; I call them. :) I wish I would have had an experienced owner around to help me when I purchased my very first one...I would have done so many things differently.
Report Abuse
First, if this is your first ferret, a baby is really not advised - they are a handful. Most people with no experience are encouraged to get an older ferret to learn with because they are so much easier. Second, buy or borrow from the library a copy of Ferrets for Dummies - it's a ferret owner's bible. Third, join a forum or two - take advantage of the experience of others. They are more than willing to help and love to answer questions. Are you prepared to spend 2-8 hours a day with it outside of its cage. They need playtime and interaction out of the cage because they are very social animals and, have you ever tried to exercise in a closet? LOL They will become bored with toys and their cage very quickly and then you have a very unhappy, depressed ferret. Learn about ferret-proofing your house - this is of maximum importance. They will get into everything and if there is escape of any kind, they will find it. Food should be ferret specific (Marshall's is crap) mixed with a good quality kitten food. The food needs to be 36% protein, at least. Avoid fish products, it makes them smelly. Start a vet fund - you WILL need it. Hammocks, blankets, and old clothes make the best bedding - be sure to clean them once a week. I use newspaper in mine's litterbox - it's readily available and helps control smell. Clean this at least once a day. They need water and food available at all times; they need to eat every 3-4 hours, 24/7. Dryer venting makes wonderful tubes for playing as does biodegradable packing p-nuts. No styrofoam! No rubber anything! They will eat things not good for them, which causes blockages which require expensive surgery. Nail clippers and ferretone go hand in hand - a little ferretone on the belly and they won't care what you do while they lap it up. No sugary treats. Ferrets are obligate carnivores and need meat products. Also, a piece of their regular kibble from your hand is a treat. The things listed previously are good, but there's no way all the things you will find yourself needing will show up here. Each ferret has it's own personality and likes and dislikes, so what you will get from here are mostly bare basics. Take advantage of the book and the forums, which can be accessed for quick answers anytime. Good luck on your new fuzzbutt.
Large cage, Ferret tone (vit supplement), Good quality ferret food, please do not feed cat food please. you will need ferret approved toys, water bottles, hammock, litter box, blankets! and you will need to find a vet that cares for ferrets because they do need shots every year!! we where going to get a ferret but decided not to because they 90% at the age around 5 years get this dease and they will have to be on medication. I would talk to a vet before you get one because from what the rescue told us and what my vet said their medical needs after 5 years of age can get very expensive!! Hope this helps
food a cage a bed and love and ferret proff your house make sure there id\s no little holes for the ferret to get through salt and water bottle
food
treats
litter box
ferret litter do NOT use kitty litter
toys
cage
water bottle
hammock
blanket
and probably forgetting some things
No comments:
Post a Comment