Ferret
Ferrets have powerful, distinct and engaging personalities, with a playful and fastidious nature. They are very gregarious and are happiest in pairs or larger groups.
Ferrets are half-light creatures with their periods of greatest activity just before sunrise and shortly after sunset. They sleep about eighteen to twenty hours of the day, waking up twice a day for very active periods of about two hours. Due to their very high metabolism, ferrets also awaken roughly every four hours for a few minutes to eat, relieve themselves and play briefly. When they wake, ferrets shiver noticeably for periods up to twenty minutes. This is normal as the ferret is increasing his body temperature after sleep due to his high metabolism and inherently higher body temperature.
As burrow-living animals, ferrets require a dark, quiet place to sleep. The most suitable places are boxes and drawers with bedding of old towels, sweaters, pants and the like in which they can roll up or bury themselves.
Ferrets are extremely curious and will investigate anything and everything. This curiosity is the leading cause of accidents amongst ferrets. It is important to supervise your ferret at all times when he is at play. When you allow your ferrets to roam about your home, never close refrigerators, washers, driers, etc. without first ensuring no ferrets are exploring or roosting within.
The average life span of a ferret is 6 to 8 years.
When fully grown, females weigh about1.5 lbs.
Ferrets come in many colour variations: Most are shades of brown, gray and black with the mask, feet and tail ("points") generally being the darkest in colour. The red-eyed white breed of ferret, commonly called an "albino", was bred for the trait of eye colour. These animals suffer from some vision problems due to this breeding, mostly related to difficulties with bright light.
ABOUT
Basic Care Plan for Ferret
Ferrets are active, curious animals that should be allowed to run free when awake and be caged only when required for safety. Should you not be able to allow the animals a large area with toys to roam about freely and explore, then ferrets are not the pet for you.
When it is necessary to confine your pets, they should be kept in a cage large enough to allow separate sleeping, eating, litter and play areas. Generally, a cage of 1 metre by 1/2 metre (40 inches by 20 inches) can house one to three ferrets comfortably for a short period of time or for travel. If confined for too long, they become frustrated and claw or gnaw at the cage, resulting in dental damage. When it is necessary to keep the animals caged, exercise in a large area conducive to exploration for periods of two to three hours twice a day is advised. Remember that a cage is a dangerous place for animals that roughhouse when playing. Make sure that there are no exposed wires, gaps between wires that could catch toes and nails, loose doors or panels that can catch a head, or perch-like shelves that the ferrets can fall from when playing.
Ferrets love to tunnel, so their favourite beddings are sheets, towels, blankets, sweaters and such. These items are ideal for ferrets to snuggle into, but ensure that sweaters and blankets do not have decorations on them that the ferret can pull off and swallow.
Small cardboard boxes, bags of plastic and paper, throw rugs and towels, white socks and clean linen: These are some of a ferret's favorite things. Fancy toys are nice for humans, but the child in the ferret enjoys the things he can crawl into, under, and through, like drainage pipe and box lids. The leavings of the latest shopping expedition (bags, boxes, etc.) are the greatest gift mankind can bestow upon a ferret.
Ferrets are exceptionally playful, so expect your ferret to tip over his food and water bowls. Check on them often, tape them down, use a heavy dish or place a rubber mat underneath for spillage.
Do not use water bottles for ferrets: These are unsanitary, damage teeth and do not allow a dehydrating ferret to get enough water to survive. Ferrets also wash their faces in water, so an open source is necessary for their hygiene.
Because ferrets have such rapid metabolisms, they awaken to eat about every four hours. Fresh water and food should always be available to them. Ferrets eat only what they need and leave excess food for later, so one need not worry about over feeding.
Ferrets must be fed a high quality dry ferret or kitten food. Hard food keeps the ferrets teeth clean and makes their feces less smelly. The food should contain from 32% to 36% protein (half of which should be derived from meat), at least 18% fat, minimal ash and the supplement taurine to prevent urinary tract problems. There is no need to change diet for older ferrets. Be aware that some ferret foods contain high quantities of fish meal, oil and by-products. These types of food are based on mink feed and do not meet the nutritional needs of ferrets, who are not aquatic and will shun them (a hint). They are generally soft, causing plaque and tartar buildup on the teeth, and also give the animal an unpleasant smell. Also to be avoided are foods with added flavours or gimmicks, like raisins, to induce the ferret to eat.
Like all carnivores, ferrets enjoy fruit and sweet vegetables such as grapes, bananas, apple, melon, carrots, cucumber, etc. as a dietary complement. Every ferret has it's own preferences. Remove skins that are tougher than a grape peel and slice stringy items like celery into thin slices rather than sticks to avoid intestinal blockages. Dog biscuits (for small dogs) also make a healthy snack. Give dairy products and dried fruits sparingly as ferrets are somewhat lactose intolerant and dried fruit is difficult to digest. Avoid nuts and grain products, as the animals cannot digest these, and treats that could be swallowed whole, as ferrets do not have grinding molars like us. Milk and milk products in small amounts are also acceptable.
Vitamin supplements are not necessary if the ferrets are fed high quality food and fresh fruit. However, many ferrets love Linatone or Ferritone vitamin supplements, which are given as reward for good behavior or a distraction when clipping nails and such. No more that 3 drops per day should be given to your ferret as an excess of certain vitamins can cause medical problems including fur loss and blindness. We recommend feeding fresh fruit rather than using a supplement. Nutri-Cal and Ferretvite are other supplements used mostly for ill or undernourished ferrets, though they can be used as healthier treats for ferrets instead of Linatone or Ferritone.
