• Ferrets are intelligent, playful and interactive creatures that can make good pets.
• Ferrets are not suitable pets for children under 6 years of age
• Legal restrictions do exist for the ownership of ferrets so make sure to check with your state and local laws before deciding to pursue ferret ownership.  They are legal in Arizona.

Life Span: 5-11 years

Average Size: Adult Weight about 1.5 to 3 pounds. 

Diet and Feeding:

Ferrets are strict carnivores and require a meat based diet.
 
Whole prey diets (i.e., frozen and thawed rats, mice, rabbits) or balanced carnivore diets may be more appropriate since there is a link between feeding of grain-containing kibble diets and the development of insulinoma and inflammatory bowel disease.  Many ferrets are fed kibble due to the convenience and owners' aversions to feeding other animals to their ferrets.
 
Grain-free dry kibble ferret diets are available such as ZuPreem's Grain-Free Ferret Diet but even this diet contains sweet potatoes and other carbohydrate sources that may not be ideal for ferrets with certain medical conditions such as insulinoma.

When choosing a diet for your ferret check the label on the bag to make sure that the crude protein is between 30-35% and the fat content is between 15-20%.  Meat should make up at least the first 3 ingredients listed on the bag.  Meats such as chicken, turkey, and beef may be offered in moderation as supplements to the diet.

Foods high in carbohydrates and fibers like fruits, bananas, sugary cereals, dairy products and vegetables should be avoided.  These foods can have a negative effect on their digestive system and cause health problems.  Use caution when offering store bought ferret treats since many of these are high in carbohydrates.  Check the label before you buy!

Dog food and cat food are NOT appropriate diets for ferrets and will cause health problems.

Since ferrets naturally eat frequent small meals, food and fresh clean water should be available at all times.  Most ferrets drink readily from water bottles and all ferrets seem to enjoy splashing in water bowls.  Some ferrets even like to swim in the bathtub!  (Always under your supervision, of course.)

Caging:

Ferrets need a large cage that is "ferret proofed" to prevent escape; likewise a house should be "ferret proofed" so that electrical cords and other dangerous household items are not accessible by the ferrets.

Two ferrets can live in a wire cage measuring 48 x 24 x 24 inches, with either a wire or solid floor.  Additional space is recommended if the ferrets are not allowed to roam the house for exercise daily.  Due to poor ventilation, glass aquariums are not recommended.

Shelving, hammocks, or tiers may be incorporated into the cage to provide more room to sleep and play .  PVC tubes and large cardboard tubes make great hiding tunnels.

Their enclosure should be easy to clean and disinfect.

Bedding:

Ferrets enjoy digging and burrowing into soft materials such as wood shavings, recycled paper products, or pelleted products.  If used, 1-2 inches should be placed on the floor of the enclosure.  However, this is not necessary and many ferrets do well with newspaper or paper towels are floor coverings.  If you include towels or other cloth items in the cage, inspect the edges frequently and trim away loose threads.  If you ferret seems to be chewing on these items, you may need to remove them or you run the risk of your ferret developing a serious surgical condition known as a gastrointestinal foreign body (GIFB).

Sleeping Area:

This is an essential part of your ferret's habitat.  Items such as towels, old shirts, or commercially produced ferret beds or hammocks will provide not only a place for your ferret to sleep, but to feel safe and secure.  It is worth repeating that all cloth items should be inspected and any frayed edges or trailing strings or thread removed.  If holes develop, throw out the item so your ferret does not get entangled and possibly injured trying to crawl through too small an opening.  Provide at least one sleeping area for each ferret.

Litter Box:

Ferrets can be litter box trained, and prefer to eliminate in a corner of their enclosure. Use pelleted litter or recycled paper products like Yesterday's News or Carefresh instead of clay or clumping litters.  Multiple litter boxes can be placed throughout the house for when your ferret is not in their cage.

It may help train a ferret to use a new litter box by adding a small amount of soiled litter from its regular litter box.  Make sure the litter boxes are positioned in corners where the ferret can see the rest of the room -- If a litter box is in an open position, a ferret will not feel comfortable using it.

Never scold or spank a ferret or otherwise punish it if it goes outside the litter box.  It will not understand what you are doing.  It far more effective to praise the ferret when it is actually using the litter box.

Some ferrets can be slow to learn to use the litter boxes outside their cage.  In that case, enclose the litter box with a barrier.  You will probably notice that your ferret goes to the bathroom at a predictable time after it is taken out of its cage.   Some do it right away, others do it after 5 minutes, and some only do it if they have been eating right beforehand. You can then place it inside the barrier and leave it their until it uses the litter box.  After a couple of times, the ferret should get the idea and the barrier can be taken down.  You may have to do this with each litterbox so it learns all of the locations.

Temperature:

Ferrets do well in a temperature between 50 and 80°F however they can not tolerate temperatures over 85°F degrees F, and are very susceptible to overheating.  Heat stroke can be deadly -- do not expose your ferret to warm Arizona weather!

Social Life:

Ferrets do well alone or in groups.  They may play aggressively together and show other behaviors such as territory marking and hunting.  If frightened, ferrets can show defensive behaviors such as hissing, screaming, and may try to bite.  Ferrets may sleep up to 18 hours a day

Exercise and Play: 

Ferrets need at least 2 hours of exercise a day outside of their cages.  Rubber dog or cat toys are not appropriate for ferrets.  Ferrets can eat these toys and cause severe medical problems, such as blockage of their digestive systems.  Toys that are OK for your ferret include paper bags, cloth toys made for cats, and hard plastic toys (such as Nylabone), or metal toys.  Throw out cloth toys that start to show visible threads or strings or where the stuffing is coming loose and throw out any plastic items that seem to be easily chewed into smaller pieces. Tubing such as PVC pipes, mailing tubes, or dryer hoses make good exploration zones.  If ferrets are let out of their enclosures to play, the area must also be "ferret proofed¨ to prevent ingestion of harmful materials or chewing of electrical cords.

Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling your ferret

Habitat Maintenance:

Clean the litter box daily and change the litter as needed. Bedding should be changed weekly, or more frequently if needed. The ferret's enclosure should also be cleaned weekly with a mild soap and should be thoroughly rinsed and allowed to completely dry before reintroducing the ferret to its home.

Grooming and Hygiene: 

Ferrets produce a musty smell even if they are surgically descented.  This is due to oil producing glands in their skin.  Most ferrets have their anal glands removed (descented) at a very early age (5-6 weeks old), this occurs at the same time they are spayed or neutered.  Ferrets shed their fur twice a year.  Combing them during this time can help eliminate loose fur.  Baths can be given when necessary, but avoid frequent bathing, which can dry out their skin.  Use a hypoallergenic shampoo and do not apply a conditioner.  Nails should be trimmed and ears should be checked and cleaned weekly or as needed.  It is possible to brush a ferret's teeth with a softy baby toothbrush or even just cotton-tip applicators. Enzymatic toothpastes used for cats work well as does plain baking soda. Brushing daily is best but even once a week or once every two weeks is better than nothing at all. Even with regular brushing, many ferrets go on to develop tartar and gingivitis so we recommend teeth cleaning as part of the annual care program for your ferret. This procedure is done under general anesthesia. With a proper dental care program, your ferret will have all its teeth even when it is a senior citizen!

Wellness Examinations:

Ferrets should have full health exams by a veterinarian annually and then twice a year once they are 3 years of age to help identify potential problems early.
     1) Canine Distemper Vaccine should be given around 6 to 8 weeks of age with two additional boosters every 3 weeks until the ferret is 14 weeks of age or a little older.  After this initial vaccination, a blood sample can be taken once a year to see if the ferret is still protected by its previous vaccination.
     2) Rabies Vaccine is mandatory by law in some states.  Vaccination should occur at around 14-15 weeks of age with boosters given annually.  A blood sample can be check to ensure that your ferret has adequate levels of antibodies but many states still require the annual rabies vaccination and will not accept the bloodwork as proof of your ferret's rabies protection.
     3) Annual Lupron Treatment: We recommend that all ferrets receive a Lupron (leuprolide acetate) treatment in January to help prevent development of adrenal disease
     4) Microchips: Ferrets' coats, especially their masks can change in appearance over time, therefore identification of an individual ferret can be difficult if only photographs are available. Microchips can help you and your ferret reunite if it becomes lost.

Common Health Problems:

*Inflammatory Bowel Disease
* Lymphoma
* Pancreatic Islet Cell Tumors (Insulinomas)
* Adrenal Gland Disease
* Heartworm disease is extremely rare in Arizona but in other parts of the country it is common to have ferrets on monthly preventives for this infection.
* Ear mites are also a common problem in ferrets.  If a thick red-brown waxy buildup is noted in your ferret's ears consult your veterinarian

Warning Signs: Contact your veterinarian immediately if any of these signs occur: hair loss, lethargy, diarrhea, weight loss, nasal or eye discharge, difficulty breathing, not responding to touch, "glassy eyed stares", or seizures