Pet Ferrets: What You Should Know

Veterinary Care

It is very likely that your ferret will have some medical emergencies, so in addition to finding a qualified ferret veterinarian, you will also need to have contact information for a 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital as well. You will probably want to locate at least two, since they may not always have a ferret veterinarian on call.

Photo From Ferretism on Instagram

Interesting Ferret Behavior

During playtime, your ferret will probably start to bounce around excitedly, dancing towards you and away from you, jumping up and down with stiff legs, and running into things. This is affectionately known by ferret owners as the "happy weasel war dance," and it's completely normal behavior! It's just your ferret's way of trying to entice you to play with him.

Safety Because they're so curious, ferrets can easily get themselves into situations that are dangerous for them. Before letting your ferret out to play, always make sure that the area in which he will be playing is "ferret proofed." Use Cord Protectors on all electrical cords.

One thing you need to remember - ferret proofing is an ongoing process, so do it each and every time you let your ferret out of his cage!

So is a ferret the right pet for you?

If all of these aspects of ferret ownership sound like things you can manage, then a ferret may be a good pet for you. However, it's important to understand that owning a ferret is a major responsibility. They have an average life span of 7 to 10 years and can be high-maintenance pets. Even if everything mentioned in this article sounds like it would be easy to handle, remember that you aren't ready for a ferret if you aren't ready for the time and monetary commitments.

Reference Sources:

• https://u.osu.edu/pets4life/pet-care-basics/ferrets/
• https://cvm.ncsu.edu/documents/caring-for-your-ferret/