All About Your Ferret
As with any new pet, you want to know all about what you are getting into. With cats and dogs, it’s pretty easy to come up with an idea because their behaviors are well known through media, TV and movies. But ferrets are a different story. Even though millions of ferrets are kept as pets in the United States alone, their characteristics and behaviors are still relatively unknown. This can cause problems for potential ferret owners who have not informed themselves of the needs and habits of their new pet.
First of all, Ferrets stink!
That’s right, this lively little creature that will run amuck through your house will carry with it a musky odor that is all his own. In North America, it has been a widespread practice to de-scent a ferret. While ferrets do have scent glands at their back end, these are not the culprit of the tell tale ferret scent. The scent glands of a ferret are similar to those of a skunk, although not nearly as potent. Their glands are not activated unless they become frightened and feel threatened. Because of this, the need for de-scenting is not what it was thought to be. The scent of a ferret is actually due to skin glands located throughout the body. The glands that cause the musky scent are more prominent around the face, so that’s where you’ll get the best whiff. Owners of ferrets will say that their ferret’s smell is not bad. It’s just something to get used to. Washing frequently does not diminish the ferret smell; in fact, it can make it stronger. Your ferret will only need to be bathed a few times a year, actually.
Ferrets need your time.
Although these pets sleep a good number of hours out of the day, they also love to play. Unlike a dog who can be satisfied with a 30 minute walk or some fetch time in the front yard, a ferret needs about 4 hours of play time every single day. Not giving your ferret the play time he needs will result in problem behaviors. These highly intelligent animals are curious and adventurous. They require supervision and interaction in order to live happy healthy lives.
Ferrets love to play chase and they love to explore.
Tapping into these two interests will pay off for both you and your pet. Set up a fun obstacle course that your ferret can tunnel around in and make noise and he will be a happy camper. This can be done with cardboard boxes, crumbled up cellophane paper (for noise), large PVC pipe or a ferret tunnel toy and even old pant legs or socks. Ferrets are inventive; give them a toy and they’ll figure out what to do with it.
These animals are very smart and will respond to training quite well. You just need to be consistent and patient with your pet along the way. You can train your ferret to use a litter box instead of the corner of your bedroom. You can train your ferret to play nicely without nipping. You can even train your ferret to do a few tricks! Ferrets make great pets. Just be sure to learn as much as you can about ferrets before brining one home.
