When the time has come to cut away from home for awhile and head out for a nice trip out of town, one might wonder how best to handle a vacation when they’ve got a pet ferret.  After all, you can’t just leave out plenty of food and water in a cage and leave for a week!  Owners of ferrets may say that their quirky little creature has become part of the family, and leaving him home alone would be a dreadful thought.

First let’s say that the best thing you can do upon getting a pet ferret is call around to local pet hotels to see if they take ferrets.  Also make sure the people working there have experience with this type of animal so you know your pet will be well taken care of.  This is not to say that you cannot travel with your ferret, for many people do.  But, in the unforeseen event that you must travel on short notice, having a place you feel comfortable with where you can leave your ferret in good hands will certainly come in handy.  It would save you stress and the time it would take to track down a friend who could care for your pet in your absence.

If your vacation is planned, you have a few options to look into.  It is not only important to know your ferret’s personality and tendencies when considering travel, but also your own.  First of all comes your pet.  You love your pet!  This is the reason why you would even think of taking her on vacation with you in the first place.  Before you go out an buy a miniature set of luggage, make sure you feel comfortable that travel will not cause too much stress on your little darling.  Stress can trigger several health issues, causing your pet to pay dearly for that little time away.

If you feel your ferret is up for travel, look into the following:

• Location – if you live in sunny California and you’re planning a ski trip to Aspen, your ferret may not do well.  In the opposite instance, the same is true.  Ferrets do not regulate body temperature easily.  Vacationing in a spot that has temperatures much different that what your ferret is used to will cause him problems.
• Pet friendly – you will need to find out if the place you will be lodging in is pet friendly.  Not only pet friendly, but FERRET friendly.  As you know, this means ferret-proofing your hotel room, cabin, condo, etc.  This pet friendly policy goes for Grandma’s house as much as it does the Hilton.
• Time – Just like when you are at home, your ferret will need attention and exercise while vacationing.  If your trip includes a lot of activities for you and your ferret will be caged most of the time, it’s best to just leave him at home with a friend or in a pet hotel.

If you have come to the conclusion that traveling with your ferret will be what you will do, then make sure you are prepared with all the necessities.  Regardless of how you travel, you will want to bring along a pet carrier.  There may be times when it will come in handy.  You will also need to bring a large enough supply of food and treats to last the duration of your trip, your ferrets litter pan, litter and scooper, and his harness and leash.  If you are travelling by car or other mode of transportation where your ferret may be out of his cage, make sure you are prepared with tissue to clean up any accidents.  You will also need a current health record that includes proof of rabies vaccination from your vet and ID tags on his harness and pet carrier.

Bon Voyage!