Ferrets As Pets

As of 1999 ferrets are legal to keep as pets in new york city.

Ferrets as pets. Ferrets are rather more demanding than most other caged domestic animals but if you are prepared to put in the commitment you will be handsomely rewarded by these loving and personable pets. Many generations of domestication have turned the ferret into an engaging and friendly pet that gives a lot back to any owner that takes care of them. Biting in ferrets is a natural behaviour. For many years kept as working animals for hunting wild rabbits and vermin today s pet ferrets are descended from wild european pole cats.

Ferrets were once used to control the wild rabbit population in new zealand resulting in the development of feral ferret colonies. A group of ferrets is called a business of ferrets female ferrets are called jills and males are hobs. A government study by the california state bird and mammal conservation program estimated that by 1996 about 800 000 domestic ferrets were being kept as pets in the united states. Young ferrets will not understand what will hurt their owners if they are not trained.

Ferrets natural play includes nipping and training is required to ensure your ferret knows that nipping humans is not an acceptable behavior. However they seem to have garnered a negative image which is largely undeserved. It is preferable that the cage have more than one level but this is not. While ferrets are not for everyone they can make great pets for the right owner.

If you own a ferret as a pet then it can be challenging to find someone who will care for them because of their maintenance requirements. In north america spayed females are sometimes called sprites and neutered males are called gibs. Ferrets are a high maintenance pet. It is highly recommended you consider adopting a pair of ferrets so they will always have a companion to socialize with.

They are also extremely inquisitive anything you may have in your home is of interest so ferret proofing your home is must so they do not get caught in. In the united states ferrets were relatively rare pets until the 1980s. They are smart and very curious and thus require training and lots of interaction with people. Ferrets are playful pets that are also very entertaining to watch.

For this reason ferrets were made illegal to own breed and sell. You can also treat your ferret with small pieces of human grade meat. If you don t wash and dry one thoroughly an. Baby ferrets are called kits.

It is a very very tough job keeping ferrets as pets for a number of reasons. Some describe it as musky but i find that the smell of strong artificial chocolate is the closest way to describe it. Ferrets are considered obligate carnivores which means they should only eat a meat based diet. A good option for pet ferrets is to provide a constant supply of high quality commercial kitten food as they have high metabolisms and require access to food at all times.

Males generally smell stronger than females while neutered ones smell more mild. Like many household pets ferrets require a cage. Ferrets smell really bad to most people. Though domestic ferrets are not usually aggressive their excitement and interest in games can lead to tugging chasing combat and hunting.

Today owning a ferret is no longer illegal but you are still not permitted to breed or sell ferrets while residing in new zealand. Training ferrets not to bite is something owners need to do firmly. You will need to feed your new pet 3 4 times per day to ensure that they are receiving adequate nutrition levels. Ferrets are highly intelligent and social pets that do best in small groups.

For ferrets a wire cage at least 18 in 460 mm long and deep and 30 in 760 mm wide or longer is needed. For families with young children ferrets are not the ideal household pet because they bite. Here are some of the big ones below.