5 Crucial Care Tips for New Ferret Owners

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Last Updated on July 28, 2021 by Pauline G. Carter

Ferrets make wonderful pets and are growing in popularity. If you are a new ferret owner, you need to understand these playful, highly intelligent, and social pets to give them the proper care they need.

Unlike cats or dogs, ferrets have acentric qualities which may puzzle you, and they need to be handled with extra care and responsibility. By learning all about their care needs, you will keep your ferret happy and healthy.

Here are some of the 5 crucial care tips for new ferret owners:

Table of Contents

Feeding and Diet

Ferrets are true carnivores and need meat for them to survive. You should only feed them meat and other proteins. Also, it’s good to diversify their diet at an early age before they are 6 months old.

When they get used to a particular meat diet, they might reject other diets when they are older. Feed them with a variety of meat and protein like beef, chicken, turkey, etc.

Never feed your ferret with any food with fiber as it damages their digestive tract and makes them sick. Stick to only meat and protein. You can opt for packaged ferret food to fulfill your dietary needs.

Habitat

Ferrets spend most of their time in a day sleeping about 14-18 hours in a day. Therefore, having good ferret cages will ensure they are comfortable and safe while sleeping. Ensure your ferret’s cage have enough space for them to move and run around.

Also, ferrets are very clean animals, and you should have a separate litter box in their cage and make sure you clean it daily. If you can, get your ferret a hammock and put it in their cage for them to relax better.

Grooming

Ferrets are generally clean creatures, but you have to groom them to keep them happy and healthy. Comb your ferret once in a while to remove loose fur and bath them once or twice a month using ferret shampoo to remove the bad odor from their bodies.

Bathing ferrets too frequently will dry out their skin and coat and even make their odor get worse. Also, cleaning their ears, brushing their teeth, and trimming their nails once in a while is healthy.

Health Care

Just like any other pets, ferrets need health care too. They are susceptible to several health issues like gastric problems, ulcers, adrenal glands, and pancreas diseases. They require regular veterinary checkups to keep their health in check.

Until they reach 5 years, it’s recommended to give them annual health checkups and after every 6 months past that age. Vaccination is important to prevent them from contracting fleas and avoid diseases like rabies and distemper.

Spend Lots of Time with Them

Ferrets are really playful animals, and they love attention and to cuddle too. Since they spend most of their time sleeping during the day when they are awake, it’s time to play with them and bond.

They love to play with toys dancing and running. They make great playmates, and you will have fun playing with them. Also, because they like chewing a lot, buy them toys that are not made of latex or plastic for them to chew.

Conclusion

Ferrets are small adorable creatures that are very playful, intelligent, and love attention; their unique characteristics make them great pets. If you are a new ferret owner, these crucial care tips will help you keep your pet healthy, comfortable, and happy.