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The ferret is very misunderstood. So lets try to dispel some of the myths.
Ferrets do not bite without a good reason, i.e FEAR, PAIN, HUNGER or BEING TEASED, also the most common of all being ill TREATED. They are also short sighted so they rely on their nose. Even apparent harden biters can, with careful handling love and attention, be reformed into trust worthy lovely non biting pets. Handling a ferret regularly is just as important as providing it with clean living quarters and the right food.
Ferrets are not a naturally wild animal but a DOMESTICATED breed like cats & dogs therefore they do not fare very well in wild.
Contrary to old beliefs, ferrets cannot live a healthy life being fed on bread and milk or cat and dog food. There are several brands of complete dry food on. But they are meat eaters and should be still given meat, rabbit/chicken/mince meat/any sort of meat. You must try to feed them fur or feather at least once every two weeks also add bone meal with the mince meat. They also need fresh water each day. Water bottles are good for them but you must keep them clean. So remember ferrets are carnivors.
FERRETS AND POLECAT
The pure ferret is white with ruby eyes or some people say red as the polecat is black with a very distinctive mask with a black nose and black eyes. All other colours have come from the breeding through the years. Do not mistake a polecat ferret with a wild polecat even though they look the same, one is domesticated the other is a wild animal and are found in Wales and the surrounding counties.
As pets
They are very playful even as they get older. They are very clean and will use one place as toilet area. They will groom themselves and each other.
They love to be played with, very curious and inquisitive, get into very small places and need a lot of human contact not left in a cage and ignored. Love to be taken for walks on a lead and harness. A ferret has no way of lowering its body temperature, so try to keep it out of sun or by placing the cage towards the morning sun and this will be cooler in the afternoons, if they look hot spray with water to cool them or dampen down with cold water straight from the tap if you don't have a spray.
Some helpful reading: Your First Ferret by Colin Jeal/Your First Ferret by Wendy Winsted m.d, The complete book of ferrets by Val Porter & Nicholas Brown.
Housing
The ferrets cage needs to be a good size 61x19x20. This is large enough to take four ferrets plus have a run added to the front for them to play in, with pipes and toys to keep them happy so they don't get bored.
You can run four jills in the summer, and in the winter you can put a hob in with them as they will be out of season over the winter. Build a smaller cage for the summer this cage should be 48x20x19 for your hob in the summer. This is big enough for two ferrets, so all you need to do now is make it strong, secure, water proof, well shaded from the sun, plus keep it well clean. If you face your hutch facing towards where the sun comes up in the morning, this is the coolest time of the day, this will place the sun behind them in the afternoon when it is hottest or place them in a place which is aready well shaded.
DO THEY SMELL
All animals have a personal scent. A ferret scent is at it's strongest during the breeding season, males being the most potent. They also have scent glands located in the anal canal which produces an oily substance known as musk, this is used in self defence and this is the reason for the latin name MUSTELLA PUTORIUS meaning smelly weasel.
DIARRHOEA
HEATSTROKE
Ferrets are not very good at losing thier body heat. The signs of heatstroke are distress and high temerature. And if the ferret may collapse and go into a coma. To help get the temperature down, place the ferret in a shaded and cool area. Then soak your ferret with cold water and if possible use a fan to help the waters cooling affects, repeat until you can see it temperature is down. Give your ferret a drink of water and if you are not sure of your ferrets condition take it to your vet. When the weather is hot try to spray your ferrets with a water sprayer that you get for plants.This can easily be avoided by putting their hutches in the shade,or face your hutch faceing in the direction of the sun coming up in the morning, and it will be behind in the afternoon this will help.Also make sure if you have them in a travelling box keep them shaded from the sun try to spray with cold water regularly,and never leave them shut in your car for any length of time.
BITES
This may be a sign of a disease, but it may be caused by what your ferrets has eaten, food which is off, or a sudden change of diet or some sort of allergy starve for 24hr and dose them with kaolin sulution but make sure that they have plenty of fresh water. If symptoms persists take a sample to your vet.
FLU
All bites can be a problem but if not serious can be treated at home, either with warm salt water or hibby scub if it is only minor. If it is more serious take it to a vet.
Ferrets can catch the flu from you also colds, so if you have either try not to get to close to your ferret. The illness responds to good nursing within a few days. If any complications go to a vet.
WHAT DOES A JUDGE LOOK FOR WHEN JUDGING FERRETS.
GENERAL APPEARANCE.
In the summer months ferrets should be slim & sleek, ribs and bones
should not be showing and their coat should be soft and shiny.
Winter time the ferrets should well covered with a nice layer of fat.
However, they should not be overweight to the point where their tummies are like a rugby ball as this can put alot of pressure on their back bone and may damage the spine. Their coats should be thick and fluffy. Your ferret should be free from fleas & lice. The judge will also look to see if your ferret is alert and wants to investigate its surroundings, also friendly and well handled as this is particularly important when judging kits. Ferrets have a natural odour and this should be present, they should not smell of shampoo. Points will be awarded for size, coat and attitude.
Teeth and Gums.
Teeth must be white and free from tartar, most ferrets just fed on biscuits may suffer more of abuild of tartar their back teeth. This can be prevented by giving them food containing fur and feather [rabbit or pigeon, day old chicks or mince meat with added bone meal] or you can clean their teeth with a babies tooth brush & paste. Gums must be pink, if red and sore a trip to the vet is required.
Ears and Eyes.
Feet and Claws.
Only the outer of the ear should be cleaned, never put anything down
the inner ear as this may damage the ear drum. The best way to clean
a ferrets ear is to wipe them with a good quality baby wipe, making sure you get into folds. Cleaning the ears gives you a chance to check for ear mites which are small white lice. Ferrets eyes should be clear and bright with no discharge.
This is something that alot of people get wrong. Feet need to be clean and
free from sores. Claws only need to be cut back if they start to over grow,
if a ferrets foot is flat on the floor the claws should just be touching the floor. Too many people cut the claws too short, taking them up almost to
the toe which can lead to an infection in the toes.
So when putting your ferrets in a show it is always best to check
their feet and clip their claws a week in advance so that the claws
have time to re-point. Checking for fleas, ticks and lice should be done regularly but clean their ears and check for lice again at the show.
Feet should be checked on a daily basis. Teeth should also be checked and cleaned on a regular basis ensuring tartar is minimal.
Abscess
Distemper.
This can be caught from dogs,either directly or indirecectly. Signs of this are running eyes and gummed up lids,catarrh, a rash under the chin,lack ofappetite,sore andswollen feet and maybe diarrhoea.It is difficult to treat and is very contagious to ferrets.You can get them vaccinated against it ask your vet about it.
These can develope after any bites or wounds, if it does your vet will treat it with antibiotics and lance it to thoroughly drain it.
