Ferrets...

Seaneh

Anyone have any clue where I could buy a ferret in ireland?
My cousins had some before but the person who they got them from has stoped breading them.

Anyway I've wante one for ages and would stoked if you could help me out.

koneko

Buy and sell really. They're in there a lot. Make sure you find a good breeder though, a lot of them are quite dodgy.

Oh and you probably know this already but ferrets are smelly little buggers. Keep them outside

Falkorre

Ferrets make great pest *if* you have a lot of time to devote to them. They will not be happy locked in a hutch or cage all day while you work or go to school.

They do have a distinctive smell (musk), but if it becomes a problem, they can be descented by a vet (no worse than neutering, and can be done at the same time).

Best way to buy them is to locate a breeder through the buy and sell, however make sure to ask if they have ever been used as hunting ferrets, as you dont want one that has.

I recommend starting with females, males tend to be a bit too boisterous for beginners.

Hope that helps.

B

hadook

*lol* dawntreader said pest!!

My ferret is pregnant at the moment. She's due in 3/4 weeks. She's strictly a pet & has never hunted, if you're interested in a baby let me know.

Definitely keep them outside - the smell gets overpowering after a few days! I didnt realise how bad it was til she moved outside.

Falkorre

lolol ;0)
dint mean to, altho from my experience of them, it can be correct lol

as for keeping them outside, given the right accomodation its fine, *but* in this country you do need to make sure where you are keeping them is warm, or else they can suffer specially in the toes and ears.

As for the smell, as I said, you can have them de-scented, but the smell isnt really as bad as people make out, some people even like the smell.

B

doctor evil

Whats so bad about having one that has been used as a hunting ferret?

hadook

They're generally not as tame & they've been blooded so you can never really trust them not to suddenly bite you.

Or so I was told by the breeder. Mox is my first ferret, so he made sure I got a nice placid one.

Falkorre

If you have ever tried to handle a blooded ferret with a cut on your hand, you would know lol

B

koneko

Ferrets have really thick skin. When they're pups, it's normal for them to bite eachother, like any animal would do. They don't realise how thin our skin really is, so their bite can be quite nasty.
If they're being bred for hunting, that sort of biting won't really be discouraged, they won't be as tame. You'd really want to make sure you get it from someone who was raising the pups as pets, like hadook's lil baby ones
Good luck, and have fun.

Seaneh

Originally posted by hadook
*lol* dawntreader said pest!!

My ferret is pregnant at the moment. She's due in 3/4 weeks. She's strictly a pet & has never hunted, if you're interested in a baby let me know.

Definitely keep them outside - the smell gets overpowering after a few days! I didnt realise how bad it was til she moved outside.

I sent you a pm, reply whenever you get a chance.