Vets for Ferrets?

Lexie_Karas

Hi guys,

I'm planning on (hopefully!) getting a pet ferret in a couple of months. I'm trying to do as much research in the mean time as I can because I know they can be a handful Any way, my biggest concern at the moment is will I be able to find a vet somewhat locally that is used to dealing with ferrets? Are there any other ferret owners here, and where do you guys go?

I live in Drogheda.

stevoman

i keep ferrets and i find any vet is generally able to deal with problems that arise from ferrets so you should just ring locally and the vets there should be ok.

Lexie_Karas

Great, thanks Stevoman I wasn't sure if they would or not. There's a vetinary clinic just around the cornor from me. I think I'll drop in and see what they say.

stevoman

yep there should be no probs. i work with a few vets and i know they have a knowledge of ferrets. one work of advice if you intend to keep your ferret indoors as a pet as opposed to a hunter, although they are both pets and the same creature i would advise that you get him neutered or her spayed as it will stop that musky odour that they have. and when in season they sting so make sure and get that done. also jills are far smaller than hobs although a lot fistier. i prefer hobs myself.

Lexie_Karas

I'm thinking a hob is the way to go And I will of course be getting him neutered, no intention of breeding!

I'm considering looking at rescue shelters as opposed to getting a kitt. I like the idea of training a kitt from young but at the same time if I get a rescue ferret at least the shelter may be able to tell me a little about his personality and health before I decide on one.

stevoman

Lexie_Karas wrote: »

I'm thinking a hob is the way to go And I will of course be getting him neutered, no intention of breeding!

I'm considering looking at rescue shelters as opposed to getting a kitt. I like the idea of training a kitt from young but at the same time if I get a rescue ferret at least the shelter may be able to tell me a little about his personality and health before I decide on one.

well there is two trains of thought on this, but personally i would always prefer to rare my ferrets from kit. i have rared mine and it astonashing how they look up and think of you. you are essentially there parent and when i take mine out of there cage as i handle them everyday and give them a run around the garden, the first thing they do when they know its dinner time is they both crawl up my trouser legs on each side and sit on my shoulders. i had another last year who i unfortunatly lost hunting, he was an albino i got in wales and he would follow me evrywhere and i could take him out for walks in the fiels and he would walk beside me like a dog. i still am ragin he's gone.

are you thinking of getting an albino or polecat (or so they are called)?

Lexie_Karas

I haven't decided on colouring yet... if I do end up rescuing one I'm sure I wont have much choice! I really don't mind, personality is more important

Sorry to hear about your albino, he sounds wonderful.

stevoman

Lexie_Karas wrote: »

I haven't decided on colouring yet... if I do end up rescuing one I'm sure I wont have much choice! I really don't mind, personality is more important

Sorry to hear about your albino, he sounds wonderful.

Thanks.

If its any good to you i have found albinos to be a lot more placid in nature.

Lexie_Karas

That's a good tip. I'll bear that in mind when the time comes to pick one out.

Another thing I was wondering (so sorry about all these questions, but I figure its too late to ask them after I've gotten a ferret!), I've seen lots of kitts advertised in the buy and sell and the like, but how do I know if they're coming from a decent breeder? What should I be asking or looking out for?

stevoman

Lexie_Karas wrote: »

That's a good tip. I'll bear that in mind when the time comes to pick one out.

Another thing I was wondering (so sorry about all these questions, but I figure its too late to ask them after I've gotten a ferret!), I've seen lots of kitts advertised in the buy and sell and the like, but how do I know if they're coming from a decent breeder? What should I be asking or looking out for?

well i have done a lot of research on ferrets and in ways they are not like dogs. people who usually professianally breed ferrets, breed them for size or colour so they can show them, but this mostly happens in england or america. here in ireland most ferrets are bred from working homes, but by no means let this put you off as a ferret is a ferret at the end of the day ( my experience and love of albinos comes from personal experience). They are all programmed to hunt and get into tunnells (thats also how you race them). They have also been known to have cable attached to them and ran though pipes to the other end, where humans cant get the job done, as was done for prince charles and diana's wedding when the tv crews had problems running cables through pipes for the live television coverage.

what questiosn should concern you is, what colour are they, are they wormed and vaccinated and are they well handled. they are the three main questions when purchasing a kit.

Lexie_Karas

If the kitts have been wormed and vaccinated the breeder should be able to give me some sort of papers to proove that, right? Or am I just getting too fussy here.

stevoman

Lexie_Karas wrote: »

If the kitts have been wormed and vaccinated the breeder should be able to give me some sort of papers to proove that, right? Or am I just getting too fussy here.

a little too fussy lexie .most guys who breed ferrets here will worm and vaccinate them themselves so they will. most will be ferreting men who will have a good understanding of the little beasts and will do those jobs themselves. again dont let that put you off. i have never heard of papers being givin out with a ferret.