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Ferret as a pet

  • 15-01-2021 6:37pm
    #1
    crazylady1
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭


    Hi. An opportunity has come up for me to get a ferret as a pet. The ferret is very friendly. I've always wanted on as a pet. Does anyone have experience of this? I also have small kids and dogs and I'm wondering if a ferret would be suitable

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,365 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    Best to let your dog see the ferret and see how it reacts to it before deciding to accept it.

    Ferrets make great pets if you don't mind the musky smell.

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



  • #3
    crazylady1
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭crazylady1


    Rows Grower wrote: »
    Best to let your dog see the ferret and see how it reacts to it before deciding to accept it.

    Ferrets make great pets if you don't mind the musky smell.

    Thanks so much for your reply. My dogs are very friendly so I think once they get used to the ferrit they'd be fine.
    Would the ferret be ok to roam around the house all day or would he need to be in a cage sometimes?


  • #4
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,365 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    crazylady1 wrote: »
    Thanks so much for your reply. My dogs are very friendly so I think once they get used to the ferrit they'd be fine.
    Would the ferret be ok to roam around the house all day or would he need to be in a cage sometimes?

    You'll have to train it before letting it loose around the house or you'll have a lot of little surprises where ever it decides to relieve itself.

    Get the biggest cage you can, when I had one I put in some pipes so it could crawl through them and made a little hammock that it used to use. They are quick learners if you have the time to teach them. You can train them to walk on a lead very quickly as well.

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



  • #5
    crazylady1
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭crazylady1


    Rows Grower wrote: »
    You'll have to train it before letting it loose around the house or you'll have a lot of little surprises where ever it decides to relieve itself.

    Get the biggest cage you can, when I had one I put in some pipes so it could crawl through them and made a little hammock that it used to use. They are quick learners if you have the time to teach them. You can train them to walk on a lead very quickly as well.

    Ok. Great. Thanks so much for the advice


  • #6
    Flibble
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 232 ✭✭Flibble


    My understanding of ferrets is that it's best to keep them in a roomy indoor enclosure if you're not there to supervise them (something like the Ferplast Ferret XL, google it)... they do like to get up to mischief and can steal items/be a bit destructive. They seem like the kind of pet you wouldn't want to take your eyes off.

    Most people would recommend keeping them in pairs as they are very sociable little animals and need to have company.

    Also worth checking if the sex of the ferret has any particular requirements- I think with jills you absolutely have to spay, it can be very dangerous to let them have a season without mating, not sure if hobs have any sex-specific requirements.

    The smell is definitely something to consider also.

    I've never had one, just repeating some info I've gathered, but make sure you watch some youtube videos by people who have them as pets, and research as much as possible before you jump into this! I'm sure they make great pets but best to be sure they're right for you before committing.


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  • #7
    crazylady1
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭crazylady1


    Flibble wrote: »
    My understanding of ferrets is that it's best to keep them in a roomy indoor enclosure if you're not there to supervise them (something like the Ferplast Ferret XL, google it)... they do like to get up to mischief and can steal items/be a bit destructive. They seem like the kind of pet you wouldn't want to take your eyes off.

    Most people would recommend keeping them in pairs as they are very sociable little animals and need to have company.

    Also worth checking if the sex of the ferret has any particular requirements- I think with jills you absolutely have to spay, it can be very dangerous to let them have a season without mating, not sure if hobs have any sex-specific requirements.

    The smell is definitely something to consider also.

    I've never had one, just repeating some info I've gathered, but make sure you watch some youtube videos by people who have them as pets, and research as much as possible before you jump into this! I'm sure they make great pets but best to be sure they're right for you before committing.

    Thanks for your reply. I'll need to have a good think about it. There's alot more care involved than I realised


  • #8
    em_cat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭em_cat


    I had ferrets as a child and absolutely adored them, we made a hutch at the side of the mud kitchen, that had a tunnel that cam into my room and they where always back & forth, they had maze runs built but I’d often find one in a trouser leg or in a jumper. Not only yes they do need to be in pairs, bonded, a good breeder will know that, but they will need some training and they are very fond of their people when they get a bit older. I dearly loved mine and have their pictures in frames in my office.


  • #9
    Valresnick
    Closed Accounts Posts: 208 ✭✭Valresnick


    I have a friend who is the bloody image of a ferret.


  • #10
    crazylady1
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭crazylady1


    em_cat wrote: »
    I had ferrets as a child and absolutely adored them, we made a hutch at the side of the mud kitchen, that had a tunnel that cam into my room and they where always back & forth, they had maze runs built but I’d often find one in a trouser leg or in a jumper. Not only yes they do need to be in pairs, bonded, a good breeder will know that, but they will need some training and they are very fond of their people when they get a bit older. I dearly loved mine and have their pictures in frames in my office.

    Thanks for your reply. That sounds amazing and so much fun. The advice seems to be that I would need to have two ferrets. I thought that one would be ok with dogs for company. I wouldn't like to deny him a little friend so I think I'm going to park the idea for a while and have a good think about it.

    Thanks to everyone for your advice


  • #11
    VonVix
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,688 ✭✭✭VonVix


    Flibble wrote: »
    something like the Ferplast Ferret XL, google it

    Just a heads up, this enclosure is only 78 x 48 x h 70cm, which is way too small for a ferret. You're likely to deal with behavioural/destructive issues by keeping an animal as active and as big as a ferret in an enclosure that size.

    The savic zeno knock down is much more realistic. 100 x 50 x 118cm

    [Dog Training + Behaviour Nerd]



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