Choosing A Ferret

Choosing a ferret might involve love at first sight. You spot one right away that you've just got to have. Don't be so quick to jump to a conclusion. You should take your time and consider a few facts before making your final choice.

How Old is the Ferret?

The age of a ferret is a big factor you should consider. Older ferrets may have a couple of factors in their favor - they may already be litter or bite trained. But younger ferrets have a really big factor in their favor. They will not have formed any bonds with particular humans yet. You can step right in and start forming those important bonds early.

A younger ferret will need to be trained and requires a lot of care. You'll have to train them not to bite and to use their litter boxes. They'll also need vaccinations.

Ferrets Are Social Creatures

Ferrets are different from hamsters. Left all day long to their own devices; they can become unruly and unhappy.

Ferrets are domesticated and form strong bonds with their companions, whether human or another ferret. Left alone, they have no outlet. If you're going to be gone for long periods at a time, you might want to consider getting two ferrets. This way your ferret will never be lonely for long.

Should You Spay or Neuter Your Ferret?

For health reasons, it's best to spay or neuter your ferret. Breeding ferrets takes a lot of expense and experience, so you should leave that to the experts. Breeding dos is difficult enough, ferrets are much harder.

Male or Female

Males are little larger, about 18 inches and around 3 - 5 pounds. Females, on average, are slightly smaller - about 15 inches with correspondingly smaller weight. Once spayed or neutered, ferrets of both sexes get along just fine.

Males play and mock-fight with females as much as they do with males and vice versa. But males do have a slightly higher tendency to spray, if they haven't had their anal scent glands removed.

Incidence of disease is about the same in both neutered males and spayed females. However, non-spayed females will of course raise special concerns. They come into heat seasonally from March to August. If they don't mate, they can remain in heat for almost six months.

Apart from their cycle; females can also suffer from a higher incidence of tumors as a result of raised levels of hormones. But males, too, have their own risks in this regard. So the numbers are not radically different between the two sexes.

Ferret Colors and Personalities

Such considerations as color and individual personality are completely personal preferences, of course. But keep in mind that one choice, albinos, can create the need for special care. Like other albinos, they can suffer from vision problems. They are also more easily preyed on, if they get loose where the dog or cat can get to them.

Hopefully now you're a little more prepared to make the right choice when choosing a ferret. Ferrets make wonderful pets if you're prepared to give them a good home.