The domestic ferret, Mustela putorius furo, is probably a descendent of the European and /or steppe polecat. It is believed that wild polecats were first domesticated by the Greeks in approximately 400- 200 B.C. in order to protect grain stores from vermin. Over the centuries ferrets were further domesticated for their fur and for their ability to aid man in hunting rabbits. Their popularity as pets did not increase until the late 1900s. This resulted in additional physical and behavioral changes as ferrets were bred for greater docility, decreased odor, preferred body confirmation, coat color and failure to thrive in the wild. The last half of the 20 th century has also seen the domestic ferret grow in popularity as a laboratory and research animal.

Today’s pet ferret tends to be very gentle and playful. As you know by now, your ferret is highly energized. A healthy ferret should be alert, inquisitive and bright eyed. If just awakened ferrets may be slightly lethargic, but should respond to handling in a few minutes. When allowed to roam, the domestic ferret shows fearless exploratory behavior: Box on the floor? Got to see what is in it. Hole in the floorboard by dishwasher? Got to go inside and explore. Cabinet door ajar? Got to open it and explore what’s inside. Any open door or unexplored space is open game for scrutiny.

Although adult ferrets may appear perfectly content sleeping in their hammocks twenty hours a day this certainly is not mentally and physically stimulating. Free time in a "ferret proof" room is always recommended. Keep in mind that ferrets love human interaction, like to explore new places and objects, have a keen olfactory sense and enjoy digging. A ferret that jumps back and forth in front of you and nips at your feet is telling you it wants to play. Some easy ways to provide environmental enrichment for your ferret include:

• Fill a box with potting soil, rice, hay, plastic balls or crumpled paper balls and let the ferret fulfill its instinctual digging needs.

• Use old towels to give them a magic carpet ride or just twirl the towel around and over the ferret .

• Use dryer hose to satisfy instinctive tunneling behavior. Some owners like to stretch the hose out, and using a bean bag chair to hold one end in place

• Tie plastic or ping pong balls to a piece of sturdy string and hang from the ceiling to two inches above the ground.

• Put empty paper grocery bags on the floor. Some of the bags can be filled with crumpled paper, ping pong balls or food treats.

Nutrition. Ferrets have a very high metabolic rate and snack and eat multiple small meals throughout the day. Ferrets normally increase food intake approximately 30% in the winter and gain weight by depositing subcutaneous fat. This will reverse as daylight lengthens in the spring. Ferrets are true carnivores and therefore their diet must consist mainly of meat and animal products. Their digestive system cannot adequately handle diets high in fiber or carbohydrates. Commercial ferret diets, formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of the ferret, are now available, and therefore ferrets should not be maintained on kitten or cat food. Zupreem ferret diet, Totally Ferret (Performance Foods) and Ultra Blend ferret diet (8 in 1 Pet Products) are several of the food brands we recommend. Water bottles are preferred to water bowels as they are less messy and more sanitary.

A quality ferret diet should be 32 to 36% crude protein and 20 to 22% fat. When reading the pet food label, the first several items listed should be animal proteins such as chicken or poultry by-products. Most homemade formulations should be avoided as they fail to provide an appropriate vitamin-mineral balance or meet the high protein, high fat and low carbohydrate requirements of the ferret. An improper diet may result in an unhealthy immune system, dry hair coat and an unthrifty appearance.

Ferrets exposed to only one brand of food between the first 60 to 90 days of age may be opposed to dietary changes later in life. It is therefore recommended that young kits (juvenile ferrets) be offered a variety of foods during their first six months of life in order to prevent dietary selectivity or olfactory imprinting. Ferrets may enjoy certain fruits, vegetables and other such treats; however, these should be fed in moderation as excess consumption may result in diarrhea and create finicky eaters. Occasional pieces of cooked, boneless meat make better treats.

Housing. Provide the largest cage that space and budget will allow. Ferrets especially enjoy climbing in multilevel cages. More than one litter box is ideal. If your ferret seems to prefer a certain corner, place the litter box there. Buy a ferret-friendly litter box with one low side and a guard on the higher sides to prevent the ferret from backing up far enough to miss the box. If the ferret continually moves the litter box; try punching holes in the box and wiring it to the cage walls so that it can't be tipped over. When outside the cage provide litter boxes in corners of rooms ferrets are allowed to explore. Acceptable substrates for the litter box include paper products and regular clay, non-clumping cat litter. Clumping litters have a tendency to stick to the ferret’s nose and can cause respiratory distress. Due to resins that may cause respiratory irritation, cedar or pine shavings should not be used for litter material.

Elective Surgeries. Most ferrets are descented (had their anal sacs removed) and neutered or spayed at a very young age before they are adopted. Although these surgeries will decrease the ferret’s odor, it will not totally eliminate the characteristic musky smell.

If you own a ferret that has not been surgically altered, it is strongly recommended to do so as a way keep your ferret physically healthy and better behaved. Neutered ferrets tend to be more docile. Unspayed female ferrets may stay “in heat” for prolonged periods and develop a fatal anemia as a result of estrogen toxicity. Although most ferrets from pet stores are neutered before puberty, if given the choice, some feel it is better to perform the surgery after the onset of puberty at 6 to 9 months of age. This may delay the onset of adrenal disease, a problem commonly seen in older ferrets that has been associated with neutering.

Preventative Medicine. All juvenile ferrets should be initially vaccinated against canine distemper between 8 to 10 weeks of age. This vaccine should be boostered at 12 to 14 weeks of age and then annually. Ferrets should also be vaccinated against rabies at 12 weeks of age and then yearly. Both of these viral disease are fatal to the ferret so your ferret needs to be protected. In addition, rabies carries a public health. Vaccine reactions are not uncommon in the ferret, and as a precaution, your veterinarian may request a 20 minute post-vaccination observation period within the hospital.

Intestinal parasites (worms, protozoa) are uncommon in ferrets. However, all ferrets should have a fecal exam for intestinal parasites performed during their initial physical exam and if the ferret develops diarrhea. Ferrets are susceptible to heartworm therefore should be placed on a monthly preventative as in dogs and cats. Ferret’s with heartworm disease can show coughing, labored breathing or sudden death.

Ferrets can get heartworms too! This heart was taken from a ferret who presented with a sudden onset of labored breathing and coughing. Unfortunately he died soon after being hospitalized—it takes only one or two heartworms to cause severe disease in the ferret. Ferret heartworm can be prevented by giving a once a month preventative medicine similar to that suggested for your dog or cat.

All new ferrets going to homes with preexisting ferrets should be quarantined and carefully observed for two weeks before being introduced to other ferrets. A quarantine period may help prevent the spread of respiratory viral diseases or Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE), a contagious intestinal virus that causes mucousy, green diarrhea and overall debilitation.

Ferrets, like cats, can get hairballs. But unlike cats, ferrets do not typically vomit up hairballs. Instead, the hairball remains in the stomach where it can cause a lack of appetite with eventual diarrhea, weight loss and debilitation. Administering a feline hairball remedy several times each week may help prevent this.

A yearly physical exam is a must for all ferrets. Once they reach the age of four, radiographs (X-rays) and blood work should be performed every 6 to 12 months to detect early signs of disease. Ferrets over the age of three may need a yearly dental scaling and cleaning to prevent periodontal disease. Daily brushing with a feline toothbrush and an enzymatic toothpaste goes a long way in controlling oral bacteria and subsequent plaque and tartar.

Lastly, older ferrets are very prone to adrenal gland disease where the adrenal gland is overactive and produces excessive sex hormones. These ferrets present with varying degrees of hair loss, itchy skin and behavior changes. Newer research has shown that giving an injectable drug called Lupron® once yearly during the ferret’s natural breeding season (end of January/early February) may prevent the onset of adrenal disease as the ferret matures. Ongoing research will determine if this common disease can be effectively prevented.

By following these simple guidelines your ferret should live a long healthy life.