Care of the Pet Ferret

Introduction: The Ferret’s History and Behavior

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, and preferred body confirmation and coat color. The last half of the 20th 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 ferret 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 (sense of smell) 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 clothes dryer hose to satisfy instinctive tunneling behavior. Some owners like to stretch the hose out,  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 eat multiple small meals throughout the day, much like a cat. 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 and the ferret loses that winter fat. Ferrets are true carnivores and therefore their diet must consist mainly of meat and animal products. They utilize dietary fats for energy versus carbohydrates and their short 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 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.  As well, many veterinarians advocate feeding a whole prey or balanced raw carnivore diet which more closely approximates what a ferret would be eating in the wild.   It is felt these type of diets may decrease the incidence of inflammatory bowel and pancreas disease as the ferret matures.  It is certainly not what many ferret owners want to feed their pets, as appropriate prey animals would include mice, rats or chicks. However distasteful to us, this diet provides all the necessary nutrients in a highly digestible form as well as providing beneficial exercise for the muscles of the neck and jaw and providing material to keep the teeth and gums healthy.  For more information on and sources of alternative diets see the following internet sites

www.wysong.net – Producers of Archetype diet and other healthy alternative diets

www.rawmeatybones.com – source of information on raw diets for dogs including information from veterinarians

www.petdiets.com – information on natural diets, part of Veterinary Nutritional Consultants who will provide information on appropriate homemade diet

www.gourmetrodent.com –source of healthy humanely killed rodents and chicks

A quality kibble 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 also known as olfactory imprinting. Ferrets may enjoy certain fruits and other commercial treats but realize these in many cases are high in carbohydrates and really inappropriate for the ferret.  These should be fed in extreme moderation as excess consumption may result in diarrhea and create finicky eaters. Occasional pieces of cooked, boneless meat make better treats.

Water bottles are preferred to water bowls as they are less messy and more sanitary.

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 to eliminate in, 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 the corners of rooms ferrets are allowed to explore. Acceptable substrates for the litter box include recycled paper products and regular clay, non-clumping cat litter. Clumping litters have a tendency to stick to the ferret’s nose and can cause irritation, and cedar or pine shavings may cause respiratory distress; therefore neither should 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.  Unspayed female ferrets may stay “in heat” for prolonged periods when they reach sexual maturityandmay develop a fatal anemia as a result of estrogen toxicity. As well, neutered ferrets tend to be more docile. 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 diseases are fatal to the ferret so your ferret needs to be protected. In addition, rabies carries a public health risk. 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 pre-existing 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 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 exam and scaling and cleaning where needed 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.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Do ferret-proof your house! Block off tiny spaces such as the bottom of stove and refrigerator. Ferrets love to hide in small spaces so you may wish to attach a bell to his/her collar in order to know where your friend is exploring. Caution must be taken to check bags, laundry, and other items before emptying them. Ferrets are curious animals and will get into anything and everything. They will also hide their food, so watch them carefully to make sure they are not eating stale food which may cause gastrointestinal disorders. Don’t let your ferret run out of your house unsupervised or without a leash. As a result of predators and temperature extremes a ferret will have a difficult time of surviving on its own out in the world.

Figure 1

This rubber plug (figure 1) was surgically removed from a ferret’s intestines where it had become lodged and created a blockage. The dime is there for size reference only.

Figure 2

Ferrets love to chew on soft rubber products-so please ferret proof your home and make sure there is no access to such objects as door stops, pillow foam, sneaker insoles or flip-flop shoes, furniture protectors, etc.. The ferret was very sick with vomiting and dark, tarry stools (figure 2). Any time you see this kind of abnormal stool it warrants a trip to the veterinarians to have an exam to determine the cause.

Ferrets are especially fond of chewing on soft rubber items. Keep rubber toys, foam pillows, door stops, or other rubber items away from your ferret as they may be chewed and swallowed which may result in an intestinal blockage. Signs of an intestinal blockage include a lack of appetite, vomiting, grinding of the teeth as the result of intestinal pain, and lethargy. Ferrets are also prone to developing hairballs in their stomachs. Ferrets with hairballs will be anorexic, have dark, tarry stools and be lethargic. Feline hairball remedies can be used in ferrets to prevent hairball formation.

Hairballs are not uncommon in the ferret. These hairballs were surgically removed from a ferret’s stomach because they were causing a lack of appetite, lethargy, diarrhea and weight loss. Cat hairball laxative can be given to ferrets twice week in order to prevent hairball formation.

Adrenal Disease

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 December through 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.