Adoption Checklist

Items required to get started:

· Cage – where will it be? See our Cage Reviews page for sizes. Check used cages to save money but buy what will be big enough and easy to clean.

· Food – see our chart and research where you will be buying the food.

· Water bottle and bowl under it – all bottles leak. We recommend the locking crock 20 oz.

· Food dish – locking crock is a good style and easy to clean.

· Blankets/hammocks – no reason to break the bank but they need blankets to snuggle and hammocks to have in the cage. Get them on sale or at thrift stores – even old shirts, pants (pant leg can be a ramp) and pillow cases work well.

And for those with a short attention span for reading - check out this video on What you need for a ferret

Considerations:

Are there children in this household? As with all animals, adult supervision is strongly recommended when small children are present. Ferrets can and will bite whether playing or out of aggression. Small children may also harm the ferret if they do not know how to handle them.

Ferrets need regular veterinary visits for their teeth, vaccinations and general overall health. Is this something that can be worked into the budget? Make sure any vet you have will deal with exotics, not all will.

A lot of landlords will not allow ferrets in their houses, so are you renting or do you own your home? If you are renting, prior authorization from the landlord would be a requirement. This includes living with your parents.

Do you have other animals in the home? Be advised: Not all ferrets get along with other animals and can open cages to get to rodents or birds. Ferrets are predators and carnivorous so this would be like a hunt for them. They may also swim or scoop fish tanks if you have fish. A ferret can also harm reptiles if allowed to be together. Whether playing or hunting, the large ferret teeth will go through most any skin.

Can you ferret proof your house? These critters can squeeze into any space that their head will fit into. They will get into items on your counters or in your cupboards. They will steal anything like stuffed animals, socks, gloves, remotes, cell phones or anything they can drag behind them. They will get into chairs and couches so if you have recliners we highly recommend you do not use them when the ferrets are out, many ferrets have been killed or harmed severely being crushed in recliners. If your furniture is not covered on the bottom, they will climb up in there and hide. They have also been known to chew on any rubber or plastic cord. The cage needs to be out of direct sunlight or it could cause a disease called Adrenal disease and they cannot be housed outside due to extreme temperatures.

Can you afford the proper cage? The cage needs to be fairly large with hammocks or tubes to hide in. The hammocks can be handmade from towels or pillowcases, the ferrets don’t care about that. The cage must be cleaned at least every other day to prevent the musky smell of a ferret. The cage must be well ventilated and at least 3’H x 2’W x 2’L. You can even make your own.

o We never recommend having the ferret without a cage. What if you had an emergency? Could you find them?

o What if you stepped on it? No matter how careful you are accidents happen.

Do you have the time every day to let the ferret or ferrets out of the cage for at least 6 hours (really should be 8-10) of playtime/roam around time? Ferrets will not thrive if left in the cage day in and day out. They are not a hamster and require your interaction.

Can you afford the food? Ferrets require 2-3 cups a day of good, high protein food. They must have food available at all times as their metabolism is quite fast and they can starve very quickly. Good quality food can cost anywhere from $25 to $50 dollars depending on size and brand. You can mix lower qualities with the higher qualities. Don’t panic if they are out of the cage and decide to munch on the dog or cat food, little bits once in a while will not hurt them. Some ferrets have even been known to eat live food, like mice but should still have kibble available. They also do well with freeze dried raw - make sure to buy the cat versions (photo of ferret eating boiled chicken and freeze dried duck).

Water must be available at all times and it is acceptable to be in a bottle hooked to the cage or in a bowl. Be careful if it is an unattached bowl, the ferret may use it as a pool.

Can you handle the nippiness of a ferret? When a ferret plays it may bite harder than expected and you cannot strike the animal. They are too small for this and to reprimand them you scruff them on the back of the neck. Never strike the ferret. They will associate your hand with aggression and may bite worse.

Be prepared that your ferret may not be “house broke” and may have accidents. They have about a 4 hour digestive tract and usually have to go potty right after they wake up. Keeping the litter box clean will help encourage them to use it. Never use clay cat litter – clumping or non-clumping. Clay is like coal and asbestos - it never leaves your lungs.

Physical maintenance for a ferret is rather small. They require their toenails to be trimmed regularly, bedding to be cleaned monthly. They don't need to be bathed because they are clean like a cat. If you must bathe then then no more than once a month using ferret safe shampoo. The bath water should not be more than what they can stand up in and no hotter than you would make it for a child.

If these are things you feel you can handle then maybe a ferret is a good pet for you. They are loving and entertaining animals. Please research any animal before looking into adoption. Thank you.

Great sites to buy ferret food/items

https://www.chewy.com – great prices and deals every day.

http://www.ferret.com – excellent deals plus a chat board linked right off their site.

http://www.petsupplies.com – excellent prices – affiliated with the above.

Of course if you shop on Amazon - start your page with Smile.Amazon and choose our rescue to support us on your purchases!