what do you need for a ferret?

[Alex]

now people, i dont want to hear,"do more research" or anyhting like that, ok? im doing research right now so think before u say!!!! i want a list like for ex.

1. Ferret food
2. Water


yah...

[Niall]

a large cage and lots of time

[Fizz]

1. A book on their care...ferrets are very complex pets and they deserve the best care you can give them. Before you buy, please buy this and read cover to cover: http://www.amazon.com/Ferrets-For-Dummie...or+dummies

2. A companion. Ferrets are social animals and it's cruel to keep them on their own. They really need the company of their own species, no matter how much time their human is going to spend with them.

3.. Raw meaty bones...this is the best diet for a ferret, raw prey like rabbits, chicks, raw poultry on the bone, organ meat, thawed frozen mice and rats etc. Dry food for a ferret is never as good as the real thing...they evolved eating meat, not dry biscuits. For info on how to feed a ferret properly:

http://holisticferret60.proboards.com/

If you insist on feeding a ferret dried food, then it should be 40% protein and the first few ingredients should be meat. Some cat foods, such as Orijen, are actually better quality for a ferret than many ferret foods.

4. A cage. You will need a very large cage or suitable pen for them. Bare minimum size requirements are 3 foot long, 2 foot wide and 3 foot high...and that is internal cage space, not including castors. The best widely available indoor ferret cage is the ferret nation: http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Ferret-Nat...B000F4OX0E beats the pants off all the other cages on the market. If you live in the UK then google the Explorer cage or the Savic Royal Suite for good alternatives. The Marshall Ferret Playpen is another choice if you want to pen instead of cage your ferret. Most small animal pens won't hold ferrets but this is a good one.

If you are housing your ferret outside, the best sort of housing is a shed...cover the floor with linoleum, replace the windows with wire mesh, and place some sort of barrier at the door (like a sheet of plywood) to stop them rushing out when you open the door and you have a nice big ferret cage.

5. Litter trays and litter. Ferrets tend to go in corners so large triangular trays are best. Use a dust free litter, wood stove or wood based cat litter, or paper bast is best. Do NOT use clumping clay litters they can kill a ferret if they eat it.

6. Food and water containers. Food bowls will need to be VERY heavy and large to prevent tippage, ferrets are VERY strong. Water is best supplied in the standard hook on the cage water bottle.

7. A bedding base for your cage. I find linoleum best, make sure the ferrets can't pull it back and eat it. Fleece is another option if you have litter trained ferrets. Don't use wood shavings.

8. Hammocks and a nest box. For the ferret to sleep in.

9. Lots of tubes for the ferret to run through...a section of black plastic drainpipe from the DIY store is far cheaper, although less pretty, than the expensive Ferre-Trail tubes.

10. Toys. Good toys stuffed animals with any chewable parts like eyes removed. A box stuffed full of balled up paper for digging. Ping pong balls (only when supervised). Ball toys designed specifically for ferrets. Cat teaser toys and feather boa type things (again only when supervised). AVOID giving ferrets anything made of foam, rubber or latex they will chew it and destroy it no matter how hard it seems.

11. Ferret grooming supplies and a first Aid kit. Good quality nail clippers, their nails grow very fast. Ferretone supplement to help when you are clipping nails, or an alternative like Ferretvite. Ferret ear cleaner. A soft brush to remove dead hair in moulting season so they don't swallow it. And a general small pet first aid kit which you can buy online.

12. A ferret proofed room for them to play in outside of their cage. Ferret proofing is very complicated so please google.

13. Time and patience. Ferrets will need around 4 hours a day of your attention, playtime and cuddling time. They can also be very stubborn and difficult when it comes to training them not to bite and to use a litter tray. Some of them take a VERY long time to learn new things, not through stupidity but stubbornness. Bear that in mind.

14. A good ferret vet on standby. Find the vet BEFORE you need it.

15. Some money put aside for veterinary emergencies. You should start putting money in a bank account for this before or as soon as you get your ferret.