Caring for a new, baby ferret is critical, because your ferret is in the developmental stages of it’s life.  In this article, you’ll discover what you need to know about caring for the new ferret…

ferretYou’ve researched a number of possible household pets, and have decided that the ferret is the right one. They are an endearing addition to anyone’s life and to your home. These amazing creatures can be trained to use a litter box just like cats. But before you let your new ferret run around your house free, you’ll have to take a few precautions.

To begin with, it’s obvious that you should never let a new animal loose in your home. Let it get acquainted with its surroundings from the protection and comfort of its cage for as long as it takes until you consider letting it room free throughout your home.

You will also need to teach your new ferret how to use a litter box as well. Depending on your ferret and how much time you devote to litter training most ferrets end up using the litter box about 75% of the time.

There are ferrets that will use the litter box every time but, with most, you might find a “present” in the house from time to time. Litter box training can take several hours a day for several months. The more attention you devote to it, the more likely you will have a litter box trained ferret.

The best way to start litter box training is to allow your ferret to run around a small room like a bathroom first. Typically, ferrets will go within a few minutes of waking up or after they eat. So, when your ferret first wakes up, put it in the litter box. Don’t let it out until it has gone to the bathroom. Once it has gone, immediately give it a treat. The object is to try to get it associated with going in the litter box, then receiving a treat.

You should never physically punish a ferret for any reason, especially if they have an accident in the house. Using physical punishment will only make them fear you and they will not associate what they did with that kind of punishment.

If you would like your ferret to be able to run around the house, you will have to be prepared to do a little cleaning up after them as well. Something else you will need to do before you ferret is allowed to run free is to “ferret proof” your home.

Ferret proofing means making your home safe for a ferret. They are small and curious creatures. They will find their way into small spaces. A good rule of thumb is that if their head will fit into a space, their bodies will too. Start to ferret proof by first crawling around your home on your hands and knees to look for small holes, crevices, loose ventilation covers, etc. You need to check every room your ferret will soon be exploring themselves.  In relation to ferret proofing your home, here are 2 more tips to keep in mind:

  • Don’t forget to include appliances in checking for small holes or places that ferrets can get inside of. Because ferrets are curious creatures that are extremely good climbers, anything can be a potential “play area” for ferrets. Ferrets will be able to get up into some types of refrigerators and could potentially get hurt on the fan. The dryer tubing looks like a really fun tube for a ferret. They can rip a hole in it and get outside through the vent.
  • Couches can also be potentially dangerous for ferrets. Some couches have thin fabric lining underneath that ferrets can easily get through and up inside of the couch to the springs. Some ferret owners would love to have their ferrets to be able to get extra exercise by running around their homes. But, the most important thing for your new ferret is for you to be able to offer your ferret a safe place to run.

If you’re mindful of the information in this article, and learn as much as you can about caring for ferrets, your ferrets will live a long, happy life with you.

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Filed under: Caring For A Ferret

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