Ferrets are a small mustelid, members of the weasel family.  Their scientific name Mustela putorius furo translates to small stinky thief which I think tells you most of what you need to know about their personality.  They steal, they give you cheek and they do smell, though this can vary a lot ferret to ferret and in individual ferrets depending on breed, sex and husbandry etc.  Ferret smell can come from the scent glands which are emptied when frightened or hurt but the scent that most people associate with ferrets is mostly due to oils and is constant.  Bathing makes this much worse as their body’s try to produce more oils to replace those lost.

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Much like a thief they make games of stealing, escaping, destroying things, and can be dangerous if not taught right.  It is common for inexperienced owners to accidentally create a game through poor training where the ferret grabs at darting hands or nips feet.  This is mostly due to ferrets turning towards hands in a way that naturally makes people nervous and ferrets finding it funny to make us squeal.  A confident hand is needed for good ferret training.  They can have truly wicked senses of humour.  On the other hand, ferrets are fun, intelligent and can be taught to be as good a pet as a dog or cat.  This includes being good with children, coming when called, being trained to use a litter tray and even walking on leash, but this is not like walking your dog, they are very independent and exploratory so spend most of their time getting tangled and digging.  They also would rather go their way than yours because they want to explore what’s interesting. 

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They can be so much fun to watch, play with and really cuddly.  You get what you put in both in terms of training and interaction, and in providing the space, toys and environment they need to thrive.  I will point out though that cheap, free or homemade toys and games are often just as good, if not better than expensive gimmicks you can buy.  Keeping their brains occupied by rotating toys or giving something new is the important thing.  This is not a pet you can keep in a cage, only coming over to feed and poop scoop.  They are highly interactive, and you need to be able to see the humour in their games as well a put your foot down before the joke goes too far.

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They must have a safe, secure enclosure for when you are not present or are busy.  We would recommend a minimum of 8ft square for 2 ferrets or 3ft square per ferret for groups.  More space is better.  Ferrets have been known to get hurt or killed in washing machines, recliners, even down toilets and up chimneys if left to their own devices, as well as stepped on when running around feet.  I have also seen some terrible accidents from ferrets squeezing through bars and getting stuck or being crushed after attempting to lift or push doors and gaps.  Curiosity killed the ferret much faster than the cat.

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Ferrets are social creatures and should be kept in pairs or groups to keep them mentally healthy as well as aid in training.  Most good breeders will not sell to single ferret homes.  This also means that they crave their owners attention and will quite happily spend all day asleep bar using the litter tray and eating, waiting for their owner to come home and spend some time with them.  They can get quite agitated if not given the companionship they need, scratching at bars and pulling on them to get out.  Unchecked this can develop into “cage rattling” or “cage rage”.  It is worth noting cage rage, where a ferret attacks those who enter their cage is particularly common in rescues that have lived alone. They are active both during the day and at night and can make a lot of noise rearranging their enclosures and using their toys, though they sleep about 18 hours a day.  When they see you that means playtime, so if they are inside they are best in a room you spend recreational time in, not somewhere you want quiet or you go in to work.

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Although there is a lot of range in personality, temperament and likes/dislikes they can very much be considered a cross between a puppy, a kitten and a toddler.  They are always thinking, very mentally independent and will generally do whatever they want to get whatever they want.  A well raised ferret is cocky and confident, playing by the rules that make sense to them.  You need to be smarter than them or they will easily get out of control, convince them your way is best.  Their intelligence is what leads to most behaviour problems.  They get bored, they think up their own games, they quickly learn how to manipulate you.  They want down, they just need to nip or scratch or pretend you hurt them.  They want a treat well they could steal it and hide it, or they could do what you want and get it as a reward.  They’re bored so they can try to escape, they could destroy the cage, they could make a racket and get you to come over, or they could play with their friend and toys.  Everything is a game.

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As an obligate carnivore they need a meat-based diet and a balanced raw meat diet is best for them.  With such small stomachs they need to eat regularly and are prone to blood sugar spikes if fed kibble.  2 to 3 meals of raw a day or free grazing kibble are the most commonly recommended ways of feeding.  They also need free access to clean water and access to a warm dry bed at all times, and a way to cool off in the summer.  They are very tolerant of seasonal weather changes though extreme highs and lows in temperature should be taken into consideration.

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Ferrets were primarily domesticated for use in hunting and pest control.  As such you should be aware that their natural instinct to chase and kill small rodents, including hamsters, rats, guinea pigs and even chinchillas, and rabbits means that they can never be trusted around such animals just in case they decide to make a game up with them that ends in tragedy.  Their nick name “chicken cats” also indicates their love to catch and kill birds such as poultry, pigeons and finches.  Occasionally you will even hear of ferrets who hunt and catch small fish such as goldfish. 

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As they are so small, they would naturally be prey as well as predators.  As such they are known to be hurt by dogs, occasionally cats, and wildlife.  Well behaved dogs, cats and ferrets can live in harmony, however.  It is important the ferrets respect these pets as much as it is they are taught not to chase the ferrets.  What would be a playful mouth to another ferret could hurt a dog and a corrective nip from a dog could hurt a ferret.  They also have the prey animal tendency to hide pain and illness, often lashing out or hiding out of pain rather than revealing their vulnerability.  As such owners need to relay on their instincts and take the time to check their ferrets for signs of ill health regularly.

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Ferrets can live inside or outside but living inside can affect their hormone cycles which should be considered when looking at them as a house pet.  In the spring they come into season, their smell increases, they lose weight, males, called hobs in particular can smell really bad all summer and even become territorial, and the female, called a jill, needs to be brought out of season before her body becomes damaged by the toxic levels of estrogen in their bodies.  Jill’s can die from being left in season.  Hormone change in both males and females need to be researched before bringing home a ferret so you can have a management strategy in place.  The choices made in season management can impact long term health.  It should be noted that ferrets from 3 months can come into season or express hormonal behaviour.  Males and females will mate and have a litter no matter how closely related they are.  Unfortunately, inbred kits can suffer from many health problems and it is not uncommon for them to die at weeks old or for the mum to abandon or kill an inbred litter and come back into season again.  Ferret mating is also very rough.  They scream, drag, bite and can injure each other.  In other words not everyone has the stomach for keeping intact ferrets and do not keep male and females together if you don’t want kits.

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Because coming into season, both male and female, is linked to light levels and temperature 99% of ferrets are born between the months of March and August.  They are born deaf, blind and with very little white hair in litters of up to 18, though on average around 8.  It is not uncommon for some kits to be born sleeping or be lost soon after birth, especially with larger litters and first-time mums as mums only have between 5 and 8 nipples and they can struggle.  Mums sometimes eat these babies to keep the nest clean, or if mum is scared, stressed or ill she may kill the litter.  They can even get carried away cleaning babies and injure them.

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Babies are born helpless, blind, deaf and bald, but start to grow fur from day 1.  They start to wander, go to the litter tray and eat meat while their eyes are still closed and their ears and eyes open between 4.5 and 5 weeks.  They then begin to learn to navigate the world and how to react and behave by watching mum and being introduced to experiences by their breeder.  Poor nutrition and husbandry in this first 5 weeks is the biggest cause of developmental problems such as swimmers disease.  Developmental delays can also be caused by parasites picked up from mums’ poo or milk, so parasite prevention is very important.  Ferrets usually wean around 7 weeks on average though may still comfort suckle and are still learning from mum. 

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When rehomed ferrets naturally try to push the boundaries and see how much these new people will let them get away with.  At about 12/16 weeks teething ferrets can be quite a handful, especially if not given strong boundaries when younger.  As they grow, they also need more and more mental and physical stimulation.  This peaks around their adolescence which varies depending on if inside or outside as well as breeding.  It will be between 6 and 18 months.  After this they will calm down slightly but will still require lots of playtime, toys and attention.  

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At their first winter a ferret is at his highest weight which can be over 2kg.  This is a combination of “puppy fat” and seasonal weight gain and is normal.  It is not advisable to attempt to control their weight in any way over this period, provide as much food as they want and give them plenty of space to exercise and play. 

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Healthy, well cared for ferret can live until 14 years old but the average is closer to 7 or 8 years old.  Ferrets are considered veterans (old) from 5 years old.  The life expectancy of ferrets varies so much that you should anticipate having your pet for around 10 years when considering a ferret as a pet.  A lot can change in this period and you should consider how your pet would fit into your life as your life changes, especially towards the end of his life.  They are as big a commitment as a dog.

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If you are still interested and would like some more detailed ferret info please look at our ferret 101 sections, our kit guide and our blog

 

Information on seasons can be found HERE. 

Information on diet options can be found HERE.   

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They are not for everyone, if you are interested in ferrets but have never had much interaction with them we are happy to talk to you and let you meet some.