Should I get a ferret?

Ferrets are amazing pets. Smart, active, cheerful and sociable, they will win the heart of anyone! But many do not dare to get a ferret (the so-called domestic version of the ferret): they say they smell bad, mark corners and even bite!

Experienced owners will answer in unison: the rumors are exaggerated. However, unpleasant moments still happen, as with any pet. Let’s move on to specific examples and list the pros and cons of keeping a ferret.

Arguments for!”

• Ferrets are one of the most cheerful and active pets. You will not get bored with them, they will always cheer you up! 

• Ferrets have interesting habits. You will love studying them!

• Ferrets are very smart. They are easy to train and train.

• Ferrets are human oriented. If you earn the love of a pet, he will come to you to fawn, play and sleep at your side.

• Ferrets do well in a cage, but it must be the right size for them. You don’t have to worry about your pet being mischievous while you’re away from home or busy.

• Ferrets do not need to be walked. Of course, you can take them out to breathe, but this is your desire, not a necessity.

• Ferrets are compact. They are easy to carry in a bag, they will not be a problem in transportation by car, train or plane.

• Suitable for allergy sufferers. Ferrets rarely cause an allergic reaction.

• Ferrets adapt to the life of the owner. By nature, ferrets are nocturnal animals. In addition, they are flexible and easily adapt to circumstances. Having adapted to the new house and got used to the owner’s regime, the ferret will not cause inconvenience.

• Ferrets are unpretentious. If you have a ferret for the first time, you may find it difficult to care for him. But in practice, you will understand that these are very neat, clean pets, which, by the way, do not eat more than necessary and do not require large expenses.

Arguments against!”

• Ferrets have complex personalities. They are stubborn and overconfident. They may not obey, be offended and bite. The task of the owner is to show who is the boss in the house. How to do it? Through a consistent, firm but friendly upbringing. But aggression is not the best method. On the contrary, she will set the pet against you.

• Ferrets are very active. This is both a plus and a minus. It is interesting to play with them, but if during the day you did not pay enough attention to your pet, be prepared for a sleepless night. The ferret has a lot of energy, and he should be able to throw it out!

• Ferrets love to play pranks. Leave your pet unattended for 5 minutes, and he will definitely scratch the furniture, and tearing up all the flower pots in the house is a classic of the genre!

• Ferrets hide food and things. Do not be surprised if one day you find in a secluded place a whole warehouse of already spoiled food! But this trait must be accepted: instincts speak in a ferret, without which its wild relatives would not have survived.

• Ferrets prey on birds and small rodents. Yes, there are exceptions, and many ferrets are friends, for example, with rabbits. But if you already have a pet in the house that the ferret might mistake for prey, it’s not worth the risk.

Above, we have listed the main disadvantages of keeping a ferret. But where is the unpleasant smell and going to the toilet in the wrong places, you ask? And they are not.

Rumors of bad breath are greatly exaggerated. Ferrets do smell like musk: but it’s a subtle smell that many people like. Unpleasant odors appear if the owner takes poor care of the pet: rarely cleans the cage and the ferret itself, does not follow his diet, etc.

What about territory marking? Adult ferrets do mark the apartment, but the problem is usually solved with the help of special repellent sprays and sterilization.

We have listed the main pros and cons. We hope that now it will be easier for you to make a decision. Be sure to share it with us!