Ferret Cages!

If you're getting a ferret then a cage is a must have! There are a lot of cages out there on the market, this post I'll try to help you pick through the good and the bad. Ferrets are not rodents, as I'm sure anyone reading this must know by now. Do not treat a ferret like a rodent. They can not be left to sit in a cage all day. This is incredibly cruel to them. Ferrets are highly intelligent and need plenty of mental stimulation to keep them happy. If left to rot in a cage you might find your ferret biting at the bars, which is horrible for their teeth. Or shaking the door to their cage at all hours of the night. Scratching insistently at the floors of their cage. Doing anything to keep themselves occupied. If you're looking for a unique animal to place on display in a cage all day, look else where!

With that being said, what should we look for in a good cage? How much free roam your ferret gets is a big part in this. If your ferret is outside his cage for most of the day then a smaller cage would be acceptable. Still, since most ferrets do wake up at some time during the night and want to stretch their legs, I always say go for a larger cage! ;)  Wire floors are a big no-no, as they will damage your ferrets feet. Aquariums are also out of the question, save those for the fish. Lets get on to cages! Keep in mind that you must have room for a litter box, a few toys and a few hammocks.

Marshall Ferret Townhouse II Ground Story Ferret Cage

So you decided to get yourself a ferret! While browsing your local pet store, you are aghast by the high prices of cages! But wait, here is a cage that says 'for ferrets!' and is less than $100! Think again! This cage can claim all it wants but the size is far too small for a ferret. Put a litter box in there and he has enough room to poop, eat and sleep. Now if your ferret spends just a few hours in his cage, that might be acceptable. If your ferret gets just four hours of roam, a cage like this is unacceptable! Stay clear of the cheap one story cages that claim to be for ferrets.  I wouldn't even keep a rat in something so small.

Super Pet My First Home Multi-Level, Large

So the one story cages are a no. How about the 'starter' small pet homes? This one says for ferrets and its only $79 on amazon! The cage looks big on the box, but look at it compared to this rat. Now imagine a ferret? A single ferret could fit okay in this cage, with room for a hammock, litter box and some toys. This would be an okay cage if you keep a single ferret who spends all day out with you and cage time at night. I wouldn't advise it for anything else. Ferrets have also figure out how to open those cheap plastic doors, so don't be surprised if your ferret escapes from a cage like this.

Super Pet My First Home Deluxe Multi-Level Pet Home

So we've established that if you're going to get a decent ferret cage for your ferret it must have plenty of room and you're going to have to spend a bit of money. This cage is a very common one that ferret owners buy. Its large and fairly cheap.  With this cage you'll get what you pay for. I had this cage for a few months, it came with a pair of rats I rescued, and I hated it. The wheels are cheap and fall off. In order to clean it properly you have to take the ENTIRE cage apart. The levels are cheap and flimsy. I wouldn't keep rats in it again, and I certainly would never waste my money on it as a ferret cage. Yes there is a lot of open room, but the way the levels are placed and spaced, there is also a lot of room for your ferret to fall. Look at the top shelf, if a ferret were to be getting out of their hammock on the left side and slip, it'd fall all the way to the bottom. It also has the same style door as the cage above, which ferrets can open. This cage is a waste of your money, do not bother getting it unless you want a lot of headache.

Super Pet Habitat Defined Ferret Habitat

This is a pretty large cage. My three rescue ferrets came with this cage and could fit into it comfortably. The size is about all I can give it. There isn't much room to play, a single litter box takes up nearly half the bottom of the cage, and the other half has the ramp leading down into it. Leaving just one corner open. The ramps are incredibly slippery, which had them sliding from level to level, sometimes over the edge. I had to have hammocks underneath every level just so there was something there to catch them. The ramps are also cheap and fall off if you happen to have an average sized male ferret. The wheels its on, like the previous cage, also fall off. They were long gone by the time I got the cage. It also has to be taken apart completely in order to clean it, and the small doors make it hard to get in there and hang hammocks up. Cheap cage, was glad to be rid of it. As a rule of thumb, I suggest staying away from anything Super Pet makes.

Marshall Ferret Mansion

You'd think a ferret breeder would know how to make a good ferret cage but alas, the Marshall Ferret Mansion falls short. The wire shelves are tiny and would have to be covered. There isn't much space to stretch out or play aside from the bottom level. It looks spacious but with such small levels, a lot of the open space goes unused because it will be out of the ferrets reach. The ramps make noise when walked on.  I've heard horror stories of ferret feet getting caught when they fall off the levels. And to top it off, the cage is nearly $200! At that price you can get a much nicer cage.

Feisty Ferret Cage by Prevue

Now we're getting into the higher end ferret cages! Prevue makes some about average ferret cages. You'll have to make your own adjustments to them but they're a decent alternative if you can't spend $150+ on a cage. This particular cage is large, plenty of room for play and sleep! I haven't owned one myself but I hear it can be hard to put together, but all around pretty sturdy. The bottom and middle floors are wires, but that can be remedied by covering it with carpet or thick blankets. It has wide open doors which make it easy to decorate and clean. It also has a pull out tray for litter and droppings, which isn't helpful for ferret owners. More of a chinchilla cage I think but it can certainly work for ferrets! Prevue makes other styles of cages, all of which would need some adjustments but if you're short on cash you can make them work.

The Ferret Condo by Martin's Cages

I had a rat cage from Martin's but never a ferret cage. The rat cage I had was very high quality, easy to clean and very sturdy. The ferret cage above looks spacey. The small wire openings would make it difficult to hang hammocks. The doors, while impossible for ferrets to open, are kind of small thus making it awkward to get your hands in there. I've heard good and bad things about Martin's ferret cages, but if that style interests you then it might be worth taking a chance. 

Ferret Nation by Midwest

A pricey ferret cage, but don't let that chase you away. The ferret nation has everything a ferret owner needs. Plenty of space with none of it going to waste. No wire flooring. Ramp covers to give the ferrets something to grip as they climb up and down. Tons of open room to roll around and wrestle at 3am while mother is trying to sleep. Very high quality. The plastic flooring is removable for quick washing, and the hight of the levels is adjustable. Its fairly easy to put together, a rubber mallet might be helpful. The doors open wide so you can easily reach your little weasels. I've yet to have a ferret escape. It moves easily on its wheels and they also have breaks to keep it in place. The ramps don't shake around when my ferrets walk on them. The cages offers a lot of space and bars to hook hammocks or toys on to. If you want a seriously good home for your ferrets, put money aside to get yourself a ferret nation. I can't think of a single thing about it that I don't like. I've been very pleased with my cage since the day I bought it.

There are a lot of ferret cages out there but once you know what to look for you can really narrow it down to a few. Imagine how much space your ferret will have and how much room you'll have to decorate. Make sure it's safe and escape proof. And above all, you want it to be comfortable and fun! I mix up my cage every few weeks to keep my ferrets from getting bored. It's worth the extra money to make them happy. :)