Introductions!

Ferrets are like potato chips, you can never have just one! :) I think a post introducing my crazy children is in order. 

Kiba is the ferret who started it all. I call him my Little Old Man. He's a very dainty ferret, but what he lacks in size he makes up in attitude. I named him Kiba after the character from Wolf's Rain because his coloring reminds me of a timber wolf. Even if the character Kiba was pure white. I use to own rats but after having them for a few months I found out I was allergic. After rehoming them, someone at the pet store suggested ferrets. I considered it but decided to wait. I'm the kind of person who does a lot of thinking on pros and cons before getting a new pet. Usually. I was in my local feed store, I can't recall what exactly I was getting there at the time. Of course I had to stop and look at the baby ferrets, who doesn't? They're so cute! A young worker there, one I see all the time, approached me and we started talking ferrets. What I love about that place is they educate you before selling you a ferret. If they don't feel a ferret is right for you, they'll decline the sell.

Anyway, among all the bouncing babies was this larger, sleek, silver ferret. Unlike the kits, he was sitting quietly against the glass, observing the world outside with this look of sheer intelligence and curiosity. I asked about him and was told because he wasn't very playful, and lacked the trademark ferret mask, he wasn't very desirable. He was actually six months at the time and was getting close to the point where he would be sent back to Marshalls, his breeder. Where he would then be euthanized because he is neutered and of no use. I knelt down beside the glass to be at his level, he put those tiny paws on the glass and gave me this look and I knew he was waiting there for me.

I was blessed with Kiba, he was always an easy ferret to train. I never had to bite train him or litter train him, he seemed to take to this on his own. He's a silly boy, no fear and no sense of safety. He'll literally throw himself at you when he's playing. His dances are classic. If you're lucky enough to see him showing off his moves, you're going to laugh so hard your sides will hurt. Kiba has been a great role model for his 'siblings'. I've watched him show the kits how to use the ramps in their cage. He is my darling, precious baby boy. I also call him his Highness because he can be a prissy thing. Kiba is the worst when it comes to being picky about what he eats. He refuses any and all treats as well as chews.

While Kobi's life was tragically cut short, he holds a very dear place in my heart. I got him a month after Kiba because I wanted Kiba to have a constant playmate, as a ferret always should. :) I got him from the same place I got Kiba, and Kobi was the exact opposite of my quiet boy. Kobi was rambunctious and naughty. And to date he was the most vocal ferret I had ever met. No matter what he was doing he was making some kind of noise. He'd cackle and shout, chuff and hiss, even snore. My mother was the one who picked him out and chose his name. Kiba and Kobi were two peas in a pod. I was heartbroken when I lost him and now try to educate others so no one else makes the same mistake I did.

After I lost Kobi I was reluctant to get another ferret. However, I knew I had to for Kiba. That first night without his cage-mate was hard on him. He would check the hammocks that they shared and paced his cage. The following day he refused to eat or drink. I've never seen an animal so depressed. I took Kiba out with me that day to cheer him up, since I didn't have to work and I knew he didn't want to be home alone. I went for a walk through town, Kiba laying uncharacteristically still in my arms and showing very little interest in the world around us. We have this small mom and pop pet store downtown, it use to focus on just fish but since it had been bought out they expanded to more. I don't shop there since they sell puppies which I don't agree with. Anyway, I popped in just to look around. Low and behold, they had ferrets. Several ferrets, in a small cage filled with filthy pine bedding, no hammocks, no toys. 

Of course the shop owner didn't hesitate to approach me, seeing that I had a ferret myself. The owner knew nothing about ferrets. I actually had to inform them as to why the ferrets had tattoos on their ears. I noticed a young male who looked sickly. When I pointed him out I was told that he had arrived this way, though why he wasn't taken to a vet I'll never know. When I held him, with Kiba in my other hand, he rested his little head on Kiba's shoulder and gave this big sigh, like he knew he was getting out of that hell hole. Despite not wanting to give that store any business, I had to have him. I haven't stepped foot in that establishment since.

Turns out, he had a cold and a broken toe. ): He was a very mouthy baby but grew into a well mannered, and fairly chubby, ferret. Zuko's name came to me easily. He has these distinct markings around his eyes that make him look pissed off, and he was always my little spit fire. If anyone knows the character Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender then you'll make the connection. Zuko attached himself to Kiba right away and you will almost always find those two curled up together.

I fostered three ferrets for about eight months and feel they're worth mentioning because they did teach me a lot. I met the group when I sold my old rat cage. I was helping move the cage into her house when I noticed she had ferrets. As well as four dogs, one of which was pregnant. Hamsters. rats. Large boa snakes being kept in airport style dog crates. Cats. I'm not one to judge but this looked like a bit much, and none of the animals were getting the care they required. The ferrets were in a filthy cage, poop and pee on all the levels of their cage. The litter on the bottom was so filthy that they were pottying on the upper levels. They were being fed a mixture of low quality cat food and dog food. They were skinny, greasy and their claws were horrendously over grown. My heart went out to them. I asked her about them and she even admitted they don't get out of their cage anymore because their toddler was rough with them.

I asked if she'd be interested in rehoming them and offered the rat cage ($150 cage) for them. She agreed and I took them home. They were sweet ferrets, needed some work on potty training but were otherwise a joy. After a good bath, a nail trimming and some good food, they were fluffing back up and starting to play and act like ferrets again. The two females were sisters, about five years old. They were named Bia and Castell. Their teeth were rotting from their poor diet and they were very, very small. A good teeth cleaning did make them more comfortable. Kotka was two years old and a very goofy guy. I would have kept them but Kotka and Kiba did not get along. It's the only time I've seen ferrets not get along, but it does happen. It took time finding the right homes but eventually Bia and Castell found themselves a home with a lovely family that works at our animal shelter.

Kotka went to a coworker where he got full run of the house being the only pet and was spoiled. I learned last month that Kotka was taken to the vet because he wasn't eating and was found to have insulinoma. This is common in ferrets who had a poor diet. Sadly, Kotka did not make it. His last year was full of love and attention, he went with his owner there at his side. This kind of love is what all pets deserve and I'm glad that in his last moments he was someones baby, not a display animal left to sit in a cage.

I had no intention of getting a third ferret. We all know life has a way of surprising you. I stopped into petco to pick up a few things. The sales associate at that time was actually my vets old assistant. A darling young woman that I've always loved talking with. She informed me that a new bundle of kits had arrived that morning so of course I had to go see. They were so tiny and full of energy. I've always wanted a dark black ferret and guess who was bouncing around the cage? A black ferret! She knew this and convinced me to hold him. He was squirmy and everything you'd expect a healthy young kit to be. I loved him right away but wasn't sure if I was ready to commit myself to another ferret, and one so young. I'd never had a ferret quite that young.

Needless to say, I spent some extra time in the store, debating with myself. I'd told myself I wanted to get a rescue next if I was going to get another ferret. I had also wanted a girl. Well, something had clicked and I just couldn't leave without that boy. So, he came home with me that day and I haven't regretted my choice once.

Following my theme of character names, I wanted to give him something special. I'm a huge Star Trek fan so I started to look there. It was between Wesley and Riker and it was decided that Riker was more fitting. Like all kits, Riker was full of energy and very playful. He quickly grew out of this and actually became an extremely mellow ferret. When me and the other woozles are playing, Riker watches us like we're out of our minds. He is very chill and unphased by whats going on around him. He is usually the ferret I take out with me because he will actually walk on his leash like a dog. Strangers can handle him and he enjoys the attention. Being held for long periods of time does not bother him, he'll quietly sit in your arms while you're shopping and browse with you. I often joke that he gives people the wrong idea because very few ferrets I've met are this lazy. Like I've said before, all ferrets are different. :)

When I got Riker he only had a dab of white on his muzzle, everything else was a rich black. As he grew older his white mask appeared and he became a very gorgeous and big boy, the biggest of the group.

My mother spotted this little female who was the last of her litter. Kobi had been close to my mother and I know she missed that. I decided to get the kit for her as a Birthday present. She named her Bella, with nothing to do with the Twilight character I swear. x) Bella is the youngest, at about four, maybe five months right now. She is everything that a ferret is said to be. Very playful, very feisty and loves stashing toys and socks. She was the hardest ferret to bite train and has drawn blood on one occasion when she got her teeth on a pen and I went to get it out of her mouth. It was enough to break the skin, nothing serious, but owch! She's a doll now though and has been accompany us with Riker as her guide on outings and is slowly getting comfortable in new settings.

Bella is a very bossy girl and is always pushing her limits with the boys. She is a character and only ever settles down for a short cuddle with my mother. We look forward to watching her grow. I wonder if she'll get a mask or not, I guess we'll see!

If you get one ferret, don't be surprised to find yourself getting another. You truly can't enjoy them to the fullest until you get to watch them interact and play with another of their kind. Their carefree nature is contagious. And their love and devotion for their cage-mates is remarkable. 

Ferrets and other pets?

How are ferrets with dogs? With cats? Birds? This is something I've been asked several times when I take my woozles with me to the store.

This is from my experience. Every ferret is different, as is every cat and dog. The situation always depends on BOTH animals involved. Ferrets will typically show little to no fear at all when meeting a new animal. They simply couldn't be bothered. Every new animal is a potential playmate! My kids would walk right up to a huge, strange dog in the petstore if I let them, which I don't. I've heard that people think ferrets and cats can't live in the same house together because they'll try to kill one another. I have to say, not true. I own cats, know fellow ferret owners who have ferrets and cats. The ferret will want to check your cat out, possibly try to wrestle with said cat. Its usually on the cat whether or not a fight happens. I've never seen a ferret fight with another animal. My cats are in fact scared of my ferrets and avoid them at all costs.

If you search on youtube you'll find all kinds of videos of ferrets playing with both cats and dogs. Our domesticated ferrets were bred to retain their kit like qualities, making them more social than their ancestors. Ferrets are playful and if they can get someone to join in their games, who cares what species it is? With that being said, it's probably best to keep ferrets well away from rodents and reptiles. While some ferrets, like my own, have no prey drive whatsoever, keeping a ferret around critters that are part of its natural diet could lead to tragic accident. A friend of mine lost a leopard gecko to one of his ferrets. They didn't eat it, just played with it... a little rough. Ferrets attacking rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits is also not unheard of. Even if raised alongside them. I've never had a ferret around birds or spoken to anyone that has. I can say that when my ferrets see birds at the pet stores they are very interested. To be safe, I'd say you should probably keep them apart.

So we know not to keep our ferret around animals it would naturally hunt and eat. But cats and dogs are fine assuming they don't have a high prey drive? Honestly, I see no reason to allow a ferret to interact and play with your dogs or cats. But didn't I just say there are videos of ferrets playing peacefully with cats and dogs? Yes I did, but let me explain.

As I've mentioned before, Kiba is my first ferret. Very shortly after I got him I got Kobi, a marked white ferret. At this point in time I allowed my ferrets to free roam in my room with my dogs, as long as I was there and supervising. I had read that many ferret owners did this, it wouldn't be until later that I would learn that doing so is more of a risk than it's worth. My dogs would allow the ferrets to crawl on them and would gently bat the ferrets with their paws. This went on for almost six months. They'd all even share beds! One evening while I was cleaning their cage the two boys were playing around my room, Lucy (Cocker Spaniel) was sleeping on the floor while Draco (German Shepherd/Lab) was lounging on the bed. The boys were dooking around, cackling and having a jolly good time. Kobi jumped at Draco's paws as he often did and Draco would nose him around. Kobi nipped at his lips and Draco nipped back.

At first I didn't know what happen. Kobi fell backwards on the floor. When I saw blood appearing on his neck I knew something was wrong. I scooped him up in my arms, his body convulsing, eyes bulging from his head and blood coming out of his mouth. I grabbed a towel from a nearby bin to wrap him in and yelled at my mother to start the car. Kobi died in my arms before we even got the car started. I can not blame my dog, he had done nothing wrong and did not understand the damage his nip had done. From that moment on my dogs and ferrets interact through the safety of a playpen. When the ferrets are free roaming the dogs aren't allowed in the same room.

What I'm trying to get at is, ferrets are delicate and it doesn't take much for them to get hurt, as I had learned tragically. It's not just big dogs that can be a threat. I met a rescue ferret that lost his eye to a toy poodle friend when they were playing and the dog nipped him. Ferrets have had necks broken from being stepped on by dogs.

I'd just like to sum up this post with, if you want your ferret to have someone to play with, get another ferret. Or make some extra time for yourself to play with your ferret. My ferrets are perfectly happy not playing with my dogs and it's going to stay that way. If you love your ferrets and your dogs/cats, keep them apart and keep them safe. Believe me, what I had gone through is not something you want to experience. I always share this story when asked this question now to hopefully spare someone else the heartache.

The joy of Potty Training!

Potty Training is either easy or difficult, it all depends on the ferret. Regardless, most ferrets are always going to have the occasional accidents. Sometimes the silly critters get so absorbed in their games and mischief that when the sudden need hits them they just back their rears up in the nearest corner and go! Be that as it may, with consistency and understanding, you can help cut down on these accidents and set your ferret up for success!

So where to start?

Let me start by saying, do not strike your ferret in any way if he has an accident. Do not rub his nose in it. Do not scruff the ferret and scold him. All of the above are abusive and ineffective.

 Make sure you use a safe litter for your ferret. They make a pellet litter just for ferrets, though I find they make this ridiculously expensive. A perfume free cat pellet litter is the same thing. The brand I use is called Good Mews. Do not ever use the sand type litter. This is unhealthy for ferrets in several ways.The litter box must be large. If a ferret feels that his litter box is too small, he will use it less or simply not use it at all.

A baby ferret is actually not that hard to litter train, they take to it with surprising ease! Now the first thing I must advise is not to fill your cage with rodent bedding (pine/aspin/carefresh). For a baby ferret, it can be hard to tell the difference between bedding and litter. ): You might find that the baby chooses to sleep in the litter box and poop in the corner of his cage. Solution? Line your cage with fleece blankets, or towels or something of the like. I choose fleece because my furkids like the softness. Now they'll be able to tell that the pellets in their litter pan are for potty and the blankets are for sleeping!

Now if you have a two-story or larger cage you'll want to make sure you have a litter box on both levels. Baby ferrets might be intimidated by using ramps so they may stay on one level for the first few nights. You can try and guess what corner of the cage your baby will want but ultimately the ferret picks his corner. Once he has, move the litter box there. Now if he uses more than one corner move a water bowl, food bowl or large toy into that corner. If he can't back his little booty into the corner he is likely not to try. Try not give them to much roaming space while they're still learning, you want to help them succeed. Keep a little poop in their box at all times. The smell helps encourage them to use it.

When you go to let your ferret out of his cage, try to get him to potty first. Ferrets typically go to the bathroom after waking up. Keep a close eye on your new ferret while he is playing, make sure you have a litter box outside the cage as well and let the baby know where it is. If the ferret tries to potty outside the litter box be quick to pick him up and gently place him in the litter box, be sure to praise him even if only a little bit actually makes it into the litter. If the baby goes straight to the box on his own to potty give him a lot of praise, and even treats if they like them. Make it a big deal so your ferret knows he did good. Keep this up until your ferret is seeking out the litter boxes. Don't hesitate to buy more litter boxes! I only have one in my three story cage but outside the cage I have at least four boxes spread out around the room. Pretty much one box per wall.

And if you line your cage with blankets, you're conditioning your ferret to not want to dirty this type of bedding. Why is that good? For some of us, no matter how hard we try our ferrets keep backing up in front of or beside the litter box and pooping on the carpet! Here is what I've found that helps. Toss a blanket in your ferrets cage for a few days. Most ferrets will burrow in this and sleep all over it. Once it smells like them take it out and lay it on the carpet and place the litter box on this. For my ferrets they didn't want to potty on their blanket so they'd make sure to get inside the litter box before going.

Make sure you clean up any accidents with a product made to eliminate the ferret urine smell. This will help keep the ferret from wanting to go there again. If they can smell their own potty they'll want to go there. For older ferrets these tips can also be applied, its just going to take more vigilance. An older ferret is set in its ways and that can be hard to break. 

"My new ferret bites and is mean!"

Someone approached me a while back asking for opinions on their new baby ferret who kept biting them. They were thinking of returning it. Obviously this breaks my heart, so I'd love to offer what advice that I can!

First off I'd like to cover what happens to ferrets that get returned. Ferrets that get returned go straight into quarantine, which is not easy on a kit. The amount of time varies per store but its at least three or four days, in some places more. Being a social creature, it is not good for a kit to be alone with little interaction for so long. This can quickly turn a ferret anti-social, and that lowers its chance of being purchased again. Ferrets who grow out of their 'cute baby' faces are sent back to Marshalls where they are, because they can't be bred, euthanized. This is why I can't stress it enough, if you can't commit yourself to your pets, do not get a ferret! They are expensive impulse buys, and one you may regret if you come to find a ferret does not fit your lifestyle.

So back to the subject at hand, biting. If you're going to get a baby ferret, its going to mouth you. No matter where you get one, what color or gender, baby ferrets are going to nip to some extent. Some more than others, obviously. A baby ferret is not biting you because it hates you, unless you're roughing it up of course :P Puppies mouth you and chew, its no different with a kit. They have to be taught how to appropriately interact with you. It takes time and love, as with any pet. You get back what you put in.

Reasons your baby ferret might be biting you

Baby ferrets do not want to be coddled and loved on. If you're constantly picking up your kit to cuddle it and fuss it, its likely going to nip you. Baby ferrets have a hell of a lot of energy and they want to be down and playing, not held in your arms all the time. If you want a small animal to baby, don't get a ferret. A kit will be dancing circles around you, its amazing how much energy such a tiny animal can have!

Like any baby, give them something appropriate to chew on! Like puppies, ferrets use their teeth to check things out. They make chews just for ferrets. N-Bone Ferret Chews are fantastic for chewers! 

Use common sense when you go to handle your ferret! A hand reaching at a kit can be a scary thing. Move slow, make sure your ferret knows your intentions. Don't reach out and snatch them up, that's asking for a nip. I advise against using your hands as toys when training a kit, as they're going to treat your hands like they would one of their kin. And that means some potentially hard bites. A teaser cat toy, the sticks with a feather or toy of some sort attached to the other end, are great games for a kit that both of you can safely play! Now while a baby ferret is incredibly cute when they're playing, it's a pretty stupid time to try and handle them. They're worked up, feisty and having fun. They might nip in play, and believe me, that hurts. Wait until he has calmed down after your game before handling him.

Don't crowd them! Like any new pet, give your new ferret time to settle in. If you have more than one ferret, this will usually happen quickly. But if you're getting just one ferret (another thing I advise against) you're going to have a scared kit. Suddenly they went from being in a litter of kits like them to all alone in this cage with no one there to cuddle with or play with. Just this strange human who keeps wanting to pick them up. Put yourself in their shoes!

Some say 'scruffing' your ferret to show your 'dominance' over it is a good way to 'put the kit in his place'. From what I've seen, this leads to a frustrated and pissed off kit. While it will stop the kit from biting in that moment, more often than not the instant you release his scruff he's going to bite you again. Scruffing should be reserved for emergencies, I only ever scruff my ferrets when they get something in their mouth that they shouldn't. Flicking the nose is also a recipe for a bite on the finger. I've never had to do any of this with my ferrets and they're docile enough to accompany me to stores and allow strangers to handle them. Earn your ferrets trust, don't force attention on them.

If your ferret does bite you do not strike the kit in any way. Not only are these incredibly delicate creatures, but that's not giving the kit any reason to trust your hands. If your hands bring pain and discomfort, they're probably going to bite again. Place the ferret back in his cage and wait for him to calm down. Biting means no fun and back to the boring ol' cage.

As for biting cords or toes, Grannick Bitter Apple Spray is a marvelous and safe solution. The dog version is harmless to ferrets but I've heard they now make one just for ferrets so that would probably work too. It smells very sharp and usually this is enough to make them think twice, but for those ferrets determined to get their teeth on those expensive computer cords, it also tastes disgusting. Do not under any circumstances spray this stuff in their mouths, in their faces or at them at all. Its a deterrent, not a punishment!

So is there any hope?

Do not give up on your kit! I have never met a vicious ferret, just ferrets who weren't socialized at a young age. I strongly suggest that first time ferret owners get an older ferret. Rescues are filled to the brim with ferrets who were given up because unsuspecting owners could not handle a rambunctious kit. Older ferrets are much more inclined to seek you out for attention, maybe a bit of cuddling and some lazy play. Usually they're also potty trained, which is a huge plus!

Bite training is an easy process for the right owners. Typically it takes me two weeks to bite train a new ferret, sometimes even less. Ferrets are intelligent animals and with the right people, very sweet and rewarding pets. :)

Where to begin...

I've been urged for quite some time now to make a blog and here I am. I find that this is an easier means to answer questions rather than making a youtube video. Anyway, this blog is just for ferrets and everything to do with them. The good and the bad. :) I'd like to share some of my personal views on these delightful creatures and hopefully bring with that some understanding.

So one thing we can all agree on is that ferrets are crazy. They bounce around like they're high on something, making some of the most amusing sounds and walk like they're drunk. I own four ferrets, three males and one female. If you follow this blog you'll be seeing plenty of them. In total I've owned seven ferrets. If a ferret is right for you, you're going to be smitten right away. Don't be surprised if you find yourself buying an absurd amount of ferret toys and hammocks, and are always wondering how to make their cage larger and more entertaining, even though they spend very little time in there. :P If you are a ferret owner then I'm sure you understand this addiction.

I'm going to be tackling many subjects, from the simple question of, 'Do I really want to get a ferret?' to the more pressing like 'My new ferret keeps biting me!' The sad thing is, a lot of ferrets are purchased on impulse. I'll be the first to admit that when I got Kiba (my darling baby boy and very first ferret) I was not prepared for all the insanity, and joy, he would bring into my life. The thing is, I was willing to learn. I spent countless nights researching my new furkid to make sure he would get the best quality of life. I didn't hesitate to buy the best cage for them, no matter the price, and I had the patience to learn with him on what works best when it comes to training. I met with experts, spoke with rescues and did everything I could to educate myself on his needs. If you're not a patient and understanding person then do not get a ferret! I can't stress this enough! I've seen way too many kits get returned because people simply aren't committed.

With that being said, I believe my first subject will be bite training, as I was approached a few days ago about that and find that its a very common issue with new ferret owners. :) I'll try to have that up sometime this week!