Ferrets

[Tori Paige]

Do any of you know how much ferrets cost?

 

[AmoDolphin]

I think around my home town, they're about $120.

Are you thinking about getting one?

 

[Tori Paige]

Yea i want to get one of the white and grey ones.

 

[TinkerBellPixie4GOAL]

At PETCO they are $99.99 .... AND THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!! My uncle used to own one names Cleo...he was adorable!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Hi Tori.... I PM'd you. I'm not a teen, I was looking up some stuff for my neice Maria when I saw your post on ferrets...

This is what I wrote :

I am not a teen (I was looking at the teen board for info for my neice!) and I saw your post on ferrets. I have had 7 ferrets in my life, including 7 at one time! They are very loving, sweet little animals and they are relatively easy to take care of , because they will adjust to your schedule and they sleep alot. I would check out the american ferret association web site. http://www.ferret.org/

Your best bet would probably be to adopt one that has already been trained and fixed they can usually be adopted for $50-$70. If you buy one as a baby (called a kit) at a pet shop, you will likely be paying between $85-$150. I would avoid this if at all possible because pet shop ferrets come from mass breeding farms where the ferrets are inbred and not treated very well. Most of these ferrets come from a place called Marshalls Ferrets.

Another thing to consider is going directly to a breeder if you want a baby. Breeders may charge anywhere from $100+ depending on color and whether or not the parents have ever won any ribbons in ferret shows. (much like dog breeders). The most common colors, sable and albino are usually the cheapest, and the rarest color, a black eyed, all white ferret is going to cost the most.

You could also check your paper for ads from people giving ferrets away. Sadly, a lot of ferrets are purchased as "trendy" pets and then given up once the reality of having one kicks in.

Ferret care is expensive...
One important thing to consider is this : Ferrets are very expensive pets to keep, as vet care for them can be more than that of dogs or cats, depending on where you live. You will need a large cage and space to keep that cage, A ferret cage should have at least 2-3 levels, so that sleeping and going to the bathroom, and eating can all be done on seperate levels. If you can only afford a smaller cage with 2 levels, sleeping and eating can happen on the same level, as long as the ferret has lots of time out of the cage to play. You will need to get the ferret a series of shots, usually rabies and a few others, like dogs gets. This is SO important. This will cost you anywhere from $70-$170 depending on if your vet sees a lot of ferrets. Ferrets eat a lot. Their food is expensive, usually around $8-$15 a bag and they do go through it fast. You will also want to keep a supply of something called Linotone (or Furotone) on hand. This is a vitamin supplement that ferrets really need (and it teaches them to lick your hands!). You may also want to get something called Bitter Apple, which is a nasty tasting spray you can use to keep them from nipping at people, or chewing on bad stuff like wires etc.

Other costs include toys, a hammock to sleep in, litter boxes, special ferret litter and grooming. As for vets, they will need a check up and shots every other year or so, and if you get one that is not already neutered or spayed, you really have to have that done. Esp. if you have a female. Female ferrets who go into their cycle will actually die if they are not mated and bred. So it's really important that this is done.

Ferrets are also prone to cancer. Treating it can be very expensive. Two of mine had cancer. One of them was too little to operate on. She lived to be 9 which is actually about average.

Ferrets are Stinky...
Another thing people don't know about them is they...well...they are mustelids (related to skunks) and they...well...stink. They have a musty, musky scent, even after their scent glands are removed (another vet cost if it hasn't already been done). They will always have a musky odor. Some people like the musk smell (I do) but many do not. Also, they go to the bathroom a lot , and you can train them to use a litter box, but it takes a while and they may never get it 100% right.



Watching ferrets play is a riot! Seriously, it is better than watching the comedy channel. They hop and make squeaky sounds and sometimes they will steal your stuff. I had one once , a male named Apollo who had this thing for gloves. He would take everyone's gloves and hide them in various places. He never took anything else, but gloves! It was bizarre. He was my favorite. My others were : Mojo a sable female, Bandette a silver mitt female, Romana, a dark eyed white female, Bela, a dark sable male, Bartok and albino and Xavier a champagne colored male. Apollo was a light sable male. Sadly, they have all passed on. They all lived to be about 9. Bandette went through cancer twice and survived. They are tough little critters.

They can be taught to walk on a leash and beg and do tricks. Some of them are cuddly, others hate being held and just want to play. Males tend to be a little more snuggly than females. All my boys were.

Ferrets can be great pets but they are expensive. As long as you are willing to commit the money to making sure your ferret is well taken care of, they will live 7-10 years. I would not trade the 9 years I had with mine for anything.

Let me know if you want any more info and good luck with whatever you choose!

Sheri

 

[EsmeraldaX]

http://www.modernferret.com/

This is another great link. The people who put out this magazine are awesome and the magazine is actually entertaining to non ferret people too. It's hard to explain but it's just great and has tons of info.

Here's a pic of my first 3 furballs...

Mojo, Bandette , Apollo.

 

[Tori Paige]

Thanks for all of your help. your ferrets are so cute! i just sent you a PM with a few questions. Thanks

 

[Roxter79]

EsmeraldaX!!! It's been forever since I've seen you around