Pet Ferret Care Guide

Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) belong to the family Mustelidae; their relatives include weasels, mink and otters. The ferret is suspected to have originated from the European polecat (Mustela putorius) or steppe polecat (Mustela eversmannii). They were probably domesticated for rodent and rabbit control over 1900 years ago. In the US, the ferret is used primarily as a companion animal. Regulations on ferret ownership are controversial. In some states and cities ferret ownership is illegal, and a license is required in others.

PET APPEAL/BEHAVIOR:

• Joyful, interactive and entertaining.
• Mischievous thieves with intense exploratory behavior.
• Independent, rarely sit still to be cuddled or petted.
• Relatively easy to care for.
• Quiet compared to other popular companion animals.
• Sounds ferrets emit include “clucking” (giggle), hissing (exuberance, anger), squeaking (pain, surprise, fighting) and rarely, screaming (extremely frightened, pain).
• Ferrets are rarely aggressive to humans, and biting behavior is often associated with a lack of proper socialization. Time and patient socializing will usually resolve the issue.
• Ferrets are naturally curious and investigate novel items with their mouths; therefore, they should not be left unsupervised with infants or small children.
• Ferrets should not have access to other small pets, as dogs and cats are predators by nature.
• Ferrets are liable to steal items and stash them in unknown or difficult-to-reach areas.They are particularly fond of soft rubber items, which they may tear aggressively with their teeth and ingest.

SCENT OF THE FERRET:

• While the majority of ferrets in the US are descented (removal of the anal sacs) at the time of neutering, a characteristic musky odor always remains.
• Some consider anal saculectomy (“descanting”) as unnecessary because anal gland secretions are not responsible for all of the ferret’s musky odor.
• The sebaceous secretions of the skin produce the overall scent of the ferret and seasonally influenced.
• Bathing a ferret provides only temporary relief. A better alternative is to regularly change the ferret’s bedding.

SEXING AND REPRODUCTION:

• Ferrets are easily sexed.
• Males (“hobs”) can be identified by locating the preputial opening on the ventral abdomen, midway between the umbilicus and anus.
• In normal males, a distinct white line may be identified coursing along the prepuce caudally, and the os penis can be readily palpated.
• Testicles, if present, are located just ventral and cranial to the anus.
• Females (“jills”) have a short anogenital distance, with a distinct vulva.
• Normal females have a small vulva located approximately 1 cm ventral to the anus.
• Most ferrets in the US are altered and descented before 6 weeks of age, prior to being sold as pets.
• Jills are induced ovulators with a prolonged estrus. If they do not ovulate, females will remain in estrus and may develop aplastic anemia.
• Jills must be spayed if not intended for breeding.
• Many ferret breeders and owners delay gonadectomy until their ferrets reach puberty.
• There may be a link between the age at neutering and the age of development of adrenal disease in that a lack of negative feedback from gonadal hormones, as a result of neutering, results in persistently elevated gonadotropic luteinizing hormone (LH), which may induce adrenal hyperplasia and/or neoplasia via functional LH receptors.
• An aberrant tumor suppressor gene has also been implicated in the development of adrenal hyperplasia and subsequent neoplasia.

HOUSING:

• Minimum cage size should be 22 x 20 x 16 inches (55 x 50 x 40 cm) for each ferret.
• There are many cages designed for ferrets with multiple levels and constructed of galvanized metal and plastic.
• Floors made of hard plastic are easiest to clean.
• Housing and temporary housing at the veterinary clinic must be “ferret proofed” to prevent escape.
• Cage bedding (e.g., blankets, old sweatshirts) must be changed and washed regularly in order to control odor.
• Ferrets require at least a few hours of exercise outside of the cage each day.
• The less time a ferret spends outside the cage, the more space and enrichment is needed inside the cage.
• IV catheters are usually placed in the cephalic vein.
• Injections may be given subcutaneously (shoulders, flanks), intravenously (cephalic or saphenous veins) and intramuscularly (quadriceps or biceps femoris).

MOST COMMON DISORDERS:

• Gastrointestinal obstruction (foreign body ingestion, trichobezoar). Young ferrets are prone to ingestion of toys, such as foam rubber and latex.
• Adrenal disease
• Traumatic injuries
• Cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure
• Pancreatic beta cell tumors (insulinoma)
• Heliocobacter gastroenteritis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Lymphoma
• Dermal mast cell tumors (behave benignly)
• Splenomegaly (usually benignly)
• Coccidiosis