Pet Ferret Supplies Every New Owner Needs
Congratulations on bringing a new furry friend into your home, there are a few pet ferret supplies that all owners should have on hand. Lets talk about little bit about the modern domestic ferret. Mankind has kept ferrets for over 2,000 years. During that time, in addition to providing fun and companionship, they also had jobs. Ferrets have been used to hunt rabbits for centuries, although most ferrets today are pets.
During the wedding of Prince Charles and Dianna, ferrets were used to run wires in the cathedral. So how do you refer to your new pet? Bandit? Carpetshark? Cute baby ferrets are called kits. A little girl is known as a jill, a little boy is called a hob. If your pet is spayed or neutered (which we highly recommend, going into season can kill a jill), they have different names. A male is called a gib, a female is called a sprite. A group of ferrets isn’t a herd or a flock- that’s a business.
Your partner in good ferret care is a veterinarian- find a good one now, who specializes in ferrets, or at the least exotics. They will be familiar with the common ferret maladies, as well as be able to give your some tips on how to care for your new family member. They can also take care of the first series of immunizations, check for parasites, and give your new friend a complete physical.
During your vet visit, you most definitely want to learn how to scruff your ferret. All this means is holding them by the skin at the back of their neck, the way their mother did when they were kits. It completely relaxes a ferret, and allows you to do things like clip their nails, or get them out of the potted plant without hurting them! Speaking of nails, it’s a good idea to have the vet clip those nails on the first visit. Watch closely what the vet does, it’s cheaper for you to cut them at home and not hard to do if you scruff them first. Nail clippers are probably some of the first pet ferret supplies you want to buy.
After the trip to the vet, like most owners you’re probably thinking ferret medical care is expensive- and you’re right. Now is a good time to start setting aside some money for an emergency medical fund- many ferrets will have a serious (and expensive) medical condition like insulinoma or adrenal disease at some point in their life. You can mitigate these costs with a discount vet card, or perhaps ferret pet insurance. Be sure to run the budgetary numbers and check coverage before you buy a plan. Enough medical stuff- let’s set up that ferret cage! You want a nice wire cage with escape proof doors and no sharp edges. An aquarium does not provide adequate ventilation and is a poor choice to house a ferret.
Plastic and wire floors in a cage are fine, you can cover them with some felt or an old blanket. Just make sure your ferret can’t catch their nails in the fabric, they can become caught and hurt themselves. Get a good quality ferret diet- cat food does not contain the important nutrients a ferret needs, and long term use can make them sick. Get a good heavy bowl that cannot be tipped over, or the pet stores have dishes which lock to the sides of the cage. Ferrets love to tip and dig, so this is a must.
Opposite of the food and water, or on the lower level if you have a two level cage, you’re going to want a litterbox. Ferrets prefer to do their business in corners, you can take advantage of that and use a corner little tray to save some space. A small cat litter box allows them four corner choices, so that’s an advantage, and if you have a digger it keeps litter inside the pan.
Next up you’re going to want to have some blankets at the bottom of the cage for snuggling and burrowing. Ferrets have a natural instinct to burrow, and this also allows them to keep warm if it gets particularly chilly. The last item on your list of ferret pet supplies is a ferret favorite. No cage is complete without a ferret hammock. Ferrets love to lounge in a hammock, get the largest one you can afford, and make sure that it hangs freely, without and bumps from things like litterboxes. Your new friend will bring you years of happiness and joy. A few simple pet ferret supplies will make your life, and theirs much easier!