How to Keep a Pet Ferret: A Detailed Guide to Care and Precautions

The common pet ferrets in China are imported from abroad. They have beautiful coat colors and gentle temperaments, and are very popular. So how should you keep a pet ferret at home?

How to Keep a Pet Ferret

1. Buy a large cage for the pet ferret, with length, width and height kept at 1 m or more as far as possible. If you keep more of them, a multi-level cage is needed. The cage should be equipped with a litter box, food bowl, water bottle, sleeping bag and toys, and the bottom of the cage should be lined with a soft cloth.

2. Prepare special food for the pet ferret. As extra food, you can feed cooked chicken and eggs. But do not feed it fruit or raw vegetables, to prevent indigestion.

3. Unlike cats, pet ferrets cannot cough up hairballs. When it is not shedding, feed the pet ferret a hairball remedy of about 2 cm several times a week. During shedding season, feed a dose of 2-3 cm every day. Generally, give the remedy one hour after the pet ferret finishes eating.

4. Groom its fur often. To keep it clean and avoid fleas, bathe it regularly, once a month. Clean out its earwax, and brush its teeth once a month. The nails need to be trimmed.

5. For the health of both parties, take the pet ferret to get canine distemper and rabies vaccinations every year. If there are too many mosquitoes, it also needs a heartworm preventive injection once a month. Take the pet ferret for a physical examination every year. Check for parasites and teeth.

6. Do not keep the pet ferret locked in its cage for long periods. Make sure it has more than 3 hours of out-of-cage playtime every day. Interact with it; this both strengthens your bond and benefits both your health. Small items in the room such as erasers, plastic, shoes and chewing gum should be kept away from it to avoid accidents if it comes into contact with them. Supervise the pet ferret while it plays, as it can climb everywhere.

7. Pet ferrets tolerate cold, but they have no sweat glands and do not tolerate heat, so keep the indoor activity temperature below 30°C; too high a temperature can cause sudden death.

Although pet ferrets are cute, there are quite a few things to pay attention to when keeping them. Only with patient care from the owner can their health and safety be ensured.