Do ferrets get along with dogs/cats? Yes but it is NOT a good idea to let your pet ferret anywhere near an unmuzzled dog. Ferrets have a tendency to not recognize when they are outmatched by a larger animal. Their style of playing is to attack and then wait to be chased, but in some dogs this may trigger a hunting instict. Cats and ferrets have been known to co-exist peacefully in situations where the ferret and kitten are raised together but it is not a good idea to put them together as adults.
Likewise there are some animals that ferrets see as potential prey. These would be mice or any type of rodent, small lizards, even fish. Ferrets are distant relatives of the mongoose, which are often eaten themselves by hawks and other large birds, as well as by snakes, so both kinds of animals seem to bring out really obsessive “kill or be killed” tendencies in ferrets.
How expensive is it to own a ferret? It can be very expensive. The main reason is because of their veterinary costs. Ferrets are prone to cancer and other diseases, which often strike them very young. You can minimize these costs to some degree by purchasing your ferret from a reputable breeder, and by feeding your ferret a good diet of high quality ferret food, but even then there is no guarantee of good health. It is a good idea to have some money saved in the bank to pay for vet bills later in your ferrets life. (Read my post about the costs involved in owning a ferret for more detailed information.)
Do ferrets bite? This is another big concern people have with ferrets especially those who have small children. In part this is due to misleading tv commercials and Hollywood movies that have tried to promote the stereotype of ferrets as wild, feroscious monsters. In fact this couldn’t be further from the truth. Ferrets have been fully domesticated for thousands of years. The compulsive “biting” that has earned some ferrets such a terrible reputation is for the most part just playing. The behavior seems to start out as a defense mechanism in newborn baby ferrets which they all outgrow to some extent, depending on how much they are handled as kits, how much training they get, etc… I do not suggest bringing a ferret into your home if you have small children. Though not really because of anything the ferret might do to the child, but because of what a child might do, either intentionally or unintentionally to a ferret. For more information about ferret safey, please see my next blog entry.
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i think a ferrets would be a good pet
hey my sister actually has a ferret named gizmo and it bites our feet then laughs and run away im actually thinking about getting one. gizmo is about 8 months old and i was worried if i get another ferret can i put them in the same cage or seperate and how would i introduce them to each other i wana get a girl and gizmo is a boy gizmo is fixed so if you could help me i would love u for life
Hi. I’m about 12 years old. Is that a good age to call a ferret your own? What age should I buy a ferret at?
Josh – Sorry I took so long to answer. Most ferrets dont mind sharing a cage once they become bonded to one another, but you should always have a way to seperate them just incase they dont get along, cause sometimes it takes a week or so for them to bond. What I did is instead of buying a cage I converted my pantry into a room for them. My last ferret I brougt home Snoopy it took a while for the others to accept her. So I kept them seperated for a while and only let them have limited contact with one another. I don’t think you will have those kind of problems introducing a boy and girl. Mine were all girls so there was a power struggle, but those issues don’t really come up with ferrets of the opposite gender.
Carmen – it’s hard to answer that question, because not all 12 year olds are the same. It depends on how responsible you are, and also it depends on how much involvement your family is willing to have. I think if you do get a ferret your parents should first do some reading up on how to make the house safe for ferrets, because every member of the family will have to make some adjustments. Your parents will have to always know when your ferret is out of it’s cage. They will have to help keep the house free of dangerous furniture or appliances, and to monitor the room temperature and other conditions inside the house. The whole family has to be willing to participate in caring for the ferret otherwise it might be a better idea to wait till you are old enough to get your own apartment.
Hello, I’m thinking of getting a ferret, are they okay with dogs? My grandmother owns a little dog and he’s very nice and playful. But if I get a ferret he/she will always be in my room, I’m just wondering if my ferret will be okay with the dog. I really want a ferret. They are so adorable and amazing.
I’m just hoping my grandmother will let me have one. And what alll kinds of things shouls I buy my ferret?
Hello i want to buy a ferret I hav a sister who is 3 would that be bad? Also my family goes for 2 hr rides to stay at a house every weekend is that ok for the ferret?
@Symone Dogs and ferrets are a bad combination. Even a small dog can potentially do a lot of harm to a ferret. So I would not take that risk.
@Michaela I think small children are a menace to ferrets. They are too rough and careless when they play and they dont understand the danger posed to ferrets by ordinary household objects like appliances or doors.
we have a dog and one ferret and they get on likea house the dog is a cav and she lays on the ground while kids and elvis the ferret runs all over her .
we have 4 kids fromthe age 2 to 14 years old and they all are ok with the ferret we some times have trouble with the 6 year old but she had been told if he bites her then that her fault 2 year old is not allowed near him without one of us there
I just want to say… I have children, and a ferret and dogs and a cat… they all get along GREAT… heres the thing. Children are Children. I lost a much loved ferret, as one of the children opened the cage and did not latch it properly….. Ferrets are ingenius… and she got out with the doors of my home open. I was heartbroken. I am just trying to reinforce the need for rules and children, and extra watchful eyes…