Ferrets are awesome pets but by far not easy ones. They require lots of attention and can cause quite a smell in your home if you do not clean their litter boxes every day.
They only live 4-7 years, are considered exotic pets a the vet(more expensive)and need a diet rich in protein. I use Marshall brand ferret chow and also put vitamins in their water. The food is $24 for 7lbs and vitamins are $8 for a very small bottle of concentrated solution.
You should consider the cost of the ferret, a large cage, food bowls, food, vitamins, toys, shots and ferrets are susceptible to human viruses. They will catch your cold or flu virus so you should not handle them when you are sick.
My two - one male and one female are like night and day. Bambi, my little female, is fun, playful but bites everyone except our family. Nobody can touch her except for us. Bear, my male wants the world to take turns holding him and gives kisses to noses whenever he can sneak one in. Total opposites and we got them both @six weeks. It is hard to tell what you will get and you just have to accept it and love your pet no matter what.
A lot of people think they want a ferret, get one, get a "Bambi" and freak. They try to deal with it but decide they don't want a ferret after all. They are a lot of work and you have to really force them to be held to get them to be social creatures. They like to roam and squeeze into small spots and will not come out until they are ready to. They will bite your toes underneath a blanket, they will pop your waterbed mattress, they will steal your bag of potatoes and one by one put them into your drawers. This and so much more. They will steal everything that isn't tied down. These are a few things mine have done to me - but this is why I love them so much. I wouldn't trade them for the world. They run and play, will come up and nip your ankle, turn and run in hopes you will give chase, go up and down the stairs endlessly and "bounce". This kind of jumping is so cute you will just die when you see it. They wrestle, peep at each other(and you) and will win your heart over 100+ times in their lifetime with you.
Think this through - please. A pet is for life, not until you decide you no longer want it.
Do yourself a favor and do not pay any attention to bender's comments with regard to cost and feeding as all ferrets come spayed and neutered in the US and are already started on a diet of ferret chow similiar to rabbit pellets. It is specially formulated high in protein. I am sure he is a very wise person and knows how things are done in the UK but he should know we are in the US and our animals cost less and are neutered. Things are very different here and this should be considered when commenting on Y/A.
And that Justine L, she's off her rocker. My Bearsy used to take naps with my daughter in her crib when she was a year and a half old. You could not seperate the two of them and nothing bad ever happened.
Yeah, I'd say $1000 is about what I've spent this past year (and that's for five ferrets). That's for food, litter, vet care, and other little things (dental gel, ear cleaner, ferretone, ferretvite, etc.). However, thankfully, none of the five I have now have or have had any serious health issues (insulinoma, adrenal, intestinal blockages, etc.). I know surgery for intestinal blockages can cost a few hundred, other health issues can cost $1000 or more per year (for surgery and/or meds), and that's $1000 or more on top of the other costs (food, litter, etc.). They definitely aren't a cheap pet to care for, but you don't necessarily have to be rich to keep one. Basically, if you don't have a job with a steady income, then a ferret wouldn't be a good pet to get right now. My family has had ferrets since '89, and I don't even want to think about how much has been spent in total on all of them over the years...
First of all that "baby killer" stuff is garbage. There have not been any smothering situations. For serious bites the rate PER CAPITA ANIMAL (i.e. adjusted for how many there are of each type of animal) in a study by pediatrician Dr. Freddie Ann Hoffman found that serious injuries by ferrets happen at about the same rate as serious injuries by pet rabbits -- a rate 1/200th of the rate per capita dog.
The medical costs are high. Even in the first year with a kit there will be the 3 kit Canine Distemper Vaccinations, the Rabies Vaccine, wellness visits and checks on dental eruption, etc. Medical costs increase with age. We find that they tend to average (in our high cost area) $5,000 per lifetime (with out usual lifespans here being late in the 7th year to middle in the 8th year -- some older, some younger).
Food, too, is expensive. Going with junk food or with discount or grocery store food can backfire.
I am going to suggest a book that even we old hands use:
_Ferrets for Dummies_. It will give you the basic information you need to decide if or when you and a ferret can do justice to each other.
i own three ferrets right now...and i love them..i would not trade them for any other pet and i am an animal lover...my ferrets were about 100.00 bucks each...i bought one at a time and kept adding more..i originally started with a smaller cage that was like 40 bucks and one ferret but my ferret was so active that i went out and bought a 2nd ferret for some company for him..and at the same time i bought a large cage at pets smart or petco for 110.00.it has three levels plus a slide and a bubble burrow thingy.it stands 5 feet tall and is about 2 or 3 feet wide on a metal frame with wheels..it is so easy to clean and my ferrets love it..so a few months later i bought another ferret...i got all my ferrets when the were small and now one is 3 years old ,one is 9 months and the other is about 3 months..they have a lot of energy when they are small.but they do calm down some as they get older...but i would say they require a lot of care like attention wise..you can't buy them and just keep them in a cage...they need lots of love and play time with you or your family.when ferrets are younger they do tend to nip or lightly bite at first..this is them playing..they are not trying to hurt you but this is how they play with each other so they have to be taught the acceptable way to play with a human..as we are tender and bruise easily...i buy my ferrets food like every 2 to 3 weeks.i might spend about 15 bucks a month.i also use news paper and brown grocery bags that i shred for the litter at the bottom of the cage that they poop in...so i don't have to spend any money on that...other than that every 4 months or so i spend 30 or 40 bucks getting all new toys or hammocks for them to lay in and treats..i dont find that mine cost 1000 bucks a year to care for but when they go to the vet the bills can sure add up..mine have been there for shots and a check up and have never been sick..but all pets can have high vet bills and all pets need the vet at one time or another,,good luck..just so you know ferrets are like no other pet..i spend alot of time with mine and they go to the pet store with me and i have a 4 year old child and it is false that ferrets smother children..it is a old wives tale...my daughter has been playin with hers since she was 18months old and he has never hurt her...as for the smell all liter boxes stink and all ferrets come to you already spayed/neutered and descented but they still have a kinda funny smell to them..i give mine bathes one a month or two and use a deoderizing spray and u can't even tell i own three of them
Interestingly enough I have never been so anal as to add up my yearly costs, however, start-up-costs can be upwards of 800 dollars if you do it right. You can count on yearly vet visits. About 70-100 dollars depending on the vet. If you own more then one ferret and bring them all in on the same appointment you usually get a discount for additional animals. This all of course is not with additional food, toy, and other supply costs that ecru. I'm not exactly rich and I can afford mine. If your not an adult...yes, a guinea pig is probably better.
My uncle has like 6 of them lol So i dont think one is gonna break ur wallet. But my advice is to spend the money on a real big cage because they're not very happy with a small one. My uncle lets them run around the house and they dont always like to use the litter box so he has puppy pads everywhere...so I def wouldnt let them run around freely unless ur watching them. Oh and yes they do love company, but they're fine if you only buy one. So really ur money will go to the cage, and food, and litter for a small litter box inside the cage. So I think you should definatley get one!! They're soo cute
Maybe so, I think the initial cost of getting one isn't so bad, but the needs they have may be the same as any other domesticated animal such as a small dog or cat.. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. But if you can't provide for it, you probably should move on to something else!
Not really, just food water and somewhere to pee. like any other pet really. be careful though, if you freak them out they attack and bite like crazy... so maybe some medical costs as well :P
Comments
Ferrets are awesome pets but by far not easy ones. They require lots of attention and can cause quite a smell in your home if you do not clean their litter boxes every day.
They only live 4-7 years, are considered exotic pets a the vet(more expensive)and need a diet rich in protein. I use Marshall brand ferret chow and also put vitamins in their water. The food is $24 for 7lbs and vitamins are $8 for a very small bottle of concentrated solution.
You should consider the cost of the ferret, a large cage, food bowls, food, vitamins, toys, shots and ferrets are susceptible to human viruses. They will catch your cold or flu virus so you should not handle them when you are sick.
My two - one male and one female are like night and day. Bambi, my little female, is fun, playful but bites everyone except our family. Nobody can touch her except for us. Bear, my male wants the world to take turns holding him and gives kisses to noses whenever he can sneak one in. Total opposites and we got them both @six weeks. It is hard to tell what you will get and you just have to accept it and love your pet no matter what.
A lot of people think they want a ferret, get one, get a "Bambi" and freak. They try to deal with it but decide they don't want a ferret after all. They are a lot of work and you have to really force them to be held to get them to be social creatures. They like to roam and squeeze into small spots and will not come out until they are ready to. They will bite your toes underneath a blanket, they will pop your waterbed mattress, they will steal your bag of potatoes and one by one put them into your drawers. This and so much more. They will steal everything that isn't tied down. These are a few things mine have done to me - but this is why I love them so much. I wouldn't trade them for the world. They run and play, will come up and nip your ankle, turn and run in hopes you will give chase, go up and down the stairs endlessly and "bounce". This kind of jumping is so cute you will just die when you see it. They wrestle, peep at each other(and you) and will win your heart over 100+ times in their lifetime with you.
Think this through - please. A pet is for life, not until you decide you no longer want it.
Do yourself a favor and do not pay any attention to bender's comments with regard to cost and feeding as all ferrets come spayed and neutered in the US and are already started on a diet of ferret chow similiar to rabbit pellets. It is specially formulated high in protein. I am sure he is a very wise person and knows how things are done in the UK but he should know we are in the US and our animals cost less and are neutered. Things are very different here and this should be considered when commenting on Y/A.
And that Justine L, she's off her rocker. My Bearsy used to take naps with my daughter in her crib when she was a year and a half old. You could not seperate the two of them and nothing bad ever happened.
Yeah, I'd say $1000 is about what I've spent this past year (and that's for five ferrets). That's for food, litter, vet care, and other little things (dental gel, ear cleaner, ferretone, ferretvite, etc.). However, thankfully, none of the five I have now have or have had any serious health issues (insulinoma, adrenal, intestinal blockages, etc.). I know surgery for intestinal blockages can cost a few hundred, other health issues can cost $1000 or more per year (for surgery and/or meds), and that's $1000 or more on top of the other costs (food, litter, etc.). They definitely aren't a cheap pet to care for, but you don't necessarily have to be rich to keep one. Basically, if you don't have a job with a steady income, then a ferret wouldn't be a good pet to get right now. My family has had ferrets since '89, and I don't even want to think about how much has been spent in total on all of them over the years...
First of all that "baby killer" stuff is garbage. There have not been any smothering situations. For serious bites the rate PER CAPITA ANIMAL (i.e. adjusted for how many there are of each type of animal) in a study by pediatrician Dr. Freddie Ann Hoffman found that serious injuries by ferrets happen at about the same rate as serious injuries by pet rabbits -- a rate 1/200th of the rate per capita dog.
The medical costs are high. Even in the first year with a kit there will be the 3 kit Canine Distemper Vaccinations, the Rabies Vaccine, wellness visits and checks on dental eruption, etc. Medical costs increase with age. We find that they tend to average (in our high cost area) $5,000 per lifetime (with out usual lifespans here being late in the 7th year to middle in the 8th year -- some older, some younger).
Food, too, is expensive. Going with junk food or with discount or grocery store food can backfire.
I am going to suggest a book that even we old hands use:
_Ferrets for Dummies_. It will give you the basic information you need to decide if or when you and a ferret can do justice to each other.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.ht...
If money is tight go with more affordable animals.
i own three ferrets right now...and i love them..i would not trade them for any other pet and i am an animal lover...my ferrets were about 100.00 bucks each...i bought one at a time and kept adding more..i originally started with a smaller cage that was like 40 bucks and one ferret but my ferret was so active that i went out and bought a 2nd ferret for some company for him..and at the same time i bought a large cage at pets smart or petco for 110.00.it has three levels plus a slide and a bubble burrow thingy.it stands 5 feet tall and is about 2 or 3 feet wide on a metal frame with wheels..it is so easy to clean and my ferrets love it..so a few months later i bought another ferret...i got all my ferrets when the were small and now one is 3 years old ,one is 9 months and the other is about 3 months..they have a lot of energy when they are small.but they do calm down some as they get older...but i would say they require a lot of care like attention wise..you can't buy them and just keep them in a cage...they need lots of love and play time with you or your family.when ferrets are younger they do tend to nip or lightly bite at first..this is them playing..they are not trying to hurt you but this is how they play with each other so they have to be taught the acceptable way to play with a human..as we are tender and bruise easily...i buy my ferrets food like every 2 to 3 weeks.i might spend about 15 bucks a month.i also use news paper and brown grocery bags that i shred for the litter at the bottom of the cage that they poop in...so i don't have to spend any money on that...other than that every 4 months or so i spend 30 or 40 bucks getting all new toys or hammocks for them to lay in and treats..i dont find that mine cost 1000 bucks a year to care for but when they go to the vet the bills can sure add up..mine have been there for shots and a check up and have never been sick..but all pets can have high vet bills and all pets need the vet at one time or another,,good luck..just so you know ferrets are like no other pet..i spend alot of time with mine and they go to the pet store with me and i have a 4 year old child and it is false that ferrets smother children..it is a old wives tale...my daughter has been playin with hers since she was 18months old and he has never hurt her...as for the smell all liter boxes stink and all ferrets come to you already spayed/neutered and descented but they still have a kinda funny smell to them..i give mine bathes one a month or two and use a deoderizing spray and u can't even tell i own three of them
Interestingly enough I have never been so anal as to add up my yearly costs, however, start-up-costs can be upwards of 800 dollars if you do it right. You can count on yearly vet visits. About 70-100 dollars depending on the vet. If you own more then one ferret and bring them all in on the same appointment you usually get a discount for additional animals. This all of course is not with additional food, toy, and other supply costs that ecru. I'm not exactly rich and I can afford mine. If your not an adult...yes, a guinea pig is probably better.
My uncle has like 6 of them lol So i dont think one is gonna break ur wallet. But my advice is to spend the money on a real big cage because they're not very happy with a small one. My uncle lets them run around the house and they dont always like to use the litter box so he has puppy pads everywhere...so I def wouldnt let them run around freely unless ur watching them. Oh and yes they do love company, but they're fine if you only buy one. So really ur money will go to the cage, and food, and litter for a small litter box inside the cage. So I think you should definatley get one!! They're soo cute
Cost as in the upkeep?
Maybe so, I think the initial cost of getting one isn't so bad, but the needs they have may be the same as any other domesticated animal such as a small dog or cat.. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. But if you can't provide for it, you probably should move on to something else!
Not really, just food water and somewhere to pee. like any other pet really. be careful though, if you freak them out they attack and bite like crazy... so maybe some medical costs as well :P
They are comparible to cats.
They need a large cage though, and a few more toys.
yes it is true they do cost alot o money one of my cousin have one and it cost $1009.32 you might wanna just get a puppy or something?