# Ferrets?



## Gizzard (Feb 11, 2010)

Hey one of my close mates, was looking into owning a Ferret, and his got a enclosure which is a good size, cost him around 99 bucks at petshop but his unsure of what he needs to put inside it , anyone wanna give him a hand??


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## hallie (Feb 11, 2010)

A sleeping box with bedding in it. Things to climb on and keep it occupied.

Id get 2, they are social animals and do better with a companion..


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## Costa (Feb 11, 2010)

similar deal to housing a rabbit...


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## Gizzard (Feb 11, 2010)

oh ok, does the entire tank need substrate, i know u gotta give em a big litter box and big sleeping area, 
were gonna begin decorating in about a month when we got cash, and hopefully his gonna get the little fella in the month after that


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## Costa (Feb 11, 2010)

will it be indoors or outdoors???
and what does the enclosure look like???
ie is it on stilts or a stand?
or does it sit on the ground?


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## Gizzard (Feb 11, 2010)

its a sit on the floor enclosure, its gonna be kept in his room - his room doesnt get much sun - the enclosure is one of those they seem to be around 60 cm longish but we havnt measured yet


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## Herpgirl (Feb 11, 2010)

ferrets are like kittens except they stay like kittens for up to 9 years, I use newspaper and somtimes cugar cane ( that I have to shake well so the dust dosn't create sinus problems)from Kmart and Bunnings. They also need atleast 4 hours out side the cage each day. I take mine for a walk on a kitten leash up to the park and he plays and trys to catch the pigeons. he is 4 and still plays like a kit lol


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## Jaycw (Feb 11, 2010)

Gizzard said:


> its a sit on the floor enclosure, its gonna be kept in his room - his room doesnt get much sun - the enclosure is one of those they seem to be around 60 cm longish but we havnt measured yet


 

I've kept ferrets for ages.... id advise about keeping them in his room especially if you havent got much sun/ventillation in there.. they have quite a "unique" aroma that you prob dont want wafting around your bedroom.

Also , 60cm single story cage might be a bit of a tight fit , they tend to be a little active , check out ebay , those things listed as "cat cages" are usually pretty cheap... I picked up a 3 story one for 90$

As far as cage stuff , as everyone else said , pretty much the same as a kitten... some soft bedding , litter tray (which will probably get used as a play pen anyway!) etc etc.


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## Gizzard (Feb 11, 2010)

His got a huge window, which lets in alot of ventilation just the cage is going to be next to his bed and his bed blocks alot of the sun out from where the cage sits, he has done his far set of research but just what he needs for substrate etc he is finding hard. he understands they need to be out alot and his pritty much made his room 'ferretproof' and his planning on letting it out when ever his home just to play around


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## Gizzard (Feb 11, 2010)

bump anymore ideas?


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## bigi (Feb 11, 2010)

i had many ferrets over 20 years ago, in a few enclosures, with pairs being in 2 to 3 meter enclosures. Alot has changed since then and they have become accepted as household pets. In saying this my experience is that they can stink, unless everything is cleaned thoroughly daily, i still would not keep them inside my bedroom. I agree with the person above, they are social animals and 2 is better than one. They are wonderfull, interesting creatures and your friend will just love them and their antics. i used mine for rabbiting on a regular basis and bred them easily, but that is a story on its own


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## Fireflyshuffle (Feb 11, 2010)

Get hammocks, a blanket to play and sleep in at the bottom, and plenty of room to run.. and please give it lots of attention everyday. They live for attention and love. get a couple of cat toys with bells in them (make sure there not cheap plastic) hard ping pong balls, and a soft toy. they will love to pick it up and stash it under beds etc.


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## Fireflyshuffle (Feb 11, 2010)

Go to theferretshop online. Look at what they have for ferrets. You can go crazy there. Spend about $400 a year on my ferrys for xmas


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## Sarah (Feb 11, 2010)

they only stink if you dont get them desexed or keep their cage in dirty conditions ,and females will die if they come into heat and are not mated or desexed prior to coming on heat. 60cm cage is way too small , it will go stir crazy in a tiny cage. I have 4 ferrets and have been keeping them on and off for the last 18 years . You need a litter tray or two depending on the size of the cage or area you want to keep them in and if the cage has a wire floor you need to cover the wire floor as they can catch their feet in the wire plus its not great to walk on. The NSW club has rescues that come desexed and usually are toilet trained and matched to your experience etc.


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## pinkmus (Feb 11, 2010)

I would include a litter tray if your mate wants to eventually litter train the ferret when taking it out of the cage for *supervised *play etc. Make sure he 'ferretproofs' the room he will let the ferret loose in as they can easily escape/chew electrical wires/drop heavy objects. Also do not allow them access to any foam or rubbery material as they just love to chew the stuff which will lead to blockages. Get some plastic pipes and make a sort of maze as they love tunnels.

-Will


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## Gizzard (Feb 12, 2010)

Would 60lx50wx140h be a alright size for 1 ferret, with multible shelves inside, with ramps etc ?


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## Gizzard (Feb 14, 2010)

and what would be a safe wood to use?


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## AMY22 (Feb 14, 2010)

One thing I don’t think anyone has mentioned that you may or may not be aware of (not to do with enclosures but in general) is that females can die if not mated or desexed once she is in season. They are also prone to heartworm so it’s a good idea to get heartworm treatments.


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## Fireflyshuffle (Feb 14, 2010)

What are you using the wood for? they will chew it to peices within time. And if cage size is in cm then yes sounds good. The more run the better


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## Jungletrans (Feb 14, 2010)

Mine loves the hammock , and its takes up space that would have been wasted . Also a clean blanket or towel , folded so they can hide in the folds . The more time out of the cage the better , they are very smart and easily bored . think cat x dog x monkey .


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## Gizzard (Feb 14, 2010)

shnakey said:


> What are you using the wood for? they will chew it to peices within time. And if cage size is in cm then yes sounds good. The more run the better


 
well the wood is to build the enclosure, so were woundering what wood to use or a good cage enclosure this size


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## Fireflyshuffle (Feb 16, 2010)

Everyone has told you where to get a cage... Online, ebay, you can get massive ones for $150. i think you (or more to the point your friend that wants one) need to do some research on them. Building a wooden cage is not a good idea for a ferret. Have you seen there teeth? Get a book and read read read before you plan on getting one.


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## Sarah (Feb 16, 2010)

wood isnt all that hygenic either, because if they have an accident it will stink ,metal is better or a combination . Always go bigger its not a rabbit or guinea pig that can spend endless hours caged up. I suggest you go to a ferret shelter and meet some ferrets to get an idea of whats involved in ferret keeping . They are quite high maintenance.


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