Ferret Collar
Considering ferrets’ knack for escaping, the ferret collar is high up on the list of important things to get your ferret. There is also controversy as to whether the ferret should be classified as a wild animal in general, so it’d be rather scary to think of what might happen should yours get out collarless.
When shopping for a ferret collar, don’t be swayed by fashion, at least not as a first criterion. If you get something really cute and big or annoying, your ferret will try to take it off. If it is too heavy or doesn’t feel very good, it will also try and take it off. Your best bets for material are nylon, or a soft leather or suede.
The only other thing you should really consider is a bell on the collar. It helps you to tell where your ferret is, helping you to tell if it is getting into something it shouldn’t be. It also helps you to find their hiding places and keep them from escaping. You may think first of the annoyance it may provide, but ferrets aren’t awake for that long during the day, and as hard as it may be to believe, it may save your ferret’s life sooner or later. No more ferrets in the dryer or under the recliner.
The ferret collar normally runs pretty cheap. If you’re paying double digit dollars for it, it’s probably too much. If you’re an internet shopping fiend like me, amazon normally does pretty well for this sort of thing. Check out their ferret collars below.
Get Your Ferret Collar Online Here
How to Train a Ferret
There is a lot of information on how to train a ferret. Frankly, there is a lot more than need be. Once you understand the principles of training an animal – any animal, you can get them to do or not do anything.
Training a ferret is all about the carrot and the stick, pleasure and pain, positive and negative reinforcement. However you want to label it, it is really all about getting them to have bad associations towards unfavorable activities and good ones to favorable ones.
The closer you give the feedback to the action, the better it works. In some cases you can make the feedback instant, for example, you can put bitter apple spray on your fingers to stop nipping. This isn’t possible in all cases. If more than a few minutes have passed since the action, I’d recommend skipping the reward/punishment. This is why it is important to keep a closer eye on them during training phases.
In most cases, the best reward is a treat. Attention can be another reward, but if it is just a quick pet there’s not much difference between that and the attention you give your ferret randomly during the day. If the attention is prolonged, it is hard to repeat the action within a certain time frame to reinforce the idea; that and sometimes animals get tired of being pet. Due to these reasons, it is less than ideal.
Punishments can be a bad taste (spray bitter apple on certain things), a shrill “No,” a thump on the forehead, or lack of attention. The thump shouldn’t be enough to hurt them, but enough to interrupt the pattern and get their attention to show you disapprove.
It is entirely up to you what combinations you want to use. You can get creative with how you train your ferret. Just ask yourself, “How can I make it so my ferret enjoys what I want him/her to do?” or, “How can I make it so my ferret doesn’t enjoy what I don’t want him/her to do?” If you do, you’ll start to come up with ideas on your own.
Ferret Distemper
Ferret distemper is an extremely deadly virus if contracted in ferrets. It can be carried in many different ways. You could be carrying it right now. The same could be true of a wide variety of plant and animal life that your ferret could come into contact with either directly or indirectly.
If your ferret gets ferret distemper, the progression will not be pretty, and the end result is almost always death. The first symptoms are generally anorexia, rash, and discharge from the nose and eyes. Sometimes the initial symptoms can be mistaken for those of human influenza, which ferrets are also susceptible to. During this time they are also more likely to get secondary infections. Gradually the nerves will degenerate causing the worst of the problems, including loss of muscle control leading to spasms and tremors, coma, and finally death, often within 12-30 days. Sadly, there is no treatment besides ending the ferret’s suffering.
You do have prevention options though. Considering how many unvaccinated ferrets fall to ferret distemper, most baby ferrets that you get from stores or breeders will already have their first shot. Generally it is a series of three to four shots a few weeks apart, started at about eight weeks old. From then on shots are given on a yearly basis.
There are risks of reactions to these shots, so in most cases it is recommended that you keep your ferret in the vet’s office for 30 minutes to an hour after it is administered. The most common reaction, if there is one, is anaphylaxis. This is not something you have the ability to deal with at home in most cases, so take the precaution.
Should there be a reaction to the shot, there are other versions of the shot that you could try and other possible injections to mitigate the risks. It all depends on how serious the reaction was. You may have to ask yourself which is going to be more dangerous to your ferret or what risks you’re willing to live with.
On the bright side, considering most ferrets will have at least the first shot when you get them, you should know if they’re allergic or not before you buy your ferret. Allergies can develop in time, but this is a positive indicator to help alleviate some of the worry.
Ferret Insulinoma
Ferret insulinoma is an unfortunately common cancer in middle to late age ferrets. It creates tumors, generally ranging in length from 2mm to 1cm, on the pancreas that secrete excess insulin. It is somewhat like type II diabetes in humans but with a slightly different result long-term. Considering their strictly carnivorous physiology, they are extremely sensitive to sugar, and it is theorized that giving them too much can actually cause ferret insulinoma.
Symptoms may include any of the following: lack of energy, decrease in eating, weight loss, increased salivation, glossy eyes, collapse, and/or seizure. Sometimes these symptoms will be cyclical over months. Other times ferrets will show no outward symptoms. Generally a blood glucose test is the best indicator, and it can be done at home in most situations.
There are both medical and surgical roads for treatment. Generally the surgical road is the best if caught early. The tumors are removed and often no symptoms or any other medication is needed for years.
Should you choose to go the medical route, you should keep in mind that it is not a cure. It generally just helps in managing the symptoms while the cause of the symptoms (the ferret insulinoma) can continue to get worse over time and the treatment will have diminishing effects.
As with any disease you always want to try and catch ferret insuloma early. It can be a scary thing to nurse a ferret through a hypoglycemic seizure. The foaming, twitching, or violent shaking of their ferret can make many people panic and freeze up. It is important that you keep a clear head, and give them honey or karo syrup to get the blood sugar back up. This is best administered with a q-tip to avoid biting, and by wiping it on the gums and inner lips. This should be done every few minutes until your ferret begins to come to. It may take up to a half hour because in many cases the ferret is unable to swallow so only a little will be absorbed at a time.
How to Buy a Ferret
When you’re looking to buy a ferret, there is more than just running out to the store, grabbing the one you think is the cutest, and coming back home. There is a whole checklist of things you want to go over before you bring a ferret home.
First thing is always checking the legalities. Sometimes it is okay for stores to sell them, but not for you to own them. It works in a weird way sometimes, so double check before you go ferret hunting.
Once you’re sure you can have a ferret by law, run down your budget. It’ll run you a few hundred dollars per year on average to care for a ferret. It will be higher the first year because of some one time purchases such as the ferret cage. Some recommend you keep a grand or so lying around for medical emergencies as well.
It’s still not time to buy a ferret. Before you go out for the ferret itself, you should have your home ready for the adoption. This includes getting the ferret cage, toys, water and food dishes, ferret food, sleeping accessories, and a litter pan. Depending on where you’re getting the ferret you may also want a ferret carrier.
When choosing a ferret to buy, you have several options – pet stores, ferret breeders, animal shelters, and classifieds. To keep this article short, I won’t go into the pros and cons of each, but if you’re interested, the information is available through my free e-course or through Perfect Ferret: The Elite Owner’s Guide. Both of these are available in the sidebar.
When you’re out choosing your ferret, it is a capital sin, and a common one, to finalize on the first visit. I know you’re probably excited, but you’re going to have your pet ferret for years to come, or maybe only months if you aren’t careful in selection. This is a precaution that allows you to check out both the ferret, and the place you are getting your ferret. It gives you a better feel for how the ferret is treated, and a view into any future health problems or social lacking.
Now we’re moving on to how to actually choose your ferret. It is based largely on personal preference, but there are a few things you should watch out for to avoid buying a sick ferret. If possible, you want the ferret to have a soft, full, silky coat (back off if there are patches of fur missing), clear, bright eyes, and a playful attitude (any other may be a sign of mistreatment or disease).
If you’re not sure about the types of ferrets, check out the table on ferret colors.
Depending on what kind of ferret you’re getting and where you’re going to buy a ferret it can run from free to a few hundred dollars. The average ferret cost will be around 50 to 100 dollars.
I hope you enjoy a long happy life with your ferret.
