Unusual Pets: Ferrets

Even though Ferrets have been kept as pets for over 2500 years, they are rare pets to own. Most people choose dogs, cats, birds, or fish to complete their family, however a select few turn to the Ferret for its social, playful, curious qualities. Ferrets love to play and explore not only with other Ferrets and their owners, but also on their own. For this reason, you need to know a few things on how to take care of a Ferret.

Pros of owning a Ferret

1. Ferrets are very affectionate pets and form deep bonds with both their owners and any other Ferrets in the home.

2. They are easy to train to use a litter box.

3. They are very smart animals and fun to be with.

Cons of owning a Ferret

1. Ferrets are not recommended for families with young children (see below about their biting habits) as they are easily injured if dropped or squeezed.

2. Your home will have to be Ferret-proofed (see below).

3. Ferrets will crawl into reclining furniture or any furniture that has an opening, which means that they could be killed if the reclining furniture is raised or lowered while the Ferret is inside.

4. Ferrets are prone to cancer and heart disease, so veterinarian bills could be expensive.

5. Ferrets are fairly short lived with the average lifespan being six to eight years although some will live as long as 10 years with proper care and nutrition.

6. Ferrets require several hours of “out of cage” exercise to remain healthy.

As pet lovers, you will want to Ferret proof your home before you introduce them as pets. They will crawl into walls, furniture and anywhere they can get their little bodies. It is much like childproofing a home for a baby. Extension cords must be eliminated and electrical cords to lamps, electronics, appliances, etc. must be unplugged before you let your Ferret(s) out of the cage for playtime.

Ferrets are frequently biters. The kits, baby Ferrets, tend to bite more that mature Ferrets. Biting is part of their behaviour as it makes up part of their play fighting. Younger Ferrets tend to bite more when they are teething and do not mean any harm. For this reason, you will want to handle your Ferret(s) as often as possible to help reduce this biting behaviour. Often those who do not take the time or have the patience to train their Ferret end up leaving the animal in its cage and thus it has a shorter lifespan. Please make sure you are up to the task of training a Ferret before brining one into your home. Trained properly, they can be as great a pet as cats or dogs. In fact, a lady who runs a Ferret rescue group in Atlantic Canada advises that Ferrets capture your soul, while dogs and cats only capture your heart. However, you must remember that they are ingenious at getting out of their cage, so make sure that the cage is properly secured before leaving home or you are liable to come home to an open cage and find that your Ferret has chewed through the drywall and made a nest between your wall studs.

Ferrets are carnivores so they require a high protein diet. Most owners feed their pet Ferret mice, rats, rabbit and other raw meats such as chicken, beef or veal. Some pet stores carry commercially made types of Ferret food that many owners choose over the live food. Carefully read the label to ensure that the food has the high protein needed. If nothing else is available, kitten food can be used if it is made with high protein (32% or more) and 16% fat. Do not use any commercial food that contains carbohydrates because Ferrets cannot digest them.

While play is an important part of your Ferret’s life so is sleep. Most Ferrets spend fourteen to eighteen hours a day sleeping and they particularly like to sleep in hammock style beds. Part of that sleeping is to rejuvenate them from the active play life they have. They love to explore and to play with toys. Many pet stores have toys for Ferrets, or you might have something around the house that your Ferret will find appealing.

The type of cage is important. Multi-level cages are preferred. Ferrets tend to be very smart so you will need a cage with a very small space between the bars. The cage should also provide plenty of air. You should also clean the cage once or twice a week, depending upon the number of Ferrets you have and how dirty the cage looks. Ferrets love to burrow, so some type of bedding is required. The pet store where you purchase your Ferret should be able to recommend the best type of bedding for your Ferret.

Ferrets are little balls of fur that love to play and interact with humans and each other. While there are some special concessions you need to make to have a Ferret, the results are worth it. Proper training as a kit will ensure that you have even more joy when they reach adulthood.

Until next time,

Teia

Tips for Puppy-Proofing Your Home

Ah, puppies . . . We’re so adorable, filled with boundless energy and curious about any-and-everything around us. That's why taking steps to puppy-proof your home will go a long way in protecting us from harm. And on the flip side, your precautions will also safeguard your belongings from possible damage.

Your first task is to observe things from a puppy's point of view. How? It’s simple. Go from room to room; get down on your hands and knees and take a good look for anything that we might be enticed by. Remember, we are new to the world and like toddlers, we are inclined to explore our surroundings by putting things in our mouth and poking around in nooks and crannies.

Cabinets

Be mindful of cleaning supplies and personal care items that are stored in low storage areas like under the kitchen sink and in bathroom cabinets. Needless to say, the ingredients in these products are extremely harmful and can even cause death. If the cabinet doors can be easily pried open, think about storing these items in some other place. Another option is to purchase plastic childproof cabinet locks that can be temporarily attached to the handles or knobs. When mom and dad had Bucko, a blue and gold macaw, they had childproof locks on every cupboard door in the house. These safety locks can usually be found online or in local stores that carry baby supplies. Also remember that most of us are allergic to chocolate and raisins, so ensure that you keep these tasty morsels stored in high cupboards because if we eat them it could be fatal. Some of us are also allergic to grapes so do not leave them where we can get to them.

Electrical Cords

You can’t imagine how tantalizing an electrical cord is, especially when it's looping down from a table or desk. "I can jump at it, pull on it, wrestle with it and even gnaw on it," we all think to ourselves. The dangers are obvious: a falling lamp or electrocution can cause serious injury or worse. Wrap up loose hanging electrical cords or at least block access to them. And for cords that need to run across the floor, enclose them in rubber or plastic cord/cable runners that can be purchased at an office supply outlet or home improvement store.

Plants

Household plants are attractive to most animals, especially puppies. However, most of them are toxic to us. Ingesting a bite or two can cause nausea, vomiting and in some cases death. For our safety, reposition your plants so that they are out of our reach.

Small Objects Around the House

Be alert to small items around the house that can be swallowed or cause choking such as coins, jewelry, sewing supplies, batteries, medication and miniature knick-knacks left on low surfaces. A few of us will eat any small object that will fit in our mouth, so until you are sure about us, keep small objects where we cannot get to them. You don’t want an emergency operation to be necessary to remove a small toy or ornament from our stomach. Believe it or not, I heard of a dog that ate stones and he had to have expensive operations on a regular basis. And don't forget to block access to trash receptacles in the kitchen, your home office and even the bathroom. Now speaking of bathrooms . . .

The Toilet (Or, "Beyond the Great Rim")

To an adventurous puppy, the challenge of climbing up, up and over the rim of your toilet is a tail-wagging delight. Unfortunately, falling head-first into this big, slippery bowl of water is not so delightful especially for a smaller-sized pup. Simple solution: make it a house rule to keep the bathroom door closed at all times because even as we get bigger, some of us like to use the toilet as a water bowl.

Puppy-proofing your home may seem like a hassle but providing the safest environment possible is a necessity. After all, we are your lovable, four-legged bundle of joy and we are worth it. We don’t mean to be destructive or troublesome, but like a child, we are adventurous and we want to learn everything we can about our new home and environment. We also want to learn what the rules are. We can’t abide by them if we do not learn what they are.

Until next time,

Teia

WELCOME

Welcome to Birdhouse Publishing. As a pet, I can tell you all about pets and what they need and want.

Make sure that you become well acquainted with the vet that you have chosen for your pet. A short time after you bring your new pet home, make an appointment with a veterinarian and introduce your pet to him or her. Have your pet checked and make sure that any vaccinations that are needed are attended to. Your new companion's life could very well depend on having adequate protection from diseases present in your part of the world.

Your new pet will give you many years of companionship and love if you ensure that he/she has plenty of nutritious food, clean water, a safe place to stay and vaccinations to ward off potential diseases.

I hope that you will visit me often and that you will enjoy the postings that my dad enters for me.