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 He's
on your shoulder, he's under the bed, he's somersaulting
over the couch, he's digging up the plant in the hall…Welcome
to the wacky world of ferrets.
These playful, energetic members of the weasel family
are catching on in popularity in North America as pets.
While to some they may be an odd choice, owners absolutely
love their frisky friends and will argue that dogs and
cats pale in comparison to a ferret's intelligence, charm
and entertainment value.
 The
ferret/weasel family is placed in the animal kingdom somewhere
between cats and dogs (closer to dogs.) The weasel family
includes such colourful characters as otters, wolverines,
skunks, minks and badgers. Just as wild dogs and cats
were developed over time by people into pet breeds centuries
ago, today's ferrets also were developed from wild cousins
and have been domesticated perhaps as far back as 3000
years. They were originally used to hunt rabbits and control
rodent populations until cats took over that job many
centuries later. Today's pet ferret would not survive
long in the wild having lost much of its hunting prowess.
An escaped and lost ferret will have a tough time, perhaps
dying in a few days of starvation, so collars with a ID
tag are a must for any ferret that leaves the house with
its owner.
 Life
with a ferret is very interesting, even challenging. Imagine
a frisky kitten or puppy and then adjust the VCR to fast
forward. And ferrets maintain that spirit throughout their
6-10 year lifespan. A ferret's life is all about playing.
Wrestling with toys (or other ferrets), rolling over,
chewing everything, digging in the plant soil, hiding---the
fun never stops. Well, that's not completely true. The
ferret "plays until it drops", it is said, because when
it's naptime there's no sounder sleeper than a ferret.
New owners have been convinced their pet has died as they
hold a limp, ferret in their hands completely unresponsive
to poking and prodding. No fear, it's just a serious ferret
power nap! A good chance for an owner to relax as well.
 Ferrets
have bad reputations for biting, and have been banned
as pets in some U.S. states and Canadian cities. The guilty
ferrets typically have used their sharp on young children
that probably were harassing the ferrets without being
supervised properly by their owners. This risk however
should be explained properly. Ferrets, like dogs and cats,
naturally love to play rough with each other and that
includes biting. All three pets will bite if they feel
threatened or at least seriously bothered. The trick is
to train dogs, cats and ferrets at an early age to be
comfortable around humans (that includes strangers) and
not to use teeth when playing around. The other side of
the biting risk is not to allow a young child to be alone
with any pet that can bite---and that includes cats, dogs,
parrots, iguanas as well  as ferrets. While ferrets have
been known to bite there are only a handful of cases compared
to dog and cat maulings. A well-raised ferret makes a
wonderful pet.
Like
a dog or cat, ferrets need to be taken to the vet for
vaccinations and check-ups. Ferrets seem to be particularly
susceptible to human colds and flu and it's recommended
keeping some distance with your pet if you're really feeling
under the weather. Ferrets should also be spayed and neutered
like cats. As for litter training, it will happen but
it takes a bit more work than with cats (it's a bit like
litter training a dog.)
A
few quick words on the ferret's interesting odour…all members
of the weasel family have oil glands that give off a musky
smell. Some of these scents are highly prized and are used
in the most expensive perfumes. Others can be, well, skunky.
Ferrets do have a particular mild perfume of their own,
you'll just have to be the judge for yourself if you find
it unpleasant or not.
Photo: L. Leszczynski & B. Cain
Ferret
owners rave about their pets, loving the spectacle of frolicking
ferrets or the experience of taking a ferret out in public
sitting on its owner's shoulder (a harness/leash is important
to avoid escape.) Owners claim a serious intelligence is
at work in their pets---noting their alertness, curiosity
and determination. Ferrets are high maintenance (ferret-proofing
one's home is not easy) but with the right owner they make
fantastic little companions, perhaps the most entertaining
domesticated pet around.
Some
Good Sites for info on Ferrets:
NOTE: I highly recommend any research you do on any pet be done
over the Internet or in specialist magazines. Most books,
even ones printed in the last 10 years, typically are
20-30 years out of date in terms of the latest developments
in animal care. Consult several current sources and use
your judgement in the case of conflicting advice. If you
end up bringing a pet into your life save the better websites
so you can stay up to date and quickly get answers to
the questions that inevitably crop up.....Naomi
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