[SD snowbird]

Great pics - thanks for sharing.

Hoping to move to a warmer climate within the next year, then the hubby may be talked around. He refuses to have one on the loose in the house but if we had a large cage built in the garage and a hole through to an outside cage, he could be ok with that. Don't want to do that here though, gets too cold in the winter. He has also said that the critter could come inside the house to play each day, but not to stay full time. Our son would keep a ferret exercised, probably would try to move out into the garage with the critter. I'm hoping that hubby would see how attached our son got and soften up, let them share space in the house.

[Secret Samadhi]

I found myself grinning like an idiot at the pics in this thread. They made me miss my babies even more than usual. I had two ferrets, but they passed away years ago. I'd love to have more someday; I think they're wonderful!

[tijlover]

I, at one time, had 5 ferrets, and they had complete run of the house, never caged for a minute. Had a courtyard outside and they were always free to go outside anytime they wished. Even the garage.

When I got down to 1, I mistakenly, bought one that had what was called the green slime disease, unaware of it at the time. Anyway, this new one must have been a carrier, infected the other one, and she died which broke my heart. Then I sold off the other one. Haven't had any now for 4 years, but would love to have another one one day.

I had all my ferrets leash-trained. I'd grab one of my ferrets, get in the car and go downtown and walk all over downtown with my ferret late at night, or we'd go to a nearby park. There are times, I'd fly off to another part of the country, take one with and we'd travel together, explore new territory together, the ferret on a leash.

Next time, I'd like to get just one and one only, but I hear different sides to this, that it's best for them to have a mate to play with. Yet, I know of some who have just one and there doesn't seem to be any problems.

What do you think? Would just having one around be cruelty to that ferret?
I have also heard that if you have just one they respond differently to you.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by tijlover

,,,What do you think? Would just having one around be cruelty to that ferret?
I have also heard that if you have just one they respond differently to you.

Some ferrets have to be singles. If they are not around other ferrets at 8 weeks of age some triggers in their mind and they will not socialize with others. They will however bond with cats and dogs so it matters less.

It is not cruel to have a single ferret with no other pet. They will however demand your attention, they are very social with their playing and need your playtime for several hours a day.

Our oldest girl is 8 1/2 right now. She was insulnomic for the last year and on pred daily. In the last month she has become diabetic instead. So her previous low blood sugar of 50 has shot up to 500+. So she now gets insulin twice a day. Go figure, we have had a few medical oddities before her as well.

[Resilientsmile]

I don't have anything to contribute, I've never owned ferrets. But, I must say KonaFerret's last picture of stretching ferret makes me want one

[Giesela]

I had two I loved to death but in some ways they are harder to have than cats or dogs.
Mine were handled a lot and not caged so were very well behaved and not biters. Handing, attention is key.
Smell, descenting only takes care of "poofing" sort of like a skunk but not as bad. Since so many have their scent glands removed when tiny people think its for general smell but its not.
To keep their skins oil gland musky scent down have
1) several sets of bedding and wash the bedding frequently.
2) Do not bathe the ferret itself more than a few times a year. They will smell worse when you first quit bathing every week but then it will subside.
4) Feed a top quality food like Total Ferret - every stinky ferret I ever encountered was on cheaper food. Also if you can get them to like chicken baby food or meat bits when they are young thats good.
I loved them but they get soooooo bored! They were hard to keep entertained. And they cost me a fortune medically. (Blockage surgery, adrenal surgery, x-rays, one had 2 episodes where he almost died but we never figured out why but it cost a lot. And finding a good ferret vet that you trust is harder than finding a good cat or dog vet

[e.ortega]

Originally Posted by swygertk

So, cats and dogs get all the love. Where are my ferret friends?! I love mine. He is my first. He likes to play tag with me and my husband. His name is Socrates. A year old.

Let us see his picture.