Christmas Wishes

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Good luck keeping your fuzzies away from the Christmas tree and out of the holiday sweets!

Safe Cage Toys

Keeping a ferret entertained in his cage is a bit trickier than keeping him entertained during supervised play time. Anything left in a cage with a bored and unsupervised ferret must be nearly indestructible. Because bored ferrets tend to take out their boredom on the items in their cage, cage toys must be examined daily and discarded immediately if they begin to show signs of wear. Probably the greatest little invention (and perfectly suitable for cage play) is a thing called an edible ferret toy. Ferrets can chew and rip these toys apart, but because the toys are easily digested there is little concern over the ferret suffering from intestinal blockage. Another safe cage toy for a ferret is a set of plastic keys - the ones that are given to babies. These plastic noisemakers can be clipped to a cage and some ferrets will enjoy knocking then about. Boxes, bags and crinkly paper, though great entertainment for supervised playtime, are not at all suitable for cages as they can quickly become a hazard. Bags, boxes and crinkly paper are easily ripped apart, creating a situation where a ferret may get its head stuck in a hole and suffocate or panic and injure itself or it may swallow a piece of the material and become ill.

Penny Pinching Tips for Ferret Toys

There are a couple things that every ferret owners knows when it comes to ferret toys... 1) you can never have too many and 2) it generally does not take long for a ferret to get bored of its toys. For most people, buying a ferret a new toy every time their ferret gets bored of its old toys is not an option - doing so is costly and let's face it, there are only so many ferret-friendly toys to choose from! Here are some tips to keep your ferret happy without breaking the bank and filling your house with ferret toys:

• When your ferret gets bored a toy, take it away and wash it. Some people suggest washing it in vanilla or lemon water, but generally any non-toxic product that would change the smell of the toy is fine. Once the toy has a new smell, your ferret will think that it is a new toy!
• Try making sets of ferret toys, with each set containing a different variety and about three or four toys. When the ferret gets bored of one set, it goes in the closet and a new set is brought out.
• Cardboard boxes are great ferret entertainment. Once your ferret gets bored of the box, put in upside down or on its side and voila, a new toy! Once all angles have been exhausted, put some crinkly news or other paper in the box, add a ferret and a toy and watch the little critter go nuts! With one object you have just created 4 new toys!
  
• Worn out socks with jingle balls in their toes and knots around the top to keep the toy in are great for many ferrets - not only does the toy make noise, but it provides a toy for them to snuggle as well.
  
• Drier tubes, paper bags and jean legs are great fun for most ferrets to go tearing through, and they are generally cheap and easy to find.
• Bins filled with dirt, beans or rice which the ferret can dig through and (in the case of beans and rice) make noise with are inexpensive, reusable (for the ferret) and easy to make.

Ferret toys don't have to be fancy, they just have to be fun! If you are particularly creative and have any innovative new ferret toy ideas, feel free to add them!

Toy Tips

Ferrets need toys, right? But what sort of toys are ferret-friendly, and what type of toys do ferrets like to play with? Though every ferret has its own toy preference - some prefer hard rubber toys while others prefer stuffed animals, some go crazy for cat jingle balls while others prefer squeaky toys, there are some basic guidelines to picking toys that are ferret safe. Generally, any toy that can be easily torn or pierced, such as foam or cheap bouncy balls, are not safe for ferrets as their strong jaws and sharp teeth will enable them to rapidly destroy and possibly ingest portions of the toy, leaving your ferret at risk of intestinal blockage and leaving you with either a hefty vet bill or a dead pet. Another thing to keep in mind while searching for suitable ferret toys is this: if it can be cut off with scissors, it can be removed just as easily by a playful ferret. It is also important to remember that even though some toys are labeled as "ferret toys", they may not be ferret safe. Personally, I have had luck with dura-balls and kongs designed for small dogs. Some ferret owners buy and adapt small stuffed animals for their ferrets by removing eyes and whiskers as well as any other small parts that the ferret may remove. One of my ferrets went crazy for squeaky latex dog toys, but because these toys are so soft and easily destroyed, he was only allowed to play with them under direct supervision with the toy being taken away and checked for holes every ten minutes or so. Regardless of how ferret safe a toy may appear when you first purchase it, it is important to check the toy regularly for wear and get rid of it once it begins to show sign of ferret-caused damage - it is after all less expensive to buy a new toy than pay for an emergency vet trip! Now that you know what to look for, enjoy your search for toys and good luck!

Toy Time

All animals need toys - something to entertain and stimulate them; ferrets are no exception to this rule. Ferrets are highly inquisitive and and intelligent animals who need to be provided with a variety of different toys and stimulus to keep them entertained. If you don't find ferret-safe things to entertain your ferrets, they will find things themselves - unfortunately these things may be your most prized possessions and may be harmful to your pet. Remember: a bored ferret is a particularly mischievous and destructive ferret. Some people have a tendency to cage ferrets rather than entertain them, but caging the animal is not a solution as bored caged ferrets may develop deadly habits such as chewing fabric or wire, and these habits tend to result in expensive vet bills or even the death of your beloved pet. A better solution than caging your ferret when he gets particularly bored and destructive is providing him with ferret-safe entertainment both in and outside of the cage.

Finding the right vet

Surprise! Ferrets are not common pets like cats and dogs! So, logically, finding a good vet – that is to say one that knows specifically about ferrets and the health problems that affect them specifically, as well as the symptoms of these health problems.
Though most vet clinics in northern BC will see ferrets, very few of these clinics specialize in ferrets – this means that you have to be informed, and that you have to make sure that your vet, though not a specialist, is at the very least informed about ferrets as well. Because most veterinarians do not like to be ‘grilled’ over the phone, you may need to make an appointment to meet vet in person – don’t forget to bring the ferret and a list of pre-prepared questions. Before going to the vet, do your research – learn about which vaccinations are recommended for ferrets and which are not (ie: it is generally recommended to vaccinate your ferret against rabies, but a killed rabies vaccine MUST be administered as a live rabies vaccine may be fatal). Know about symptoms of diseases and what type of tests would be useful in determining what your ferret suffers from and most importantly KNOW YOUR FERRET.
Some important questions to ask your vet are what vaccines they would use, how often they see ferrets and about what (regular vaccinations, emergency care…), and whether they can handle and treat common ferret diseases (and if so, what diseases have they seen and how have they determined that is was said disease). After you have questioned your vet, have them examine your ferret. Make sure that your vet is handling the animal properly. If her or she seems nervous or afraid of the ferret, this is probably not the vet that you want to see. Ensure that the vet interacts well not only with the ferret, but with you as well. A good vet should be willing to answer all your questions and explain what they are doing in depth. If your ferret should get sick and you take it to your vet, make sure that you ask plenty of questions and perhaps offer suggestions, but do not overstep your boundaries – remember – the vet is a trained professional. If, after seeing the vet, you do not feel that the situation was adequately addressed, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. This reluctance once cost one of my beloved fuzzies his life. My vet seemed good with the ferret and answered the questions correctly, but when my ferret became sick he did nothing to treat the animal. The symptoms were lethargy, an irregular heartbeat and bloating, and the ferret was approximately 6 or perhaps 7 years old (he was a rescued ferret, so his exact age was not known). The vet dismissed my concerns and simply told me that the ferret was getting old, which was true, but that was not what was making him sick. After 3 more visits over a period of a few months, the vet asked me to have blood work done on the ferret at a cost of $500; by that time, I had done my research and knew that none of the ferret conditions that may have been causing the symptoms would be revealed by such a test. The vet was more concerned with making money than correctly diagnosing my ferret. I was unfortunately not able to find another vet in time and my pet died less than a week later. Had I not wasted my time and began looking for a different vet immediately after my original vet had dismissed my concerns, my ferret would likely have lived at least another year, if not more. A vet that is well aware of ferret conditions would likely have been more concerned about the symptoms exhibited by my ferret, especially at the age at which he was beginning to exhibit those symptoms.


HERE IS A LIST OF VETS IN P.G. THAT ARE WILLING TO SEE FERRETS.
Prince George Vet clinic has a ferret friendly vet, as does All Mobile Vet and Olson’s Animal Hospital. Though I have no idea how good these vets are, or their degree of experience with ferrets, they are at least willing to see ferrets. If you have a ferret, make an appointment and ask some questions! Good luck on finding a good vet for your furry friend!

Is a ferret right for you?

Ferrets are a lot of fun and can make pets… for the right type of person. Ferrets are not for everyone; they require a lot of care and attention. Ferrets are like playful kittens that never grow up, or small children stuck in their terrible twos. Ferrets can and will get into everything and rearrange whatever they get in to. As Patricia Curtis, writer for Ferrets USA magazine once put it “if ferrets can move something, they will… If they can open it or close it, they will, often repeatedly. If they can knock it over they will…” In fact, living with ferrets has been likened to living with a poltergeist – with random crashing noises resonating throughout the house and objects constantly being moved to new locations
So, is a ferret right for you? Here are some things to consider:
1. Ferrets need daily human interaction. This includes both play and cuddle time. If you have little time to spend with a pet, a ferret is definitely not the right pet for you.
2. Ferrets need hours of out-of-cage supervised play time every day. In fact, some ferret owners do not even cage their pets. If you are looking for a pet that requires less attention than, say, an indoor dog, then a ferret should not be on your list of suitable pets.
3. Ferrets smell, well, like ferrets. Though descenting, monthly bathing, weekly bedding washes and frequent ear cleanings can reduce the ferret smell, it does not go away. If the smell really bothers you, don’t get a ferret; keeping your pet outdoors is not a solution.
4. Ferrets are inquisitive and persistent. In order to protect them from themselves, ferret owners must ferret-proof their homes. This means blocking off dangerous areas such as behind refrigerators, child proofing cupboards and covering couch and box spring bottoms to keep ferrets out. Because ferrets are problem solvers, the task of ferret proofing is never done. Ferrets will always show their owners new areas that need to blocked off and new objects that need to be moved out of their reach. If you’re not willing to alter your house in order to make it safe for your fuzzy friend, a different pet would be more suitable.
5. Ferrets like making messes. They love to move objects and hoard food and toys in random places. If you are house proud or if you are a neat freak, than a ferret would be a source of stress for you rather than a source amusement.
If, after reading this, you feel that you would be up to attempting ferret ownership, than read as much as possible and remember – there are plenty of ferret support blogs and facebook pages out their for your enjoyment.

The Great Pet Food Debate- Raw vs. Cooked

Following last summer’s pet food recalls, many pet owners have opted to make their own pet foods a home. If you are one of these people, or thinking of being one of these people, you’ll undoubtedly need to find a few pet food recipes and stock up on vitamin supplements for your home made food. Most importantly, however, you will need to decide whether to feed you pet a raw or cooked food diet. Those who advocate for raw food diets often claim that raw foods are richer in fats and proteins and better for your ferret’s teeth than cooked food. Raw food advocates will also claim that feeding your fuzzy raw food helps decrease his or her likelihood of developing concerns &other such illnesses and can improve not only the quality of life of your ferret, but its lifespan as well. Unfortunately, there is little evidence to support these claims. Though there may be potential benefits to feeding your pet raw food diets, there are risks too, to both your health and theirs. In fact, the Canadian Veterinarian Medical Association has gone so far to say that “the documented evidence of `health risks (of raw diets) outweigh the perceived benefits” (Canadian Veterinarian Medical Association – official position, 2006). The American Veterinarian Medical Association is also against raw food diets; their concerns, however, seem to be less centered on bacterial health risks to humans and animals and more focused on dietary inadequacies and imbalances in raw food diets (Freeman et al. Journal of American Veterinarian Association, 2001). Additionally, the Public Health Agency of Canada has raised red flags about raw food diets. They are concerned with potential health risks for pets from increased exposure to bacteria, parasites and protozoa found in raw foods and the risks that this poses to the humans, especially to children, pregnant women and elderly people as well as others with compromised immune functions who find themselves in contact with the pet. If you wish to feed your et raw food, by all means do so, but now you are at least aware of what established human and animal health organizations are saying about the subject, and you will be able to assess the risks and benefits for yourself.

Missing in Action – How to find a missing ferret

Once you’re sure that your fuzzy is no longer in your house here’s what to do:
1) Walk around calling your ferret’s name. If your pet comes to the squeak of a toy, use that toy. If it’s not trained to come to the sound of a toy, try squeaking or rattling his or her favourite toy anyways… it ever hurts t try!
2) Leave a kennel or box with a few fluffy pieces of your ferret’s bedding in it. Your ferret may just be exploring around the corner and stumble back when you’re not around – sometimes a missing ferret will turn up asleep in the box!
3) Submit “lost” ads in the classified sections of all newspapers and publications both online and in the community. Try to be specific in the description, but not too technical. Saying, for example, that you are missing your ferret and she is a small sable is meaningless to those who are unaware of ferret lingo. Try instead to describe your missing pet as “dark brown and black with an off-white fact and a black mask”. Detailed descriptions can sometimes help people realize that the animal that they just saw run past is a pet.
4) Make up colour posters and paste them in as many locations as possible. Make sure that you include more than one picture of your ferret to ensure that those seeing the posters can get a clear idea of what your pet looks like. It is important to emphasize that the missing animal is a PET and not a wild or semi feral creature and that though it is friendly, it may be frightened.
5) Go door-to-door asking those living around you if they have found a ferret or know anyone that has. I would advise to do your neighbourhood and a couple bocks around it in all directions just for good measure. It sounds silly, but it has worked for me!
6) Call all local animal control agencies and shelters. Report your ferret missing and find out they have found any ferrets or had anyone call in to report that they had found a ferret. Be sure to call back regularly as these places are very busy and your lost ferret is not likely their top priority.
7) Check out all found ferrets even if the description does not match yours – remember that no two people describe something in exactly the same way. Additionally, check out fund ferrets in surrounding areas as well – you never know how far your fuzzy could have traveled.
8) Keep you ears open and remember that most people can’t tell the difference between a ferret and a weasel. If you hear a neighbour mention seeing a weasel under their shed, it may be your pet ferret.

Ferrets and Other Pets

Ever wonder if ferrets will get along with other animals, like cats and dogs? Watch the videos below... now you know!

Kitten vs. Ferret (external link)


Cat vs. Ferret 


Dog vs. Ferret


Ferret vs. Cat and Dog 


and though we wouldn't recommend getting one as a pet.....
Lion vs. Ferret 

Ferrets on the Bus

Ever asked yourself why ferret rescue shelters and societies are needed? After reading this story about a lady in Ottawa who was not allowed to take her ferret on the bus despite the fact the ferret helped her deal with her agoraphobia and anxiety. After reading some of the comments on the CBC page about this story, I understand the need more than ever. Ferrets have been lap pets in North America for about 20 years, yet few people seem to know anything at all about them! Thank goodness for excellent rescue societies such as FIRST in Vancouver and the Alberta Ferret Rescue Society, plus the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa which publicly supported the woman and helped reverse the ban. Hopefully we'll see one in Prince George and northern British Columbia within the next few years.

The Great Pet Food Debate - Ferret vs Kitten Kibble

Should you decide to feed your ferret kibble, the first thing that you should think about is what type of kibble you will feed them. Some experts advocate for feeding ferrets high quality kitten food, others suggest that special ferret kibble is best. Experts which advocate feeding ferrets specific kibble for ferrets will often point to the fact that this food, designed specially FOR ferrets is tailored to the needs of ferrets, whereas kitten food is tailored to the needs of kittens, not ferrets. Proponents of high quality kitten food quickly point out that though, in theory, ferret kibble is designed for ferrets, in reality it is often poorly formulated and designed more to take money from unsuspecting pet owners rather than to nutritional requirements of ferrets. While both sides do have some excellent points, the best approach is simply to go to the pet store and read the ingredients of the foods yourself. Generally, a good kibble for a ferret - that is to say, one which meets many of its nutritional needs, has a minimum of 30% protein from animal sources, and at least 20% or more fat. A good ferret diet should not only be high in fats and protein, but should contain taurine as well. Ideally, the first two ingredients on the bag of kibble should be meat, and not grain. A food whose first ingredient is corn meal, for example, would not be suitable for a ferret. One whose first ingredient is chicken meal, on the other hand, is more suitable. Cat food should not be fed to ferrets as it is tends not to be as high in protein as kitten foods, and fish flavours should be avoided for two reasons - ferrets are generally not overly impressed by fishy-tasting food, and such food has a tendency to make the ferret's poop really stink. Personally, I opted for high quality kitten food for a few reasons: It was higher in protein and fats than much of the ferret food on the market at the time, it was less expensive and more readily available, and if I ran out of food in the middle of a trip, it was not a big deal - I would simply head to the nearest pet store and pick up my trusted brand. Both my ferrets had beautiful, healthy coats, clean eyes, and relatively long lives.

The Great Pet Food Debate - an introduction

Feeding Your Ferret
Yes, I know this sounds simple, but really, it is a topic that is rather debated in ferret, as well as other pet circles. What should you feed your ferret? Kitten food or Ferret food? Kibble or home made? Raw or cooked? Opinions regarding the correct feeding of your pet ferret are numerous and diverse. Though the final decision of what you feed your ferret is up to you, here is a brief overview of possible risks and benefits of feeding your ferret certain diets.

The purpose of this blog...

The purpose of this blog is not simply to talk about my pets, but rather to act as a source of information about ferrets, especially for those dwelling in northern British Columbia. It is my hope that this blog will provide relevant, useful information to both current and prospective owners, and perhaps even help connect ferret enthusiasts, people wishing to find new homes for their ferrets and those wishing to add a ferret to their homes. Yes, this little blog does, indeed have BIG aspirations, but with any luck, at least some of them will come true.