Ferrets As Pets Uk

Keeping ferrets as pets ferrets make wonderful pets and companions as far as the neighbours go ferrets do not bark and they do not use other peoples gardens for their toilet.

Ferrets as pets uk. Scientists believe that domesticated ferrets were bred from european polecats or steppe polecats over 2500 years ago making them members of the weasel family mustela genus. Ferrets interesting lively comical and friendly. Male ferrets are often slightly larger. Ferrets are cute playful and inquisitive pets but they do have highly specialized needs.

Most ferrets live for about six to eight years though some pet ferrets can live up to 12 years. Ferrets mustela putorius furo belong to the carnivore family of the mustelidae. Whilst ferrets are amusing and adventurous pets they require deceptively large amounts of care for such small creatures. Otherwise they can be very destructive messing up litter trays food water and even chipping their teeth through constant biting of their cages.

Ferrets should be spayed or neutered. However for most animal lovers their smell is tolerable. With the right feeding regime accommodation and care they can live between 6 to 12 years the oldest known ferret lived to the ripe old age of 13. A healthy ferret will naturally have a musky odour which comes from a gland under their skin.

Caesar augustus sent ferrets or mongooses named viverrae by plinius to the balearic islands to control the rabbit plagues in 6 bc. Ferrets are highly intelligent and social pets that do best in small groups. Why not view our full ferret factfile pdf 44kb. Some of their smell comes from a sac near their anus whilst some are from their faeces usually to mark their territory.

They also have lots of energy that needs to be spent on playtime daily. We explore the key considerations you take into account before bringing a ferret into your family. Ferrets are highly intelligent animals more so than rodents they possess around the same intelligence as a dog or cat. Animals with lineage related to ferrets include badgers minks and wolverines.

In england in 1390 a law was enacted restricting the use of ferrets for hunting to the relatively wealthy. Ferrets are rather more demanding than most other caged domestic animals but if you are prepared to put in the commitment you will be handsomely rewarded by these loving and personable pets. It is highly recommended you consider adopting a pair of ferrets so they will always have a companion to socialize with.