The decision to bring a ferret into your home is not a small one. While they are captivatingly cute in the pet store window, hopping around and engaging in friendly combat with their furry pals, their needs are much different than those of a dog, cat, fish, or hamster. Not everyone takes the time to consider whether adopting a ferret is the right decision, and many little furbabies end up at the local shelter or worse. But that’s not you. You are here to learn more about these stinky furry wonders as you consider whether you should buy a ferret. By the end of this post you will have a better understanding of what adding such a creature to your household will mean.
While contemplating the factors to consider before welcoming a ferret into your heart and home, I realized that, much like many other aspects of life, it’s challenging to account for every detail in the decision-making process. However, I’ve condensed the considerations into five broad categories: lifestyle, available physical space, financial implications, other members in your household, and the level of commitment required.
Lifestyle
Are you a homebody? Do you travel frequently for work or leisure? Do you work long shifts or have a long commute to and from your 9 to 5? Ferrets are social animals that need time and attention. While they sleep about 18 hours per day, they are generally active at dawn and dusk. If someone is home to let the ferret out of its cage twice a day to frolic, that’s perfect. If not, do you have a room in your house that can be ferret-proofed so your ferret can roam as needed while you are away?
While ferrets do need cages, they can’t stay there 24/7 like a hamster or gerbil. They must have room to explore for their health and well-being. If you travel overnight, you will need someone to look after your ferret. Will that be a friend or family member that comes to or stays at your home? If that’s not an option, it’s a good idea to research boarding outfits near you and contact them now.
If you are an “everything in its place” kind of person, a ferret will turn that notion on its head. Ferrets are notorious thieves. In fact, the scientific name for ferret means “stinky mouse-killing thief.” They will rummage through your belongings, take whatever smells or sounds interesting, and add it to their stash. You will be forever searching for your flip flop, stress ball, Amazon packages…you name it. If you don’t enjoy the game of hide and seek, this may be an annoyance to you.
As their name suggests, ferrets do have an odor. Most of them are “descented” by the time you encounter them, but it does not eliminate their signature musky aroma. Take a good whiff before you bring one of these love bugs home. No matter how much you clean and purify the air in your home, your little guy will still have a stink about him. It can not (and should not) be washed away, so you’ll have to accept that your ferret and his stinky essence are a package deal.
Physical space
As I mentioned, your ferret needs a cage, but it won’t always stay in it. The enclosure is helpful for sleep time, but once your furry critter is awake, it’s party time, and the cage will no longer do. So, how much space do you have in your home for your little friend to roam? Will you allocate a room for this purpose? Or will your ferret be free range and have command of the entire residence? Either way, wherever the ferret will be running around, the area must be ferret-proofed.
Another consideration is your flooring. Ferrets can be and usually are litter trained, but unlike a cat, their success rate is hit or miss. If you have tile, concrete, or linoleum floors, accidents are easy to clean up and do no damage. If you have carpet, I only recommend ferret ownership if you are willing to pull it up. If you live in a carpeted apartment, you WILL lose your deposit! Just sayin.
Financial
A ferret may cost between $50 and $600 depending on whether you get it from the classifieds, a shelter, a pet store, or a breeder. Then you will need a cage, food/water bowl, nail clippers, toys, and litter pans (yes…multiple) to get you started. Those will be an upfront investment of $300-$400 if you buy new and significantly less if you buy used…Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are your friends.
Once you have your basic supplies, you’ll have monthly food, treats, and litter expenses. You usually can’t find those items used, so I love Amazon Subscribe and Save for this. I know others swear by Chewy. I would initially budget $50 a month for food and litter. My ferret crashes both the cat pans and cat feeding stations. I’m not saying that’s good, just that it happens, so your mileage may vary on this.
Another budgetary consideration is how you will handle care when you are away. Think about how often you will travel in a year and for how long. Will you need to pay someone to pet-sit at your home? If not, are there any places to board your ferret nearby, and what do they charge? I have been very fortunate not to have needed boarding services for the entire four-plus years of owning a ferret, but part of that is I’ve gotten very creative with finding care, as I was dissatisfied with boarding options near me.
Lastly, and definitely not the least important, is veterinary care. Your ferret should ideally have an annual vet visit, but not just any vet. You will need to find a vet who treats exotic animals. Your average veterinarian mainly treats dogs and cats and will be little help to you or your frenetic furball. Once you find an exotic animal veterinarian, I recommend you call them for rates and policies because these will vary based on where you live.
When you visit the vet, at the very least, there will be a charge for the office visit and possibly a vaccine, provided you have a healthy ferret. There may be other charges for vaccine pre-medication, glucose check, fecal flotation test, etc. Some vaccines require boosters as well. I live in an area with a relatively high cost of living. My veterinarian charges $94 for the annual exam, $79 for vaccine premedication, and $88 for a yearly rabies vaccine. At a minimum, my annual exam will be $261 if she doesn’t need any other vaccines/tests/services (which is not the case for her, unfortunately).
When considering expenses for owning a ferret, it’s essential to understand that ferrets are predisposed to certain serious illnesses, including insulinoma and adrenal gland disease, among others. If your ferret develops one of these common conditions, it will require more frequent vet visits, medications, and care. Remember this as you look at your budget, lifestyle, and commitment.
Others
You may have decided that you are all in with adopting a ferret; however, you must consider others in your household. If you have babies or small children, there may be a risk to them and the new furbaby. Ferrets are small and could be easily injured by a child falling on or squeezing them. An injured ferret is liable to bite out of instinct if wounded. Are there other animals in the household? Ferrets usually do well with cats, but some dogs may see the ferret as prey. Conversely, some other household pets, such as birds, rabbits, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, etc., may be considered prey by your ferret. Even if the ferret does not attack another pet, they could still experience stress from living closely with a predatory animal.
Commitment
I’m sure if you’ve taken the time to read this far, you already understand owning any pet is a long-term commitment. Ferrets can live on average 6-8 years. They are not like a cat or dog, which is what many of us are familiar with. A ferret is a pooping machine, and they will visit their pan(s) multiple times a day and likely have an accident or two in a place of their choosing. Who in your household will be primarily responsible for your ferret’s care? No matter what they say, be prepared for it to be YOU. Your ferret will bond with you, so make sure you can provide him with a forever home.
In Conclusion
When thinking about bringing home a ferret, you should consider your lifestyle, available physical space, cost, others in the household, and your commitment level. Only you and your family can decide if ferret adoption suits you. I can tell you that my sweet little Olivia has brought me immense joy. It is impossible for me to have a bad day when Liv is in the house. If it were up to me, everyone would have a ferret because the world would just be a happier place. I wish you much success in your journey, whether you decide on a ferret, another animal, or none at all. Thank you for sticking with me this far. What else would you like to know? Please leave a comment. Peace…