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Ferret FAQ [1/5] - About Ferrets and This FAQ

Archive-name: pets/ferret-faq/part1
Last-modified: 20 Jun 2002
Posting-Frequency: monthly (around the 20th)
Version: 4.0.1
URL: http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/

Compiled and edited by Pamela Greene <pamg@alumni.rice.edu>
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed!


FAQ's for several common ferret diseases.  Information about those is
given in section [1.1].

a veterinarian who is familiar with the treatment of ferrets.

Subject: CONTENTS OF THESE FILES PART 1: ABOUT FERRETS AND THIS FAQ 0. *** About this FAQ *** (0.1) Notes on formatting (0.2) Where to get this FAQ (0.3) Goal of this FAQ (0.4) Credits and editor's notes (0.5) Ferret FAQ copyright and redistribution information 1. *** Where to get more information *** (1.1) Is there a shorter FAQ to hand out at meetings? Are there FAQs for particular diseases? (1.2) How can I find a ferret breeder/shelter/vet/catalog? (1.3) What mailing lists are there, and how do I join? (1.4) What about interactive online chats? (1.5) Where can I find pictures or clip-art of ferrets online? (1.6) Is there any other information available online? (1.7) What are some of the books available? (1.8) How do I start a ferret club or shelter? 2. *** Revision history of these files *** (2.1) Revision history 3. *** Introduction to ferrets *** (3.1) What are ferrets? Do they make good pets? (3.2) Are ferrets wild? Why are there ferret permits? (3.3) Are ferrets legal where I live? Do I need a license? (3.4) I'm allergic to cats. Will I be allergic to ferrets? (3.5) How long do ferrets live? (3.6) How much do ferrets cost? (3.7) Do ferrets smell bad? What can I do about it? (3.8) Is a ferret a good pet for a child? (3.9) What are the different ferret colors? (3.10) What do you call a ferret male/female/baby/group? (3.11) How can I help the ferret community? Part 2: FERRET CARE 4. *** Getting a pet ferret *** (4.1) Which color is the best? Male or female? What age? (4.2) Is this ferret male or female? (4.3) How many should I get? All at once, or one at a time? (4.4) Where can I get a pet ferret? What should I look for? (4.5) What are these little blue dots on my ferret's ear? What's the deal with Marshall Farms? (4.6) How do I introduce a new ferret to my established one(s)? (4.7) Will my ferret get along with my other pets? 5. *** Getting ready for your ferret *** (5.1) How can I best ferretproof my home? What do I need to worry about? (5.2) How can I protect my carpet, plants, or couch? (5.3) What will I need to take care of my new ferret? (5.4) Do I need a cage? Where can I get one? How should I set it up? (5.5) Any suggestions on toys? (5.6) What kind of collar/bell/tag/leash should I use? 6. *** Ferret supplies *** (6.1) What should I feed my ferret? (6.2) Should I give my ferret any supplements? (6.3) What are good treats? (6.4) What kind of litter should I use? (6.5) Pet stores use wood shavings as bedding. Should I? Part 3: TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR 7. *** Basic ferret care and training *** (7.1) How do I train my pet not to nip? (7.2) I'm having problems litter-training. What do I do? (7.3) How can I get my ferret to stop digging? (7.4) How can I stop my ferret from digging in his food or water? (7.5) Any advice on baths, ears, and nail-clipping? 8. *** Things ferrets say and do *** (8.1) What games do ferrets like to play? (8.2) Can I teach my ferret tricks? How? (8.3) My ferret trembles a lot. Is that normal? (8.4) My ferret is losing hair! (8.5) Is he really just asleep? (8.6) What does such-and-such a noise mean? (8.7) What else should I probably not worry about? (8.8) Do ferrets travel well? (8.9) Help! My ferret is lost! Part 4: HEALTH CARE 9. *** Basic health care *** (9.1) Do I need to spay/neuter my pet? How about descenting? Declawing? (9.2) What vaccinations will my ferret need, and when? (9.3) Can I vaccinate my own ferrets? (9.4) What kind of checkups should my ferret be having? (9.5) What should I look for when I check over my ferret myself? (9.6) Do I need to brush my ferret's teeth? (9.7) Is my ferret overweight (or underweight)? What can I do? (9.8) Are ferrets really as prone to disease as it seems? (9.9) How do I contact Dr. Williams? I hear he'll help with diagnoses. (9.10) What special needs do older ferrets have? 10. *** Problems to watch for and related information *** (10.1) What warning signs of disease should I look for? (10.2) Why does my ferret scratch so much? (10.3) What do I do for my ferret's prolapsed rectum? (10.4) My ferret's had funny-looking stools for a few days. What's wrong? (10.5) What is that huge bruised-looking or orangish patch? (10.6) My ferret is going bald (tail only or all over). (10.7) What are these little (black oily)/(red waxy)/(orange crusty) spots on my ferret's tail/skin? (10.8) How well do ferrets handle heat? What about cold? (10.9) How can I get rid of these fleas? (10.10) How do I tell if my ferret has ear mites? What do I do about them? (10.11) Do I need to worry about heartworms? (10.12) Is there an animal poison control hotline? Part 5: MEDICAL OVERVIEW 11. *** Common health problems *** (11.1) Common diseases in ferrets (11.2) Overview of common health problems (11.2.1) Noninfectious (11.2.2) Parasitic health problems (11.2.3) Infectious diseases (11.2.4) Neoplasia (Cancer) 12. *** General medical information *** (12.1) Do I need to worry about toxoplasmosis? (12.2) How can I get my ferret to take this medication? (12.3) Where can I get medications at a discount? (12.4) Can ferrets have transfusions? (12.5) What anesthetic should my vet be using? (12.6) How do I care for my sick or recovering ferret? (12.7) My ferret won't eat. What should I do? (12.8) What's Duck Soup? Anyone have a recipe? (12.9) What are normal body temperature, blood test results, etc.? (12.10) What tests might my vet want to run, and why? 13. *** Medical reference material *** (13.1) Who makes this product or medication? (13.2) What books can I get or recommend to my vet? (13.3) Are there any other useful references? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0. *** About this FAQ ***
Subject: (0.1) Notes on formatting The answers in this file are given in a "digest format" which should make it easier for you to scan through it for the information you want. Each question begins with a line of hyphens, followed by its number and the question itself, as given in the Table of Contents above. In many newsreaders, including rn, trn, and strn, you can jump from one question to the next by hitting CONTROL-G. You can also look for a particular answer by searching for its number or for words from the question. Cross-references to other questions are in square brackets; for example, [1.2] means that more information may be found in section 1.2.
Subject: (0.2) Where to get this FAQ This FAQ is posted around the 20th of each month to the rec.pets, alt.pets.ferrets, alt.answers, rec.answers, and news.answers newsgroups. It's stored on various internet access systems and BBS's, including Compuserve and (I think) AOL, and it can be found in either English or Japanese (possibly a slightly older version) in library3 of the FPETS forum in Japan's NiftyServe system. For information about translations of the FAQ, email me or see the list at Ferret Central <http://www.ferretcentral.org/> on the WWW. The Ferret FAQ is also available on the World Wide Web, as a fully- indexed, cross-linked set of documents for browsing with Netscape Navigator, lynx, or any other WWW client. Open the URL <http://www.ferretcentral.org/> The FAQ is available by anonymous FTP in the directory <ftp://ftp.optics.rochester.edu/pub/pgreene/> (that is, ftp to ftp.optics.rochester.edu and cd to the indicated directory). The files themselves are called part1.faq through part5.faq. It can be found, along with hundreds of other FAQs on a wide variety of topics, at any of the news.answers archives or mirrors; for instance, by FTP at <ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/ferret-faq/> or on the Web at <http://www.faqs.org/faqs/pets/ferret-faq/>. If you don't have access to FTP, or if the server is busy (as it often is), you can also request the files by mail. You can receive all five parts in separate email messages by sending a message to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu> with the single line (in the body of the message) GET ANSWERS PACKAGE FERRET To receive only a single part, instead send a command like GET ANSWERS PART1 FERRET
Subject: (0.3) Goal of this FAQ A number of books exist which were written by experts and are intended to be comprehensive discussions of all sorts of ferret behavior and medical problems. This FAQ is not intended to replace any of those. However, there seemed to be a need for a document which covers many of the basic questions in a fairly light way. Originally, this was intended to be a FAQ in the purest sense of the term: a document to answer questions which keep coming up in the newsgroups and Ferret Mailing List. However, over the months -- and years -- the FAQ grew, and its purpose broadened. More general questions, and especially more medical information, were included. Although I can't claim that this is now a comprehensive guide to ferret ownership, it is a good source of information and collective opinion about a wide range of subjects. Whether you're new to ferrets or a long-time owner, chances are this FAQ will have something interesting for you.
Subject: (0.4) Credits and editor's notes Contributions of individual respondents are marked as such and indented. Other sections were either written by me (Pamela Greene) or compiled from a number of contributions. Special thanks to Chris Lewis and Bill Gruber, moderators of the Ferrte Mailing List; and to veterinarians Bruce Williams, Charles Weiss, Susan Brown, and Mike Dutton, for all their efforts on behalf of the members of the Ferret Mailing List and all "ferret friends". Thanks also to the dedicated ferret enthusiasts who have helped to translate the FAQ and Medical FAQs into other languages, inlcuding Japanese and French, with others in progress. Thanks also to the many people from the Ferret Mailing List [1.3] who contributed (perhaps unwittingly!) responses, comments, and corrections, too many to list here (at last count, the list included 97 different people).
Subject: (0.5) Ferret FAQ copyright and redistribution information This compilation, which includes five main files as described in the Table of Contents above, is copyright 1994-1998 by Pamela L. Greene. It may be freely distributed by electronic, paper, or other means, provided that it is distributed in its entirety (all 5 files), including this notice, and that no fee is charged apart from the actual costs of distribution. It may not be used or included in any commercial or for-profit work without prior written permission. (For-profit service providers such as Compuserve and America Online are granted permission to distribute the files provided that no additional fee beyond standard connection-time charges is levied.) Anyone who wishes to is encouraged to include a World Wide Web hypertext link [0.2] to the main Index page of this document set at <http://www.ferretcentral.org/> wherever it might be appropriate. "The Ferret FAQ," "Ferret Central," and the silhouette of a ferret used in their logos are trademarks of Pamela Greene. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. *** Where to get more information ***
Subject: (1.1) Is there a shorter FAQ to hand out at meetings? Are there FAQs for particular diseases? There are five parts to the main Ferret FAQ. The contents of those parts are listed at the top of this file. If you're looking for something to hand out at pet stores, vets' offices, club meetings, and so forth, you might want the Ferret mini-FAQ, a much shorter document which covers all the basics and is formatted to be printed out. There's also a single-page tri-fold brochure with the most important information, ideal for vets' offices and pet stores. They're each available as a Postscript or PDF file (which can be read using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, available from <http://www.adobe.com/>). There are also FAQs dedicated to several common diseases: Adrenal disease (adenoma, adenocarcinoma) Insulinomas (islet cell tumors) Lymphosarcoma (lymphoma) Skin tumors (skin and mast cell tumors) Cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure (heart disease) Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) Epizootic catarrhal enteritis (mystery green diarrhea virus) Gastric ulcers and Helicobacter mustelae These FAQs are not posted to any newsgroup, but you can FTP them from ftp.optics.rochester.edu in /pub/pgreene/ . You can also receive them from a mailserver. To get a copy of all the files, each in a separate email message, send email to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu> with the single line (in the body of the message): GET DISEASE PACKAGE FERRET To receive only a single part, instead send one of these commands: GET ADRENAL DISEASE FERRET GET INSULIN DISEASE FERRET GET LYMPH DISEASE FERRET GET SKIN TUMORS FERRET GET CARDIO DISEASE FERRET GET ENLARGED SPLEEN FERRET GET GREEN VIRUS FERRET GET GASTRIC ULCERS FERRET Finally, there is a single-part Ferret Natural History FAQ, which contains information on ferret biology, history, domestication, taxonomy, and so forth. It's available from Ferret Central <http://www.ferretcentral.org/>, or from the CUNY listserver using the command GET NATURAL HISTORY FERRET
Subject: (1.2) How can I find a ferret breeder/shelter/vet/catalog? An extensive list of ferret clubs, breeders, organizations, vets and catalogs is maintained by STAR*Ferrets and is available on the World Wide Web at <http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/database.html>. It is also available from a list server. Send email to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu> with the line SEND FERRET DATABASE in the body. Note that the file is rather long, which may give some mailers problems. The American Ferret Association (AFA) also maintains a list of shelters, at <http://www.ferret.org/afashltr.htm>, and a local ferret club may know about one not on either of the lists.
Subject: (1.3) What mailing lists are there, and how do I join? The Ferret Mailing List (FML) is strongly recommended. To subscribe to the FML, send email to its moderator, Bill Gruber, at <ferret-request@cunyvm.cuny.edu> and ask to be added. You can also try subscribing automatically by sending email to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu> with the command SUBSCRIBE FERRET <first-name> <last-name> in the body of the email. You'll get a note back detailing policies and such and explaining how to send letters to the list. Back issues of the FML are available by sending the command INDEX FERRET in the body of email to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu>, and an unofficial WWW archive at <http://ferretworld.com/> is also available, though not quite as complete. The Ferret Forum mailing list tends to be shorter and perhaps more international in flavor than the FML. To subscribe, send email to <majordomo@bolis.com> with a blank Subject and either "subscribe ferret-forum" (for the regular version) or "subscribe ferret-forum-digest" (for the daily digest) in the body of the message (no quotes in either command). The "Ferret Tails" mailing list is a digest of ferret stories, adventures, poems, and other entertainment. Email <kingfshr@northcoast.com> with "subscribe ferret-tails <your email address>" in the body of your message. There are other mailing lists, too, including several regional lists. A list is available at <http://www.ferret.net/ferrlists/>, or email Christine Code at <cmc@portal.ca> for information.
Subject: (1.4) What about interactive online chats? There are several interactive WWW chat/talk servers; for a list, see Ferret Central at <http://www.ferretcentral.org/>. Various IRC chats exist, on servers such as undernet.org, irc.mcgill.ca, irc.quarterdeck.com, or irc.eskimo.com. Specific server/channel combinations include irc.dal.net #ferret_chat or #Ferrets irc.prospero.com #GCFA or #FERRETS (Thurs. and Sun. from 8 pm Central) irc.prospero.com #ferret (nightly from 8 pm Eastern) undernet.org #Ferret For more information about IRC, consult the IRC FAQ, available at <http://www.kei.com/irc.html>. A weekly online chat also happens on AOL, Saturdays 10 pm - midnight Eastern time. Sometimes there are guest speakers. This chat is only accessible to AOL users: go to keyword "Petcare", then select "Animal Talk Room 1".
Subject: (1.5) Where can I find pictures or clip-art of ferrets online? The Ferret Photo Gallery, on the World Wide Web, has a large collection of JPEGs and GIFs. It's located at <http://www.ferretcentral.org/gallery/>. There are also the Equipment How-To Photos, at <http://www.ferretcentral.org/gallery/gallery-howto.html> which show and describe examples of cages, shoulder bags, collars, and so forth. The Oregon Ferret Association has a clipart archive at <http://www.teleport.com/~leonard/ofa/resources/clipart.html>, and Bob Nixon maintains an archive with many ferret pictures, too, at <http://members.home.net/bigrex/>. Files there which start with "clip-" are clip-art. Most of the pictures at one site are also at the other.
Subject: (1.6) Is there any other information available online? Discussions of ferrets sometimes come up in the Usenet newsgroups alt.pets.ferrets and rec.pets. The FAQ "Fleas, Ticks and Your Pet" [10.9] is distributed there as well, and is also available by FTP as <URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks>. Several bulletin board systems keep pet FAQs and discussions, as does the Compuserve Small Mammals forum (GO PETSTWO). An index of ferret information is available from Ferret Central, on the World Wide Web at <http://www.ferretcentral.org/>. Various ferret-related information is available from the file server at CUNY; send the command INDEX FERRET to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu> for a complete list, with descriptions.
Subject: (1.7) What are some of the books available? Lots of books have been written about ferrets, ranging from brief treatments to extensive discussions of behavior and medical issues. Introductory books, all most owners will ever need, are usually available in pet stores. A few of the more popular are Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, by James G. Fox. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia (1988). ISBN 0-8121-1139-7 The Pet Ferret Owner's Manual, by Judith A. Bell, DVM, PhD. ISBN 0-9646477-2-9 PB, 0-9646477-1-0 LB. Clear, well-written and comprehensive, with lots of color photographs. Dr. Bell is an internationally known expert on ferret medicine and care. A Practical Guide to Ferrets, by Deborah Jeans. Contact the author at Ferrets Inc., P. O. Box 450099, Miami, FL 33245-0099; fax 305-285-6963. "Excellent, easy to read, very thorough and up to date, and written with a lot of love and care," says Dr. Susan Brown, DVM. Ferrets: a Complete Owner's Manual, by Chuck and Fox Morton. Barron's Educational Series, Hauppauge, NY, 1985. ISBN 0-8120-2976-3 A relatively short, but well-written guide. Not as in-depth as some, but a very good, friendly introduction to ferrets as pets. Ferrets in Your Home, by Wendy Winsted. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ, 1990. ISBN 0-86622-988-4 Longer and more in-depth, but still very readable. Includes, for instance, more information on reproduction and breeding, but also more expensive. For somewhat more in-depth medical and natural history information, Bob Church recommends Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents - Clinical Medicine and Surgery, by Elizabeth Hillyer and Katherine Quesenberry (1997) Wild Mammals of North America, by Chapman and Feldhammer (1989) Use the section about mink, perhaps tempered somewhat with the black-footed ferret. Together, they are very similar to the polecat, which is the driving force behind our ferrets. Ethology: the Mechanisms and Evolution of Behavior, by James Gould (1982)
Subject: (1.8) How do I start a ferret club or shelter? Extensive advice on starting a ferret club, shelter, or other service, including sample forms and other materials, is available from STAR*Ferrets for a nominal fee. Contact Pamela Troutman of STAR* at P. O. Box 1714, Springfield, VA 22151-0714 or email <starferet@aol.com>. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2. *** Revision history of these files ***
Subject: (2.1) Revision history The most accurate description of the version of this FAQ is the date at the top. For really minor changes, I won't necessarily change the version number, but I'll always change the date. Version 4.0 - 19 Jan 1998 Added sections 1.8, 3.5, 4.2, 7.3, 9.6, 9.7, 9.10, 10.2, 10.3, 10.5, 10.12, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 13.1 Significant changes to sections 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 4.1, 4.4, 4.7, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4, 7.5, 8.1, 8.7, 8.8, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.9, 10.1, 10.9, 10.10, 10.11, 11.1, 12.8, 12.9, 13.2, 13.3 Smaller changes to nearly every other section (it has been 15 months since the last update, after all) Version 3.1 - 25 Oct 1996 This really ought to be a major revision too, but I don't like "inflating" the revision number that much, especially since the plain text FAQ hasn't yet had a version 3.0. Many sections were moved, sometimes between parts, and nearly all of them had at least minor formatting fixes. The numbers below use this new version's numbering. Added sections 1.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.10, 5.2, 7.3, 8.9, 9.5, 10.3, 12.2, 12.5 Significant changes to sections 1.1, 1.5, 4.4, 4.5, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1, 6.3, 8.1, 8.4, 8.7, 8.8, 9.1, 9.2, 10.6, 10.8, 12.1, 12.6 Smaller changes to sections 0.2, 0.4, 1.3, 1.7, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4, 9.7, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2 Version 3.0 - 3 May 1996 This is a "major" revision because I've changed the format of the HTML files for the WWW version. The changes don't make any difference in the plain text version. Significant changes to sections 5.2, 6.5, 7.7, 9.5, 11.3 Small changes to sections 0.4, 0.5, 3.3, 4.6, 5.6, 6.2, 6.9, 8.2, 11.1 Version 2.8.1 - 22 Jan 96; 2.8 - 16 Jan 96; 2.7 - 11 August 95; 2.6 - 5 June 95; 2.5 - 16 Mar 95; 2.4 - 7 Feb 95; 2.3 - 26 Dec 94 Version 2.2 - 1 Nov 94 Reformatted all files. First version released on World Wide Web Version 2.1 - 28 Sept 94; 2.0 - 2 June 94; 1.2 - 3 May 94; 1.1.1 - 15 Mar 94; 1.1 - 28 Jan 94; 1.0 - 15 Dec 93; 0.3 - 7 Dec 93; 0.2 - 29 Nov 93; 0.1 - 23 Nov 93 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3. *** Introduction to ferrets ***
Subject: (3.1) What are ferrets? Do they make good pets? Ferrets are domestic animals, cousins of weasels, skunks and otters. (Other relatives include minks, ermines, stoats, badgers, black-footed ferrets, polecats, and fishers.) They are not rodents; taxonomically they're in between cats and dogs, a little closer to dogs. They are friendly and make excellent pets. If you've never met one before, the easiest way to think of them is somewhere between cats and dogs in personality, but rather smaller. They can only see reasonably well, but they have excellent senses of hearing and smell. Some are cuddly, others more independent; they vary a lot, just like other pets. Ferrets are a lot of fun. They are very playful, with each other and with you, and they don't lose much of that playfulness as they get older. A ferret -- or better, two or more [4.3] -- can be a very entertaining companion. They are smarter than cats and dogs, or at least they act it. They are also very inquisitive and remarkably determined, which is part of their charm but can also be a bit of a bother. They are friendly, and they do know and love you, though for some of them it can take a year or so to fully bond. They can be trained to use a litter box [7.2] and to do tricks [8.2], and most of them love to go places with you, riding on a shoulder or in a bag [8.8]. They sleep a lot, and they don't particularly mind staying in small places (a cage [5.4], for instance, or a shoulder bag) temporarily, although they need to run around and play for at least a couple of hours a day. A "single" ferret won't be terribly lonely, although the fun of watching two or three playing together is easily worth the small extra trouble [4.3]. Barring accidents, ferrets typically live 6-10 years. Ferrets have lots of good points as pets, but there are some negatives as well. Like kittens and puppies, they require a lot of care and training at first. They're "higher maintenance" than cats; they'll take more of your time and attention. Ferrets have their own distinct scent [3.7], which bothers some people, and many of them aren't quite as good about litter pans [7.2] as cats are. Although most ferrets get along reasonably well with cats and dogs, it's not guaranteed, so if you have large, aggressive pets (particularly dogs of breeds commonly used for hunting), keep that in mind. Likewise, small children and ferrets are both very excitable, and the combination might be too much [3.8]. Finally, the importance of ferretproofing must be emphasized. Ferrets are less destructive than cats, but they love to get into EVERYTHING, so if you keep them loose you'll need to make sure they can't hurt themselves or your possessions [5.1]. They love to steal small (and not so small!) objects and stash them under chairs and behind furniture. They like to chew on spongy, springy things, which must be kept out of reach or they'll swallow bits. Accessible boxes, bags, and trash cans will be crawled in, and houseplants within reach are liable to lose all their dirt to joyful digging [5.2]. Finally, many ferrets tend to scratch and dig at the carpet [5.2]. Naturally, these traits vary from one ferret to another, but they're all pretty common. If you're not willing to take the necessary time to protect your property and your pet, a ferret may not be for you.
Subject: (3.2) Are ferrets wild? Why are there ferret permits? Domestic pet ferrets, Mustela furo (sometimes called Mustela putorius furo), are not wild animals. They have been domesticated for a very long time, perhaps two or three thousand years. They're not equipped to survive for very long on their own; escaped pets suffer from dehydration, starvation and exposure, and usually don't survive more than a few days unless someone takes them in. Unlike cats and dogs, ferrets aren't even large enough to push over garbage cans and scavenge. Domestic ferrets are generally believed to be descended from the European polecat; they were originally used as hunting animals to catch rabbits and rodents. They weren't supposed to kill the prey, they just chased them out of their holes and the farmers (hunters) killed them. This practice is now illegal in the U.S. and Canada, but it's still fairly popular in the U.K. and some other places. A "ferret-free zone," or FFZ, is a place where ferrets are banned or illegal [3.3]. In some other places, ferret owners are required to have licenses or permits. States, counties, and municipalities outlaw or restrict ferrets for a variety of reasons, pretty much all invalid, but I'd say that the fundamental problem is that many people don't understand what a pet ferret is. What are some of those invalid reasons, you ask? Well, a common one is that ferrets are seen as wild animals like raccoons or skunks, rather than a domestic species like housecats. Of course, ferrets have been domesticated for at least 2500 years. Another popular misconception is that ferrets pose a serious rabies danger; in fact, studies have indicated that it's very hard for a ferret to catch rabies, and when one does, it dies very quickly, so the danger is very small indeed. Besides, there's a ferret rabies vaccine which has been shown to be effective. A third common reason for banning ferrets is the idea that escaped pets (nearly all of which are spayed or neutered) will form feral packs and threaten livestock or native wildlife. There are no confirmed cases of feral ferrets (as opposed to polecats or polecat-ferret crosses, for instance) in the U.S., and a few deliberate attempts to introduce domestic ferrets to the wild have failed miserably, so this, too, is an unfounded fear -- even if one could picture a ferret harming a cow or breaking into a commercial poultry farm. The only states which now ban ferrets are California and Hawaii. In the face of overwhelming evidence, many areas are being persuaded to change their outdated regulations. Most of the misconceptions regarding domestic ferrets probably come from mistaking them for their wild cousins. It's very difficult to tell a polecat or a mink from a domestic ferret when all you've seen is a flash of fur disappearing into a burrow, and polecats and minks are quite common in the less-developed areas of Europe and North America. Because of the similar names, domestic ferrets have also been confused with their cousins the North American Black-Footed Ferrets, Mustela nigripes. Black-footed ferrets (BFFs) are wild remote relatives of the domestic ferret. They are an endangered species: the only BFFs known to exist are in zoos or in a breeding program in Wyoming. However, despite similar appearances, the BFF is not very closely related to the domestic ferret.
Subject: (3.3) Are ferrets legal where I live? Do I need a license? Depending on where you live, ferrets may be completely unregulated, require a license to breed but not to own, require a permit to own, or be entirely illegal. This varies by state or province, county, and city. You can find out about your town by calling the local Wildlife Department or Fish and Game Department, the humane society, or veterinarians (recommended in that order). Note that some pet stores in FFZs sell ferrets anyway, so the presence of one in your corner store may not be any indication of their legality, and I wouldn't necessarily trust the pet store to be honest about local laws. Katie Fritz has compiled an extensive, though not complete, list of FFZs. If you have or want more information, contact her at <redshoes@ix.netcom.com> or on CompuServe at 71257,3153. Here's a list of some of the larger places where ferrets are illegal, as of April 1997. A more extensive list is also available, from <http://www.netcom.com/~redshoes/ffz.html>. California, Hawaii Washington, DC; Dallas, Ft. Worth, Beaumont, and various other cities in TX; Bloomington and Burnsville, MN; Tulsa, OK; Columbus, OH; London, York, and East York, Ontario, Canada; Puerto Rico Although ferrets aren't actually illegal in New York City or Minneapolis, MN, they are not welcomed and may be confiscated or ticketed. Similarly, although it's legal to own ferrets in South Carolina, it's not legal to sell them there, and the state is known to be pretty ferret-unfriendly. Many military bases ban ferrets. It seems to be at the discretion of the base commander. Permits or licenses are required in order to own ferrets in the following places: New Jersey ($10/year), Rhode Island ($10/year), Illinois (free). Permits are also required in St. Paul, MN, and may be difficult to obtain. These lists are by no means complete, so check locally before you buy a ferret.
Subject: (3.4) I'm allergic to cats. Will I be allergic to ferrets? There's really no way to tell. You could be highly allergic to some other animal and have no problems at all with ferrets. If you think you might be allergic, visit a pet store, breeder or friend who has one and check. Allergies might make you sneeze, or you might have a skin reaction from touching or being scratched by a ferret. One person wrote me to say he was allergic only to intact males, so you may want to try contact with females or neutered males as well. Also note that some people are allergic to the perfumes pet stores often put on animals, but not to the animals themselves.
Subject: (3.5) How long do ferrets live? Ferrets typically live 6 to 10 years, with 6 apparently more common than 10. The oldest ferret I know of is 15.
Subject: (3.6) How much do ferrets cost? Prices for ferrets vary widely from place to place, and depending on where you get the ferret [4.4]. Prices for stores and breeders are usually in the US $75-$250 range, typically around $100. Plan on another $100-$250 for a cage [5.4] and supplies [5.3], plus around $75 for the first batch of vaccinations [9.2]. Of course, there are also regular costs of caring for the ferret. They don't eat much, so food and litter aren't a huge expense, but there are also treats [6.3] and hairball remedies, plus the annual checkups [9.4] and vaccinations [9.2]. In addition, though it might not happen, you should be prepared to pay for at least one $300 vet visit in each ferret's 6- to 10-year lifetime, from his getting sick, being in an accident, or eating something he shouldn't [11.1].
Subject: (3.7) Do ferrets smell bad? What can I do about it? Ferrets have an odor all their own, just like any pet. Some people like the musky scent, a few can't stand it, and most are in between. (Personally, I think it's much better than wet doggy smell or cat box stench.) If the ferret isn't yet altered [9.1], having that done will cut down on the odor a lot; whole (un-neutered) males, particularly, have a very strong smell. Young kits also have a peculiar, sharp scent which they lose as they get a bit older. Descenting a ferret [9.1] doesn't change the day-to-day smell. Only the scent glands near the tail are removed, which prevents the ferret from releasing bad-smelling musk if it's frightened, but doesn't stop the normal musky oils which come from glands throughout the skin. The two big things you can do to cut down on your ferret's odor are to bathe him less -- yes, less -- often and to clean his bedding more often. Most of the musk stays in the cloth, on the litter or paper, and on your floors and furniture, not on the ferret himself. Cleaning them can be a big help. Also, right after a bath the ferret's skin glands go into overdrive to replenish the oils you just washed away, so for a few days the ferret will actually smell worse. Foods containing fish may make your ferret, or his litter pan, smell worse than those with chicken, lamb, etc.. You may also find that your ferret smells more during shedding season in the spring and fall. Some people have had good luck with Ferret Sheen powder and various air filter systems.
Subject: (3.8) Is a ferret a good pet for a child? Many people have both children and ferrets without problems, but there's a difference between having both children and pets, and getting a pet for your child. It's important to remember that a ferret is a lot like a cat or dog, and will require the same kind of attention and care. It's not at all like keeping a pet hamster or guinea pig. If your child is responsible, careful, and not too young, and you're willing to supervise and help out with the care, a ferret will be a great pet. Otherwise, consider getting a low-maintenance pet you can keep in a cage instead. It is definitely necessary to monitor interactions between young children and ANY pets closely, and to make sure children know the proper way to handle pets. A living creature needs, and deserves, to be treated with more care than a toy. Ferrets in particular love to pounce and wrestle when they play, which may frighten children, and children tend to play rather roughly, which may prompt a more vigorous response from an active ferret than from a typical cat. Just as some very friendly dogs become nervous around children because they don't look, smell, or act like adults, some ferrets who aren't used to kids don't quite know how to behave around them. Make sure both your child and your ferret understand what's expected of them, and what to expect from the other one. At least one person suggests that ferrets brought up around other animals, including other ferrets, will adjust to a child better than ones only used to adult humans. There are several stories floating around about ferrets attacking babies, some more true than others. Ferrets are unfamiliar to most people, so it's easier for them to make sweeping statements on the basis of a tiny amount of information. Some of the reports are simply rumor, or the result of confusing another animal with a ferret. Others are based in fact, but omit important information (for instance, that the child and pets had clearly been neglected or abused prior to the attack). A small number are unfortunately true. However, plenty of children have been attacked and even killed by dogs and cats. The number of people injured by ferrets each year is a tiny fraction of the number wounded or killed by dogs. People don't claim that all dogs and cats are too dangerous for pets, but rather that more responsible parenting and pet ownership is needed. According to Chris Lewis, former moderator of the Ferret Mailing List [1.3]: The FML has carried confirmed reports of two, possibly three, cases where an animal identified as a "ferret" has seriously injured, and in one case, I believe, killed, infants. One in the UK, and one or two in the US. In none of these cases has it been proven that the animal was a ferret - particularly in the UK, it is quite possible that the animal was actually an European polecat which are raised for fur and sometimes for hunting (in the UK). And in each case gross child and animal abuse is well documented. But it's important to remember, that even the most pessimistic statistics on ferrets show that a ferret is about a thousand times *less* likely to cause injury than a dog. Indeed, every year there are hundreds of very serious or fatal dog attacks in the US alone. Worst case statistics show approximately 12 ferret attacks ever recorded in the US. Dr. Bruce Williams, DVM, adds: I can say from personal experience that there are many, many more bite incidents with the household dog or cat, and that either of these species tend to do a lot more damage. I have seen children require over a hundred facial stitches from getting between the dog and its food, but never anything like this with a ferret. But I've also been nailed by my share of ferrets too. Personally, I don't recommend ferrets for people with children under 6 or 7 - either the child or the ferret ends up getting hurt.
Subject: (3.9) What are the different ferret colors? Ferrets often change colors with the seasons, lighter in the winter than in the summer, and many of them lighten as they age, too. Different ferret organizations recognize different colors and patterns, but unless you're planning to enter your ferret in a show, the exact label isn't particularly important. Some of the more commonly accepted colors are described in general terms below, adapted from summaries written by William and Diane Killian of Zen and the Art of Ferrets and Pam Troutman of STAR*Ferrets. The albino is white with red eyes and a pink nose. A dark-eyed white can have very light eyes and can possibly be confused with an albino. These can actually range from white to cream colored with the whiter the color the better. A dark-eyed white (often called a black-eyed white) is a ferret with white guard hairs but eyes darker than the red of an albino. The sable has rich dark brown guard hairs with golden highlights, with a white to golden undercoat. A black sable has blue-black guard hairs with no golden or brownish cast, with a white to cream undercoat. The chocolate is described as warm dark to milk chocolate brown with a white to golden or amber undercoat and highlights. A cinnamon is a rich light reddish brown with a golden to white undercoat. This can also be used to describe a ferret with light, tan guard hairs with pinkish or reddish highlights. Straight tan is a champagne. A silver starts out grey, or white with a few black hairs. The ferret may or may not have a mask. There is a tendency for the guard hair to lighten to white evenly over the body. As a ferret ages each progressive coat change has a higher percentage of white rather than dark guard hairs. Eventually the ferret could be all white. White patches on the throat might be called throat stars, throat stripes, or bibs; white toes, mitts (sometimes called silver mitts), or stockings go progressively further up the legs. A blaze or badger has a white stripe on the top of the head, and a panda has a fully white head. A siamese has an even darker color on the legs and tail than usual and a V-shaped mask; and a self is nearly solid in color.
Subject: (3.10) What do you call a ferret male/female/baby/group? A male is called a hob, and a female is a jill. To some people, neutered males are gibs and neutered females are sprites , but these are new terms and aren't as commonly used. A baby ferret of either sex is a kit. The most commonly accepted phrase for a group is "a business of ferrets". Some people spell it "busyness" instead. Another possibility, "fastening" or "fesnyng," is thought to be due to a misreading of "bysnys" long ago.
Subject: (3.11) How can I help the ferret community? There are lots of ways you can help the ferret community at large. If your ferrets are very trustworthy and have had their vaccinations, [9.2] take them with you to the park or pet store and show people what wonderful pets they are, to counteract all the false rumors. (Be very careful, though: if your ferret should nip or scratch someone, even by accident, some states will kill him for rabies testing, even if he's been vaccinated. You may want to only let people pet his back.) Give good ferret information, perhaps a copy of this general FAQ and the Medical FAQs [1.1], to your vet. Adopt, foster, or sponsor a ferret from a local shelter, or donate old towels, shirts, food, litter, cages, money, or time. Many shelters could use help with construction projects, computer setup and use, recordkeeping, etc., as well as day-to-day ferret care, cage cleaning, and trips to the vet. (However, shelter directors are very busy people, and may have established routines they'd rather not have disrupted, so don't be offended if your offer of help is refused. Ask if there's something else you could do instead.) To find a shelter near you, see the STAR*Ferrets list of clubs, shelters, etc. [1.2] or contact a local ferret club. Participate in the "Support Our Shelters" coupon book program, in which you send $25 and receive a book of grocery store coupons of YOUR choice worth at least $200. More information is available by sending the command SEND COUPON ORDER FERRET in the body of email to <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu>. == End of Part 1 == -- - Pamela Greene Ferret Central: http://www.ferretcentral.org/ Clan Lord (online game) FAQ: http://faq.clanlord.net/ This sentence would be seven words long if it were six words shorter.

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