Does anybody have one?  I remember reading a faq about ferrets
back when they were illegal in Michigan and thinking that they
would make cool pets.  It also said that ferrets tend to have a
wider range of personalities than most other animals.

If anyone has a ferret, I'd like to hear about what they are
like, what they need, what to feed them, etc.

20 responses total.

I've never had one, but I've heard they make excellent pets.
You might want to contact Age of Aquarium on Ann Arbor.  I 
*think* they deal in more exotic pets.  Btw- I'm not totally
sure that's the right name of the store, it's the one on 
Packard just east of Platte.

Is it "Pet Supplies Plus" that's at Plymouth Rd and Huron Pkwy?
I talked to someone there a few months ago and she said that they
were taking orders for ferrets, but wouldn't have any in stock
for a while.

She mentioned that the two things to be sure of is that they have
been descented (sounds like what they do to skunks!) and that the
store will allow you to trade a ferret back for a new one if it
doesn't get along with your current pets in the first week or
two.

I suppose that the main thing I want to know before getting one
is how to "housebreak" them.  I understand they can be taught to
use kitty litter, but how do I teach that?

I'll have to see if I can find the usenet faq on ferrets.

It is age of aquarium on packard near platt.  I drove by the other day,
and they have a big sign that says Coming Soon:  Ferrets.  You might
want to call them.

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Very odd creatures, sort of like a stretched-out cat but not quite.  They
are cousins to skunks, and they can get really smelly.  A guy on my dorm
floor way back when found (???) a ferret one day and kept it in the floor's
study lounge.  It got REALLY rank after a few weeks.

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Well, that explains why the Pet Supplies Plus person recommended
that they be descented.  I wonder if they need baths
occassionally.

I've heard ferrets make "neat" pets, but there was a case of
a kid in VA being hospitalized in critical condition due to
a pet ferret that scratched and bit him all over his face.

I know a pet store here in VA that had one for sale yesterday.
It was about $100-150.  The store didn't smell, bbut the ferret was
in an aquarium (large) and behind glass...


Since ferrets are not domestic animals like cats, their behavior
is less predictable.  I know cats vary in terms of personalities,
but ferrets even more so.  I would not recommend getting one
if it is going to be around kids at all.  They can get very vicious.

Actually ferrets have been domesticated longer than cats have.  They
have been domesticated for so long that they have lost most of their basic
survival instincts.  In most of the states where keeping ferrets is still
illegal the reason given is that "if they escape and return to the wild,
they will be a serious danger to things like chickens and other small birds
and animals".  Except that they can't survive in the wild.  Austrailia tried
to set up colonies thinking that they would help get rid of the rabbit problem.
They were unsuccessful, all the animals died because they didn't know how to
find food or how to burrow a home.

i must agree with glenda..
fetterts are 100% domesticated and DO make wonderful pets..
I'm a fairly new "co-habitator" with a ferret and she is GREAT
small, clean!, great personality, doesn't smell and we even go on walks.
been forever since a post here i see but what the hey...

I don't know about ferrets learning to use a kitty litter box, but I know
a skunk does so without any instruction. We had a pet skunk when I was
a teenager. Very much like a cat- even purred.

I pet-sat for a ferret once...  He didn't like me much, but his
owner let Marshall (the ferret) run around his apartment and
just had a couple of littler boxes in various places- the ferret
used them quite well. :)

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My brother descented the skunk while he was the Nature Counselor at a
scout camp. They both stank when they arrived home...but it wore off
and thereafter the skunk had no skunk scent. I think it is a matter of
how completely the scent gland tissue is removed.

yupperz,
Jinx has full run of the apartment full time with only 2 litter
boxes.. can't say she goes out of her way 100% to find them, but oh
well ;)   pretyy sure I'm hooked-on-ferrets

I have an albino ferret.  His name is Mr. Wiggles.  Albino ferrets are not
really albinos, although they do have white fur and skin and also pink eyes.
He can go outside, if I wish to endure that LOL.

He lives in a big cage with a hammock in it.  He crawls down to eat and to
come out and play.  He has TONS of energy while he's awake and is quite a
character.  I got him a battery powered mouse and he chases it all over the
place.  His Daddy also got him about 5 feet of metal dryer tubing and he
LOVEDS running back and forth through that and really enjoys when you stick
your hand at the end, he'll nip at us (very lightly).

He also loves playing with the cats.

Ferrets need to be bathed often due to their smell, even though they've been
de-scented.  Thought I'd better warn you about that  8-)

Here's some pictures of him:
http://www.geocities.com/shreela_at_work/MrWiggles/OurFerret.html

I have two ferrets and male and a female. They are 3 years old now and they
are a blast. They have so much personality after you get to know them. I got
mine from Marshall's, they are a major ferret breader in the US. My ferrets
names are Rascal " the male one" and Fuzzie " the female on". They do not
stink lol. They smell kinda nice, I got some strawberry shampoo for them that
I use once a month on them. They are really playfull and great with children.
Fuzzie loves her sqweeky toys, she comes flying out of hiding when she hears
it, then I will give it to her and she'll put it in the corner. They live in
a nice cage about 3.5' by 2.5'. I let them out for no less that 5 hours a day.
For treats they get Ferrtone and Peanut butter flavored yogies!!! My ferrets
also love playing with the cats. They chase each other around the house
playing tag. Ferrets are the best pets in the world, but they are a long time
pet and you should only get one if you can spend alot of time with them each
day for up to 11 years! :) 
Ferrets ROCK!

I have always thought they were cute

Ferrets can be a lot of fun- but I like that you include the caution
about the amount of daily time they require. I think many pets would
like that amount of time- but some, like cats, can still be reasonably
social without quite that much time.

yes, that is true, all ferrets are different and some need more or less time
than others. 

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