Just Got a Ferret!

[DustyStars]

Hey! I just got a brand new ferret! It took a lot of debating on whether to get a ferret or a sugar glider, but I at last got the ferret!! I named her Buddy. Now Im curious, do ferrets need any special shots or anything like that? I dont know if i should take to the vet for a check-up or not. I dont think she needs it, but what do you guys think?

[Uabassoon]

You really should take her to the vet for a checkup. WHen I had ferrets I used to take them in for Rabies shots. And if I remember there is another shot or two that they need. BUt you really should get her in for a checkup to make sure she's in good health.

[jenluckenbach]

Can't say for sure about the shots. That may depend a lot on local regulations (rabies may be required, for example) But I would definitely have a vet check up. Your vet need to get acquainted with the animla in the case of an emergency. And then you can ask about shots, etc.
Any way. Congratulaions on your new furbaby.

[Chinadoll]

Yes...you must bring your ferret in for a checkup. If you bought a kit(baby ferret), the kit will need 3 distemper shots and one rabies shot. The distemper shots should each be given 3 weeks apart and the rabies after that. While there has never been a confirmed case of rabies in ferrets(and I believe there are some who think that can't get rabies), the rabies shot is given to be in accoradance with local law and to protect your ferret. If the rare instance happens that your ferret bites someone and it's reported to animal control...if you cannot prove that your ferret had the rabies vac, there is a very good chance your ferret will be put down. After the kit stage, your ferret will need one distemper and one rabies once a year.

It is always good to find a ferret knowlegable vet before something should happen. You don't want to have an ill ferret and be scrambling through the phone book to find a good vet that treats ferrets.

Are you aware that ferrets are prone to certain cancers, generally around ages 4 to 6? With proper vet care, diet, surgery and/or meds your ferret can live a long happy life. Please be prepared to foot that bill.

What kind of food are you feeding? Ferrets require a diet high in protein and fat. A poor diet is directly related to health problems later in life. STAY AWAY FROM KAYTEE FOODS!!! They have horrible food. A good high quality ferret food will have protein in the 32 to 38% range and fat, 18 to 25%. The first 3 to 5 ingredients should be meat based protein. Some good foods are Marshall's, 8 in 1 Ultimate(NOT the Ultra), Mazuri, Zupreem, Path Valley, The Ferret Store's Superior Choice.

You can order most of these foods on-line through theferretstore.com They have great selection and free shipping in the US for purchases over $25
The Ferret Store

What kind of cage do you have? Even though ferrets sleep a good 16 to 18 hours a day, they require at least 3 hours of out time in a ferret proof(think baby proofing to the extreme) room. 4 to 5 hours being better.

PLEASE do more research. A must have for any ferret owner is Ferrets for Dummies by Kim Schilling. Also check out
Ferret Central or for fun and basic info my website(it's not been updated in a while)
Triple Trouble

I don't mean to lecture...but 4 of my 5 ferrets were rescues from people that got a ferret and didn't know what they were getting into. So I may be a bit preachy...but I really don't mean to be. Please check out those sites and book. If you need any pointers on litter box training or nip training I'd be happy to help.

Good Luck with your new fuzzy.

[DustyStars]

Thanks everyone for the great tips!! I really want my kit to be in excellent health and in great shape!! Ill be sure to take her to the vet. The kind of food I have is called "Vita Ferret Formula." Is that a good brand? Thats all that the store that I got my ferret from had. Well thanks for all the tips people!!

[Chinadoll]

Vita is not that great. Have you checked other pet stores in your area? The big chains should have Marshall's...spaeking of which, what petstore did you get your kit from? Most stores get their kits from only a coulple different sources. One of which is a large ferret mill called Marshall Farms. Generally, a kit from Marshall's will have two blue dots tatooed on the ear. One dot for being altered, one for being descented. Stores that sell Marshall's kits are suppossed to be feeding the kits Marshall's food which usually means they sell the food to.

Other big chain stores(ie PetCo Petsmart etc..) should also have Zupreem, Totally Ferret, and 8 in 1 Ultimate. If you can't find any of these. Try using Eukanuba, Iams, or Maxximum Nutrition kitten food. DO NOT use cat food...only kitten. Maximum Nutrtion kitten is made by iams and only available at Walmart.(It's Walmart's brand of kitten/cat food)

Please buy at least 2 of these foods and mix it. Kits imprint upon food at a young age. If you don't introduce the kit to a few different foods, the kit will only eat that one particular food you give her. If you can't find that food or the company switched ingredients, the ferret will often refuse to eat a new food and starve. By feeding a mix of 2 or more foods, you always know that if one food changes or is unavailable, that the kit will eat another food.

Have you bought any supplements? Ferretone is great for keeping the coat shiney but DO NOT put it on the food contrary to what the bottle says. It will make the food go rancid. My ferets love ferretone. I call it ferret crack. I use it for clipping nails. You hold the ferret on his back, put a few drops of ferretone on the tummy and the ferret is busy licking it off, while you clip nails.

Also please buy some ferretlax or other ferret hairball product. I give my guys an inch strip of hairball remedy once a week and every other day when they shed(Ferrets shed twice a year.) Ferrets can not cough up hairballs like cats. If they have a large hairball it can be deadly.

If you have any other questions, just ask. And please get the book Ferrets for Dummies by Kim Schilling. It's a wonderful resource that every ferret owner should have.

[ChewmonkeyBC]

CONGRATSS~~~

Ferrets are TUNSSSS of fun!!!we have 2 mery and maddie,females.....they are loads of fun!...
U should take you ferret to the vet for his/her checkup....i know that u can get them their rabbies shot but not sure if there are any other shots that they need...........

have fun!!
Kay

FCR

[Chinadoll]

Chewmonkey....
ferrets need both a rabies and distemper shot once a year. Even more important than rabies is the distemper shot. Please make sure your two ferrets were vaccinated for distemper.

Check out Ferret Central for more info

[ChewmonkeyBC]

ok,
Thanks.the ferrets are my mothers ferrets she used to have others but one died of old age and when BUd died his friend bandit stoped eating and playing and all kids of stuff so we think he died of "heart break".....

Kay




FCR

[lv4dogs]

Chinadoll has awesome advice! Just be careful w/ the distemper shots as a lot of ferrets have reactions to that vaccine. Some vets like to pre-treat w/ a benadryl or similar medicine before administering the vaccine. I reccomend when getting ferret shots to wait @ the vets for about 15-30 minutes after the vaccine was given to be sure there will be no reaction to it. Look around in your area to find a ferret vet as many vets do have experience other than basic care & vaccines.


CHINADOLL: You said to not feed cat food only kitten, does that mean to also feed kitten food when they get older? Or is cat food alright for adult ferrets?

[Chinadoll]

Originally posted by lv4dogs
Chinadoll has awesome advice! Just be careful w/ the distemper shots as a lot of ferrets have reactions to that vaccine. Some vets like to pre-treat w/ a benadryl or similar medicine before administering the vaccine. I reccomend when getting ferret shots to wait @ the vets for about 15-30 minutes after the vaccine was given to be sure there will be no reaction to it. Look around in your area to find a ferret vet as many vets do have experience other than basic care & vaccines.


CHINADOLL: You said to not feed cat food only kitten, does that mean to also feed kitten food when they get older? Or is cat food alright for adult ferrets?

Excellent advice about reactions. I start spewing out so much info that I forget what I cover and don't cover . There are 3 kinds of distemper vacs: Ferravac, Galaxy D, and Purvac. The Ferravac has the most reactions. The Purvac is the new ferret distemper vac. I haven't tried it yet, but I do know that others have and they say the reaction rate for Purvac is extremely low compared to Ferravac.

Never feed cat food. Ferrets can eat kitten food because it is high in protein which is essential to their diet. Cat food is not high enough in protein to meet that requirement. As kittens grow older they don't need as much protein as when they were young kittens; however, ferrets always need a diet high in protien.

geez..I need to start cutting down on my typing... I could have just answered that with a simple No cat food...kitten food is best for young and old ferrets..besides ferret food of course.

[lv4dogs]

Thanks china doll! I like your rambling, and anyhow it was nice to know why you should not give cat food. On a different ferret board I was told to feed cat food (they might of ment to say kitten but I could of sworn I heard in numerous places people say cat food not kitten) so I went out & bought cat food to mix w/ his zupreem & TF. I found a natures recipe to be higher in protien & lower in ash than other cat foods & also has no corn products. It is a hairball remedy kind. I have just begun to start to feed him that so he is getting very little cat food everyday. Can I countinue to give him this maybe just as a treat until the bag is gone or should I stop right away? I do not have cats & do not want it to go to waste also I thought that maybe the hairball remedy would be good to give as treats to help prevent hairballs. He is still a kit, only about 14 weeks old.

[Chinadoll]

I don't see why it would hurt him. As long as the other two in the mix (TF and Zupreem) exceed the amount of cat food in the mix...then this one bag shouldn't hurt him at all. It's those that only feed cat food over a long period of time that will see health problems because the fert isn't getting enough protein.

I mix in Maxximum Nutrition Kitten from Walmart with TFS's Superior Choice, Zupreem, & Mazuri. I was told about it by other ferret owners who have fed it successfully. Ferret food is a tad pricey and while I really don't put a limit on what I spend on my babies, it is nice to mix a bag of Maxx. in to make the pricier food last longer. A 4lb bag of Maxx. kitten costs about $2.96 at walmart.

I've had ferrets for almost two years...what I know about ferrets is nothing compared to other boards with people who have ran ferret shelters etc.. I'll e-mail or private message you the two other ferret boards I frequent. They have wonderful people that will answer your questions right away and you can usually get many different responses within a day.