Content
You ferrets or mustela putorius hole they are a mammal thought to have been domesticated about 2,500 years ago. It is known that Caesar Augustus sent ferrets or mongooses to the Balearic Islands to control rabbit pests in 6 BC.
More recently, the ferret has been used for hunting lagomorphs, since they were able to move around in their burrows without problems. In some countries like Australia it continues to be used in the face of the great rabbit pests that this country suffers from time to time.
Finally, the ferret has become a fantastic pet because it is a very active and extremely curious animal. It is an amazing animal that will surprise anyone who wants to adopt it.
Source
- Asia
- Europe
- Egypt
physical appearance
there is a big variety of ferrets that are visually different whether in size, color or appearance. They can also be distinguished by hair size.
We must consider that the size can vary depending on the sex, this because a female ferret is usually 30% smaller than the male. It is considered an adult from 9 or 10 months, at which time we can already identify its size as:
- Wiped or small - Weigh between 400 to 500 grams.
- Standardor medium - Usually weighs between 500 grams to 1 kilo.
- bullor large - They can weigh up to 2.5 kilograms.
The ferret may have a infinity of colors, this is because there are no ferrets alike in the world. Among them we find shades such as white, champagne, black, chocolate, cinnamon or tricolor. In addition, there are also very concrete patterns such as Standard, Siamese, Marbled, Uniform, Gloves, Tip or Panda.
O hair size it will be different in winter and summer. Basically we have different hairs according to their height, for example, we find in the variety Wiped a short, extremely soft fur, like velvet. O Standard it has an angora hair, the longest a ferret can have. Finally, the bull he has short fur and is pleasant to the touch.
Behavior
they are about very sociable animals who generally accept other members of their species and even cats without any problem. They love to play and sleep with each other to keep warm, because the ferret hates loneliness and will be very happy to have another member of the family with whom he can spend time.
There is also no problem having a ferret alone, although you should be aware that you should give it toys, affection and daily attention.
Although there are many myths about the aggressive behavior of the ferret, what is certain is that for 15 years, breeders have been selecting more docile and calm animals to breed. This means that most ferrets that find themselves up for adoption are not aggressive. Still, if we decide that the ferret will be the pet ideal for our children we should watch their behavior for a while.
The child cannot regard the ferret as a teddy, cannot play and pester him whenever he wants. They are sensitive and small animals that, when faced with a physical threat, acted retorting or scratching with some force.
Are animals smart and curious who throughout the day are restless and with great energy. This is offset by the 14 or 18 hours they spend sleeping daily.
food
The ferret requires a different diet from the pets we are used to. It is about a small carnivorous mammal with high protein needs. For this reason, his food base will be meat and only occasionally can we give him fish. Never give him cat food.
On the market we find several specific rations and the ferret is a much more common animal than most people think. As a general rule, these rations are usually made from ground chicken, a treatment that facilitates digestion. It is not recommended that the cereal content be high.
Like dogs and cats, there are also specific rations for each stage of their life, food junior for example it has more fat or calcium, while the type adult it is more of a maintenance and reinforcement food.
Finally, let's talk about goodies, very important to improve our relationship with the ferret and make it understand the actions it performs correctly. You shouldn't abuse them, but we can offer a certain amount per day, for example, when you urinate in the right place. Everything must be done in a very positive way, this will help to improve the well-being of our new family member.
Be careful if you have hamsters or rabbits at home, they can become ferret prey. Nor should we ever give them grapes, sugar, chocolate, butter or peanuts.
Precautions
If we are thinking of adopting a ferret we should extreme caution when out of the cage, they are very easy to move in closets and different spaces they can find around the house.
Remember that they don't know the danger of biting a cable, fiddling with a folding chair, etc. Their curiosity is such that they may end up hurting themselves or seriously injured because you don't take the proper safety measures.
care
As we mentioned, the ferret is a pet very curious that he will need you to make some small adaptations to his house, so that he can adapt himself. Check for small places where you can get stuck, always close the trash, and keep an eye on any appliances within reach.
If you ask yourself about the ferret's daily life and its activity, you must have already asked the question: "Must the ferret be enclosed or can it roam free around the house?". So, the best thing is that you stay in your cage while we are out of the house, this way we avoid any accident while we are out. On the other hand, in front of our presence, it is very important that the ferret is free to walk around the house. while offering you affection and attention.
Your skin produces a layer of fat that insulates and protects you, for this reason it is recommended to bathe it once every two weeks, because it would start to produce a greater secretion of your glands, which would increase your body odor. We must use specific products for the breed and if you can't find it, use a shampoo for kittens.
Health
Like a dog, cat or rabbit, the ferret needs to go to the vet on a regular basis. From your youth it will be necessary receive the relevant vaccines, against distemper or rabies for example. Vaccinating it is very important to prevent these diseases.
It is also important to think about the castration, a solidary practice that allows us to improve your health, reduce possible aggressiveness and the appearance of heat-derived diseases, such as anemia.
have some scent glands next to the anus they use to mark territory although it can also segregate them through excitement or in a state of panic. The lack of these glands makes ferrets more likely to suffer rectal prolapse and even other illnesses. In any case, we must know that if you do not remove it, it does not make a possible odor disappear, this will only be possible through castration.
Below we show you a list of the most common ferret diseases:
- adrenal disease: this is an overgrowth of the adrenal glands. It can be identified by hair loss, greater aggressiveness and, in the case of females, a growth of the vulva. For these cases the veterinarian must make a diagnosis and will probably proceed with the disembowelment of the affected glands.
- insulinoma: Pancreatic cancer. It is difficult to identify because it is a disease that causes lethargy, constant drooling or foaming in the mouth as well as attacks in more severe cases.
- viral diseases: may suffer epizootic catarrhal enteritis (an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the intestine) which presents with severe green diarrhea. It's a treatable disease. We can also come across the Aleutian disease which mainly affects the immune system and is very difficult to detect.
Curiosities
- At the Brazil it is allowed to have a ferret as a pet.
- At the Chile we have a SAG regulation that controls the tendency and reproduction of this mammal.
- USA does not restrict ferret ownership, with the exception of California, Hawaii and counties such as New York, Washington DC, Beaumont and Bloomington.
- At the Mexico A marketing authorization is required if you want to dedicate to the breeding of ferrets, which authorization must be approved by the Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources.
- At Australia A license is required for ownership of any ferret, with the exception of the states of Queensland and Northern Territory, where it is prohibited.
- It is prohibited to sell, distribute or breed ferrets in the New Zealand.
- It is also prohibited to use the ferret for hunting in France and Portugal.
- In Portugal it is allowed to have ferrets as pets.