Adding a Ferret to your Home?
I have recently purchased a huge kit (hes almost 4 months and the vet thought he was at least 2 years) with an outgoing personality. I have read and bought a lot of books however, nothing could really prepare me for how much of a fireball this little fuzzy is. Even if I let him out 4+ hours a day he still suffers from mild cage anxiety/boredom (We have chew toys/bungee toys and at least 3 hammocks in the cage at all times, it is 4 levels and we have just learned to use the litter box) I take him for walks several times a week and we have stimulating toys to play with out of cage and we always play with mommy (me) for half the time we are out.
He gets along well with the neighbors ferrets. I took him to the pet store to meet a kit there who was half his size they played for about 15 mins before my baby put a mark on the kits neck. They still wanted to play afterward but I am afraid of getting that kit due to them possibly not liking each other. is this normal. if not suggestions?
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Tagged with: 4 months • anxiety • boredom • ferrets • fireball • half the time • hammocks • litter box • mommy • neighbors • outgoing personality • pet store • several times • toys • vet • walks
Filed under: Ferret Home
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Ferrets play a little rough, it’s just how they are. If they got along playing for 15 mins and still wanted to play after wards, I’d say they like each other and I don’t think it’d be a bad idea to get your current ferret a friend. I have 2 they keep each other busy all day, play fight, hilarious to watch them run around the house. I let mine out usually for longer than 4 hours, even with the 2 of them they always want more time to run and play. I just leave them out while I’m home. (anywhere from all day to all evening after work until bed or whenever) Good luck!
It sounds like your Ferret is hyper. I say, since both of the animals are fairly new borns, it should be ok! It may take some time, but they should adjust to one another!
When I first got ferrets, I only got one. He had the same problems that you described in yours. After about two months, I decided to add another ferret. While they did play rough, they got along great, and they adjusted wonderfully. I ended up adding another ferret on top of those two, and again I didn’t have any problems. Usually if you add another ferret before your existing ferret is a year old, they will accept each other readily. After that it is still possible but a tad more difficult.
I’d highly suggest getting the second kit. Ferrets are rarely good at being alone, and it is always best for them to have company. They will run, and play, and chase each other, making ‘dooking’ noises, happy dancing, and tumbling all around the house. It is a lot of fun. They do play rough, all ferrets do. They actually have much tougher skin than humans. The play you described is perfectly normal, and isn’t a problem.
I’d suggest keeping the baby in a separate cage for up to a month, until they are both completely adjusted to one another, and supervising their play times for a while.
Just warning you in case this happens, it is normal for the older kit to see the new baby as a ‘possession’ at first and grab the younger kit by the back of their necks to bring them to one of the older ferret’s various ‘hiding places’ (if anyone who owns a ferret doesn’t understand what I mean by a hiding place, you need to observe your ferrets more closely :-p ). The older ferret isn’t trying to hurt the kit, they are just doing natural behavior and they don’t understand that they maybe shouldn’t do that. Just remove your baby ferret from the older ferret if you see the behavior, keep them apart for about thirty seconds, set the baby down again, and continue play as usual
.
Good luck!
It does sound like your ferret needs a playmate. Ferrets are rarely happy being alone even if you do play with them a good deal. I would go ahead and get another ferret, perhaps try to get one about the same age as him from a shelter or a rescue. The kit might be fine with him but it sounds like he’d be a bit rough on a kit.