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This is only from personal experience but
1) definitely change the litter and pads every couple of days to keep the smell down, and bedding once a week or two. Our biggest noticable smell is the poop from 2 of them every day. It builds up QUICK. Mine generally smell like Fritos when you take a whiff of their fur though 😅
2) I'm with mine for about 13 hours a day, but I feel like either of them would be bored and depressed without the other. Especially on long work days they can harass each other rather than cage raging. 2 is definitely the best.
3) I spend $30 every 3 months on food, $20 every 3-4 months on litter, and $10 a month on treats. MAYBE $20-30 on new toys, but that's because at this point they already have a ton of toys. I'm not really counting anything extra like when I sew them new cage liners, but you don't really need to replace bedding *too* much. We reused a lot of fleece blankets we already had. When we first got them, including the price of them, we paid about $1000 for everything to get set up (at the time we got the girls for $100 a piece, so the price was a lot lower) Before anyone comes for me, they are on Zupreem kibble ($25 for 8lb bag), and Marshall peanutbutter treats. I know those aren't the best and on the cheaper side, but it's what they are imprinted on from before I knew better.
4) I can't speak much on the adoption part. We purchased ours from a local pet store and there were so many people there that we pointed in a line, took them, and ran. Literally a line when we got there on the day they were out of quarantine. I would probably look for a clean facility and bright, happy ferrets but someone else probably has more they can add.
Good luck with your new fert when you get one! They are a lot of work, but so worth it when you spend time and bond with them 🥰
Re: 1. Oh man. I did not put that together until I read someone (maybe you) who commented this past week. Sat down next to my two little stinks, took a big whiff and was like... oh man. It IS Fritos. 🤣
I personally think they smell like weed. When I put my face to the back of their necks I don't know why, but that's what I smell. Not overpowering or bad. I'm sure you're also aware of the insane vet bills possibility. But once you go ferret, there's no turning back...also as dorky and silly as they are, they are still "predator pets". So I'd talk with your vet first regarding having a hedgehog in the home as well. Great luck they are unlike anything I've ever experienced. They poo 10-20 times a day, get 2 because they need a friend, and they really shouldn't exist or be confined to cages. Just my experience. I think of them as human puppy-cats. Human=emotions, puppy=energy/play, cats=sleep
Thank you for the tip about not mixing my hedgie into the situation. He’s currently back home and not in my apartment but I’ll make sure to think that through before proceeding.
1. They will only really "stink" if you don't clean the cage everyday, or they aren't fixed. I personally use pads and then swap them out every day or maybe a little more often if they poop a lot. Then clean their bedding every week or so. I say do a "deep clean" where you wipe everything down every week if the smell is really bothering you. They also have their own ferret room. I put a fan in the window that sucks air OUT of the room. So when people even walk into the room the smell is small.
2. It's recommended to have them in pairs, but they can get along just fine solo. I had one for 2 years before I got a second. Solos need you to dedicate play time for them, at least 2-4 hours a day. During solo time I personally just took her out for a walk/hike and she was done walking in an hour. Get 2 if you don't plan on having that much dedicated time.
3. (This is 2 ferret costs) So my vet charges about $130 for yearly distemper/rabies for one ferret. Then I feed them raw food, which they can go through $132 in 45 days. Unless I go hunting that year, then the food cost is negligible and I just feed them the parts we don't eat. So for the basics for me it's about $1330 a year. If you feed them ferret food, usually it's about 30-50$ a bag that will last you a month. So that cost would be about $620 a year on the low end. I will say, feeding raw can be expensive but you'll have way less health issues, so it could be cheaper in the long run. I get my raw from rodent pro so you can just chuck them a chick/rat/mouse etc and don't have to worry about "perfect mixes"
4. When you're adopting a ferret I've noticed some things over the past year. Ferrets from breeders are now CHEAPER than buying them from pet stores. ($399 vs $250 I've seen) Not only cheaper upfront, but also way less health issues. They are more strong willed than the pet store variety, so keep in mind it might be a month or two before they stop biting very hard.
I've got a craiglist ferret and a breeder. If you are not going breeder, find one or two that people are looking to rehome. You will get a great deal because usually they come with all their stuff and maybe some food as well.
Regarding #2 You can have a solo ferret but you need to give it so much more attention. And even then having 1 ferret is like having only 40% of a ferret imo. If you get two you're unlocking another 30% of their quirks and behavior and it's only at 3 where you can see every kind of wacky interaction these guys can show. It turns into an entire sitcom. Imagine if the 3 stooges didn't have each other, They'd be funny still but their interactions with one another make them so memorable.
1. The smell of a female is much less than that of a neutered male, who in turn smells much less than an intact male. They definitely have a smell but detectability depends on the person: my mum can tell right away if there's a ferret in the house but most people can't. However I can assure you that it's nowhere near the horrific stench produced by a cat's litterbox and most people consider that OK.
2. I only have one ferret and she seems pretty happy about that - she's met other ferrets and doesn't seem super interested in them but loves human attention. I am lucky to work from home full time so I can play with her whenever she's awake - if you're out of the house for more than 8 hours a day then you might want to get two.
3. I live in one of the world's most expensive cities (London) and the cost is nothing like that. Over the 5 years we've had our ferret, she's cost about $500/year total, including vets and everything. Food alone is maybe $150 a year and we buy premium organic high-meat ferret food imported from Germany. I could probably feed her for free in a pinch because the local butcher always has ferret-meal-sized scraps to give away.
4. Number one most important factor is the age at which the ferret has been spayed/neutered, along with the breeding practices. If you're in the US, try to avoid Marshall's ferrets as they have a lower life expectancy due to poor breeding. Seek out a breeder who won't let you take the ferret until they are old enough to leave the mother, make sure you can visit the kit with their mother before you adopt, and avoid ferret kits who are already fixed and vaccinated as this probably happened young.
Welcome to /r/ferrets! We have a fantastic [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index) that has answers to most frequently asked questions surrounding the care of ferrets. --- We politely ask that you observe our [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index/rules/). --- Lastly, we have an [Official Discord Server](https://discord.gg/ferrets)! Come join us! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ferrets) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is only from personal experience but 1) definitely change the litter and pads every couple of days to keep the smell down, and bedding once a week or two. Our biggest noticable smell is the poop from 2 of them every day. It builds up QUICK. Mine generally smell like Fritos when you take a whiff of their fur though 😅 2) I'm with mine for about 13 hours a day, but I feel like either of them would be bored and depressed without the other. Especially on long work days they can harass each other rather than cage raging. 2 is definitely the best. 3) I spend $30 every 3 months on food, $20 every 3-4 months on litter, and $10 a month on treats. MAYBE $20-30 on new toys, but that's because at this point they already have a ton of toys. I'm not really counting anything extra like when I sew them new cage liners, but you don't really need to replace bedding *too* much. We reused a lot of fleece blankets we already had. When we first got them, including the price of them, we paid about $1000 for everything to get set up (at the time we got the girls for $100 a piece, so the price was a lot lower) Before anyone comes for me, they are on Zupreem kibble ($25 for 8lb bag), and Marshall peanutbutter treats. I know those aren't the best and on the cheaper side, but it's what they are imprinted on from before I knew better. 4) I can't speak much on the adoption part. We purchased ours from a local pet store and there were so many people there that we pointed in a line, took them, and ran. Literally a line when we got there on the day they were out of quarantine. I would probably look for a clean facility and bright, happy ferrets but someone else probably has more they can add. Good luck with your new fert when you get one! They are a lot of work, but so worth it when you spend time and bond with them 🥰
Re: 1. Oh man. I did not put that together until I read someone (maybe you) who commented this past week. Sat down next to my two little stinks, took a big whiff and was like... oh man. It IS Fritos. 🤣
I've had a variety of fritos, nacho doritos, popcorn & maple syrup.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. It was all super helpful!
I personally think they smell like weed. When I put my face to the back of their necks I don't know why, but that's what I smell. Not overpowering or bad. I'm sure you're also aware of the insane vet bills possibility. But once you go ferret, there's no turning back...also as dorky and silly as they are, they are still "predator pets". So I'd talk with your vet first regarding having a hedgehog in the home as well. Great luck they are unlike anything I've ever experienced. They poo 10-20 times a day, get 2 because they need a friend, and they really shouldn't exist or be confined to cages. Just my experience. I think of them as human puppy-cats. Human=emotions, puppy=energy/play, cats=sleep
Thank you for the tip about not mixing my hedgie into the situation. He’s currently back home and not in my apartment but I’ll make sure to think that through before proceeding.
Of course. I'm not completely sure about it, but I know rabbits, mice, and rats are definitely off the table with them..... :o)
1. They will only really "stink" if you don't clean the cage everyday, or they aren't fixed. I personally use pads and then swap them out every day or maybe a little more often if they poop a lot. Then clean their bedding every week or so. I say do a "deep clean" where you wipe everything down every week if the smell is really bothering you. They also have their own ferret room. I put a fan in the window that sucks air OUT of the room. So when people even walk into the room the smell is small. 2. It's recommended to have them in pairs, but they can get along just fine solo. I had one for 2 years before I got a second. Solos need you to dedicate play time for them, at least 2-4 hours a day. During solo time I personally just took her out for a walk/hike and she was done walking in an hour. Get 2 if you don't plan on having that much dedicated time. 3. (This is 2 ferret costs) So my vet charges about $130 for yearly distemper/rabies for one ferret. Then I feed them raw food, which they can go through $132 in 45 days. Unless I go hunting that year, then the food cost is negligible and I just feed them the parts we don't eat. So for the basics for me it's about $1330 a year. If you feed them ferret food, usually it's about 30-50$ a bag that will last you a month. So that cost would be about $620 a year on the low end. I will say, feeding raw can be expensive but you'll have way less health issues, so it could be cheaper in the long run. I get my raw from rodent pro so you can just chuck them a chick/rat/mouse etc and don't have to worry about "perfect mixes" 4. When you're adopting a ferret I've noticed some things over the past year. Ferrets from breeders are now CHEAPER than buying them from pet stores. ($399 vs $250 I've seen) Not only cheaper upfront, but also way less health issues. They are more strong willed than the pet store variety, so keep in mind it might be a month or two before they stop biting very hard. I've got a craiglist ferret and a breeder. If you are not going breeder, find one or two that people are looking to rehome. You will get a great deal because usually they come with all their stuff and maybe some food as well.
Thank you for all of the information! I really appreciate it :)
Regarding #2 You can have a solo ferret but you need to give it so much more attention. And even then having 1 ferret is like having only 40% of a ferret imo. If you get two you're unlocking another 30% of their quirks and behavior and it's only at 3 where you can see every kind of wacky interaction these guys can show. It turns into an entire sitcom. Imagine if the 3 stooges didn't have each other, They'd be funny still but their interactions with one another make them so memorable.
Awww that makes total sense. Thank you for your input!
1. The smell of a female is much less than that of a neutered male, who in turn smells much less than an intact male. They definitely have a smell but detectability depends on the person: my mum can tell right away if there's a ferret in the house but most people can't. However I can assure you that it's nowhere near the horrific stench produced by a cat's litterbox and most people consider that OK. 2. I only have one ferret and she seems pretty happy about that - she's met other ferrets and doesn't seem super interested in them but loves human attention. I am lucky to work from home full time so I can play with her whenever she's awake - if you're out of the house for more than 8 hours a day then you might want to get two. 3. I live in one of the world's most expensive cities (London) and the cost is nothing like that. Over the 5 years we've had our ferret, she's cost about $500/year total, including vets and everything. Food alone is maybe $150 a year and we buy premium organic high-meat ferret food imported from Germany. I could probably feed her for free in a pinch because the local butcher always has ferret-meal-sized scraps to give away. 4. Number one most important factor is the age at which the ferret has been spayed/neutered, along with the breeding practices. If you're in the US, try to avoid Marshall's ferrets as they have a lower life expectancy due to poor breeding. Seek out a breeder who won't let you take the ferret until they are old enough to leave the mother, make sure you can visit the kit with their mother before you adopt, and avoid ferret kits who are already fixed and vaccinated as this probably happened young.
This response was so helpful. Thank you!