Clinique Vétérinaire Lasalle

The ferret has been domesticated for 2,000 years. The most common varieties are the fitch, albino and silver. Ferrets belong to the Mustelidae Family (as do skunks); this explains their rather strong odour.

The ferret is a lively, mischievous and somewhat tiresome animal. He loves squeezing in small openings. You will easily train him to use a cat litter box as long as the sides are not too high. There are litters that fit in the corner of a cage. Ferrets get along well with dogs and cats.

Ferrets are carnivores whose lifespan is between 5 and 7 years (maximum 11 years). When adult, the male weighs between one and two kilos while the female weighs between half and one kilo.

You can let him go free about the house but always under surveillance. Be careful, he could escape! He will enjoy sleeping in a box with a lid. A dog or cat transporter box or cage would be most suitable. The ferret needs an area away from light where he can be alone.

Ferrets do not have a tendency toward obesity. You can therefore offer him, at will, cat food or food specially designed for ferrets. Pay attention to the mineral content as well as sources of vegetable proteins since the ferret, just like the cat, has a tendency to have urinary problems. He is a carnivore so any protein in his diet must be of animal origin (minimum 30%) with 15 to 20% fat. These ratios are not found in cat food of cheaper quality or vegetarian diets. It is therefore important to give your ferret a high quality diet with good quality animal proteins. No sweets should be given to your ferret.

lHe must have fresh water at all times. We recommend that you teach him to use a pump water bottle since the ferret has a tendency to spill his water bowl. If he cannot get used to drinking from a bottle, a very heavy bowl could work adequately.

We believe that preventative medicine is the best way to maintain your ferret in good health for as long as possible. We recommend a general health examination once a year.

Your ferret cannot talk so he cannot tell you when he is not feeling well. Our experience shows that the animal is often ill for a certain time before his master notices. The veterinarian will examine his fur, eyes and ears; he will feel his abdomen and listen to his chest to seek out any signs of illness. He/she will question you to find out if there have been changes in your ferret’s habits. Does he drink more often? Are his stools liquid? Has he lost weight? Etc.

You will also meet with an animal health technician who will answer all your questions concerning the maintenance of your animal; cutting claws, cleaning ears, taking care of teeth, diet, behaviour, etc.

There is a vaccination protocol for the ferret. Your veterinarian will discuss this with you during your first visit. Your ferret will have to be vaccinated against rabies and against the distemper virus. A ferret once vaccinated must remain at the Clinic for a post-injection period of 20 to 30 minutes to keep an eye of any reaction to vaccination. Keep this extra period in mind in your schedule when you make an appointment.

Rabies: The rabies virus affects the nervous system and is fatal to the animal. Since humans are also sensitive to this virus, it is even more important to vaccinate your animal against this disease..