WRISTBANDRUBBER

Ferret Stimulating Environment

Ferrets are beautiful creatures and can make exceptional pets. They are highly intelligent, active, social, curious, cuddly, cute, playful, and very much trainable. They are extremely capable of adapting to human companionship especially if they were raised in close human contacts since infancy. However, ferrets intelligence may depend on the mental stimulation you give it each day. Simply loading your ferret’s cage or play area with toys and accessories will do little to suit its playful nature. Since ferrets are curious and often in hyper mode, they will want to explore almost everything and everywhere they can get to -with great speed. They run and hop around at incredible speed bursts that it is often hard to catch them.

Ferrets are by nature active and will prefer to play rather than be cuddled. They are very active during early mornings as well as late evenings. As a ferret owner, you will need to give your ferret a safe yet stimulating environment. Your ferret will quickly get bored if its play things are not chosen carefully. Ferret owners often make the mistake of choosing a toy that they like as opposed to what a ferret would like. Each ferret has a unique personality. There are some that enjoys playing and others like taking naps. Before choosing a toy for your pet ferret, it is ideal to monitor your pet ferret’s interaction with her toys.

Ferrets love to tunnel and burrow and they can easily fit into small places. This is their instinct. You can satisfy your ferret’s instinct by using a soft blanket. You will find that your ferret will love wiggling around inside and will dig and burrow in it. You can also satisfy them by hiding their toys around. If you find that your ferret will prefer a toy or activity over another, it does not mean that this would dictate her recreation. It is important for you to choose a variety of toys, accessories, and activities for your pet. Simply give her a variety of things that caters to her personality.

It is always important to keep your pet ferret interested. You can do this by moderating the amounts of toys that are in its ferret-proofed play area. Having many toys will at first excite your ferret but will soon tire of them. It is ideal to choose and place few toys at a time as this allows your pet ferret to enjoy each toy without the feeling of being crowded by a plethora of toys. You can also rotate toys amongst each other several times a month. This will make your pet familiar with the toy, at the same time, not lose interest in them. Another way of keeping your pet ferret interested is by rearranging the cage often. Rearranging and changing the orientation of the cage as well as the toys and accessories will make your ferret feel like it is in another cage. It will trigger its curiosity making it want to explore its surroundings more.…

Buy a Ferret the Right Way

So you have decided to adopt a ferret into your family or you are seriously considering the possibility. You will find that they are excellent pets and will provide years of enjoyment if the proper care is taken. If you are this close to becoming a ferret owner then you probably already know they are members of the weasel family or more correctly the mustelid order and they are not rodents. They are considered an exotic pet and there are a few preparations that you should see to prior proceeding to buy a ferret.

The first act a prospective ferret owner should take is to determine if ferrets are legal in Their jurisdiction. Because they are considered to be exotic pets there are many local governments and even states that have enacted laws against ferret ownership altogether or created strict rules that discourage ownership so this should be investigated prior to any more action is taken to obtain a ferret. Veterinarians are a good source of information as to legalities of ferrets.

Once it is determined that ferrets are legal in your jurisdiction it is time to procure the equipment that your ferret will need. First and foremost the cage where your ferret will be living should be obtained. Ferrets are very active in the four hours per day when they are awake so the cage should be spacious enough to allow lots of room to play. It should be easy to clean with a hard plastic floor and it should be constructed so that it does not have any openings or spaces where the ferret my get stuck. Some cages are multi-level which will give them more room to play. A litter box is another necessary inclusion that will help in keeping the cage clean. The cage should also be equipped with a good water bottle even though ferrets prefer to drink water from a dish a water bottle will keep the cage cleaner.

Since they sleep up to twenty hours per day their bedding material is important. Just like humans they like comfortable beds that promote snuggling. The two most popular forms of ferret bedding are sleeping sacks or ferret hammocks. That’s right – hammocks. Ferrets like to sleep in hammocks not only because they are comfortable but they allow better cooling by allowing air to circulate around the ferret as they sleep. Sleep sacks are tubes of soft cloth that can be closed on one end or open ended. Both types of bedding should be cleaned frequently and they are available at most pet stores or on line.

The ferret diet is something else that must be provided. Ferrets are meat eaters and must have food that is high in protein and fat. It can be damp or dry. The dry is preferable because it is easier to handle and cleaner.

Now that you have accumulated all the necessary equipment and supplies you have to decide where to get your new pet. The best choice is a local breeder who can give you the history of the animal. If it is reputable breeder they will gladly provide all the information you will need to get your pet off to a healthy start. They are also available from pet stores and the internet but with these sources you have to be very careful that accurate historical information is available. It is advisable to use the internet only as a method of locating local breeders.

You are now ready to acquire your new pet. When you get your new ferret take good care of it and it will give you years of fun and enjoyment.…

Getting a Ferret Hammock

Ferrets like to sleep. The average sleeping hour of adult ferrets in a day is 19 hours. Moreover, they like secluding their selves in soft dark corners. As mentioned, a ferret needs a comfortable area to hide in and to sleep in. For example, you are sleeping in a room with low temperature, what you will do is use a heavier blanket, – and use a lighter blanket if you are sleeping in a room with warm temperature – this helps you to regulate your body temperature so as to provide you comfortable sleep. This can also be applied to ferrets. Thus, a ferret must be provided with two types of beds available for them in their cage. In this way, they can pick the comfortable spot for them to sleep in. One of the essentials for ferrets’ healthy sleeping pattern is their beds. An uncomfortable set up for your ferret can disturb its sleep and may lead it to an unhealthy life.

The first bed you can choose is a sleep sack or also called nap sack; it provides extra warmth when needed. A sleep sack is placed on the ground of the cage. Sleep sacks can either have a hole at one end that let your ferret crawl into or have holes at both ends. Once the ferret crawls inside the nap sack, it is surrounded by warmth. One of the sleep sacks that is suitable for play is the one with crinkling effect.

The next bed option is a hammock. A hammock usually hangs in the mid air and provides pocketed space that allows walled security with partly open space. A ferret is sensitive to heat; the hammock provides an open space that can be used for cooling comfort. Fleece hammocks come in several shapes and sizes; some are lined, others are not. Ferrets love snuggling together while sleeping; hammocks that are larger are ideal for them to sleep together at the same time. Some hammocks have a zip front to provide adjustability of the size of the opening and others are boot shaped; some hammocks are flat looking. Hammocks offer more area for a ferret to use. These are preferred to use as safety features; ferrets can step on the hammock if they want to climb to a higher level of the cage without the worries of long falls.

Check and secure that any purchased hammock or sleep sack is machine washable; to avoid the spread of disease. Use a tightly woven fabric since it is more resilient and secure. Remove a hammock or sleep sack that begins to fray or have seams that are about to split. Damaged sleep sack or hammock becomes a hazard to the ferret. In purchasing a hammock, you must make sure that the hardware provided is safe for your ferrets. You can also purchase any kind of hardware as long as it will not harm your ferret that is, if the hammock has no hardware included.

It is best to purchase a hammock for your ferrets; aside from providing safer environment, hammock also places them in their natural sleeping positions, puts less pressure on their body and it allows them to have a separate area for play.…

Places Where You Will Find Your New Ferret

Once you decide to adopt a new ferret, there are a few considerations you must take into account first. You cannot just go out to the store and pick the ferret you like the most without first getting as much information you can and doing a little research. Aside from considering the kind of ferret you fancy, you must also consider whether you are going to become a good master to your new found friend.

When shopping around for your new fuzzy, you can look from these following places as a good starting point:

Ferret shelter

Pet store

Private breeder

Classified ads placed among newspapers

The place where you are going to get your new ferret would vary on the kind of pet you are looking for in the first place. In case you are a first time owner of this kind of pet, it is wise to adopt an older ferret you can get from a shelter. This is for the reason that when you are adopting kits (baby ferrets), they can become a very big challenge especially if a potential owner is not yet ready for the exigent work of holding a new ferret which is like one endless ball of energy. Kits are pets that call for socializing and training. So when you get an older ferret, you will have something which is calmer and has already been hopefully exposed to some kind of training.

Another advantage you will get when adopting an older pet is that you can have something that will fit your life and the people inside your house. Also, shelter operators are knowledgeable enough in handling ferrets to become good pets hence, once you get an older one from the shelter house, you can rest assured that you will get one that is already trained to act the right way. Most shelters will spend their time interacting with these little guys and they know the kit’s personality more than any other. In this case they will be able to see if the pets are developing a personality which is not appropriate and will be able to correct such issues before he comes home with you. The shelter will be able to change such attitudes drastically and this will be one less problem you will have to address.

At this point, you know for sure and should be aware about the needs of getting a grown up pet more than any other and as such, you need to know some of the features to remember when picking the right fur ball. Features like:

Glossy and soft coat

Clear eyes

Clean teeth

Clean ears

Healthy skin

Trimmed nails

Active and prying attitude

Always alert to surroundings

Do not go with those ferrets that are suffering from obvious issues even as simple as runny ears or nose. Also you do not want to go for those kinds that are thriving on filthy cages. Although you might think that their situations are heartbreaking; hence, you might want to do something so you could prevent him from suffering in such conditions. But you have to remember that a dirty cage is actually a breeding ground for germs and parasites that may give your pet more problems in the end. It is better for you to be safe than become sorry for the life of your pet in the future. In this regard, always go for a pet which appear clean and healthy.…

Ferret Breeding – Questions to Answer Before Deciding to Be a Breeder

We’ve heard about breeding dogs and then selling them a lot but did you know that next to pet shops, ferret breeders are the most popular places to get a ferret pet.

Breeder are usually the first advice veterinarians give their clients on where the best place to get a ferret is. This is very understandable because, of course, the vets know these people personally, perhaps some of them are his own clients. This pretty much gives you the assurance of the pet’s health.

So yes, this just might be a good option for you.

But what should you know first before breeding ferrets? And eventually, making it some sort of career.

The first thing that we need to know is, do you have extensive knowledge about ferrets?

If your experience of owning a ferret is about two months, well, I seriously doubt anyone would trust your little breeding business. You say, it’s not about the length time! Well, let me tell you something, it is. There’s so much you need to know about ferrets! They’re cute and playful, yes. But they are way more complex than that. They have weird habits that only an experienced ferret owner would know.

Next thing you should consider is if you have a big enough space to accommodate your furry friends. Breeding ferrets take up a lot of space so if you live in a condo or a house that’s hardly accommodates two people, well, you really better say goodbye to your dreams of owning and breeding and selling ferrets.

Another thing to consider is the budget. Would you have the money to buy what ferret 1, ferret 2, ferret 3, ferret 4 (you see where I’m going, right?) needs on a daily basis? Think vaccines, think cages, think food.

There are many things you should consider before you start to even think about making a living from this. But it is possible. But at the end of the day, the most important thing you have to have is the love for these sweet furry animals.…

A Ferret Diet

A ferret’s diet is a crucial element for a long life, without a proper diet ferrets are at risk for various health problems. Ferrets are carnivores (meat eaters); therefore they cannot survive unless their diet consists of lower fiber and high protein. The only food option available for pet ferrets, until the mid 1980’s, was high quality cat food. Nowadays there are various choices available for ferret foods, although high quality cat foods are still a decent option. The new choices of ferret foods on the market provide the necessary higher-quality fat while keeping down the quantity of carbohydrates. This combination of fat and lowered carbohydrates in vital in order to achieve a maximum life expectancy.

This type of diet is very important for that of a baby ferret. When making a purchase, be sure to look for products which contain at least 35- 40% protein and 18-30% fat. It should contain 2% fiber, must include 21 amino acids, have less than 7.0 % ash level, and be ingrained with good carbohydrates such as brewer’s yeast or rice flour. You must also, take into consideration the fact that various ferret foods are made with badly processed frozen fish, and your ferret will refuse to eat it. Some finicky ferrets would rather starve than eat that kind of ferret food. You’ll notice as you shop that high quality ferret food is usually more expensive than higher quality cat food, The overall cost is kept down by the fact that ferrets eat small amounts of the food. Additionally, ferrets that are fed an overall healthy diet do not usually require any supplements.

A ferret must eat at least two meals a day in order to obtain the caloric intake needed to sustain a healthy life. Just keep in mind that ferrets are small animals therefore their portions should be small too. If a ferret’s meal consists of a moist diet, the food is only edible for about forty-five minutes, soon after that the food should be removed. You must provide fresh water, at all times, for ferrets on dry diets. Most ferrets seem to prefer drinking from a dish rather than a water bottle, although if water is given in a dish it needs be changed several times throughout the day to ensure its purity.

It is not necessary to giving your ferret treats, although it can be very useful when housebreaking your ferret. The best options for a snack are cooked eggs and meats. It is best to avoid candy and fruits since they are high in sugar. dairy products like ice cream and milk, nuts and any nut products; these foods will cause many nutritional problems. Some of the various health problems associated with these products are malnutrition, intestinal blockage, diarrhea, obesity, tooth decay, hypoglycemia and insulinoma. Treats should be used sparingly, otherwise your ferret may start to refuse its normal daily diet. Foods that you should avoid feeding your ferret, at all costs, are vegetables or grains, which are not digested very well. And onions are poisonous to ferrets.

Providing a ferret with the proper nutritional diet is crucial for a long healthy life. It is the best way to ensure your ferret is comfortable and happy; it also reduces the risk for any serious life-threatening diseases. Ferret owners have an impeccable reputation of showing an abundance of love and affection towards these fuzzy and friendly pets but, the best way to express love to your ferret is to reward them with a great diet.…

Ferrets and Their Beds

We all love our sleep and we all want to be comfortable and warm when we are sleeping, this is no different for ferrets, they sleep a lot more than we do, so comfort and warmth are important. It is understandable that our little fuzzy friends should have the right bedding as they sleep for around seventy to seventy five percent of the time.

There are many things that we can use as bedding for our fuzzy, from old shirts or towels to specially designed and manufactured sleep sacks. Whatever you use, it should be clean and soft. The little guys like to burrow into their beds and will only sleep well if they are comfortable, so if your little fuzzy sleeps well then you know you have got their sleeping arrangement right.

If you have more than one fuzzy and they have their own sleep sacks, you may find that they both get into one and sleep together, this is quite normal as they like to snuggle up together for warmth and security. These little guys can also hide food and toys in their bedding, so you will need to check it and remove and clean it on a regular basis, they can also damage it through chewing, so keep this in mind when buying any thing to expensive. It is sometimes easier to use old towels or fleeces as these can be washed easy and replaced with other old clothing if damaged.

Another type of sleep or rest haven for your fuzzy is a hammock, these are great and ferrets seem to love them. There are different types of designs and you can even get wide hammocks that can accommodate more than one fuzzy, which is something to think about if you have more than one fuzzy as if they have one each, again they may well try to fit on one together, so it might be better to get the wider version. You can get these hammocks from pet stores or on eBay, you can even make your own.

I have seen a variety of items used successfully for the fuzzy to snuggle up into, a cushion or pillow with the zip removed makes a great place for one or more to snuggle up in and an old bag made from material lined with fleece also makes a great bed. You can make these yourself with some fleece and a little sewing.

What ever you decide for your fuzzy to sleep in, you can have fun buying or making different types, they will love the variety and they will be happy too. The main thing to remember is that you need to provide something that will be comfortable, warm and give them a feeling of security, they will need something that they can burrow into and snuggle.…