# Help me rehome my ferrets :(



## Kat91 (Sep 19, 2008)

I need advice on how to find the right homes for my babies...I'm not going to go into why I need to rehome them, just know it's not because I'm "bored" of them or anything like that, it's through no choice of my own and I'm devastated to have to let them go but that's not the point right now. 

I'm REALLY struggling to find good homes for these guys so I need advice on how I can make sure they're going to a nice home and not just end up getting passed around or abandoned  

I've had a few e mails about them but as soon as I mention a home check people run a mile!!! I've invited some guy over to have a look at them but he's asked me if they come with a cage so I'm presuming he hasn't even got one ready...and hes willing to take them tomorrow so I'm not sure about that.

Obviously I will be giving them my contact details etc and I will ask if I can do a home check just to see where they will be living as well as ask the person questions etc...but I feel like I'm being rude and putting people off by doing all that? I just want to make sure they go to nice forever homes...how can you make sure of that?

Thanks


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

It's really difficult to find 'forever' homes as you have found yourself sometimes circumstaces change without warning.

All you can do is ask questions and if possible do a home check but even most rescues don't home check no matter what they tell you!
Good luck with them if I was closer I could have helped. You could approach some of the rescues near you as they may even have someone looking for ferrets just like yours or try your breeder..I would take my kits back, no matter how old, again not all breeders will do that either!


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

As you have found its almost impossible to find homes for ferrets right now.
Everywhere is just full to the brim - worst its ever been this year. 

I would 100% suggest that you do a homecheck - any good owners really will have nothing to hide. 

Could you pm me the details of them and your location and I will send an email out and share it on some of the ferrets forums for you - I know there is a few people down this way who are looking for ferrets.


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## Amy2310 (Feb 28, 2011)

At the moment, we only have enough room for the two males we already have, but we'd be so willing to have a home check to have a new pair. So there is people out there! Even if they are miles away lol


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

Im not sure what a home check will tell you, the nicest looking homes can be the worse for animals as they are so house proud that they can't face having the ferrets mess it up.

Talk to the people by all means, get pictures of where the animals will live, but a general homecheck will likely tell you nothing just asking will not tell you just as accurately...ie just because you see a kitchen doesnt mean they can cook, and just because you see a ferret proofed room doesnt mean the ferrets will actually get to use it often.


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

Kare said:


> Im not sure what a home check will tell you, the nicest looking homes can be the worse for animals as they are so house proud that they can't face having the ferrets mess it up.
> 
> Talk to the people by all means, get pictures of where the animals will live, but a general homecheck will likely tell you nothing just asking will not tell you just as accurately...ie just because you see a kitchen doesnt mean they can cook, and just because you see a ferret proofed room doesnt mean the ferrets will actually get to use it often.


You would be surprised how many people just "borrow" a picture from the internet and say thats their set up. 
You will also be surprised how many give out a false address. 
At least seeing the home will show the cage the ferrets will be living in and allow to have a good face to face chat to them and a feeling of what they are like. 
A homecheck is not really about seeing the house as such , just the ferret housing and having a chat about general ferret related things


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

When push comes to shove it's always difficult to know whether we have rehomed with the right people, whether there has been a homecheck or not, sadly I've rehomed to some people I thought were perfect only to find they weren't.

On only one occassion have I not got my animals back and then the poor things ended up with someone who bred them at over a year old, they were rat does from a rescue I did so should never have been bred from, both had to have ceasers and lost their litters!
To say I was angry is not enough!

All you can do is do your best to try and find the right home for them really. There is no one who gets it right every time!


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## Kat91 (Sep 19, 2008)

saxon said:


> It's really difficult to find 'forever' homes as you have found yourself sometimes circumstaces change without warning.
> 
> All you can do is ask questions and if possible do a home check but even most rescues don't home check no matter what they tell you!
> Good luck with them if I was closer I could have helped. You could approach some of the rescues near you as they may even have someone looking for ferrets just like yours or try your breeder..I would take my kits back, no matter how old, again not all breeders will do that either!


I have phoned a few rescues near and general in the south area but most are full  and no my ferrets have all been rescued from people who didn't want them anymore, they were being neglected basically, so no way I'd try to give them back to them...not that they'd take them back anyway.


Shadowz said:


> As you have found its almost impossible to find homes for ferrets right now.
> Everywhere is just full to the brim - worst its ever been this year.
> 
> I would 100% suggest that you do a homecheck - any good owners really will have nothing to hide.
> ...


Yeah, I definitely have to do a home-check...I need to see the set up they'll be living in and know where they'll be.

Yeah I'll do that, thanks for helping me out, god I knew it was tough to find homes for ferrets but didn't realise it was this tough! poor things  If I had it my way I'd keep them no matter what.


Amy2310 said:


> At the moment, we only have enough room for the two males we already have, but we'd be so willing to have a home check to have a new pair. So there is people out there! Even if they are miles away lol


Yeah I know there are decent, genuine caring people out there it's just so tricky weeding out the bad ones! lol I'd hate myself forever if I rehomed them to the wrong people...


saxon said:


> When push comes to shove it's always difficult to know whether we have rehomed with the right people, whether there has been a homecheck or not, sadly I've rehomed to some people I thought were perfect only to find they weren't.
> 
> On only one occassion have I not got my animals back and then the poor things ended up with someone who bred them at over a year old, they were rat does from a rescue I did so should never have been bred from, both had to have ceasers and lost their litters!
> To say I was angry is not enough!
> ...


Must be so tough for a big rescue to find good homes for every ferret! 

Oh dear  thankfully all our ferrets are neutered/spayed so no one's going to home them with the intention of breeding them. I'll definitely leave them my details, if anything went wrong I'd take them back myself and try again.

That's such a shame about your rats


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## verity123 (Sep 1, 2010)

i want them! i had some years ago and loved them but my OH said no more pets  good luck finding them a home.


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

Shadowz said:


> You would be surprised how many people just "borrow" a picture from the internet and say thats their set up.
> You will also be surprised how many give out a false address.
> At least seeing the home will show the cage the ferrets will be living in and allow to have a good face to face chat to them and a feeling of what they are like.
> A homecheck is not really about seeing the house as such , just the ferret housing and having a chat about general ferret related things


Yes home checks can be good if possible, I have done 100s of home checks for dogs, and really have been lied to just as much to my face as I have on the phone. With that in mind I don't think that the downside of restricting the homing possibilities to just places she can go and see will be enough of a benefit for it to be worth it.

For example I could today take you to my garden, show you two double level 4 ft hutches, linked with a 6 ft run between them that is covered on top and concreted underneath that is perfect for ferrets....doesnt mean that 2 minutes after you have left I am not going to get the rabbits back out of the carry box I hid them in, pop them back in their fancy hutch run set up and keep ferrets in a rat cage in the shed. It happens, I went once to a home check for a German shepherd to a free holding, lovely, fully enclosed garden, lovely home, owners talking about long walks etc It was the questions though that gave me the facts, questions I could have asked, and actually would have been more likely to ask without doing a homevisit...the dog wouldnt be allowed in the garden as it wasnt allowed through the reiki room the owner had set up in the conservatory for hygiene reasons, and actually would only have access to two rooms, that the owners, who scored full marks for working from home, would not visit pretty much all day and the long walks would be weekends only.

Disclaimer, in case it is needed: Of course I would never do that, I work very hard to give EVERYTHING I can to my animals from smallest to largest and my hubby is about to hide my credit card from me as I have had ferrets for only 10-11 days and blown most my available money on toys, ferret homes, ferret home furnishing and 3 kibbles to mix together....as a back up to their raw meats!


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## Cerid (Jul 5, 2011)

It a pitty you I dont live closer to you, Id love to adopt them. Always wanted a ferret but havent got round to having on yet, my OH's dad has 11 babies at the moment will be ready in 4 weeks time, dont know if to have one or not. Most likely if I get one I will have a pair.

I wish you the best of luck to finding them a home.

Home check is a must to me


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