# Ferrets



## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

I have wanted a ferret or two for years but the OH has always said no as they stink.

I breed rats for my snakes in the shed outside and I am getting a new 8x8 foot shed soon as my current one is too small.
I plan to get a pair from a rescue place that have both been done as I dont want babies, I have no interest in bringing more baby ferrets into the world.
I want to build a large enclosure for them both within the shed, probably taking up one entire wall so it would be 8"x2"x5-6" (WDH) which would still leave me with a 6x2 shed.

There'd be loads of things to climb on and lengths of pipe and tubing all over the place for them to go into and run through and things to play with.

Does that all sound ok so far?

Now with regard to the rats, I know they eat rats so would they be ok in a shed with a rack full of rats/mice/multis?

Whats the best diet?
Commercial ferret food or rats?

I know I still have a lot to learn and loads of research to do but I dont even have the shed yet so I have plenty of time to learn.

Also anyone know of a good rescue place in/near Fleet, Hampshire?


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

the shed idea sounds fantastic, it would be a great setup for them.

but regarding the multis/rodents ect i assume you mean live ones in the same shed? in which case its a definite no from my POV. ferrets have a high prey drive and being able to smell them will drive them mental. there also extreamly determined so even if they cant get in/to them at first, they wont stop trying. id imagine that if the ferrets could get to them, it would cause a lot of stress to the rodents, while iv had pet ferrets and pet rats in the same room short term with no ill effects, i dont know what would happen long term.

ferrets thrive on a good varied diet, off the top of my head i cant see a problem in an all rat diet, but obviously variety is good. leaving a good, high protein content dry food on standby and feed occasionally, just so that if for whatever reason you dont have the rats/other raw meat around, you have something they can eat.

if your after some good reading material, have a look for the complete guide to ferrets by james mckay, best ferret guide on the market imo : victory:


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

miss_ferret said:


> the shed idea sounds fantastic, it would be a great setup for them.
> 
> but regarding the multis/rodents ect i assume you mean live ones in the same shed? in which case its a definite no from my POV. ferrets have a high prey drive and being able to smell them will drive them mental. there also extreamly determined so even if they cant get in/to them at first, they wont stop trying. id imagine that if the ferrets could get to them, it would cause a lot of stress to the rodents, while iv had pet ferrets and pet rats in the same room short term with no ill effects, i dont know what would happen long term.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'll have a look for the book.
Yes I mean live breeding rodents in the same shed and I always have rats/mice available but having a back up dry food isn't a problem.


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

Just ordered the book, £3.50 form Amazon: victory:


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

your nearest rescue is Starescue STA Ferret Rescue and Ferret Racing they got plenty of ferret all year round young or old, if old enothe neutered. I a personal friend of the lady that runs it, 3 of my 4 our from the rescue itself anf my 4th came as a local stray through the rescue and he never left.

good forum is ferrets Forum, www.ferretsforum.co.uk It was down the last time I looked but when orking is a great place there FAQ page os a deffinot read.

good luck with your search


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## henry415 (Apr 1, 2012)

That size would be superb for a pair. Just make sure you watch them when they are introduced in case they don't get on. But generally a mixed sex pair will be fine. Commercial food is ok for the summer months, but please don't forget the ferret is a meat eater, so if you know of anyone who breeds pigeons then that would be fine for them. Your ferrets may not eat rats, some don't like them. If this is the case try and buy some rabbit heads (fur attached) from a local ferreter, or suchlike. Please don't forget that ferrets are carnivores.

If there is a corner that you would like them to use as a toilet this can often be achieved by placing their droppings in that corner and they will continue to use it. Give them a drink of warm milk sometimes, mine loved a drop of milk. Good luck.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

There's a ferret rescue in Chichester if that's any closer? It's where I got my 3 from


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

Thanks guys, I'll have a look at them links and give the book I ordered a good read.
I have plenty of time, not even got the shed yet. Should have it by the end of summer though


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

markhill said:


> Thanks guys, I'll have a look at them links and give the book I ordered a good read.
> I have plenty of time, not even got the shed yet. Should have it by the end of summer though


some quick tips with ferrets and sheds that i forgot to mention: if you can, remove whatevers in the windows and cover with mesh, that way you get a good air flow and they dont overheat (they dont tolerate heat well) and if there going to have free run of the whole shed, put a barricade of some description up behind the door, that way they wont be able to charge past you as soon as you open it. i made a (very) simple gate behind mine, its high enough that they cant jump it, but low enough that i can step over it to get in : victory:


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

miss_ferret said:


> some quick tips with ferrets and sheds that i forgot to mention: if you can, remove whatevers in the windows and cover with mesh, that way you get a good air flow and they dont overheat (they dont tolerate heat well) and if there going to have free run of the whole shed, put a barricade of some description up behind the door, that way they wont be able to charge past you as soon as you open it. i made a (very) simple gate behind mine, its high enough that they cant jump it, but low enough that i can step over it to get in : victory:


I plan to give them the wall with the window and cover it with mesh so its openable in the summer and can be closed in the winter and I have a giant fan in my shed already to help with the heat for the rats.
I want to give them just a section of the shed so I can use the rest of the shed for other things.
I'll build a mesh "wall" with a door in it so I can get in and out and I'll make sure the shed door is shut before opening the enclosure door so it effectively has a double door, if they do get out the enclousre door when I open it they'll still be shut in the shed.


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Sounds like a good set up you have planned, but as another person has said, not sure about how the ferrets and rodents would be being housed so close together. Steer clear of the milk thing - adult carnivores have no need for it and the lactose can cause digestive problems. They might like it, but there are many things that taste very nice but are not good for us or our pets!

I feed James Wellbeloved ferret to mine. I tried others, but JWB seems to suit them the best. I also give chicken and the odd rabbit from a friend who goes proper ferreting. Ferrets are great to design enclosures for, as you can use all dimensions. 

I have ferretrail tubing across one wall of the enclosure, which is 3 foot deep, 8 foot long and 6 foot high. I also have a two tier ferret tower inside for their food, water and sleeping areas. Make sure you have a good level of litter on the floor though, as some ferrets think they can fly!


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

what do you use for substrate?
I had a look at that link someone posted earlier and it says to steer clear of hay/straw/sawdust/woodshaving etc and use blankets or fleecey stuff?

I can see blankets being ok for in their sleeping areas but what about the floor?


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

markhill said:


> what do you use for substrate?
> I had a look at that link someone posted earlier and it says to steer clear of hay/straw/sawdust/woodshaving etc and use blankets or fleecey stuff?
> 
> I can see blankets being ok for in their sleeping areas but what about the floor?


i use chopped paper or chopped tea bag (yes it exists :lol2 bedding, £5.50 for a massive sack for local agricultural suppliers. iv also used treated (as most are these days) wood shavings with no problems, but mine much prefer the chopped paper/tea bag.

avoid sawdust, thats nasty stuff and hay can be quite dusty so give that a wide birth. iv also used straw with no problems, but that was a nightmare to clean out so i havnt done it again.

i made mine a bag out of an old sheepskin for their nest, and they pull extra bedding/material/whatever they happen to have in if they want to be warmer and chuck it out when they want to cool down.


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

I use dust extracted wood shavings and dust extracted hay for my rats with no breathing problems at all.
Would that be alright for the ferrets?


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

markhill said:


> I use dust extracted wood shavings and dust extracted hay for my rats with no breathing problems at all.
> Would that be alright for the ferrets?


the shaving would be ok, not sure about the hay. i dont tend to bother giving it to anything that wont eat it :lol2:


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

I use wood-based pellet cat litter for litter trays/substrate with no problems. For bedding, I have igloos, hammocks etc, some of which are home-made by threading net curtain wire through sleeves and legs of old jumpers and joggers.


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

I work for a gas company so I can get bits of pipe with bends/T pieces and all sorts for them run through and climb on, I can hang it from the ceiling or bolt on walls and lay it on the ground.

Only thing is with it being plastic will they chew it and will there be an impaction risk like I read about with rubber items?


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## Kat91 (Sep 19, 2008)

markhill said:


> I work for a gas company so I can get bits of pipe with bends/T pieces and all sorts for them run through and climb on, I can hang it from the ceiling or bolt on walls and lay it on the ground.
> 
> Only thing is with it being plastic will they chew it and will there be an impaction risk like I read about with rubber items?


When I had my lot they would chew on anything rubbery...but if it's a tougher plastic I think it should be fine, plenty of people use those plastic flexi tubes.


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## henry415 (Apr 1, 2012)

Plastic/rubber pipes will be fine, as will cardboard tubes. Give them plenty of roughage, as in raw meat with feathers/fur attached and they will be shining with condition. They are a great animal and they all have characters. : victory:


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

markhill said:


> I work for a gas company so I can get bits of pipe with bends/T pieces and all sorts for them run through and climb on, I can hang it from the ceiling or bolt on walls and lay it on the ground.
> 
> Only thing is with it being plastic will they chew it and will there be an impaction risk like I read about with rubber items?


as kat said, avoid anything rubbery as although they dont tend to gnaw as such, they like to destroy things...

plastic tubes are fine, if you can leave some of them free so you can move them around, unlike most animals ferrets love change, so mix up their toys as often as you can :2thumb:


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

Cool, I'm really looking forward to doing this now, just need to get the bloody shed:bash:

I can have bits of pipe ranging from 2" upto 12" if I want with everything in between.
I planned to drill holes in it so I can see where they are and any waste comes out the tubes, they can be suspended/bolted to walls and left free rolling around the floor.
I can put bends, elbows, T pieces in it so it goes off in different directions, like a brilliant climbing frame for them.
What about branches too, would they just destroy them?


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

i tried branches with mine but they wernt keen, they struggled to get a good grip on them i think, but i know a few who have them in their runs, so just give them a try and take them out if they dont like : victory:


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

A really cheap toy is used jiffy bags - my ferrets go mad for the bubble wrap. Also, chuck in the crackly bags that multipack crisps come in - they get so excited by the noise and it's dead funny!


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

Thanks for all your help, hopefully the book will arrive quickly so I can get reading.

I'll make sure I get pics when I'm done but dont hold your breath, it may take some time.:whistling2:


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## MrFerretman6 (Sep 1, 2011)

Personally I would give them the whole shed. They do need a lot of room regardless of what's been said. Try not to put things for them to climb too high. They WILL jump off and above 2ft they WILL hurt themselves. 

In no way should they be housed with any rodents. They will try and try and try to get to them, they will team up and they WILL get to them. 

With regards to feeding and bedding. The floor of the shed will be fine. Put some blankets in for them. They do love their hammocks but again not too high. All of mine get fed the same diet. I allow them to free feed from a bowl of kibble (James wellbeloved is the best in my opinion). They also get daily treats consisting of cat milk with an egg yolk in it, chicken livers, raw mince, tuna (only in oil not brine), olive oil, the occasional cat treat. I don't feed mine on a raw diet, with all that I give them I don't think they need it. Less messy pooh too!

The main thing is the time you spend with them. You should aim to spend at least 45mins a day (every day) playing with them. Ferrets love to interact with their owners and develop strong bonds with you.

Just a thought but if you have the space why not rescue a couple more? Having four is really no more effort then having two.


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## naz_pixie (Oct 6, 2008)

How big is your current shed?

As housing with rodents seems to be a real no no, do you have the garden space to keep the old shed too? If its big enough why not dedicat the old shed for ferrets and use just the new one for your feeder breeding? 

And i agree that ferretsforum is a really great resource! X


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## x Sarah x (Nov 16, 2007)

My ferrets live in a converted chicken coop at one end of the garden, while my rodents and rabbits are kept in a shed at the other end.

I see how excited my ferrets become when they're let out and the buns have been in the garden before them, i know it wouldn't be right if they had to be housed together, it would be mental torture for them.


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

naz_pixie said:


> How big is your current shed?
> 
> As housing with rodents seems to be a real no no, do you have the garden space to keep the old shed too? If its big enough why not dedicat the old shed for ferrets and use just the new one for your feeder breeding?
> 
> And i agree that ferretsforum is a really great resource! X


Current shed is about 7x4 and its a brick one so will be staying anyway as we have a Housing Association house.
The OH wants a shed for the kids bikes and garden stuff so I cant have both shed for animals and there's definately not enough room for 3 sheds with the swing/climbing frame/slide set we just bought for a our youngest (its blooody huge!!)

If there's no way I can keep them all in the same shed I might have to re-think keeping ferrets.
Shame though, I have some real good ideas for their enclosure and was looking forward to it.


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## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

mark...............i keep my ferrets in the same garage as my rats and mice without any probs at all.They are housed in a 6 x 3 run but when im in there they have free run of the whole garage which is most evenings.They spend most of their time wrecking the joint and trying to climb up me than trying to get to the rodents..............works fine for me but one of those things you will have to try for urself.Food wise they have constant supply of complete meal ( dr johns MERLIN ) Vitalins complete is good also,JWB mine dont like much and imo well over priced.They also get chicken wings, pig or oxo heart and beef mince.the guys on the ferret forums says chicken wings are prob the best form of raw because of bone,skin and meat in one..........hope this helps m8.Ferret owners keep their pets in diff houseing feed diff diets no hard and fast rules,if your ferrets are healthy and stimulated then you wont go far wrong


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

I have to admit due to limited hard standing areas to keep hutches so the animals cannot burrow out I keep my ferrets within a few feet of my rabbits.

They seem completely non-fussed with them. Even when you open the hutch door and the ferrets do a run for it, it is not the rabbit hutch they head towards but rather the rest of the garden. 

Inside the house they also manage to have a good undistracted playtime without an obsession to get to the cages of the other animals (Chinchillas, Multis, Hedgehog and Hamsters) 

I am sure there maybe some excitement on the first day but I doubt it would last. I am sure just like where humans become immune to how their own house smells that other mammals must be the same. It is the way the brain works to turn off focus on "the norm" to allow the senses to concentrate on the rest.


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