Ferrets are quickly becoming a very popular pet among animal lovers. They?re cute, cuddly and quite friendly, and coexist peacefully with any other pets that are in the house. They might not replace more traditional pets like dogs or cats, but any ferret owner can tell you that they make for excellent companionship.
Still, in order to fully enjoy your pet, you will need to know how to properly take care of it. Ferrets may be small animals, but that doesn?t mean an owner must be careless in handling them. Like most pets, they require special diets, a place to sleep, litter boxes, cleaning up after them, bathing and so on, so do some research before buying one. Training is also important, as ferrets may develop some nasty habits, such as nipping. In order to have a happy pet, you will need to learn to deal with all the various situations that might occur. There are guides to take care of ferrets that you can check, both physical and online. Here is some advice on how to properly take care of your little furry friend.
First of all, diet is a very important part. In order to get proper food, you might have to check out pet stores or special shops, as these products aren?t as ?mainstream? as dog chow is. Still, their not that hard to find either, and can also be purchased online at a great price. Ferrets are carnivorous animals, and require meat that is rich in protein. This is due to their high metabolism. Some suggest feeding them with cat food, but this is not good advice, because it doesn?t contain all the nutrients required for a healthy life. If you feed him cat food it won?t be long until your ferret will get sick. Another thing to avoid is food that contains high quantities of fat, carbohydrates and sugar.
Another thing to know about ferrets is that they have a different nature than most pets. For starters, they are mostly nocturnal creatures, sleeping most of the day and becoming active as night time approaches. This is why the first few weeks of owning one can be exhausting. Ferrets are also very curious animals and like to explore their surroundings. Unfortunately, they also have the bad habit of eating things that fit in their mouth and chew cables they find. This is why it is best not to leave them alone in the house, in order to avoid potential accidents. In case you have to leave your house for a considerable period of time, you should buy a cage for your pet. Just remember to let him out of it when you come back and never use it when you are at home, as ferrets need to move around and burn their energy.
A ferret can live around 8 to 9 years, which is quite a long time for an animal its size. That means that if you take good care of it, you will have a decade worth of company, friendship and laughs. And the best thing is that you will find it to be well worth the effort.
