Ferrets for Dummies

Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 4 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: Is a Ferret Right for You? 5 Chapter 1: What You Need to Know About Ferrets 7 First Question: What Is a Ferret? 8 Giving the Ferret a Physical: Examining Fuzzy Characteristics 9 Looking at the life span of a fuzzy 10 In this corner, weighing in at 11 Getting to the point about claws and teeth 12 Making sense of senses 12 Exercise and Time Considerations — Yours and Your Fuzzy’s 13 Taking a Whiff of the Odor Factor 14 To descent or not to descent? 14 Controlling your fuzzy’s odor 15 Getting the Dish on Financial Matters 16 Extreme Cage Makeover: Providing the Space They Need 16 Facing the Challenges of Ferret-Proofing Your Home 17 Ferrets and Kids 17 Ferrets and Babies 18 Ferrets and Other Household Pets 18 Leaping over the Legal Hurdles 19 Chapter 2: Understanding What Ferrets Are (And Aren’t) 21 Yes, Ferrets Are Domesticated 22 Getting to Know Fuzzies in the Past and Present 24 Ferrets throughout history 24 Ferrets have always had a knack for meeting man’s needs 24 Ferrets catching on 25 Spotlighting the Sport of Ferreting 25 Picturing the Physical Appearance of the Domestic Ferret 28 The spectrum of fuzzy colors 28 Fuzzy color patterns 30 Hanging up the question on ferret coat changes and colors 32 Crazy ferret categories 32 Not Just Another Color: The Black-Footed Ferret 35 The one, true North American ferret! 36 Are black-footed ferrets really that different? 36 Habitat (or is that prairie dog?) destruction 37 The Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Plan 38 Chapter 3: Ferrets and the Law: Licensing and Other Issues 43 “A License? But He Can’t Even Reach the Pedals!” 44 Ferret-Free Zones and Why They Exist 44 What’s it gonna be? Wild, domestic, or exotic? 46 Feral ferrets in my neighborhood? 46 Should people fear rabies? 47 Knowing the Law and the Consequences of Breaking It 48 Part 2: Finding Your Ferret and Hanging Up the Welcome Hammock 49 Chapter 4: On the Tail of a New Carpet Shark (Um, Ferret) 51 Ferret Shopping 101 52 Are You in the Market for a New or Used Ferret? 53 Starting off with a kit 53 Adopting an older ferret 54 Should You Pre-Order Blue or Pink Bedding (Get a Boy or Girl)? 55 Pitting Altered versus Whole Furballs 55 Boys will be boys 56 Girls will be girls 57 “You Want How Many Ferrets?” 57 Where to Find Your Ferret 61 Perusing pet shops 61 Picking out private breeders 63 Adopting from a ferret shelter 64 Craigslist and other classified debacles 66 Rescuing the wayward weasel: Stray ferrets 67 Getting a Vet 68 Chapter 5: Home Sweet Home: Preparing Your Ferret’s Quarters 69 Setting Up Fuzzy’s Cage 70 Size matters: Picking the proper cage 70 Fuzzy blueprints: Making sure the design is right 70 A home within a home: Finding a place inside for the cage 74 A room with a view: Finding a place outside for the cage 76 Making Your Ferret’s Bed 78 Setting Your Ferret’s Table 79 Serving your ferret’s food with a sturdy dish 79 Hydrating your ferret 81 Designing Your Ferret’s Bathroom 84 Potty on! Choosing the right litter box for your ferret 84 Picking out the perfect litter 87 Acquiring Accessories and Other Stuff Fuzzy Needs 89 Fluffing up extra snoozing sites 90 Ferret toys galore! 91 Leashes and harnesses for your ferret 93 Finding a good travel taxi 94 Chapter 6: Ferret-Proofing Your Home 97 Inspecting Your Home for Ferret Hazards 98 Laundry room 99 Kitchen 99 Moldings, baseboards, and under cabinets 100 Windows and doors 100 Floor vents and air returns 101 Plants 101 Heights 101 Electrical cords 101 Reclining chairs, rockers, and foldout couches 102 Fireplaces 102 Mattresses, couches, and chairs 102 Toilets, bathtubs, and buckets 103 Cabinets 103 Trash cans 104 Changing Some of Your Home Habits 104 Chapter 7: Introducing Fuzzy to His New Family 107 Ferrets as Social Animals 108 You and Your New Ferret: Making the Most of Your Friendship 109 Hold me gently, please 109 Letting fuzzy set up shop in his home 111 The steps to successful bonding 111 Fuzzy Meets Fluffy and Fido 113 Heeeere kitty, kitty! 113 Nice puppy! 114 Ferrets and other small animals 116 Preparing Your Child for the Ferret 117 Pause the cartoons: What your child should know beforehand 117 Fuzzy, meet Junior: Making the introduction 118 Fuzzy Meets Fuzzy: Adding A New Ferret to Your Family 119 Meeting on neutral ground 120 Messing with their sniffers 120 Forcing a relationship 121 Easing your fuzzy into the business 122 Heading Off Stranger Danger 123 Part 3: Basic Ferret Care and Feeding 125 Chapter 8: Filling Your Ferret’s Belly 127 Water, Water, Everywhere 128 Ferrets as Diners 128 Feeding the Traditional Commercial Diet 129 Wet or dry food? 130 Setting a feeding schedule 133 Changing kibble diets 134 Serving Up an Alternative Diet 135 Getting to know the wild polecat’s diet 136 The good, the bad, and the ugly on bones 140 Choosing commercial raw or freeze-dried raw diets 143 The evolutionary diet: Feeding your pet small animals or insects 144 Exploring the alternative way of feeding 150 Supplementing Your Fuzzy’s Diet 154 Omega-3 fatty acids 154 Omega-6 fatty acids 155 Savoring Treat Time! 155 Giving the good stuff 156 Avoiding the not-so-good stuff 157 Chapter 9: Cleaning Time: Not All Ferret Fun and Games 159 Cleaning House for a Cozy Cage 160 Doing your fuzzy’s dishes 160 Stripping his bed 161 Scrubbing (or scooping) the toilet 162 Tearing down the house 162 Getting the gunk off the toys 163 A wall full of turds! 163 Scrub a Dub Fuzz: Navigating Bath Time 164 One bath too many? 165 Picking a shampoo 165 Oatmeal — It’s what’s for baths 166 Choosing the crime scene 166 Doing the deed 167 Caring for Those Little Ears 170 Gathering supplies 171 Executing the ear clean 172 Nailing Down the Manicure 173 Choosing your clipping method 174 Performing the clip 174 Chewing On Chomper Maintenance 176 Performing the dental checkup 176 Brushing his teeth 178 Breaking Out the Hairbrush 179 Odor Control Tips 101 — A Summary 179 Chapter 10: Enrichment: Yours and Your Ferret’s 183 Why Is Enrichment Necessary? 184 What Does Enrichment Do for Ferrets? 185 Relieves boredom and stress 185 Facilitates bonding 185 Keeps their senses alive and well 186 Helps to curb negative behaviors 186 Keeps the flab at bay 186 Encourages curiosity and creative problem solving 187 Helps to keep bones, muscles, organs, and joints healthy 187 Improves heart health and overall circulation 187 Makes humans smile and laugh 187 Understanding Your Ferret’s Senses 188 Hearing 188 Smelling 188 Tasting 189 Seeing 189 Touching 189 Recommended Enrichment Activities for You and Your Fuzzy 189 Organizing your ferret’s play areas 190 Movement and physical-exercise activities 191 Social-development activities 193 Food-related activities 194 Training exercises 194 Using novel objects in activities 199 Finding Your Own Enrichment at Ferret Clubs 200 Participating in Regional Shows, Club Shows, and Competitions 200 So, you want to show your fuzzy? 201 Preparing to bring home the blue ribbon 201 Fun matches 203 Facebook and Other Internet Sources 204 Chapter 11: Have Ferret, May Travel 207 Fuzzy Is Going on Vacation! 207 Checking ahead 208 Packing the necessities 209 On the Road or Flying High 209 Road trip! 210 Taking to the friendly skies 211 Going international 213 Leaving Your Furball in Good Hands 213 Let the interviews begin: Finding the perfect pet sitter 215 Away to camp: Boarding your ferret 216 Ferrets as Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) 217 Part 4: Tackling Your Ferret’s Health Issues and Treatments 221 Chapter 12: Setting Up Your Ferret’s Health Plan: Vets and First-Aid Kits 223 Selecting Your Ferret’s Veterinarian 224 Interviewing potential vets 224 Going for a visit 227 Developing a good working relationship 228 Putting Your Vet to Work with Vaccinations and Checkups 230 Kits — The office visit 231 Adolescents and adults — the office visit 232 Recognizing allergic reactions 233 Titer testing 234 Stocking Your Ferret First-Aid Kit 235 Ensuring Emergency Preparedness 240 The basic (quick) evacuation kit 240 Collecting and evacuating your fuzzy 241 The deluxe (and orderly) evacuation kit 241 Chapter 13: Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics 245 Behaviors You Usually Don’t Need to Worry About 246 Shivering 246 Itching and scratching 246 Yawning 247 Excessive sleeping 247 Sneezing, hiccuping, and coughing 248 Butt dragging 249 Drinking urine 249 Pain Management and Care 249 Determining if your ferret is in pain 250 Caring for a ferret in pain 251 Setting Up Fuzzy’s Home Hospital Room 252 Feeding the Sick or Debilitated Ferret 253 The Assist Feed Recipe: Better than Mom’s chicken soup 254 The feeding method: Just as effective as the airplane into the mouth 255 Handling Actual Emergencies 256 Shock 257 Dehydration 257 Bleeding 259 Vomiting 260 Diarrhea (and other fecal issues) 261 Seizures 263 Heatstroke 264 Hypothermia 265 Eye injuries 267 Fractures or spinal injuries 267 Poisoning 268 Animal bites 269 Electric shock 269 Burns 269 Blockage protocol 270 Chapter 14: Ferreting Out Ferret Pests 271 Booting External Critters That Go Bite in the Night 271 Fleas 272 Ticks 278 Ear mites 279 Sarcoptic mange (scabies) 280 Battling the Internal Bugaboos That Threaten Your Fuzzy 281 Heartworms 281 Extra care for your ferret 284 Intestinal worms 284 Coccidia (coccidiosis) 285 Giardia 286 Chapter 15: Handling Viruses, Infections, and Other Conditions and Illnesses 287 Gastrointestinal (GI) Diseases 288 Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) 288 Ferret systemic coronaviral disease (FSCD) 291 Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) 292 Intestinal and stomach blockages 293 Helicobacter Mustelae (H mustelae) Infection 294 Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis 296 Megaesophagus 297 Dental Problems 298 Faulty teeth 298 The dreaded dental disease 301 Heart Disease 302 Influenza (The “Flu”) 304 Disseminated Idiopathic Myofasciitis 305 Urinary Tract Problems 306 Bladder or urinary tract infections 307 Prostate problems 307 Stones and blockages 308 Eye Problems 309 Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV) 310 Canine Distemper 312 Diabetes Mellitus 313 Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly) 314 Hairballs 315 Rabies 315 Ulcers 317 Chapter 16: Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps 319 Adrenal Gland Disease 320 Making the diagnosis 322 Treating the disease 323 Insulinoma 326 Making the diagnosis 327 Treating the disease 327 Lymphosarcoma (Lymphoma) 328 Making the diagnosis 329 Treating the disease 329 Chordomas 329 Itchy Growths: Skin Tumors 330 Mast cell tumors 331 Basal cell tumors 331 Sebaceous cell tumors 331 Chapter 17: Saying Goodbye When the Time Comes 333 Letting Go of Your Family Member 334 Learning from Fuzzy’s Death with a Postmortem 335 Selecting Fuzzy’s Final Burrowing Place 336 Choosing cremation 337 Proceeding to a pet cemetery 338 Opting for a backyard burial 339 Grieving for Your Lost Fuzzy 340 Know you’re not alone 341 Face the feelings 341 Give yourself time 341 Help others deal with their loss 342 Helping a Surviving Ferret Cope 343 Part 5: Ferret Psychology 101: Behavior and Training 345 Chapter 18: Understanding What Fuzzy Is Trying to Tell You 347 Say What? Speaking Ferret-ese 348 The dook 348 The squeak 349 The giggles or hee-hees 349 The screech or scream 349 The squeal 350 The bark 350 The honk 350 The hiss 350 You Make Me Feel Like Dancin’! Interpreting Your Ferret’s Jig 351 The dance of joy 351 The war dance 352 Decoding Your Ferret’s Body Language 353 The frizz look 353 The alligator roll and wrestlemania 354 The treasure hunt 354 The chase is on 355 Fuzzy stalking 355 Tail wagging 355 “Why Does My Ferret Do That?” Understanding Other Fuzzy Behaviors 356 Digging to China 356 Ferret fixations 357 The movers are here 357 A felon on your hands? 358 The zig-zag 358 Butt scooting 359 Coveting thy hidey-hole 359 Scoping out boundaries 360 Chapter 19: Putting Your Ferret through Basic Training: Easy as 1-2-3? 361 Just Say NO to Biting 362 This Way to the Bathroom 363 Harnessing Your Fuzzy for a Walk 365 Getting fuzzy used to a harness 366 Following basic rules when you’re out and about 367 Chapter 20: Dealing with the Behaviorally Challenged Ferret 369 Understanding Your Dracula in Fuzzy’s Clothing 370 I’m having growing pains 371 Nobody told me not to bite 371 I’m in pain, darn it! 371 Resource guarding 372 I’m a manly or bully ferret 372 I’m facing a lot of change right now 372 Biting always worked before! 373 I’m still fighting back 373 Some other reasons for my biting 373 Socializing Your Biting Beast 374 Getting a grip 375 Getting unstuck 376 Taming the critter 378 Bonding with the biting ferret 380 Part 6: Breeding Ferrets: The Facts, Fallacies, And Plain Ol’ Hard Work 381 Chapter 21: Should You Breed Your Ferret? Looking at the Big Picture 383 What It Takes to Be a Responsible Breeder 384 Deep pockets 384 The emotional stake 386 Time to care 387 Willingness to find out what you don’t know 388 Avoiding a Need for More Shelters 390 Chapter 22: Unmasking the Details of Ferret Love 391 Fine-Tuning the Organs 392 The boy (hob) 392 The girl (jill) 393 Making a love connection: Enter Neanderthal ferret 394 What Happens If Your Unaltered Ferret Isn’t Bred? 395 Mothering the Mom-to-Be 396 Strange craving? Keeping mom nourished 397 Providing a maternity ward 398 Heading Off to the Delivery Room 400 The typical delivery 401 The difficult delivery 401 Some Problems You May Face after Birth 402 A difficult mother 402 A mother incapable of nursing 403 Calling on the foster mom 403 Chapter 23: From Birth to Bundle of Energy: Walking a Fuzzy’s Timeline 405 Fuzzy Infancy: Birth to 3 Weeks 406 Furball Toddlerhood: 3 to 6 Weeks 407 The Terrible Fuzzy Twos: 6 to 10 Weeks 408 Adolescence Already? 10 to 15 Weeks 409 Part 7: The Part of Tens 411 Chapter 24: Ten Amazing and Creative Ferret-Proofing Hacks 413 Pool Noodles Be Gone! 413 Up, Up, and Over — Not! 414 Cardboard Cut-Outs 416 Yule Get Hung Up on Christmas 417 Dual Purpose Door Blocker 419 Couch Cures 420 Fixing Floors and Revamping Ramps 420 A Room with a View 421 Wired for Trouble 422 Velcro to the Rescue 422 Chapter 25: Ten Recipes that Make Your Ferret Go Mmmmmm 423 Hobbit Delights 425 Karen’s Brew 426 Raw Soupy Recipe 427 Barb’s Recipe for Hungover Ferrets 427 Ferret Bland Diet 428 Tui’s Chewies 429 Family Dinner 430 Mickey’s Meatloaf 431 Clyde’s Seaside Chunks 432 Bluto’s BARF 432 Index 433