Are ferrets good pets? What should I know before bringing one home?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! So that is a little but if a tricky question, as some ferrets do better as “only” pets and some do well with a playmate. Another male ferret would be a fine idea, and you can start by getting them used to each other by housing their cages next to each other to allow them to get used to each other without touching. This can then progress to supervised play periods together outside their cages to ensure that they will get along. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Ferrets are strict carnivores; they require diets based on highly digestible animal (meat) protein with little to no carbohydrates. If you choose to feed dry food, choose high quality ferret or cat/kitten foods sold by pet shops, feed stores, and veterinarians with at least 36% protein, that is moderate in fats (approximately 20%) and low in carbohydrates. Ferrets should NOT eat sugary cereal, peanut butter, grains, corn, rice, carbohydrates, raisins, bananas, other fruits, vegetables, dairy products, chocolate, other sweets, or any food with sugar. All of these items are loaded with complex carbohydrates and a ferret's strictly carnivorous digestive tract cannot process these foods. Diets high in carbohydrates may lead to intestinal problems and some types of cancer. I hope this is helpful!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Oh my goodness your fur babies are adorable!! I recommend introducing them while Mack is young. He will be a very large dog when full grown. It is best he learns how to behave with with ferrets now, so he gets used to them. I would have Mack on a leash at all times when the ferrets are out. This is a great time to teach Mack how to "leave it" when he attempts to chase or mouth the ferrets.Knowing now, rather than later, that he will be aggressive or violent with them will give you time to fix the behavior or to avoid their interactions. I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would be extremely careful with this as Reese could accidentally hurt or even kill your ferret. If you’re going to do this, hold onto your ferret at all times to pull him out of harms reach if needed. If your puppy is particularly exhuberant, it might be a good idea to have a friend or family member hold on to his collar while you hold the ferret. Make sure they are closely supervised together until you know that Reese will play gently. Best wishes to you and your pets!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ferrets typically do not enjoy being held, and do enjoy playing with their owners more. If you have only had Eddie for a short while, he may not be very used to you, or people in general. I recommend moving slowly with him, and offering treats when he approaches you. Ferrets tend to "remember" negative experiences, so it is important to be as gentle with him as possible early on. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have about Eddie!

Thank you for your question. Ferrets have a very strong smell to most people, and beagles have an incredible sense of smell. With that, it is likely that your beagle is going to know that the ferret is in the house, and may be focused on getting to the ferret despite it being behind closed doors. Depending on the dog, some will bark or scratch at doors to try to get to animals behind them, and others will not pursue them. If it is feasible, it may be a good idea to see how Eddy reacts to a ferret prior to committing to own one. If he doesn't respond favorably, it may be in the best interest of the ferret (as well as for Eddy) to not get him. The reason for this is that ferrets need quite a bit of exercise, so getting the ferret out for play time will be very important. I hope that helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No ferrets should stay in the house. He could get cold outside and if he should escape he can't survive outside and you probably wouldn't be able to find him. Get some toys from the pet store for him to play with. Once Felix grows up and your cat is used to him then I would try them together when you are watching. You don't want your cat to injure him. If they get used to each other then they can be together. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.