Ferret care at home
Today, no one will be surprised by the owner walking the ferret on a leash. As a pet, this animal has a number of advantages: unpretentious, friendly, trainable, moreover, it stands out among the usual pets. However, before you take an animal under the roof of your house, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules for keeping it. How to care for a ferret at home? This is what this article is about.
Ferret care
Domesticated predator
The ferret belongs to the weasel family of the mammals class. Naturally wild, the beast was domesticated by Europeans over 2000 years ago for the purpose of catching mice and rats. The variety bred from the forest ferret is called the ferret. Very quickly, he became popular as a decorative pet. Interestingly, the ferret is often confused with another representative of the weasel - the ermine.
Don't try to tame a wild ferret. In captivity, he will not be able to live, just like a domestic one will die alone in the wild. By the way, ferrets, if handled correctly, live much longer than their free relatives - about 11-12 years. The low life expectancy of the latter is due to the difficulties and dangers that lie in wait for them in the big world: large predators, poachers, the need to get their own food, frosts. Sociable and quick-witted, the ferret is able to become a friend to its owner. The main thing is to direct his energy in the right direction.
Ferret can become a friend
General rules of content
So how do you care for your ferret in your apartment? Consider the main criteria that you should pay attention to:
- Dwelling. Spacious and clean, it should be to the liking of the pet.
- Diet. There is a certain set of products that the animal needs, as well as those that are strictly prohibited for him.
- Walking and training. The ferret, with its playfulness and hunter instinct, will not sit still.
- Safety regulations. A curious rodent constantly strives to climb into the most inappropriate places, so care should be taken to minimize the possibility of a threat to his life and health.
- Vaccination. A very important point, which, unfortunately, is ignored by many breeders.
In the wild, ferrets find themselves a corner among the trees, in haystacks, in the empty burrows of other animals. A pet house is easy to purchase in a store or make your own. Old travel bags, suitcases, boxes will do. If you want to build a large ferret house, choose wood, plywood, or other durable and natural materials. A cage preferred by some owners is not the best home for a freedom-loving ferret.
In such a house, there should be a feeder, a drinking bowl, a tray with sawdust. If you live in an apartment and there is no opportunity to equip rides on the walking area, it is recommended to equip the ferret's dwelling with ladders and crossbars, along which the animal will gladly climb. It is better to start the animals in pairs: this way they will never be bored.
The main rule is cleanliness and good climatic conditions. It is required to regularly change the litter in the house, water in the drinker and clean the tray. You also need to ventilate the animal's dwelling, make sure that it is not blown through by drafts. It should be dry and warm inside the house.
Diet
The ferret, rather picky about food, is ready to absorb almost everything that is given to him. Many owners use such omnivorousness, risking harm to their pet. The wild rodent catches mice, ground squirrels, toads, large insects, baby hares. The basis of the diet of this small predator is raw meat, however, only dietary varieties should be selected for it, such as turkey, rabbit, chicken breast.
Ferret food
Sometimes it is permissible to give offal. Don't forget about grains and vegetables. Eggs and low-fat cottage cheese are excellent sources of calcium, which is essential for the development of the ferret's muscular system. Vitamin-mineral complexes should be added to the main food. It has been established that pets whose diet is dominated by natural food are less likely to undergo cancer than those that regularly consume dry food.
Leisure and education
The pet requires increased attention from the person. For attention, the baby will repay with devotion and affection. Outdoor walks in the warm season take up a significant part of the ferret's day. Those who live in a private house can allocate a separate place for a playground for the animal.
In other cases, it can be taken out for a walk on a leash (to which you gradually train the ferret). It is undesirable to let go, because the animal can run away or run into an angry dog. It is better to choose sunny and dry weather for walking in order to get the most out of the event and avoid the danger of hypothermia. In winter, it is also not worth keeping your pet at home, it is only advisable to walk during the daytime and no longer than an hour.
Pet care
The main principle of ferret training is mutual interest. Before ordering the beast to bring the abandoned one or to carry out another command, it is necessary to entice it: perhaps, encourage it with a tasty reward. You should not engage the animal with physical activity on an overflowing stomach, but you cannot starve it before training. Ideal for charging - one hour after a meal.
It is extremely important to take care of your pet's safety. Open windows in the apartment, lighted electrical appliances, wires - all this poses a threat to the life of the animal. During a walk, he should not leave the designated area. You should also avoid contact of the ferret with large predators.
Vaccinations against diseases
According to statistics, more than half of the pets that were not vaccinated were infected with serious diseases. Among the most dangerous and widespread are rabies, plague, Aleutian disease. In addition to the fact that an infected animal can die or disrupt the quality of its life, it also becomes dangerous for humans and other living beings, so the vaccination procedure is necessary.
When starting a pet, it is important to remember that this is not a toy, but a living creature. Recommendations on how to properly care for a ferret in an apartment are not hard to follow. The main thing is to treat the pet with love and remember that the owner is responsible for him.