# Thinking i want a ferret...



## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

Ok so i have four rat boys who i love so much.

But i think, for my sixteenth birthday next year. I want a ferret....

How are they different from rats....
Whats a good cage for them i can get at petsmart?
What food do they eat...

And are they as fun and cuddly as they look... or are they mean like chinchillas?


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I don't recommend Ferrets unless your employed.
They are a lot more expensive then rats, they need a bigger cage, a lot more vet care, special food. They must be kept in pairs like rats.

And they are not really cage animals. They should be free ranged a lot. If you cant free range it, it will be miserable.
They require surgery to be spayed or neutered, they often have their scent gland removed, and they can NOT be around rats. They are predators and will kill your rats if given the chance.
They are not cuddley either. They are very very hyper when they are awake, and the other percent of the time they are sleeping up to 18 hours a day.

I would love a ferret, but the maintenance is a lot. So is the price of everything as a whole.


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

Oh. Ew.


They just look so CUDDLY.

:S

Stupid Teasing Ferrets.

What about chinchillas?

They seem soft.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

They are SOOO soft xD
But not cuddly at all. they are similar to ferrets in the high amount of care they need. Big cage, specific care, vet care ect.

If you want a great pet thats Is a little less maintenance I love Guinea Pigs, they are so cute, standard timothy pellets and hay is all the need in food you can get it from any pet store, and lots of green leafy food for the Vitamin C.
They live in pairs, but are very sweet. They also need a big cage, but can't climb so it does not need a roof. 

http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/kikonthecobb/IMG_0098.jpg?t=1282869991

That is my Rabbit, guinea pig needs a cage that size, and it is so cheap to make. And they don't need to be as high since they can't climb.


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

I think im gonna stick with my rat brats 

thanks though kiko


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## sarah19 (Jul 18, 2010)

EddricksMommy101 said:


> I think im gonna stick with my rat brats
> 
> thanks though kiko


 i am gettin a ferret my friend has 3 they are amazing they are like giant rats but they do require alot more work but if u cuddle them and handle them from a young age most will be happy to curl up with you during sleep time


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## hshelton (Feb 23, 2010)

I adore my boyfriends ferret but there's a reason why he belongs to him not me. I don't trust him at all being around my rats though I have left my rats at my boyfriends house while on vacation before. They also smell really bad and require ALOT of cage cleaning. But they definitely are not cuddly. Chins aren't either. They really really hate being held.


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## RatfanaticLady29 (Mar 2, 2010)

I had 3 boy rats and 3 ferrets before. My ferrets had a whole room to themselves (the basement) and never came out of it other than to be carried outside, or to the car for vet visits. They had a Martin's ferret mansion that they slept in. The door stayed open at all times. I bought all 3 of my ferrets already spayed/neutered and descented. I cleaned their room every evening. They were never 100% litter box trained. I fed them Inova Evo ferret food. My youngest boy, Vern LOVED to cuddle, so I wouldn't really say they don't like it. They all just have different personalities like all other animals and people. They were tons of work, but well worth it in my opinion. 

If you don't have a job, your own house, and a safe, uncarpeted room you can keep them in, plus a few hours a day to spend with them then you shouldn't own them. 

Here's a few pictures of my babies.
This is Jules
















Vern
























Gypsy
















Jules and Gypsy playing with me cat, Keller (before we got rats)


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## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

Aww ferrets are extremely adorable and make amazing pets, except for the fact that they are expensive for care and they have a strong odor, so much cage cleaning is needed. I would not suggest a ferret for someone without a job, unless your parents are planning for fork over the cash when the vet, housing, food, etc bills come through. 

I had three ferrets back when I was younger and it was very hard with my parents income and me being a child at the time to care for them. They are a little more complex then a rat in the fact of care and disease problems. A lot of the time when you purchase them from a mass breeder, such as Petco or Petsmart, they have very bad genetics. We were naive and made the mistake of purchasing our three from said petstores and all three of them passed due to what is called adrenal disease. 

So you must be extremely prepared to handle such a task ^^

I would stick with the joys of the mostly inexpensive ratties o_-


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