I hear (actually, I've seen, on TV shows) that they can also be quite
destructive to your home with all the playing and exploring they do. You
might want to find out what you can do to ferret-proof your house.

I didn't realize that not mating during heat (or whatever it is called
for ferrets) could be life-threatening for a female. I mean, sometimes
sexual frustration is bad enough that it *feels* life-threatening... :)
But I never thought it would be literally true.

Joyce

I've want to ger a ferret too come time in the future, but i don't
think i will, cause i know my cats would be FURIOUS.  Heck they were
quite put out when i had the bittes here and that was only for three
and a half days.  Also right now there's NO way i could deal with
another pet.  Even when i get a house someday, three cats is going to
be plenty.

purrs that things will work out.

Kristi

Oh, by the way, Ferrets are extremly mischievous.  They like to steal
car keys, food, sparkly things and hoard them somewhere. Once at a
summer camp a woman had two ferrets.  As I was petting one the other
climbed up my backpack. UNZIPPED it and disappeared inside.  When he
came out he had his teeth clamped firmly on a Rice Crispie treat and
walked back into his carrier with it.  Then he returned, and dove back
into the backpack and this time came out with my keys.

Oh, and they bite. HARD

Congrats! I know very little about ferrets, though I know our local
shelter takes them in often. Maybe because people find out they are
more high maintenance than was expected?  I think they're adorable.
I'd love a couple of them!

I watch a TV show on Sat mornings called "Pet Keeping" and the guy
often gives tips about ferrets.  I think he's partial to exotic
pets. He says they are den animals, and a good bed/hideyhole is a
terracotta pot with the hole on the bottom made bigger with a drill
and a file, invert it so the ferrets can climb into it from the
top.  He demonstrated with his co-stars, and they seemed to like
it.

Good luck!

I have 5 cats and 5 ferrets. Two of the ferrets are chasing the cats, but on
the whole they can all live together and use each others toys.
Wood is not a great idea for a cage, as they're not always 100% litterbox
trained, and urine gets into the wood.
They have to have their playtime outside of the cage every day for a couple
of hours. Mine are only in the cage when I'm at work or in bed, as I don't
see them as typical cage animals, it's more for their own safety. They're
very intelligent, so they need to play and explore.
As you're taking in only one ferret you need to be her friend and playmate,
unless the cats will be. Some ferrets positively love cats and when that
happens the cat will probably be the friend they need. The best thing would
be to have her pick out a ferret friend in a shelter.......
You're right about the food, their metabolism is 4 hours. Don't give them
anything like fruit or veggies, they can cause a blockage very fast. They're
obligate carnivores, even more than cats.
In their cage they have to have at least some towels or other materials, and
they really love hammocks and sleeping sacks.
Most ferrets don't get to 10-12 years, as they're very susceptible to
insulinoma, adrenal tumors and lymphoma.

You're doing a great thing for that ferret, and I think you'll get to love
her very much !

Nanny

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It's not necessary to bring them inside in the winter as long as the hutch
has a small sleeping compartment which you can fill with warm bedding (I
used hay) and you cover the front up at night with a sack.

I don't know how a ferret would get on in an established household of cats.
I probably wouldn't risk it.

There is a dry ferret food available now.  This is quite a recent thing.
When I had mine I fed them on any roadkill I could find, chicken giblets
from inside a bought chicken, that sort of thing.  There was no food
commercially available for ferrets at that time.

They do sleep a lot if they are bored.

Yes.  They are really funny, they do that sideways bouncing and when let
loose they wander around saying "What, what, what, what?"

I think they probably could as they always back into a corner of the room if
they need the toilet.

I don't know about this.

Yes, females can die if they come in season and are not mated.  Don't ask me
why.  As for males, it's not necessary to neuter them if you can tolerate
their very strong musk smell.

Can do.  7-8 is average.

They can't get out of wood, but the mesh on the front needs to be really
strong.  They can get out of chicken wire in a jiffy.  It needs to be strong
weldmesh, 1 inch size will do.

Here to help if you need me ;-)

Tweed