Keeping Ferrets As Pets: Pros & Cons

#ferret #ferretlife #ferretsplaying
Pets have accompanied humans for centuries. And while cats and dogs have long been common inhabitants of apartments and homes, domestic ferrets are a relatively new phenomenon. They have been common in the world for about 35 years.
Nowadays, quick-witted little animals can compete with guinea pigs, hamsters and even cats. However, before you get a cute fluffy friend, you need to learn in detail about the characteristics of the animal, the peculiarities of care and feeding, as well as the pros and cons of keeping this animal.
The domestic ferret is a subspecies of the wood polecat. It belongs to the family of the Siberian polecat. It is a graceful stocky animal with an elongated body (up to 50 cm in length) and a chic tail. Its fur is dense and thick. The color varies from black to snow-white.
The body mass of an adult male reaches 3 kg, while females weigh less. Males and females differ in character. Males are more attached to their owners, but can be aggressive. Females are more curious.
If you decide to get a ferret, you need first of all to find a good breeder. Buying a pet from hand at the bird market, you risk buying a sick animal with bad genes. In order to make your pet happy for a long time, you should follow some simple rules.
A ferret is a curious and nimble animal. Therefore, in the room where it will be kept, all secluded nooks and crannies should be closed, and small and valuable items that can damage the animal should be removed. The pet should have special places for sleeping and eating, hidden from prying eyes.
There are a number of procedures that must be performed to keep the pet clean. First of all, the pet should be bathed. It should be done no more than once a month. The water temperature should not exceed 39 degrees. Only special shampoo is used for washing, which will rid the pet's coat of unpleasant odor. During the molting period, the pet should be brushed daily. Once every 5 weeks, his claws should be trimmed.
Ferrets are clean animals and never crap where they eat and sleep. To keep other areas clean, you should place several litter trays.
Ferrets have an accelerated metabolism. It needs to be fed 7-8 times a day. Organizing a healthy balanced diet is the key to the long life of the animal. There are three types of nutrition:
Prepared foods and special mixes. They can be found in most pet stores. These mixtures are very nutritious and contain all the elements necessary for health. In addition, this type of feeding simplifies the care of the animal.
The usual foods are different kinds of meat, fish, porridges and vegetable mixes. It is worth remembering that with this kind of feeding, vitamins and micronutrients should be added to the pet's food. It is forbidden to feed ferrets dairy products, baked goods, nuts, fried and smoked food.
Natural food. In this regime, the animal is given chicken carcasses and small rodents. This type of food is usually suitable only for aviary housing of ferrets.
With proper care and feeding, the ferret lives in the home for up to 8 years.
_____________________
Please, subscribe to Pet Lovers: @petreader
_____________________
More great articles at buzzsharer.com/