Ferrets: care basics

In short: Ferrets are curious, playful predators with a high need for exercise and social contact. They should be kept in at least pairs and need daily free-roaming time outside the cage.

In more detail: As domesticated descendants of the polecat, ferrets have a strongly pronounced play and hunting instinct.

In detail

• Social behaviour: Keeping a ferret alone without intensive human contact often leads to behavioural problems and boredom.
• Cage size: A large, multi-level cage with hiding spots is a basic requirement for appropriate keeping.
• Free-roaming time: Daily, supervised free-roaming time in ferret-proofed rooms is essential for movement and mental stimulation.
• Diet: As carnivores, ferrets need high-quality, protein-rich food, ideally specialised ferret food.
• Smell: Unneutered ferrets have a more intense odour, which is significantly reduced through neutering.
• Home safety: Small openings, toxic plants, and dangling cables must be made ferret-proof.
• Choosing a vet: Ferrets need specific vaccinations and a vet with experience treating small carnivores (hund-erziehung-grundlagen, haustier-gesundheit-impfen-entwurmen-tierarzt).