by Quill of the Night

Created on: April 06, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Surely ferrets were miss-named! They should have been labeled as the thieves they are! Over the years, I have owned eight of these creatures! When you first see a ferret, you can't help but ooh or aah! But when you OWN one, the oohs and aahs become cries of pain or surprise when you experience their type of play!

Ferrets are fun to have but they are extremely mischievous! They like to hide under your furniture and nibble at your toe as you walk by, and they will wreak havoc under said furniture! Our couch became ferret territory as my ferrets quickly nested underneath, hording their favorite stolen objects within these tunnels! Another great hiding place preferred by ferrets is a chest of drawers. This behavior is actually amazing and it shows how well this once-wild creature can adapt to its surroundings. They start with the lowest drawer and they slink to its back and climb to the next level. They weave their way up to the top drawer finally, where they like to hide objects from your house! This mode of climbing also allows the creature new options as it pokes its nose out of the top drawer and sees other furniture to jump to! They love to burrow and they love to steal!

Ferrets enjoy being petted but they also have clear signals to tell you when they are not interested in your affection. They will hiss at you, and sometimes they will bite to get their message across loud and clear. But when they do want to play, they will bounce around in a 'happy dance' of sorts that will have you clutching your belly with laughter!

Now that the joys of ferret ownership are out of the way, I must warn anyone who is looking to buy their first ferret. Unfortunately, they are small animals and they have small immune systems. Out of the eight ferrets I owned, four of them died of cancer or cancer-related conditions. Cancer runs wild within these creatures and anyone thinking about owning one should know this because they don't tell you this in the store! And when a ferret dies, it is more than sad. These creatures often 'cry' on their way out. (I have personally witnessed this and it is very traumatic!) This cry is not a soft whimper...it is a loud, piercing cry that sounds exactly like a human baby at times and a smoke detector at other times! (They will also cry like this when they are accidentally injured while exploring your home. Always remember that these creatures can squeeze through a quarter-sized hole. You must ferret-proof your home before allowing your pet to run wild in your house!) Because of the possibility of witnessing this horrible death, I do NOT recommend ferrets as pets for little children.

A ferret is a very big responsibility and they have very short lifespans. I am thankful for my experiences with them but I will never buy another because I tend to get too attached. Five to six years is not that long and it broke my heart to see them go. (Don't misunderstand, one of my ferrets lived to be ten, but most do not.) Research ferrets and find out more about them before choosing one as a pet. Know all the facts and supply your pet with a safe environment to conduct their stealing and playing!

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