Choosing a Healthy Ferret For Adoption

Ferrets are wonderful creatures to keep as pets. Therefore, it is necessary to check their health status before bringing them home. A healthy ferret is what makes a good pet. A sickly ferret, on the other hand, is depressing to take care of, added by the expenses on medicines and veterinary care.

Here are some tips to consider in choosing a healthy ferret for adoption:

1. Sables (the common brown ones) are usually the best breed of ferrets to take care of, second of which are albinos. Never prioritize the beauty of the coat in choosing a healthy ferret. Sable ferrets have the most stable genetic diversity while interbred ones, have lesser genetic diversity which is prone to deafness, early death, and other behavioral and medical problems in the future while the ferret ages.

2. Check the medical records before buying from the breeder or pet store. It is important to take out a baby ferret at least eight weeks old, and never less then eight. First shots of distemper must have been administered as shown in the medical records, and if you can get any veterinary assurance, the better. You do not want a sickly ferret in your home.

3. Check physical signs. Does the ferret have a lot of mucus dripping from its nose? Are the eyes too cloudy and Is it weak compared from other lively and hyperactive ferrets? Does it smell alarmingly bad compared from the others? If you answered all yeses, consider choosing another pet store or breeder since these are bad signs of ferret health and is therefore unadvisable to bring home. Check the fur and the skin beneath the fur: is the skin in poor and overly-scratched condition? Are the whiskers brittle and dirty? Does it walk crookedly and with so much difficulty? If all is yes, this is not a healthy ferret.

4. Check behavioral signs. Is it too shy when faced with a moving rattle? Does it take too long for the ferret to respond? Is it too lazy while the other ferrets are playing and jumping and climbing and running around? Oftentimes there is something wrong with the health of the ferret if these signs are present. Does it respond too scared when cuddled or scuffed? This can mean that the ferret is being subjected to animal cruelty.

5. Lastly, interview the breeder about the history of the ferret and its care providers. How long has been the breeder in business? Does he have the appropriate licenses? Too often, sickly ferrets come from inexperienced breeders and pet store owners without valid licenses. They are not equipped with the proper know-how to take care of the ferret or breed them at the most. What kind of food does the breeder or pet store owner provide for the ferret? Is he giving cat food to ferrets? If he does, this is a bad sign and it is time to look for another ferret seller who knows exactly how to take care of them. Ferrets are not supposed to be given cat food because the calorie content required by a ferret differs greatly from that of a cat. Ferrets need more protein from poultry sources and lesser carbohydrates while cats need the reverse. Breeders and pet store owners with valid licenses and appropriate experience do not feed milk, ice cream, and yoghurts to ferrets since this will cause diarrhea.

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