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"Why keep ferrets "? people ask.Apart from being a challenge I think it is because they are a combination of all the other pets rolled into one furry ball.Ferrets
are intelligent - extremely playful - very clever - never dull - easily trained - clean - fun to be with - mischievous and worth all the effort you have to put in to keep
them.

On the other hand if they are not cared for properly and left to live a life of solitude,given the wrong diet,never played with and cuddled they can be - nervous -
depressed - vicious, sick little creatures.

When you take any animal into your care you must remember they are your responsibility and they will depend on you for everything.You will be responsible for
their cleaning - grooming - feeding - health and finding responsible people to care for them when you go on holiday.It is no good thinking that if you bung a
large bowl of food and water into their pen they will be fine until you get back - because they won't.

The first thing to do before you even think about adopting or buying a ferret especially if you have never owned them before,is to find out as much as you can
about them.

How much it will cost to have them spayed/neutered?

Is your vet ferret friendly? not all of them are.

How much will it cost to feed them?

What sort of diet should they have?

What sort of illnesses are they likely to get?

How much will it cost to build or buy a suitable pen ?

Who will look after your pets whilst you are on holiday?

Speak to experienced owners and reputable breeders about the ups and downs of keeping ferrets.

Spend time with ferrets and see their reactions.

Most important is to find a Vet that specialises in ferret problems not all of them do.If you are in the Coventry area you can do no better than to use Bell and
Partners, Wyken.Coventry.024-76602564 or Broad Lane Vets, Tile Hill.Coventry. 024 76464789.

The best book to buy in our opinion is "The Complete Book of Ferrets" by Val Porter and Nicholas Brown that can be ordered from any bookstore for around
Ł12.50 and well worth it.

When you feel you are ready to adopt go to a reputable breeder or Rescue Centre.

Ask to see where the animals are kept and if you adopt kits ask to see the parents to to make sure they are in good condition,healthy and clean.

Make sure your ferrets have been handled so at least you have a chance of handling them without being bitten to bits.

Be wary of buying ferrets from the guy down the road or at fairs you could be letting yourself into a whole lot of health trouble with your pets,some of these
ferrets are not quite as healthy as they are made out to be - as we have found out.

Remember some people will sell anything as perfect just to make a measly buck.

Whether your ferrets are kits or adults in our opinion two are better than one as they will have their own kind to play with.If the owners work like we do then a
single ferret will spend hours hoping someone will come along to play with them.Also to watch two or more ferrets play together is a joy in itself.

Like with the adoption of any animal make sure their eyes are clear and bright - ears are clear of wax - teeth are not broken - nose is free of mucus - feet are clean
and free from sores - skin is free from livestock and sores - fur is soft and glossy- body is free from lumps and bumps.Remember you can always ask an
experienced owner to assist you when adopting or buying.

The worst things ferrets can do is to trash your home or bite you down to the bone and from experience the latter hurts.

On the other hand ferrets make wonderful companions if cared for properly.They are funny - loving and they respond to kindness as we all do.

Ferrets are used for working in several ways the most popular being rabbiting.It is said to be the most humane way to control rabbits.If poison and gas are
used it not only kills the rabbit but other wildlife and even domestic dogs that happen to be the area.

They are also used to lay cables under buildings that workmen cannot reach,in fact they were used to lay television cables for the wedding of our own Prince
Charles.

YOUR FERRET'S DAILY ROUTINE

Handle your pets everyday without fail and give them lots of cuddles.

While doing this check their coats for fleas and ticks especially if you work them.

Run your hands over their bodies to check for lumps and bumps that should not be there.If you find a lump get it checked out with a Vet straight away as
it could be a cyst - abscess or a tumour.Never leave it till later it might prove to late.

During play young ferrets very often bite each other on the back of the neck causing redness and small scabs.Keep an eye on the scabs and bathe with
hospital Savlon diluted in warm water.If the scabs become infected see a Vet although the latter doesn't happen very often.

Check your ferret's mouth for swollen gums and broken teeth.

Check their ears for earmites that appear as black tarry wax,if you think they have mites see a Vet for eardrops.Always consult a Vet before administering
any kind of medication.Wipe ears out regularly with animal or baby wipes NEVER use earbuds.

Clean their toilet area every day.

Cut nails at least once a month - if you don't feel confident ask an experienced owner to do it for you.If you should cut into a nerve put on soft soap that
will help stop the bleeding.

The Black Footed ferret of America almost became extinct due to human flu and like their cousins the ferrets in this Country are prone to this aswell.So
do not kiss and cuddle your pet if you have the flu - get someone else to help out until you are well.

If for whatever reason you are worried about your ferret's health consult a Vet as ferrets can become ill and die very quickly.

Your kits should be 8-10 weeks old,weaned off Mum's milk and started on solids.They will enjoy ferret complete biscuits soaked in water and beef mince
given at room temperature.You will find like all baby animals they will gorge themselves to bursting point if you let them.So it is best to give them small
regular feeds until they realise they don't have to eat it all at once.After a couple of weeks put a small bowl of un-soaked biscuits in their pen so they can
choose.The hard crunchy biscuit will help to strengthen their teeth.Make sure they have a supply of clean water.

Older ferrets also need a high protein diet to maintain good health,skin and glossy coat.They will be happy to eat ferret complete biscuits but make sure
they are available 24 hours a day,as they are constant nibblers.As a treat your pets can have rabbit and beef mince at room temperature.Ferrets also like
an array of vegetables as a treat but some owners don't agree with this.90 % of our members give veggies as treats in small quantities and it hasn't hurt a
ferret yet.In fact one of my own ferrets died recently at the age of 9 years and thrived on his daily intake of veg.Obviously not all ferrets like veg but the
ones that do just love it.Some of the veg that has been reported to me as ferret friendly are - tomato - cucumber - broccoli - red/yellow peppers even
apples - pears - bananas and oranges.I had an e-mail from America telling me that they also feed their pets fruit and veg.To much can of course cause
diarrhoea which cannot be good news so beware.

Dairy products are not good for your pets even though I know of some people who give their ferrets ice-cream which I know they love.

The odd egg mixed with tea is a great treat but not to often as you will find your pet's fur will fall out.

Make sure the bowls you use for your ferret's food are clean and free from dried on food.

Change their bedding regularly and replace with clean jumpers or shredded paper.

If your pets do have fleas and ticks FRONTLINE is recommended but do not over do it.I usually spray my rubber glove and then rub it into the ferret's
fur rather than spraying it straight on the the ferret, as it can cause blistering of the skin that you must agree can be very painful.

Most ferret lovers and Rescue Centres are against breeding except for re-stocking working groups.Jills can have up to 15 kits some of which will die due
to her inability to feed them all.Many owners breed just to make a few measly pounds at some game fair never giving a thought to the life the ferrets
may be going to.Have your pet spayed/neutered at 6 months old ensuring kits won't be born to an un-certain future.If you cannot find a Vet in your area
then phone/fax or e-mail and we will point you in the right direction.

Ferrets love toys and will spend hours exploring a new one.Plastic carpet tubes can be obtained from carpet warehouses free of charge.Large cardboard
boxes with holes cut out the side,stuffed with plastic shopping bags that rustle will keep your pets happy for hours.Babies cast offs such as rattles and balls
are great and you can pick these up at any car boot sale quite cheaply.Squeaky toys will keep them amused.Make sure with any toy that small pieces
cannot be chewed off causing choking. Avoid anything stuffed with foam.