First and foremost, in our opinion (and we've had over 15 years of experience with ferrets), ferrets are wonderful and playful bundles of joy and energy who remain puppy-like for the majority of their lives.

Ferrets are small mammals. Males can reach 20 inches long or more and can weigh about 5 lbs. Females can reach 16 inches and weigh up to about 3 lbs.

Ferrets are mustela putorius furo - kin to weasels, minks, martens, stoats, ermine, otters, badgers, and the European polecat.

It is widely believed that ferrets are originally from Europe and have been domesticated for over 2,500 years. They were even revered in many areas of the world.

Ferrets are not rodents.

They are carnivores who require meat protein to live optimal healthy lives as they do not digest vegetation.

Because ferrets are so domesticated, they have poor homing instincts. If allowed to go outside and wander, they have little to no chance of returning home.

Ferrets make great pets. They are entertaining, sociable, and can be trained to use a litter box (although they do miss sometimes!)

Ferrets live well with other animals, but they are small , so if you have a large animal, keep that in mind.

Due to the ignorance of some people regarding domesticated ferrets, ferrets are not legal in a few areas of the U.S., and in some other areas, a permit or license may be required. Check the laws in your area before bringing home a new fuzzy.

Ferrets play hard, work hard, and sleep hard. Some people have said they thought their ferret was dead when trying to rouse her or him.

Ferrets like to sleep undercover in sleeping bags made especially for them, or under towels, clothes (such as t-shirts), and sheets - just about any kind of fabric lying around.

They are very mischievous and will get into EVERYTHING! So you must ferret-proof your house or apartment like you might child-proof your home. Block all passageways to the outside world and underneath sinks and large appliances.

Ferrets REMEMBER everything. If something is different about the environment, they will notice it right away and make a beeline for it.

They are curious, PERSISTENT, and consistent. Once they get something into their heads, they won't let it go until they've figured or FERRETED it out.

Ferrets like to be scratched on their backs just behind their heads. If you scratch there, their tails get big and fluffy!

Ferrets are hoarders and like to keep stashes of various items. Keep an eye on their hidey-holes whose locations can change often. If you cannot find something, it is probably there!

They also like to roll jingly balls around with the tips of their noses and sometimes stuff them under their bellies to steal them away to their hiding places, like they are stealing birdie eggs in the wild.

Smell is their strongest sense, hence the large snout.

A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH is sqeezing into the underneath of rocking chairs and recliners into the springs and getting smashed when you sit down in them. So if you must have a recliner or rocker, make sure your ferret cannot get near it!

Watch where you step! Ferrets are QUIET and love to get under your feet to get your attention especially when they want to play and do their jiggies. We recommend putting a bell on the collar.

They are not cage animals and are meant to roam, burrow, and hunt. A caged ferret is aferret. HOWEVER, if you can time it so that their caged time is during their sleep time, that's FANTASTIC! A safely caged ferret is better than a ferret who is allowed to walk freely in a dangerous environment, so cage them when you have a lot of friends over, are cleaning your house, must open your windows (because they will nose and scratch their ways out from a window screen!)

Ferrets are most like dogs in that they NEED attention and require playtime either with another ferret or YOU, so put aside at least a couple of hours per day for play. It's a must for your ferret and good for you, too. It also maintains nice musculature.

Don't mistake an invitation to play with anger or attack! Almost always they just want to play when they arch their backs, open their jaws wide, and look up at you. They are rarely threatening and just want to hide-and-seek or play chase-me-chase-you!

When they are angry, they hiss, and it will almost NEVER be at you because they love and trust you.

They are active approximately 5 hours a day and sleep the remaining. And when they are awake, they are always doing something!

Ferrets eat small amounts many times throughout the day, so it's a good idea to keep food available at all times for grazing.

They rarely vomit (unlike cats who often reguritate furballs), so if your ferret vomits, it is best to take him to the doc as soon as possible.

Ferrets will usually defecate upon waking and then numerous times throughout the day and most especially when excited. Their poop is not pellet-like, so we recommend replacing carpet with tile or a material that is easily wiped clean.

If your ferret tries to squirm out of your hands after waking him, it is probably because he needs to poop very badly, so put him down so he can take care of his business. Then he'll be ready for fun!

You might find some funny things in their poop if you're not careful. Ferrets, especially babies, like rubbery things such as latex gloves and the buttons on your remote control. So protect your baby from rubbery, chewy items.

Their odor can be quite strong, even without their scent glands. Some of the smell comes from their ears as they can get very dirty and waxy, but there are some good solutions on the market for ferret ears, such as Oticalm. Ears should be cleaned about once a week.

They can be very expensive to care for as there are numerous illnesses to which they are susceptible, and vet bills can be high.

A ferret's fur will thin in the summer, so don't be alarmed - thick fur in the winter and thinner fur in the summer.

Signs of a healthy ferret are continued curiosity, bright and inquisitive eyes, a tail free of blackheads (good grooming is a good thing), distinct muscles, and a nice, thick coat (but remember that they do shed in the summertime.)

Many times, though, ferrets will trick you and remain playful and inquisitive even when sick, so keep an eye out for physical attributes of illness to catch disease early on.

ECE (Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis) or "Green Slime Disease" is a disease of the intestine and is highly contagious. If you have a ferret already and are bringing a new one into your home, it is best to quarantine and visit your veterinarian to ensure your new ferret does not have the illness before introducing him or her to the other. It is characterized by projectile, smelly, usually bright green diarrhea (green in the beginning stages and eventually turning yellow.) Your ferret will not get better and will pass without treatment. Ferrets with this illness become extremely lethargic, dehydrated, vomitous, and emaciated in the advanced stages. Ferrets do not vomit very often, so if your ferret vomits, there is something wrong! Treatment usually consists of a cocktail of amoxicillin (or equivalent), carafate (eases irritation in the digestive tract), and flagyl (antibiotic and antiparasitic), along with restoration of electrolytes. Read here for more information.

Insulinoma is a pancreatic cancer in which tumors that produce too much insulin are formed which results in dangerously low blood sugar levels. Ferrets become weak and seemingly lethargic but are actually in a hypoglycemic state and may be having seizures. Usually your vet will supply you with a tube of a sugary substance to bring them out of it. They have nausea and excessive salivation and will paw at their mouth as if something is in it. The tumors are found via ultrasound. If caught early enough, ferrets can be cured through surgical removal and, sometimes, treatment with prednisone. Can occur at any age but usually around 3-6 years of age. Read here for everything you want to know about ferret insulinoma.

Adrenal gland disease: Lesions on the adrenal gland. The most common symptoms are hairloss and swelling of the vulva in females. Anemia, lethargy, excessive thirst, and weight loss are common. This is a progressive disease. Without treatment, (ex: removal of gland) your ferret will not get better. Read here for everything you want to know about ferret adrenal disease.

Rabies in Domestic Ferrets: There is so much misinformation and ignorance regarding the subject of rabies in ferrets. There has never been a documented case of the transmission of rabies from a ferret to a human. There have been fewer than 30 cases of rabies in ferrets ever recorded in the U.S. Compare that to the thousands of cases reported from dog bites, cats, and agricultural animals. Read more about rabies and ferrets here.

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