The Dancing Ferret: Ferret Information and Advice

The Dancing Ferret is a website with information about the care Shelley Mactyre with Gwen

of domestic ferrets. My husband and I have been ferret owners for ten years (one in California), and have had seven wonderful ferrets:

Arthur Bear: a mellow sable male who lived for nothing more than eating and sleeping on the floor at my feet. We lost Arthur to adrenal tumors.
Gwen the Bold: a light sable female. Gwen, too, has had an adrenal tumors, but we caught hers in time. Though a tiny (1 pound) animal, the tumor the vet took out was cat-sized. Gwen died ultimately from another form of cancer at the age of nine.
Llewelyn the Nut: a male who thinks everyone and everything is a ferret that must be played with. (6 years old). Llew caught ECE last year and we struggled with it for several months. His weight is still below normal, however, and he's not in great health.
Owain: an adoptee from the Cascade Ferret Network, Owain is a beautiful boy! Right now he's a bruiser with a gorgeous coat, but from time to time he loses his hair.
Kai: also adopted from CFN, Kai and Owain are an inseparable pair. Kai is also an amazing leaper with a sleek, beautiful coat. He has to eat a special diet -- Waltham's Duck & Rice -- which helps!
Gruffudd: Gruff is a buff ferret! He was found as a stray and taken to CFN as a "whole male." He's huge, full of personality and a real sweetheart. He loves to be held and petted. Gruff takes care of Llew and keeps him warm.
Brigid: The most recent addition to our home, Brigid is a sweet little female who loves to give kisses. She was obese and didn't know how to play when we first got her (we think that her previous owners never let her out of her cage) but she's making up for lost time! She's turned into an amazing climber.

Ferrets are FUN. There's more to know, I guess: theyr'e domesticated European Polecats, and make wonderful, lively pets. They can be litterbox trained and if properly cared for, will not smell strongly. They are lovable and sweet, athletic and active, and while they will typically sleep for twenty hours a day, those times when they are active they are VERY active.

But ferrets are also WORK. There's the cage and the litterbox to clean, and they're great at messing up an orderly room. You may have noticed all the medical ailments in the descriptions above: they're there for a reason. If you're thinking about getting a ferret, be aware that ferrets, like any animal, get sick and will require vet visits. Don't adopt or buy a ferret unless you're willing to take care of the animal for its entire life!

That said, I wouldn't trade any of mine for the world. They've brought me so much joy!