Ferrets are quite independent creatures who don’t like to be restrained so they will not enjoy being picked up, however many children enjoy playing with their pet. Ferrets can also occasionally bite or scratch, so if your child has their heart set on a ferret it is important they are of an age where they can learn to play with the ferret gently.

A small animal can be fatally injured if not handled correctly, so when taking a ferret out of the ferret cage, your child should be aware of the possible problems that can happen if they do not handle the rodent correctly.

Ferrets have a natural inclination to attack milky smelling creatures. It is vital you do not leave a baby alone in the presence of a ferret as they have been known to attack young infants. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure that both your ferret and the young infant are separated at all times.

However, ferrets can be very playful and sociable and it is often recommended you have more than one for them to interact with each other. They are also relatively quiet creatures and are very easy to feed.

A good sized ferret cage is important to your pet’s happiness, and if it has more than one level on the cage they are guaranteed double the fun.

Here, at Ideas4Pets we have a wide range of ferret products and ferret cages available from our wide range of stock. Visit our website today to find out more.

The small pets that people like to keep range from hamsters to mice and rats, chinchillas to ferrets. The best part is that Ideas-4-Pets has a cage for each and every one of them. Our variety of small animal cages is sure to tickle anyone’s fancy.

Small animal cages

Small animal cages should not be tiny and pokey, in fact, they can be rather roomy and elaborate to give your pets the best quality of life possible. These cages need to cater to all of the needs of these little critters. Ferret and chinchilla cages can actually get quite big and take up a reasonable amount of space so you need to ensure you have the room to keep these pets happy and healthy before you bring them home.

These small animal cages can range from simple single story or tiered cages to multiple tiered or storey mansions for comfortable living. Our small animal cages can get quite creative and elaborate, allowing your critter to live and play in lots of space.

Hamster cages are possibly the most creative of all the small animal cages. Pipes and connectors create elaborate tunnels and runs for your hammy to roam and have fun in. Small animal cages offer fun, creativity and a cosy home for your furry friends. We offer you only the best quality to pamper and care for your pets. Browse through our selection of small animal cages to find the perfect one.

They usually spend around 14-18 hours per day sleeping and this is split into three 6 hour sections. Ferrets do sleep more than most other pets but they are very active when they are awake and will need lots of exercise to satisfy their energy and curiosity on a daily basis.

Their curiosity very often exceeds common sense in domestic environments and ferrets are good at getting stuck in drains and holes in walls, doors, cupboards or even in and behind household appliances such as ovens, dishwashers and washing machines where they can be injured or killed by drowning and electric shocks. Serious and sometimes fatal injuries have resulted from ferrets chewing on electrical cords. and dryer vents often become escape routes to the outdoors. Because ferrets also like to chew items made of soft rubber, foam or sponge, which put them at risk of intestinal blockage and death if ingested, make sure that any items of this nature are out of reach in a closed cupboard.

For these reasons, owners usually do “ferret-proof” their home, removing items dangerous to ferrets and covering over any holes or potential escape routes. Ferrets are quite clever and can open cupboards or doors that haven’t been closed properly by rolling over and clawing at the bottom edge.  Putting childproof latches on doors is a good idea and keeping your cleaning products in high, out-of-reach places also helps to prevent accidents happening.

Ferrets are very energetic and take a great interested in their environment.  They will actively choose to play with their owners and have both endearing and difficult behaviours for their owners to contend with.  Ferrets love to play hide-and-seek games and predator and prey games involving their owner attempting to catch the ferret or the ferret trying to catch the human. Ferrets also have a strong nesting instinct and can be seen repeatedly carrying small items or food to secret hiding places. They can also form strong attachments to certain objects and will repeatedly try to find and steal those objects to bring to their hiding place.

When ferrets get excited, they sometimes perform a strange little dance which is a frenzied series of sideways hops. This can often be accompanied by a gentle clucking type of noise and has been identified as an invitation to play or a way of showing you he is happy.  Despite how it looks, this behaviour is not at all threatening. His posture tends to become quite rigid and he opens his jaws wide, fixes his eyes on you and then starts thrashing or turning his head vigourously from side to side, arching his back and hopping side to side or backwards.  You might also hear him panting or hissing and this will likely then turn into a chasing game where he will also start to pounce and wrestle with you.

Ferrets can nip you when they are very young babies, but this nipping is done in a playful way and represents mock fighting and sparring.  as they get older, they tend to chew when teething and can have a tendency to start to bite a bit harder. If you’re on the receiving end of a play bite, a ferret will sometimes let out a high-pitched squeal or hiss to let you know of his annoyance or submission. As they get older, ferrets lessen their chewing and if you train them correctly, will almost never nip a human hand or if they do, will only do so very gently. Just be warned though, that some ferrets who have been abused or are in extreme pain may bite you and they are capable of strong bites which will break through your skin.

Ferrets can be trained to use a litter box, just like cats but they aren’t always completely litter box trainable. They instinctively spread their waste to scent mark a wider foraging territory for themselves so it’s sometimes a good idea to provide them with multiple litter boxes.  As with cats, their litter boxes will need to cleaned out on a very regular basis.

Unlike dogs and cats, many ferrets display little homing instinct and don’t thrive as strays so some ferret owners train their ferrets at a young age to respond to clicker toys, squeaky toys or to the sound of their own food being shaken as a means of tempting the ferret to come back. This is a good way of keeping your ferret under some type of control as wandering ferrets can easily be injured or killed by other animals, local wildlife or passing cars.

The ferret’s small size and speedy nature makes it easy for them to be stepped on so it is adviseable to walk slowly and not shuffle your feet off the floor higher than the height of your ferret so that you don’t tread on him. A ferret’s long spine is very delicate and can be severely damaged if stepped on and care must also be taken when handling him to avoid injury.

Some owners may prefer to house their pets outdoors in sheds, and not indoors. This is becoming more popular, and we at ideas-4-pets have sold many outdoor cat kennels which have been slightly altered to suit the needs of the ferret.  If your ferret is to be kept outdoors, the outside kennel is ideal as it keeps them contained and stops them from placing themselves in dangerous situations or escape situations.

Ferrets can make good pets for some children, but usually don’t make good pets for the very young. As mentioned before, ferrets are capable of delivering a strong bite which can be almost as strong as a domestic cat, so should never be left unsupervised near small children.  Children have been known to accidently hurt a ferret due to rough handling and the ferret will see this as an attack and fight back, so you must make sure that your child learns how to handle the ferret correctly and safely to prevent this from happening.

Once you have decided whether to keep your ferret indoors in a ferret cage or outdoors in a kennel of some sort, then you must consider what to feed him on.  A ferret’s natural diet used to consist of whole small prey, including any feathers and fur and some ferret owners feed their ferret with a meat-based diet consisting of small animals like mice and rabbits along with raw chicken or beef. However, there are some good quality commercial ferret food on the market and your vet would be able to advise you on the best type to purchase. 

Ideally, ferret food should contain a minimum of 32% meat based protein and 18% fat with a maximum of 3% fibre.  Ferrets also particularly enjoy raisins, bananas, peanut butter and certain breakfast cereals but the the high sugar content of these types of treats has been linked to ferret insulinoma and other diseases. Vets tend to recommend that you don’t feed these types of foods to ferrets at all.

As with all pets, make sure that you ferret has easy access to clean, fresh water and keep his kennel or cage scrupulously clean at all times to ensure that your pet remains fit and healthy.

If you are looking to purchase a new pet, then you might want to consider a rodent. Before making any decision, ideas-4-pets advise that you ask your vet about any special needs each particular species of rodent might have. Though many rodents require the same general care, they still have their own unique needs. It’s always a good idea to read up on each species or join a forum to discuss advantages and disadvantages before purchasing.

The rodent cage should be tall enough to accommodate your pet’s bedding and any toys you decide to put in. Line the base of the chinchilla cage with some form of bedding. Different species of rodent prefer different types of bedding, but for most rodents wood shavings are a good choice – aspen shavings or a paper litter in the chip variety. Don’t use cedar shavings in your rodent’s cage because the oil from the wood is an irritant to rodents and can cause serious health complications leading to possible death.

A ceramic food bowl is usually better than a plastic or metal one as rodent’s can’t chew through ceramic and they are heavier so not easily flipped over.

It is important to feed your pet a food designed specifically for your species of rodent that you have chosen and watch your pet’s eating habits to ensure that your pet is eating the food you provide, especially if you feed it a seed mixture. Many rodents will pick out their favourite pieces of food, like sunflower seeds and leave the more nutritious pellets behind !!

You should make sure that there is plenty of fresh, clean water provided for your pet in a water bottle that has a ball at the tip of the spout. Don’t attempt to give your pet water in a dish as this is very rarely successful and they tend to bathe in it, spill or put their bedding into it rather than drink it !!

Rodents need to keep their teeth filed, so keep a piece of wood or other chew toy in your pet’s cage for this purpose. Rodents’ teeth grow constantly, so it is really important that your pet has something to wear them down on. Buy the wood at a pet shop rather than simply picking up a piece from your garden, as you don’t want your pet to have splinters in his mouth or pick up diseases from your garden.

Add plenty of toys to your chinchilla cage that are appropriate for the size and species of your pet rodent. These toys will keep your animal entertained when you are not playing with him and they will also provide a place for him to hide. If you buy your pet a running wheel ideas-4-pets suggest that get one without spokes as your pet’s tail could get trapped in the spokes and cause him pain or injury.

Clean out your pet’s cage regularly – about once a week as this gives give your pet a clean, hygienic home and helps to prevent potential disease caused by build up of bacteria

Because ferrets are social creatures, they love to play and ideally your ferret should have ample room in his cage for this activity. Another good idea is to purchase a run for him. There are some excellent indoor and outdoor ferret runs on the market and ideas-4-pets have some new ones on their site.

Ferrets love to climb and are exceptionally good at it which means they are also good at escaping. Check the locks on his cage to prevent him getting out on his own and when you let your ferret out of his ferret cage to play, always make sure you are with him so that you can protect him from chewing cables or other objects that could harm him. They are not naughty creatures, but they are inquisitive and will investigate anything thoroughly.

The ferret cage should be secure and it is advisable to buy a cage with small gauge mesh as your feret will be able to squeeze through surprisingly small gaps. Most ferret cages are also suitable for chinchillas and vice-versa and there are plenty of different shapes and sizes on the market. As your ferret will usually like to sleep between 16 to 20 hours a day, some quality fabric bedding is ideal as it can be washed regularly to prevent odours.

When your ferret is awake he will love to play and will go through periods of intense play. Ferrets like to climb, dig and tunnel so their environment should have the facilities in place to allow this. Half-fill a plastic box with dry compost and make a small pop hole in the side – your ferret will love to dig in this. Invest in a play tunnel for your ferret or if you can’t afford this, give him an old pair of trousers or a drainpipe as these make great tunnels. Ferrets will also play with cat toys such as platform-style scratching posts as these give them the chance to climb and jump around which delights them. Your ferret will enjoy anything that rolls or squeaks and a good ideas is to regularly remove and replace his toys so that they keep fresh and he remains interested.

The best thing that you give you ferret is companionship expecially if you have only one ferret. They are very sociable creatures and love each others company but if you only have the room for one then give him plenty of your time. Tickle him, chase him and tease him with his toys and you will have a happy little ferret. You can even take your ferret for a walk. You can buy ferret/rabbit harnesses at most large pet shops or on the web.

One other important factor is to keep his ferret cage fresh by cleaning it out regularly