(Part 3) Best products from r/ferrets

No problem, glad to help anyone who wants to make the happiest furb they can! ^.^
 
As for what to do to bond? There are a couple things I can suggest, and it's easier than you'd think:

1. Most obvious - play with her! And I don't just mean let her bound about, I mean interact with her! Wrestle her with your hands, chase her around as she tries to hide under stuff or darts away from you, get low to the floor and crawl after her/let her crawl all over you... Ferrets crave playtime and attention, and especially since she is a solo ferret, you are going to be HER hooman-bean and she's probably just gonna end up seeing you as a very large ferret - so expect her to want lots of playtime with you as you're gonna be all the cute, adorable, little critter has for love and attention and so she's going to be relying on you for it! It's a responsibility, but it's nice. :3
   
2. While scruffing can be - and frequently is amongst us fur baby owners, is - a way of reprimand to train ferrets, it can also be used in bonding. When she's in a more 'mellow' state (i know it might seem like that's non-existent right now, but basically at times when she'll start "speed-bumping"), every now and then, pick her up, gently scruff, as in just enough to hold her so she kind of yawns in submission to relax, lay her across your lap/forearm, and gently rub her belly. Just a couple pets, then let her go off and play again. Do this a couple times a day. It helps because it shows that the scruff is as much out of love as it is reprimand, and them being in that 'vulnerable' state generally would make them tense and squirm, but after learning they can relax and trust you, the bond opens up even more. :)
   
3. Put some of your stinky clothes in her cage to sleep on/in! Seriously, go and run, work up a sweat in a workout, anything to get your musk and scent into some clothes, and instead of throwing them in a hamper, toss them into the ferrets cage instead. They have very sensitive noses and use them for everything from identifying what is edible to what smells like a potty to do their business in - so of course giving them something that so inherently smells like you to rest/relax/sleep in and on means anything that has your musk - especially you - is good!
   
4. Feeding! Even something as simple as having your ferret know it's you FEEDING them helps them bond. Again, she relys on you now for everything, and food is important to these little monsters! They eat lots, will stow away food and treats as it is instinctual to do so, so if their food bowl is empty/low, let them actually see you come in with their food/treats and they will know that this is the giant ferret who is taking care of them! And speaking of feeding...
   
5. Bottle feeding - when you can, either order them from amazon or go to a petshop, and pick these bottles up. Every once in a while, at night or around the time you want them to get used to going to bed (ferrets will acclimate and adjust to your schedule over time), just beat some raw egg up with a fork to mix the yolk and eggwhites, cradle the fur baby in your arms on their backs, and just slowly bottle feed them. Literally does what you think it would with a baby - brings them close, again, lying on back in vulnerable pose, the entire mentality of being fed (although they can't have raw egg all the time, think like 1 full raw egg a week or maybe 2 egg yolks, so think of it as a treat), and plus it's a TREAT! :D And since you're doing it at a time when they would be going to bed anyway (again, this is when they are older and have learned your schedule), they will get full tummies and potentially start dozing off in your arms. A ferret only sleeps/cuddles where it is comfortable, so if it's on you, you're set :3 And from sleeping we get to
   
6. Cleaning ears - now most ferrets HATE having their ears cleaned, and it can be a real hassle trying to get one to cooperate to do so. BUT, momma ferrets DO clean their kits ears, generally while they are sleeping, they just use their rough tongue to gently clean behind, the surface of front, and just barely inside ears. Pretty much, you're gonna imitate that. While fert is sleeping, wet q tip (in warm water!) and just gently brush behind the ear, surface of ear, and just little crevices that are visible (NEVER go in!).
    
   That's pretty much what I got/can think of right now, and everything i do with my own ferrets. As a side note, if she is a chewer and you do the bottle feeding thing, cut the rubber tip on bottle low and watch carefully. Swallowing rubber can be dangerous and cause blockage in ferrets. If you prefer, maybe a good, solid eye dropper made of metal or glass. Anywho, I hope this help you a little!
   

PM aid a private message on here, no worries! Takes time to get the jargon if you’re new to reddit lol. And you’re very welcome, I know how much of an adjustment and commitment these animals are.

I’m glad he likes the yolk bc it’s a good healthy treat! They say once a week is good and during the shedding season (October-November in fall, March-May/June in spring) you can feed them yolk twice a week and it helps reduce hairball blockages.

I am also OCD and the smell is something I’ve been trying to work around. I have cage wipes and Kaytee Cage Cleaner and I use those whenever I feel is necessary. I have a playpen for mine and after they’re done playing and I go to work for the day I spritz it so it can dry and it helps the smell of their pen. For the cage, I use blankets/towels and I change them daily sometimes twice a day if they’re wet or smelly (mine love to tip their water bowl and get everything wet so there’s that)

I use care fresh for litter, I tried yesterday’s news for them, and I would use the pellets at the bottom and use care fresh at the top, (I felt the pellets weighed down the box so they would move it less) they ended up burrowing with the pellets more than using it for litter but when I would use pellet the pee would break it down so much it started smelling like ammonia. It was HORRIBLY STINKY, so I stopped using the yesterdays news and only use care fresh now, it honestly doesn’t smell that bad but I’ve read that walnut shavings (I would be careful if you do this and Deff look into it and make sure the walnut shavings are a good/safe brand meant for ferrets before just buying any old shells) help reduce smell tremendously. Something about the natural aroma and the ferret smells mask it well, that might be something to consider if the smell is bothersome for you. But just be really on top of cleaning the basics ! 3x a day I clean their litter and before I put them back in their cage I take everything out and clean up any water, food, amiss litter and all of that and honestly you can’t even tell I have ferrets when you walk into my room. I’ve also read an air purifier is a godsend for the smell as well (which might be something I have to do in the winter when my room is stuffier, I have my air conditioning on all day for them so I think that helps the air flow for my situation)

Hope all of that helps!

Edit: I should also add I vacuum at least twice a day around their cage too. I used to be more of a slob during my day to day basis but the ferrets have kept me on top of all their cleaning needs and I spend like an hour before work and 2 hours after work cleaning after them, so it’s like 3 hours a day I spend on making sure they live a perfect life lol, just a part of the beauty of having these lovely creatures sharing your home!


Edit 2: with the salmon oil what brand is it? There is a person on this sub who recommends a certain brand, grizzly omega, that animals up to 12 pounds can have half a pump of that one (details on amazon if you want to see for yourself I’ll link it here: Grizzly Omega Health for Dogs & Cats, Wild Salmon Oil/Pollock Oil Omega-3 Blend https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074N4XWVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n5krDbB4HAW8M)

If he hates it, he hates it! They are notoriously finicky eaters. I definitely need to buy a bottle bc my babies do not respond well to scruffing and my boy is very anxious about nail clipping and baths, so I need to distract him. You should see my hands, they are covered in scratches from his nails, my good friend is a vet tech and she has cut their nails for me about 2 weeks ago but she went on vacation and now I’m struggling bc I want to do it but I’m scared of hurting them ! Especially bc he’s fussy as heck

1. You should always be worried about ferrets and other animals. Ferrets are troublemakers and instigators, and they will push the other pets' buttons. Even the most well mannered dog will only let themselves be pushed so far. ALL interaction between ferrets and other animals needs to be supervised.
   
   
2. A bedroom is plenty of room for a ferret to be housed in, but it would be great mental stimulation if you could occasionally take them to other rooms of the house and let them romp around for half an hour or so. Outside is great as well.
   
   
3. Bitter apple stuff doesn't deter many ferrets. They only see it as a challenge lol. Getting your cords and stuff off the floor is the most optimal solution. I'm an avid gamer too, I put all of my cords through 3 toilet paper tubes which hang on the wall, just behind my monitor. Keeps them out of sight and off the floor.
   
   Aside from that, as far as advice goes, I have a few points:
   
   

• My #1 piece of advice is to find a great vet that specializes in ferrets. Call around your local vets and find one that is experienced in dealing with ferrets, get them on your speed dial, and take your first ferret there asap so you can get that line of communication open. While we are always here to help, you absolutely need a vet when you own ferrets.
  
  
• They are not easy pets to own. You need to be very patient and persistent. Ferret proofing is an ongoing process that will need to happen continually as long as your ferrets live. They are smart and rambunctious and they will constantly be looking for new ways to circumvent your obstacles!
  
  
• Have a read through our wiki. If ferrets still sound appealing to you after that, pick up a copy of Ferrets for Dummies, this is pretty much the 'ferret bible'.
  
  
• Do some Googling to find local ferret shelters in your area. Kits are not recommended for first-timers, plus a shelter can also help you find a vet, give you advice on where to buy stuff, it's less expensive to adopt than buy, and lots of them attend/host fun ferret get togethers and parties if you're into that kind of thing. In most scenarios, shelters = good, pet stores = bad.

Unfortunately it doesn't link to the house, I'd love something like that but I'm in a rental property. One day we'll get there.

For the dig box long grain rice is recommended as other types can swell in the stomach if eaten, this can cause blockages and is really dangerous. Others possibilities are ping pong balls or biodegradable packing peanuts (Must be biodegradable in case they're ingested). Mine had rice and they absolutely loved it, there's a bunch of youtube videos of ferrets enjoying them.

Ferretone is alright in moderation yeah, I've heard of other people using it in small amounts. I use 'Ferret Bites' or 'Marshall Bandit's Ferret Treats or similar - They aren't the most healthy so I break each one up into two pieces but my two love them. They also love freeze dried chicken or liver, you can get them in little pieces for dog training and such, these are the healthiest option by far. If you're looking to trick her into trying treats from your hand try putting a dab of feretone on one and feeding it to her, that might convince her! Oh I also used mince in the past, a big gross but just hand over a few millimeters for each reward, just watch out she doesn't start stashing it.

We go with the raw food diet. It took them a minute to get used to, but they LOVE it now. Eat like maniacs, and they're full of energy with a beautiful coat. Vet says everything looks great too. I've had vets tell me that we should stop and put them on a kibble diet instead. I've had vets tell me to never feed them kibble and only raw meats. It's really whatever you prefer. I'm not against kibble, it seems perfectly fine if you're careful about ingredients.
A raw diet is the closest to what they would eat in the wild, so it made the most sense to me. I haven't had any bad experiences so far.


You do have to do your research and get a good mix of different kinds of meats in there - it should mostly be bones, but you have to include organs and muscle meats as well. We feed ours 3 oz each twice a day. Every other meal is raw chopped up chicken winglets (you can use whatever works for you - we just found this easiest to chop). Then in between we alternate with raw chicken hearts and raw steak strips (the ones for stir fry are already cut and it's perfect. Chopped meat is another easy alternative, my guys didn't seem to care for it though)


The most clear explanation/breakdown that I came across was from /u/TehWeezle in this post - https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/comments/4oekia/beginner_ferret_guide_compilation_vol_2a/ (the comments offer a lot of clarity)

For treats we use freeze dried liver and they go nuts over it.
(https://www.amazon.com/Stewart-Pro-Treat-Freeze-Dried-Treats/dp/B00SX4V7NE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502931617&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=freeze+dried+liver&psc=1) Salmon oil is another one they like. It's usually what we use to keep them still enough to clip their nails (put them on their back and rub some on their belly, they'll sit there and lick it all day.) I've read a lot of people giving their ferrets raw egg yolk as a treat, and they seem to like it. My guys couldn't seem to care less.

Some tips:

1. They hide food, and it will smell. I have to check their cage everyday, and I just put it back in their bowl. This could be tricky if you're letting them roam free.
   
   
2. They were fed kibble before hand, our first guy didn't understand it was food. We had to put a bit of kibble on top to get him to understand, but after 3 days he was totally kibble free and didn't have a problem.
   
   
3. Its a lot of prep - We buy everything in bulk at the beginning of the month, cut everything up and put them into baggies and keep them in the freezer. Takes a good two hours or so. We keep about three days worth in the fridge defrosted and once we use a bag we just take another out of the freezer.
   
   
4. Some people swear the food has to be warm for them to eat it (like prey) but our guys don't seem to care. They've eaten it half frozen with no problem.
   
   
5. You can get to a point where you just put a whole drumstick or thigh in there and let them learn to tear it apart themselves... I'm a nervous nelly and panic that they're going to choke to death so I cut it up for them. It's probably illogical, but to each their own.
   
   
6. Don't let their poop panic you. When they eat organs it tends to be very dark and runny. I first panicked it was blood in their stool, or something was wrong. Vet confirmed its just from all of the organ blood they're consuming.
   
   
7. Last but not least, you'll find videos and blogs of people doing prey diets (if you haven't already). Some people will put an entire dead pigeon carcass in the cage and let their catsneks have at it. Some people even give them live mice and let them kill it themselves. Yes this is how they eat in the wild, but I can't stomach that. This was the next best thing I could do for them.
   
   Hope this helps! If you have any questions let me know.
   
   ** Edits for spelling, formatting, bad grammar, and just because I'm a bit anal.

I'm sorry to hear about your fuzznoodle. :-(

• Treats. Spoil him rotten. Most ferrets that I've encountered have love for things they shouldn't have like peanut butter, honey-nut Cheerios, and raisins. Don't skimp on the FerretVite or FerreTone.
  
• Build a (sterile) dirty dig box. Use bagged topsoil to create sterile soil, load up a large plastic bin, and let him go nuts. He will create a huge mess and will likely be engaged for a long time, but he will find it endlessly entertaining and won't want to leave. If you're lucky (and he's got the energy) he may even create a small burrow in/under the soil.
  
• Physical contact. Pet him, hold him, carry him. I have a small hip bag that's specifically designed to carry a ferret, and a quick look on Etsy shows similar contraptions (plus a "neck bag" that's sort of like a scarf with a ferret-sized pocket in it). Let him sleep when he wants and don't hold him if he wants to run around, but let him know you're there.
  
• Introduce him to new or rarely-seen environments. My ferrets live in a playpen/cage environment but every once in awhile I bring them into the living room and they go nuts from being in the new space. Let him run around a place he's normally not allowed in (provided the space is safe for him).
  
• Make sure his sleep space is dark, warm, and comfortable. If he sleeps in a cage, drape a heavy towel or blanket over it to keep light out and warmth in. If the cage is in a drafty area, set up a small personal heater outside the cage to gently blow warm air into the covered cage. My ferrets have this one outside their cage which keeps things toasty-warm. They adore it.

The ferretone definitely helps! My little girl is unruly as well, but oh god she cannot deny the ferretone, she'll eat it up and be a little princess to try and get more. Have you tried giving her crunchy plasticky things? Mine loves that, and the other loves stuffed animals. She might also like something like this http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Pet-Products-FT-282-Ferret/dp/B000ENIRWQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348379497&sr=8-1&keywords=ferret+toy . I agree though the best thing you could probably do is get rid of the squeeky toys because she clearly doesn't like them, bribe her, and give her time to adjust. You could also try washing your hands before playing with her with unscented soap so you don't smell like another ferret or anything she could be sensitive to or just plain outright not like.

Man! No ones on this thread. Would love to hear other people's opinions and thoughts as well. I'll throw out mine in the mean time.


I haven't really gotten around to researching daily supplements yet (i think because I'm a believer of nutrients coming straight from the food source), I've done a little research about Taurine but that's about it so far. If you mean emergency situation sickness stuff, I've been slowly building a first aid kit for our ferrets. Inside I have ProBiotics, FerretRx, and Ferret Lax. I've used all of these with great success. The Probiotic helps with some tummy upsets when switching food and minor illness. The Ferret Rx was a great help when a cold spread through out the home and even to the ferrets and the ferret lax is something I feel should be a requirement to ferret house holds. Defiantly helped durring shedding season.


Also, Liam and Jasper are looking adorable in that pic. ❤

Hey, great !

Nice to see some custom build around here.

Also your idea of using backing tray as floor is realy great.

I'am in the process of doing something similar but started with an AmazonBasics Folding Metal Dog Crate in XS size as a base https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-pliante-m%C3%A9tal-1-porte-Taille-M/dp/B018YCTX6M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1490549692&sr=8-4&keywords=cage&th=1

I could not find a sturdy plastic crate who i will be sure nothing could happend to it when i take the train or bus, also the width was a limited factor since bus have a small inside corridor.

Also could only find the 1 door version in France, and now seems that the restock time will be long, so stuck with a 1 door 22 inches for the moment.

As for the wall, will use rabbit welded wire, since our catsnake can be very creative in escape.

You could cut an L shape of the floor rack and make it so that you have a ramp going down, so they can use all floor when the want.

For the litter box you can use velcro, one side on the litter box, the other one on the base/wall of plastic cage, with 3 point of fixation, the litter box will not moove.

Also, you can maybe have a lower gap beetween the 2 plastic side with using a heatgun and heating the plastic at the point where the rack stay in place, it will not damage the plastic shell, just make it softer and you could gain a few mm so that the two side fit perfectly. Dont melt them in, just make so that the base have the marking of the grate.

1. he has too blue dots behind his ears so i think so
   2)I was never given a DOT certificate.
   3)He is not vaccinated and has never been sick or showed any symptoms of being sick
   
2. He eats "Grain free, Zupreme Ferret Diet"
   5)He goes to the bathroom in only 3 corners, and ive trained him to not use a few corners that he used to use, took about 1-1 1/2 weeks to do so but wasnt too hard. He will nip feet if your wearing socks, i think b/c i made the mistake of using socks to play with him. If hes duking and u go to pet him he will nip but very very lightly (like so lightly sometimes i dont even realize) and immediately let go when he realizes its a hand/part of a human
   6)I have never found a treat type he likes, even since he was a few months old he never seemed to interested in the treats i bought.
   7)I have a squeaky toy that he goes crazy over and will come sprinting across the room to get too it's a great way to call him to you. And sock/sock like things he loves.
   8)http://www.amazon.com/Ware-Manufacturing-Plastic-Sweet-28-Inch/dp/B003TKRYKC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1463023933&sr=8-3&keywords=cage this is the cage he has but the only time he's in it is when i have to clean the room he lives in (like vacuum or move stuff) or when i have to transport him somewhere. He doesnt mind if you put him in he'll try to get out for 3mins then just curl up into his hammock and sleep :)
   
   
   PIC: http://imgur.com/UgFBqpz This is the best pic i have of him right now i'll keep looking and if i find any others ill post them
   

Tubing


From left to right the contents of each box are

Cornstarch Peanuts - Ping pong balls (open) - Cornstarch Pellets (Open)

and the two bottom boxes are both pinto beans.


They love it, and if you have the space for something like this I easily recommend it. My ferrets will spend such a long time chasing each other throughout it.


I think I'm going to upgrade all the tubing later to the clear kind, but it was expensive for now and I was just testing the idea. Ferrets love it.

I can’t seem to find any with that much protein but I’ll keep looking. I found the digestive support Wysong on Amazon but it doesn’t ship to the UK unfortunately. There is this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wysong-Ferret-Epigen-90-Pound-x/dp/B00J4QWYHI it’s 60% protein. What do you think? I would definitely order this if its any good, although it’s quite expensive compared to the other kibbles but that’s not an issue. It will apparently take a long time to deliver tho.

Wow those are some lucky weasels!! Well, one thing I saw on amazon was a scatter-guard for the cage.. might help with the food not getting outside the cage, and mine tend to eat the food that lands inside the cage. I don't have a scatter guard, so I can't testify as to its effectiveness, but might be worth a try?

Vaseline is safe to put on them and it hydrates/soothes them

Vitamin a ointment could help contribute to healing but don’t apply it too often (one a day sparingly) because they will lick it off and they could get vitamin a toxicity especially if they already have vitamin a in their food.

healthE - Vitamin A Ointment (Retinol Palmitate) - Suitable for Healing of Wounds, Cuts, Abrasions, Burns and Chafed Skin (50g tube) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075TVGBCS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7ToTDbF4M1R1Q

Puppy Kong. They're the perfect size for ferrets. My girls steal it and hide it because it's their favorite thing in the world. Also, be sure to yelp when they bite you. That's how ferrets convey to each other that the play is too rough.

Suprisingly I found it on Amazon!! It is adorable.
I'll link it for you!! \^_____\^

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DKCKS6T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I feed mine straight kitten food/kibble. This is what diet mine is on currently: https://www.amazon.com/Wellness-Natural-Kitten-Chicken-5-Pound/dp/B06X9PD36H/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Wellness+core+grain+free+kitten+food&qid=1558665363&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Not the best kibble since it has peas in it, which can cause bladder stones in ferrets. I've been looking for an alternative for a while now in all of my local brick-and-mortar pet stores but haven't found anything better unfortunately.

There is a spreadsheet made by members of this community which list some of the best choices for kibbles as well as the pros/cons of each one. You can find it here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub

Picked up a couple of these on Amazon. Can be cut down for shorter lengths or left full length. The weazels love them.

Long Tunnel

Digestive support is fine. It'd the epigen 90 that seems to be causing issues.

Wysong Epigen 90 Ferret Diet Pet Food, 5-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J4QWYHI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Z6z0xb7PEBM8R

Check out the reviews.

Really? I saw the bottle said “for ferrets” so I thought it was safe. This is the product. https://www.amazon.com/Tomlyn-Calorie-Nutritional-Ferrets-Nutri-Cal/dp/B0002DGTO6
Is it the same thing to Ferrovite?

Mine love kong puppy toys. They're rubbery enough to chew on, but they haven't been able to tear a piece off in the 4 months since I bought it. I have the extra small one.
http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Puppy-Kong-Small-Assorted/dp/B0002AR18C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457123857&sr=8-2&keywords=KONG+PUPPY

I just ordered some two days ago and it has arrived.

and its still in stock
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J4QWYHI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UL3EUI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1