The Great Ferret Alliance

[spiderfish]

I'm getting a ferret in July, but I'm having trouble envisioning the setup I want.

It's going to be (eventually) living in the shed, so will definitely be in an outdoor hutch. Hoping for a double-tier, but if I cant get one cheap enough I'll have to settle on a large single tier.

Could anyone share pictures of their setups? It'll help me think what I want to get (as in toys/hammocks/ect.) because I'm probably going to start shopping next month.

[scoopyfrog]

I'm getting a ferret in July, but I'm having trouble envisioning the setup I want.

It's going to be (eventually) living in the shed, so will definitely be in an outdoor hutch. Hoping for a double-tier, but if I cant get one cheap enough I'll have to settle on a large single tier.

Could anyone share pictures of their setups? It'll help me think what I want to get (as in toys/hammocks/ect.) because I'm probably going to start shopping next month.

Nooo no no no no

I really, REALLY hope you read this because an outdoor hutch is most certainly NOT a good place for a ferret. Ferrets NEED to be kept inside. They absolutely cannot live outside, not even in that shed. Please, please, do not put your ferret in a hutch in the shed. It will be miserable and most likely get sick. There are special ferret cages made that can be put in any room of the house.
I repeat, DO NOT put your ferret outside.

[Cardinal]

I'm getting a ferret in July, but I'm having trouble envisioning the setup I want.

It's going to be (eventually) living in the shed, so will definitely be in an outdoor hutch. Hoping for a double-tier, but if I cant get one cheap enough I'll have to settle on a large single tier.

Could anyone share pictures of their setups? It'll help me think what I want to get (as in toys/hammocks/ect.) because I'm probably going to start shopping next month.

Nooo no no no no

I really, REALLY hope you read this because an outdoor hutch is most certainly NOT a good place for a ferret. Ferrets NEED to be kept inside. They absolutely cannot live outside, not even in that shed. Please, please, do not put your ferret in a hutch in the shed. It will be miserable and most likely get sick. There are special ferret cages made that can be put in any room of the house.
I repeat, DO NOT put your ferret outside.

Plenty of folks keep ferrets in large hutches outside.

Edit: This is a photo of a friends set up. She hunts with her ferts and lives in Australia. She's used the larger hutch for well over 10 years with no problems what so ever.

[Queen of the Kings]

I'm getting a ferret in July, but I'm having trouble envisioning the setup I want.

It's going to be (eventually) living in the shed, so will definitely be in an outdoor hutch. Hoping for a double-tier, but if I cant get one cheap enough I'll have to settle on a large single tier.

Could anyone share pictures of their setups? It'll help me think what I want to get (as in toys/hammocks/ect.) because I'm probably going to start shopping next month.

Nooo no no no no

I really, REALLY hope you read this because an outdoor hutch is most certainly NOT a good place for a ferret. Ferrets NEED to be kept inside. They absolutely cannot live outside, not even in that shed. Please, please, do not put your ferret in a hutch in the shed. It will be miserable and most likely get sick. There are special ferret cages made that can be put in any room of the house.
I repeat, DO NOT put your ferret outside.

Agreed, but if you are VERY active with you're ferret (about 4.5-6 hours of play per day), if would be okay to have them outside as long as their cage has shade and both dark and light areas.

And speaking of cages: if you want your ferret to be happy, you should have at least 2.5 tiers in your cage and it should be both long and wide. If you and your ferret are not very active with each other, you should buy them a large cage with a minimum of three tiers. I am pretty active with my ferret; but my cage has four tiers, two beds, two hammocks, two litter boxes, a water bottle and a water bowl, and shirts spread out on the floor of every tier. I put one of everything (Bed, hammock, litter box, water bottle) on the floor/ceiling of the first tier so they can access it easily. I have a food bowl, litterbox, and water dish on the third tier, and the second hammock and the second bed on the fourth tier.



Edit: This is a photo of a friends set up. She hunts with her ferts and lives in Australia. She's used the larger hutch for well over 10 years with no problems what so ever.



If you have a large cage like this, with a lot of shade and ferrets that don't stay in their cage all the time, it would be fine.

And: You can have your ferret in a hutch outside, but most certainly do not put your ferret in cage inside a shed.

[Cardinal]

Now.. If we're NOT talking about the above set-up, whcih was a shed.. and instead a cage inside of a shed I'd say its a big nnnnnoooooo because of ventilation. Turning the shed INTO a hutch isn't a bad idea, though.

[scoopyfrog]

(headdesk)

Ferrets aren't 'easy' pets like cats or dogs. They require a LOT of specialized care and should not be kept outside (it's the same with rabbits--even though so many of them are kept in hutches outside, they shouldn't be). Your friend is an exception to this, but there's going to be exceptions with everything. I've had over ten ferrets in my lifetime and know my stuff, okay? Trust me when I say that keeping them outside is NOT OKAY.

[Queen of the Kings]

Does anyone have any tips on training your ferret to stay still while you clip their nails?

I have this vitamin-paste-in-a-tube that I feed to my ferret while I clip her nails; and she is fine with the front paws, but when I go to clip her back paws she just won't stay still. I have tried having someone else hold her but she ends up drawing blood from one of us.


Also guys - please do not argue over keeping ferrets outside any longer. Look it up if you really want to know.

[Angelus Gaston]

I've kept ferrets outside for well over 15 years with out problems I don't see why it's so bad as long as they have space and human interaction. Yes my current Jill ferrets are in door's but they get put outside when it's cool enough and currently have three of my intact male's in a large cage and run.
Know I get told not to have my three boy's together because of fight's but I have never had a problem with any male kept togeather and I'm expecting a litter of kit's in a few weeks.
I don't see why it's such a big deal as long as your not just putting them outside and forgetting about them. My ferrets are as much a part of my family as my cats and dog's even if they are outdoor's, yes there worked but there pets first and foremost.

[Queen of the Kings]

-Bump

[Queen of the Kings]

-Bump