Baby Ferrets and What You Need to Know

I've wanted ferrets since I was a kid; they're fun, small animals that always seem so interested in everything you're doing. I've never been a fan of dogs, but I've always wanted a small animal I could take out into the public and spend a lot of time with. Ferrets seemed to be that perfect creature.

I turned 21 in September of this last year, but unlike other college students, I didn't want alcohol; I wanted a ferret of my very own. That morning, I welcomed a little eight-week-old, cinnamon-furred jill I'd named Bristol. She could fit in the palm of my hand and she fell asleep in my lap as we went to buy her cage.

Bristol is my first ferret. I wanted a baby that would grow with me and that I'd have a lot of time to learn from. But baby Bristol taught me a lot in just the first two weeks alone. Here are some of the myths she soon shattered.

1. Baby ferrets need A LOT of attention.

If you've ever wanted to be a ferret parent, you've probably done your basic research and found that ferrets need a lot of interaction and mental stimulation. On average, you should give your fuzzie at least four hours of play a day.

Well, baby ferrets are a tad different. Take that four hours a day and multiply it by 24 hours and you'll see that an eight-week-old will want to play with you every chance she gets. The first week I realized that Bristol needed me no matter how tired I was. After my second week, I was exhausted. Coming home from class and work made me an awful ferret parent because I was the only one who could play with her.

Which leads me to the next lesson I learned from her...

2. Ferrets are potato chips; you can't have just one...

Bristol started showing signs of depression about a week after she came to live with us. I was concerned; despite me doing my best to play with her every day and give her plenty of toys, it simply wasn't enough.

I realized that Bristol had gone to living with her litter mates to suddenly living with no ferrets at all. Our animals had no clue how to play with a ferret and most were wary or outright afraid of her those first few weeks. I'm sure she felt pretty lonely.

My partner and I decided we needed to act fast and ensure that Bristol would have a happy start to life. I had only wanted one ferret but was realizing it was a lot of work to be her only companion; as a full time student with multiple internships and jobs, it was hard to have the energy she needed.

I started my research right away and figured the best thing to do was to let Bristol chose who she wanted to spend her life with. We called the store we'd gotten her from and they told us they'd have babies that weekend. Between two jills, Bristol picked the ever-sleepy baby Briar.

3. Having two is surprisingly easier than I expected.

Baby ferrets have a lot of energy, as mentioned before. I remember my partner staring at me, fear in his eyes, saying, "Don't let Bristol pick out the baby."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because, she's already crazy," he said. "She's going to pick out an even crazier ferret. They're gonna get ferrWRECKED."

Funny as his joke was, it was ironic that Bristol picked Briar. Contrary to Bristol's crazed little personality, Briar enjoys sleeping and is clumsier than your average ferret. In fact, Briar had an upper respiratory infection when we got her; the first week she was on medication, in a sickbay cage and constantly sleeping.

But once the girls were living together, I realized that our fears of taking care of two was by far easier than I'd anticipated. They'd tire each other out and play together. Even the mess, honestly, was no different than just having one; they poop a lot anyways, so what difference did it make?

4. Ferrets are not comparable to dogs or cats.

I loved ferrets, in part because they reminded me of cats. I've had cats my entire life, and they've always been a favorite animal. I had, for some reason, expected that ferrets would just be like playful kittens all the time.

But you should know that ferrets do not communicate like cats or dogs. Having a ferret is a whole world of its own. I remember when we were trying to get the girls to stay in the same cage, Bristol would try to engage in dominance play almost every time she saw her. The amount of "aggression" I saw really worried me.

Despite hearing from other long-time ferret owners, I felt like the fighting was too intense. I recalled any time my cats had gotten into a fight, or how dogs snapped at each other, and felt like this couldn't possibly be normal.

It turns out, it is. The first time you see ferrets play together, you might get nervous, but it's totally normal. Briar, now healthy and strong, could defend herself and the two officially got along after a huge scrub-down of the cage (to re-scent it) and a long playtime.

Now? The girls don't go anywhere without the other. They have a strong bond and play together all the time. Since they've been living together for a few months now, Briar is more out of her shell and playful while Bristol has calmed down a bit; they've really mellowed each other out.

5. No, you're not a bad ferret parent.

I worry all the time that I'm making a mistake or that my girls might not be as happy as I hope they'd be. They've yelled at me during bath time, tried to get into the trash when I'm cleaning the litter box and sighed in my hands more times than I can count, but they're growing up healthy and strong.

When you get a baby, you have to be ready for all the medical expenses that come after. The girl's need monthly shots to update their vaccines and I usually get their nails done while we're there. It's not the best experience to them, or my wallet, but it has to get done.

My girls know I'm the one who feeds them and cleans up after them. I'm also the one who brings them their favorite toys or sometimes shares healthy treats. Ferrets are not easy creatures to take care of, but they are certainly worth it.

Even though I'm a new parent, I've done everything by the books and the advice I've gotten from long-term owners has been a huge help. I love my little fuzzies and I try to never get discouraged when taking care of them. Yes, it is a lot of work, especially if they're babies, but your fuzzie will certainly appreciate it. They have faith in you, so have faith in yourself.