Ferret care: the complete guide

Are ferrets easy to take care of?

Ferrets are easy to understand but not low effort. Their daily needs are simple: food, water, a clean tray, a warm bed and someone to play with. What catches people out is the amount: at least 4 hours a day out of the cage, a companion ferret, a meat diet, neutering, a yearly vaccine and a vet who knows ferrets. Ferret rescuers say people who expected a cage pet are often surprised by how much time ferrets need.

If you are home a lot and want a pet that plays with you, they are a joy. Our guide to ferrets as pets helps you decide, and ferret facts covers the quirks.

Ferret basics: size, lifespan and types

Males are called hobs, females jills and babies kits. The MSD Veterinary Manual gives adult weights of up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) for hobs and up to 1.2 kg (2.5 lb) for jills, and the British Veterinary Nursing Association notes that both sexes change weight with the seasons. Ferrets live 6 to 10 years, and the British Veterinary Nursing Association says a few reach 12. Our ferret lifespan guide covers each life stage.

There is only one species of pet ferret, but plenty of colours and patterns. The RSPCA lists five main colours: fitch (sable), albino, silver, sandy and dew. See ferret breeds and colours, and when you have one, our list of ferret names.

Ferret housing: how big, what goes in, and where

Bigger than you think. Wood Green asks for 24-hour access to an escape-proof room of at least 2.4 x 1.8 x 1.8 m (8 x 6 x 6 ft) for indoor ferrets, or a shed and run of a similar size outdoors. Burgess asks for 3 x 2 x 2 m (10 x 6.5 x 6.5 ft) for a pair. A large multi-level cage works as a bedroom if your ferrets also get at least 4 hours a day out. Our guides to ferret cage size and the best ferret cages compare the options.

Inside, set separate corners for the litter tray, the food and the beds. Use soft washable fabric in hammocks and sleep sacks, and unscented paper pellets in high-sided trays. Avoid pine and cedar shavings and clumping or silica litter. See ferret cage setup, ferret bedding and the best ferret hides.

Ferrets overheat easily. The RSPCA asks for a home at about 15 to 21°C (59 to 70°F), and Burgess warns that over 26°C (79°F) is too hot and over 30°C (86°F) can kill. Our ferret temperature guide covers summer and winter.

What do ferrets eat?

Meat. Ferrets are strict carnivores and cannot digest much fibre or starch, so the RSPCA advises a complete commercial ferret food, with no bread, cereals or vegetarian diets. The British Veterinary Nursing Association gives a target of 34 to 36% protein and about 20% fat, from animal sources.

• Always available. Ferrets eat little and often because food passes through them quickly, so leave food out all day and night.
• Water twice a day. The RSPCA asks you to check water twice a day; ferrets become seriously ill without it.
• Treats small. Small pieces of cooked meat, egg or ferret treats. Avoid sugary fruit, dairy and chocolate.
• Change slowly. Mix any new food in gradually, as sudden changes upset ferret digestion.

Our ferret diet guide has portions and raw feeding, and what can ferrets eat lists foods one by one.

Company, handling and behaviour

Most ferrets are sociable. The RSPCA recommends groups of no more than four, ideally littermates, all neutered, with enough beds, bowls and hiding places for everyone. A lone ferret needs much more of your time. Handling every day from an early age builds a strong bond.

Wood Green suggests picking a ferret up with one hand under its armpits; support its back end with your other hand. Young ferrets nip in play; calm, regular handling usually fixes it. Our guide on how to tame a ferret covers biting, and ferret behaviour explains the dooking, hissing and bouncing.

The RSPCA lists hissing, biting, hiding, screaming and fleeing as signs of stress, and reluctance to move, weight loss, trembling and teeth grinding as signs of pain. Any of these is a reason to look closer and ring your vet.

Exercise and play: how much time out?

At least 4 hours a day, the figure ferret rescuers give. Ferrets are most active around dawn and dusk but fit around you. Before they roam, block gaps behind kitchen units, under sofas and around appliances, and lift wires and anything soft and chewable. Our guide to ferret-proofing your home walks through each room.

Play should let them tunnel, dig, hunt and hide: tubes, dig boxes, paper sacks, wand toys and hidden food. Avoid soft rubber and latex toys, which Burgess warns are a choking hazard. See ferret playtime, ferret enrichment and the best ferret toys.

Ferret health care: vaccines, neutering and checks

Ferrets need more routine vet care than most small pets. Find a ferret-savvy vet before you bring one home, and book a check within 48 hours of bringing one home, as VCA suggests.

Neutering matters most for females. The RSPCA explains that an unmated jill can stay in season, and the oestrogen can cause hair loss and a fatal anaemia. It also notes that neutering can lead to adrenal disease years later, and that delaying surgery until after puberty may lower that risk. A hormone implant, which lasts up to 18 to 24 months, is the main alternative. Ask your vet which suits your ferret.

Ring your vet the same day if a ferret stops eating or drinking, has diarrhoea, is weak or wobbly, strains to pass urine, or loses fur. Burgess warns that green or black diarrhoea needs a vet straight away. Ferrets also catch human flu, so keep them away from anyone ill, and never give medicine meant for another animal. Our ferret health guide covers the signs in full.

Daily, weekly and monthly ferret care

• Daily: top up food, wash and refill water, empty and refill litter trays
• Daily: remove stashed food and soiled bedding
• Daily: at least 4 hours of supervised play out of the cage
• Daily: quick health check of eating, droppings, coat and energy
• Weekly: wash all bedding and toys, wipe down the cage, swap toys round
• Weekly: weigh each ferret, as weight loss is an early sign of illness
• Monthly: strip and disinfect the cage, check for damage
• Every 3 months: flea treatment
• Every 6 to 12 weeks: nail trim
• Yearly: vet check and distemper booster

The cleaning routine is in our guide to cleaning a ferret cage, and litter habits in ferret litter training. Clean trays and bedding are also the answer to whether ferrets smell: a little, but much less with good routines.

Getting a ferret: rescue, breeder and cost

Start with a rescue. Many ferrets are given up each year, and rescues can match you with a settled, neutered and vaccinated pair. If you go to a breeder, kits should be at least 12 weeks old before leaving their mother, according to the British Veterinary Nursing Association. VCA's checklist for a healthy ferret: alert and curious, clear eyes and nose, light pink gums, no fleas, not thin, and a clean dry bottom. Our guide to where to get a ferret lists rescues and questions to ask.

Budget for a large cage, neutering, yearly vaccines and later-life vet bills. One US rescue puts lifetime vet care at upwards of $1,500. Our ferret cost guide breaks down set-up and monthly costs.