Ferrets as pets: what to know before you get one

Do ferrets make good pets?

Yes, for the right home. VCA describes ferrets as good-natured, inquisitive and playful animals that enjoy human company, and people have kept them for more than 2,000 years. They play games, can learn to use a litter tray, and Wood Green explains how to walk them on a harness.

They are also a lot of work. Ferret rescuers say they need far more time out of the cage than most new owners expect, and people who wanted a cage pet are often caught out. A ferret suits you if you are home a lot, enjoy a pet that wants to play with you, and do not mind a musky smell and a daily clean.

Facts about ferrets as pets

Our ferret facts page has the fun ones, like the happy chuckling "dook" the RSPCA describes.

How much time does a ferret need?

At least 4 hours a day out of the cage, plus a few minutes of cleaning. That 4-hour figure comes from ferret rescuers, and it is a floor, not a goal. The RSPCA asks for daily exercise, ideally daily access to a safe play area, and Wood Green prefers ferrets to have 24-hour access to a whole ferret-safe room.

Ferrets are most active around dawn and dusk but adapt to your timetable. Plan for a play session in the morning and a long one in the evening. Our guides to ferret playtime and ferret-proofing your home show how to make that time safe.

Do ferrets smell?

Yes, a little, and you cannot wash it away. VCA explains that the musky smell comes mainly from glands in the skin, so even "descented" ferrets, which have had their anal scent glands removed, still smell musky. Bathing on a schedule does not remove it either. Neutering makes the biggest difference, especially for males, and clean litter trays and bedding do the rest. Our page on whether ferrets smell has the full answer.

What vet care do pet ferrets need?

A yearly check and vaccination, neutering, and a vet who knows ferrets. The RSPCA asks for yearly vet checks including vaccination against canine distemper, which VCA describes as usually fatal to ferrets. In the US, rabies vaccination is also given, depending on local rules.

Neutering matters more for ferrets than for most pets. The RSPCA explains that a female left in season keeps making oestrogen, which can cause hair loss and a life-threatening anaemia. Neutering also cuts smell and makes ferrets easier to keep together. Later in life, ferrets often get adrenal disease, insulinoma (low blood sugar) or lymphoma. Our ferret health guide covers the signs.

Are ferrets legal to keep?

In the UK, yes. In the US, mostly: the American Ferret Association notes that California and Hawaii ban pet ferrets, and New York City restricts them, while some smaller towns have their own rules. Check your local rules, your tenancy agreement and your insurance before you get one.

Are ferrets good with children and other pets?

With older, calm children and supervision, often yes. VCA advises talking to your vet first if you have young children and always supervising, because a frightened ferret may bite. Ferrets are predators, so the RSPCA asks that they are kept well away from prey animals: rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, hamsters and birds. Some ferrets get on with cats and dogs if introduced carefully and early, but never leave them alone together.

What is good enrichment for ferrets?

Anything that lets a ferret tunnel, dig, hunt and hide. The best enrichment is another ferret: Wood Green calls a suitable ferret friend the most important thing you can give them. After that, try:

• Pipes, tubes and play tunnels
• A dig box of shredded paper, rice or blankets, or a sandpit
• A paper sack stuffed with shredded paper
• A box of old socks to burrow in
• Food hidden in bedding or served in a treat ball, so they forage
• A shallow tray of water in summer, always supervised
• Wand and fishing-rod cat toys, played with you
• Small children's tents and cardboard boxes with holes cut in
• Harness walks somewhere safe

Swap toys around every week so there is always something new. Our ferret enrichment guide has more.

Is a ferret right for you?

Before you start looking, check you can say yes to all of these:

• You can give at least 4 hours a day of safe free-roam time, every day.
• You have room for a large cage or a ferret-safe room, kept cool.
• You can keep two ferrets, not one.
• You can afford neutering, yearly vaccines and later-life vet bills. One US rescue puts lifetime vet care at upwards of $1,500; see our ferret cost guide.
• You have a ferret vet near you, and someone to care for them when you are away.
• You are fine with a musky smell and daily tray cleaning.

If so, start with a rescue: our guide to where to get a ferret explains how. Then read the ferret care guide before they come home.