Indoor or outdoor ferrets: which is right?

Should ferrets live indoors or outdoors?

Both work, and the welfare charities agree on that. RSPCA Australia says ferrets can live inside or out "so long as the conditions are suitable", and Woodgreen describes good homes of both kinds. What matters is temperature, space, safety and company, not which side of the back door they are on.

Our pick, if you are choosing from scratch: indoors in a ferret-proofed room, or outdoors in a big shed-and-aviary set-up if you have one. The middle ground, a small cage indoors or a hutch outside, is the one to avoid. The RSPCA in the UK puts the right temperature at around 15 to 21°C (59 to 70°F). Burgess says over 26°C (79°F) is too hot and over 30°C (86°F) can be fatal; RSPCA Australia sets its ceiling at 29°C (84°F) and VCA at 27°C (80°F). Where they differ, we'd follow the lowest, 26°C, because ferrets have no sweat glands and can't cool down, as the MSD Veterinary Manual explains. Our ferret temperature guide goes into heat and cold in detail.

Indoor vs outdoor ferret homes compared

Indoor ferret cage and house set-up

An indoor ferret needs a cage as a base and a safe room to roam. The MSD Veterinary Manual gives at least 90 x 90 x 60 cm (3 x 3 x 2 ft); VCA gives a smaller 60 x 60 x 45 cm (24 x 24 x 18 in) and says multi-level cages suit groups of three or four. We'd use the bigger figure, and VCA adds that ferrets need at least two to three hours a day out of the cage. Woodgreen goes further and suggests 24-hour access to a ferret-safe room, which it says helps prevent obesity and joint problems.

• A solid or padded floor: MSD warns bare wire hurts their feet
• A dark, enclosed sleeping spot, such as a sleeping box or hammock
• Soft bedding such as towels, blankets or old T-shirts
• A litter tray away from food and beds, with paper-based litter
• No cables, plug sockets, gaps behind units, aerosols or plug-in diffusers in the room
• The cage away from windows, draughts and direct sun

Our guides to ferret cage setup, the best ferret cages and ferret-proofing your home walk through the details.

Outdoor ferret enclosure and hutch

An outdoor ferret needs much more space than a hutch, because the enclosure is its whole world. Burgess gives at least 3 m long, 2 m wide and 2 m high (10 x 6 ft 7 in x 6 ft 7 in) for a pair. Woodgreen calls 2.4 x 2 x 2 m (8 x 6 x 6 ft) ideal, and suggests a converted garden shed with an aviary attached, or a large walk-in wooden dog kennel and run. Burgess also suggests a large hutch with a run attached; on its own, a hutch is nowhere near big enough.

1. Choose the spot. Pick a place sheltered from strong wind and out of direct sun for most of the day, as Burgess advises, ideally where you walk past often.
2. Build a dig-proof base. Use concrete, or wood covered in vinyl or carpet, says Woodgreen. If the run has a mesh floor or sides, Burgess says the mesh must go right into the ground, because ferrets dig.
3. Use strong mesh. Woodgreen says to use small-gauge welded mesh nailed or heavily stapled to the frame, never chicken wire, and screws instead of cable ties.
4. Lock it properly. Fit secure bolts, not swivel latches, which predators and small children can open. RSPCA Australia suggests a double latch, and reminds you ferrets fit through any gap their head fits through.
5. Stop escapes at the door. Woodgreen suggests a double-door system, a stable door, or a 60 cm (2 ft) barrier in front of the door.
6. Roof it. Make the run roof strong enough to take a predator or blown debris, with a waterproof section to keep the floor dry.
7. Furnish it. Add a raised, weatherproof sleeping box with deep bedding, hammocks, tunnels, a litter tray and shelves. Build up as well as out, as RSPCA Australia advises.

For the full measurements, see our ferret cage size guide.

Ferret care through the seasons

Each season brings its own jobs. Indoor ferrets need the summer and winter checks too, because a sunny room or a radiator can push the cage temperature far from the room's average.

Spring

• Check the enclosure for winter weather damage, rot and loose mesh
• Re-check bolts, latches and the base for new digging
• Wash and dry all bedding and hammocks before the warm weather

Summer

• Keep the home in full shade, out of direct sun
• Put a thermometer in the enclosure or by the cage and check it daily
• Give extra water bowls and check them morning and evening
• Bring outdoor ferrets in, or move them somewhere cooler, before it reaches 26°C (79°F)

Autumn

• Fix the roof and any gaps before the wet weather
• Check the sleeping box is dry, raised and draught-free
• Start adding more bedding as nights get colder

Winter

• Give plenty of blankets and bedding to burrow into, as Burgess advises
• Check water twice a day so it doesn't freeze
• Expect them to eat more: MSD says food intake can double in the cold
• Keep the enclosure dry and draught-free, as MSD advises

Time outside the cage: runs, playpens and the garden

Every ferret needs daily time out of its cage or enclosure. VCA says at least two to three hours a day, and RSPCA Australia advises supervised time out every day. Indoors, that means a ferret-proofed room or a playpen. Our guide to ferret playtime has games and ideas.

Outdoors, use a secure, covered run, or a harness and lead. The MSD Veterinary Manual warns that ferrets have no homing instinct and will wander off if left outdoors, so never let one loose in the garden. Our ferret harness guide explains how to fit one.

Company for indoor and outdoor ferrets

The RSPCA advises planning for more than one ferret, ideally no more than four, and preferably littermates. A ferret kept alone needs daily handling and play from you. That makes a single ferret a better fit indoors, where it sees you, than outdoors on its own. Ferrets sleep a lot, up to 20 hours a day according to the RSPCA, and they are most active at dusk, so plan play for the early evening.

Whichever home you pick, our complete ferret care guide covers diet, health and handling, and our ferret bedding guide covers what to put in the sleeping box.