By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Summer is here, and it’s time to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, barbeque with friends, and take pets outside to enjoy the weather, too. But taking pets outside – especially if they have thick fur coats or if they fly – can be dangerous for …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Ferrets can make terrific pets under the right circumstances. One of the things that people will notice if you have a ferret or if you’re ever encountered a ferret for the first time is that they do have a very distinctive odor. It’s described as a …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Housing For Your Pet Ferret Ferrets are definitely mischievous, and if left alone, they tend to get into everything. Therefore, it’s critical that ferrets be kept caged when they are unsupervised. Since they are truly talented escape artists, ferrets should be housed in cages that can …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Best Solution for Proper Ferret Nutrition Ferrets are carnivores (meat eaters) that in the wild typically eat rodents, birds, and rabbits. Pet ferrets should be fed commercially made, high-protein, moderate-fat, low-carbohydrate pelleted diets formulated specifically for ferrets. Feeding pet ferrets raw diets, such as frozen thawed …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) While ferrets tend to be very clean animals, grooming themselves regularly like cats do, pet ferrets do need some additional grooming by their owners. Unlike wild ferrets that get the opportunity to wear down their nails by running and climbing outside, pet ferrets generally live indoors, …
If you’re thinking about getting a ferret as a pet, they can be terrific pets, but they’re not great for everyone. Ferrets have a lot of unique requirements and a lot of times people rush out and get a ferret and don’t really know a lot about them. Ferrets are in the Mustelidae family or …
Facts You Should Know Before Purchasing A Ferret Read More »
It’s very important to monitor your ferret’s weight as well. Ferrets, particularly those who are eating excessive amounts of carbohydrate or fat, will put on a lot of weight. Ferrets are kind of couch potatoes and they’re nocturnal, so they like to run around at night. A lot of them adapt to our schedules so …
While some ferrets in the U.S. are sold from private breeders, the majority of ferrets kept as pets in the U.S. are sold at large pet stores and come from just a couple of commercial breeders. As a result, they are quite inbred. Consequently, many pet ferrets are from the same genetic pool and tend …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Active and mischievous, young ferrets make great pets for people who have time for playful companions that require time outside of their cages every day to run around and burn up what seems like endless amounts of energy. With an average lifespan of 7-9 years, pet …
By Dr. Laurie Hess | Director of Pet Health and Nutrition at ZuPreem Birds are phenomenal creatures that can make great pets under the right circumstances. They are available from stores, breeders, and rescue organizations around the world. Unfortunately, too many people see birds in stores, on television, or in friends’ homes and decide they …
