collyferret "Up in Smoke" Pyrography |

This is a little cripple ferret i had called Chimba, Meaning cripple in Japanese.

This is Chimba in the first buggy I made for him so he could propel himself around outside

This was the last model buggy I made for chimba. He was crippled in the front legs so unfortunately couldn't steer it so i had to. lol

The buggy was made from the top part of a mouse cage cut to the right length with casters added. The sling was made with sheepskin with velcrow fasteners and clipped on the mainframe with dog clips.

This was a tiny little white, Albino, ferret that was surrendered to me. When she arrived she was a beautiful deep gold colour because she had never been spayed.

She was I think about three years old and not spayed. I had her fixed right away and she grdually turned a brilliant white. Amazing really. Couldn't slow her down after that. She passed on in her sleep at about 7yrs old.

This is Boris, a gentle Giant. biggest ferret I ever had and the wimpiest as well. Boris went to a forever home but Unfortunately cought and ate a weta and the spiny leg killed him.

This is Baldadear. So called because he was a real dear wee fellow but had a bald patch when we got him.He also had a skin problem and always had a sparse coat.Baldy eventually went to a forever home with his two cage mates.

This is Ekatsim. Funniest ferret I ever had. A real clown. He passed away with heart trouble at about 6yrs old.

This is Ictis, means Ferret in Greek.

Ictis is almost two years old and lives with two other ferrets.

Ictis is a real sweety. A bit slow, but a sweety.

This is Masika. My very first Ferret. Masika just fadded away with oldish age at about 8yrs old. We had to assist her over the bridge when her quality of life became pretty much a zero.

Masika, looking up expectantly.

This is Puppy Weasel. She was very tame and very gentle.She was a complete delight to have known.A young lad had taken her from her nest as a baby.

I managed to swap him with a computer game, fattened her up a little then taught her that mice were food so I could send her back to the wild where she really wanted to be.That was a very hard day.

A FERRETS DIET...

Ferrets require a high quality ferret food of 30-35% protein and 18-22% fat. It pays to check the labels. Just because it says FERRET FOOD does not mean to say it has the right percentage of fat or protein. Sometimes it is not high enough to keep a ferret in good condition. Some high quality KITTEN, not cat, foods are suitable like IAMS KITTEN or NATURES RECIPEE KITTEN are fine.

The cheaper brands and supermarket brands are not suitable as they are too low in fat and protein and many have a high percentage of maize or corn that ferrets can't digest. The other important thing to look at is the first three ingredients in the ingredient list. They should be meat based not cereal. If the first ingredient is chicken, that means there is more chicken than anything else. The next highest ingredient is the second listed, which should be meat but half the time it is not and the next highest ingredient is the third listed which also should be meat based and often isn�t. It carries on in this way down the list with the last ingredient having least of all in it.

Corn is not the best for the fuzzy buts as they can�t digest it. There for high corn content in foods isn�t good. In saying this don�t give them popcorn either as this could cause a prolapsed rectum.

Now, bare in mind that a ferret's natural diet is rodents and rabbits mainly with a bit of road kill thrown it. And not so much the Kiwi's that the government go on about.

Sooo, with this in mind, I fed my ferrets on raw chicken necks, carcases, minced chicken with a bit of liver thrown in occasionly. I also made a soup by blending chicken mince and houndlog with an egg and hot water to a creamy consistancy and fed warm. They loved it.

They had kitten bixs as a treat so they would recognise it as food same as chopped hound log and tinned kitten and cat food.

FOODS TO AVOID...

� Ferrets love chocolate, but should only have very rarely and in very small amounts as CHOCOLATE IS TOXIC to them.

� Avoid milk as MILK CAUSES DIARREAH. Give pet milk if you must. Otherwise plenty of water is all they need to drink.

� Ferrets like ALCOHOL but AVOID giving to them as they have VERY SMALL LIVERS and it could make them very ILL.

� CANDIES and COOKIES SHOULD BE AVOIDED. The sugar content puts A STRAIN ON THE PANCREAS AND COULD CONTRIBUTE TO INSULINOMA. Can also cause DENTAL PROBLEMS.

� DAIRY PRODUCTS that contain LACTOSE can cause DIARREAH and DEHYDRATE the ferret.

� DELI MEATS, PROCESSED MEATS and most JUNK FOOD either have TOO MUCH SALT or TOO MUCH SUGAR.

� LICORICE ELEVATES BLOOD PRESSURE in Humans and there for I assume it might have an adverse effect on ferrets.

� PET TREATS with large amounts of SUGAR, SALT and SODIUM should be AVOIDED.

� AVOID NUTS as they can cause a BLOCKAGE. But PEANUT BUTTER seems to be a favorite with some. In small amounts.

� DOG FOOD is not acceptable unless given rarely as a treat.

� DRY DOG FOOD is TOO LOW in protein. WET DOG FOOD also lacks protein and fat.

VEGETABLES should mostly be IGNORED unless cooked and mashed as raw vege can cause a blockage . (Vet Bills !!! YUK!!!!!!!!!!! ).

A FEW RECIPES...

DUCK SOUP

1 Cup of whatever dry food you feed

1-2 pieces cooked chicken

2 cups chicken broth

1-2 teaspoons linetone

1 6oz can Iams kitten food or whatever kitten food you happen to be using

1 jar/can chicken baby food

1 tsp honey

Water and/or electrolytes.

Cook chicken, no salt. Save broth. Add chicken and broth to blender or food processor and blend on high until pulverized. Add dry food and blend until smooth. Easier to do if you soak dry food before hand. Add water or remaining broth as needed. Add rest of ingredients with baby food being last. Reduce to low speed and add water or electrolytes to make a nice thickish soup. Freeze in ice cube trays and when frozen tip in ziplock bags. Give as a treat or give to a sick ferret every 4 hours. Into this you can add thick cream or ensure to aid in putting weight on.

By far the best I�ve seen for a treat or for putting weight on or for sick ferrets is

BOB CHURCHES - CHICKEN GRAVY as follows:

1 whole chicken ( cut into pieces to fit in the blender, do not remove skin, fat, bones or giblets - small pieces puree better ) or ( get the equivalent amount of pet chicken mince from your butcher. It has the skin and bones already minced up and is much easier and cleaner)

1 tablespoon olive oil,

1 tablespoon linetone

1 cup of high grade ferret or kitten bix (soak in hot water first to make easier to blend)

2 tablespoons of fine bran OR whole oats

1 tube of nutrical

3 - 4 eggshells

4 tablespoons honey

1 cup of fat trimmings as there is not enough fat in the chicken (ask your butcher for some).

Puree the chicken with the fat, dry ferret food and egg shells, add water until you make a thin gravy. Pour the mix into a pot and cook for 30 minutes, or until it has the consistency of cream or thick gravy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

( Now, it doesn't say you have to do this but I always put it back through the blender after the cooking process just to blend better and make a bit smoother.) After this put one cup of chicken gravy into a small ziplock bag, push out the air and set aside. Repeat this process until all the gravy has been portioned out, and then dump in a container to store in the freezer.

To serve, just allow a bag-o-chicken to thaw, mix with water or electrolytes to the desired consistency and nuke for 20 - 30 seconds. This is a high calorie, high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate food that is extremely easy on a sick or injured gastrointestinal tract (well, compared to kibble), and provides for all the ferrets nutritional needs in excess of most requirements. Mine eat it as a treat every couple of days or so, and all my sick and dying eat it as a primary food.

FERRET TREATS...

� TINNED KITTEN FOOD is good as a treat and mince or fatty meats are good as a supplement.

� The LARGER CHICKEN BONES are good to give, as there is a lot of fat and protein rich tissue called red bone marrow, with iron, vitamins and other really good stuff in the ends of the bones.

� PIGGY EARS make a great chewy treat. Soak pigs� ears in water overnight to make soft and cut into strips. They love them and it gives them something to chew on.

� LIQUID FOOD such as BOBS CHICKEN GRAVY and UNSALTED CHICKEN BABY FOOD heated is great and good to get your fuzzies used to it in case of illness as they can be given these if they are not eating or recovering from an illness. Ensure or thick cream can be added to aid in weight gain.

� Some ferrets like FREEZE DRIED or DEHYDRATED ANIMAL PRODUCTS such as heart, kidney, liver, lung or chicken as treats.

� Some like a little CANNED UNSALTED FISH as a treat.

� Try RAW or COOKED BEEF and COOKED CHICKEN -NOT raw chicken as salmonella bacteria may be present in raw chicken and cause stomach upset. My little ones love cooked chicken and cooked chicken bones.

� PET MILK in small amounts seems to go down a treat but avoided regular milk.

� A lot of ferrets love CHEWEASELS, a chewy, safe, edible star shaped disk that feels like rubber but is made of animal products. Some years ago I used to supply these but do no longer. They have to be obtained overseas.

� Most ferrets love FRUIT, but in very small quantities as too much and you will know about it when it comes time to litter pan clean or clean anywhere else the little Beasties have decided to splatter.

� CANNED or FRESH FRUIT : Mashed apple or banana. Blueberry or Grape, peeled and cut in half. Melon, Papaya, Pear, Strawberry, Watermelon or kiwifruit, mashed or cut up very small so as not to cause a blockage.

� Most ferrets LOVE RAISINS.

bouncing ferrets

GENERAL CARE...

NAILS: An easy way to trim nails is to squirt some linetone or their favourite oil on fuzzies bellies so they have to lick it off and then go like the clappers and trim their nails while they are occupied using small pet nail clippers or good sharp fingernail clippers.

EARS: If ears seem unduly dirty gently clean ears with a cotton swab dampened with ear cleaner. Don't poke in ear but clean around outside folds of ear. Brownish red wax is normal, but if you see any black substance your fuzzbut probably has ear mites and should be taken to your vet for treatment as on the shelf stuff does not work for eremites and not treated properly can cause undue irritation and pain to your little friend and could ultimately result in hearing damage even loss.

BATH TIME: Well, to be honest I never bathed mine. Sometimes when I had a shower I would dunk them under just to freshen them up and to see them go absolutely hypo, but otherwise I didn't worry about it. If you must bath them use a ferret shampoo or a no tears baby shampoo. Have water temp that would be comfortable to you. They actually like the water hotter than you would expect. After shampoo rinse thoroughly in clear running water to get ALL the shampoo out. Don't bath too often or they will suffer dry itchy skin. Baby oil can help get gooey things out of their fur. Let the fuzzbuts have the fun of drying themselves in a pile of nice dry towels. It won't just be fun for them but you will get a great laugh out of watching them in action.

BEDDING: No woodchips or sawdust please as they can cause respiratory problems. A closed in bed with a ferret sized opening for your fuzzy is best with lots of soft cloth like old track pants or polar fleeces inside for them to burrow into is perfect. A box with a hole cut in would work just fine. Hammocks are good too. Especially the ones they can crawl into. Home made hammocks are easily made and you can make simple hammocks out of scrap squares of material by putting a hook or some ties on all four corners of a square of material, hang it in the cage and put some soft cloth in it. Make it a descent size to accommodate the soft cloth and ferret or ferrets. As well as closed in beds and hammocks, have lots of nice woolies and soft cloths on bottom of cage or on different stories of the cage for your ferret to snuggle into and hide in.

FERRET BEHAVIOR...

"What is my ferret doing?"

Let's face it, ferrets are funny little animals. They have all sorts of quirks- no two ferrets are alike. However, there are some behaviors that are common in most ferrets. Below, I have listed some common ferret behaviors and some explanations for them.

Alligator roll-   Ferrets generally exhibit this behaviour when they are playing with other ferrets. One ferret usually grabs the other ferret by the scruff and "flips" the other ferret over. This action is important in establishing dominance between two ferrets. The "alpha ferret" is the one doing all of the flipping, while the more submissive ferret is the one constantly getting flipped! Sometimes a single ferret will roll around by his or her self while excited during play.   Young ferrets and ferrets who have not been nip trained will sometimes try to "scruff" and roll a human by grabbing lose skin on the back of a hand, socks, or feet. This is all done in good fun, however if it is painful the behaviour should be discouraged. Ferrets have much tougher skin than humans, so what may feel like a "pinch" to another ferret can feel like a bite to a human.

Backing into a corner- Ferrets do this for different reasons. If your ferret backs up into a corner or wall while hissing and getting all "puffed" up, your ferret is telling you that he or she is frightened. It is important to not try to grab or pick up a frightened ferret. If your ferret is frightened, just speak soft kind words and leave he or she alone. Your ferret will soon recover once he or she feels that the threat or danger is gone. Another reason ferrets back into corners is a more common one.   Ferrets will often back up into a corner to poop.  If you see your ferret backing into a corner, and he or she is not frightened, look out.   Your ferret is about to go potty on the floor! It is helpful to quickly place your ferret into the nearest litter box as soon as possible (before the deed is done).

Bottlebrush tail- Ferrets will often get a "puffy" tail when they are frightened or excited. If a ferret has a bottle brush tail and is backing away from you and hissing, he or she is frightened and needs to be left alone until calm. However, if your ferret gets a "puffy" tail while exploring a new environment (like going outside for the first time), or during vigorous play, he or she is just very stimulated and excited. Puffy tail can also be a precursor to having a "wired weasel" on your hands! Our ferret Ed often gets a puffy tail when we let him out to play in the morning in our new house. A short time later he is taking off around the house like a rocket!

Chasing- Ferrets LOVE to play chasing games.   They will chase one another and they will chase you (and want you to chase them). Ed and Ginger love to chase me when I run around the house dragging a blanket. Many new ferret owners get frightened when their ferret jumps around and "lunges" at them and then starts to run around like a crazed animal. Don't worry. Your ferret is just trying to entice you into a game of chase. If you decide to turn the tables and chase your ferret back, just make sure you have several feet between you and your ferret. Ferrets can stop suddenly and get stepped on!

Dance of Joy- This is one of my favourite aspects of ferret behaviour. The "dance of joy  consists of a ferret jumping around from side to side, flipping on the floor, bouncing off of furniture and generally loosing all control! Your ferret may slightly open his or her mouth during the display and make "chirping or dooking" sounds. Basically, your ferret is telling you that he or she is full of energy, incredibly happy and ready for some serious playtime! Many first time ferret owners can be frightened by this display (I have had people write to me thinking that their ferret was attacking them).   Don't worry. Your ferret is simply bursting with joy and energy. Interestingly enough, wild European polecats do a similar display after they catch prey (I guess they are happy to have something to eat!).

Dooking- This term refers to the sound a ferret makes when excited and happy. My husband prefers to call it "chirping." The next time you play with your ferret, listen closely. Sometimes it is hard to hear the soft vocalizations ferrets make when excited. My ferrets "dook" quite loudly when playing with one another and when I take them outside.

Food digging- This is often an "unwanted" ferret behaviour, however many ferrets do it. Ferrets are born to dig, and to them a bowl of chow is as good as a pile of dirt when it comes to digging. I have learned to live with this behaviour and have not attempted to get my ferrets to stop. Most ferrets will just eat the food that they dig out of the bowl. It is nearly impossible to stop ferrets from exhibiting behaviours that are a part of their nature.

Food and water bowl tipping- This is another unwanted ferret behaviour, however many ferrets do it often. Ferrets are playful animals and will play with their food and water if given the chance. Sometimes ferrets will tip over their food and water if they are bored from being caged too long. Your ferret may be trying to tell you that he or she is upset or lonely. Other times, a ferret will knock over the food or water bowl to play in the spilt food or water. Many ferrets love to play in shallow water and to dig in food. A bowl of water is just plain irresistible to a ferret and it can eventually get knocked over during play.   Purchasing heavy ceramic food bowls or food bowls that attach to the side of the cage can help in solving this problem. Ferrets do also tend to like to mix a little water in with their food. I discovered my ferrets "scooting" the food and water bowl (they are attached) across the kitchen floor until some of the water splashed into the food side of the bowl. They then drank the water out of the food side of the bowl and ate the food. If your ferret does this, try moving some of the ferret food aside and splashing a little water into the food bowl. This may help in keeping the food and water bowl from getting tipped over accidentally.

Hissing-   A hissing ferret can be an unhappy or angry ferret. Always use caution in trying to pick up a ferret that is backing away and hissing. You could get bitten. Ferrets usually hiss to show fear or anger. However, ferrets can sometimes hiss when engaging in play with one another. If your ferret hisses while displaying an arched back and "bristled" fur, just speak softly to your ferret and leave your ferret alone. He or she is not a happy ferret and could bite. Only pick up your ferret after he or she has calmed down.

Litter box digging- Ferrets LOVE to dig, and litter is no exception. To avoid litter box digging, try keeping a small piece of stool in the litter box at all times. A squeaky-clean litter box can be a wonderful digging toy to a playful ferret. If your ferret can smell excrement in the box, he or she may see it as a place to do business and not a place to play. You can also purchase some "play sand" or potting soil from a hardware store and make a "sand box” for your ferret to play in. If you give your ferret appropriate places to dig, he or she may leave the litter boxes alone.

Obsession with a particular object- Ferrets can and do become obsessed with particular objects or toys. Your ferret will probably pick his or her favourite toy and hide it in a secret hiding place. If you find the toy and remove it, your ferret can become very anxious, angry or stressed. For example, our ferret Ed is obsessed with his Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal with a built in teething ring/rattle (see picture below). He doesn't chew on it; he just moves it to different places around the house. At any given time of the day, my husband and I can hear the jingling of the rattle as Ed moves it to a new hiding place. If I find his toy and jingle it, he will come running out of any hiding place to get it back. He will then look for a new hiding place to store it. Ferrets can also fight with one another if one tries to take the other's favourite object. Your job is to make sure your ferret becomes attached to a safe item. Ferrets are notorious for stashing things that they like all over the house (even car keys and wallets!).

Object, "scooting"- This is another one of my favourite ferret behaviours. Ferrets will sometimes try to move large or awkward objects by grabbing them with their paws, holding them close to their chest and "scooting" backwards. The funny aspect of this behaviour (besides the fact that they look funny) is that they often just move around in a circle, not really getting anywhere at all!   Our Ed and Ginger often try to move plastic Easter eggs in this fashion. It always gives me a good laugh!

Running into things - Believe it or not, ferrets actually have very poor eyesight. They can only see about two feet in front of them. Their peripheral vision (side to side) is better than their frontal vision. This is why a playing ferret may run head on into a wall or piece of furniture while running. Ferrets also have very poor depth perception and suffer from "high rise syndrome." For this reason, it is not advisable to let your ferret run around on a balcony or high patio. Ferrets have also been known to scratch through window screens and fall to their deaths.   Be sure to watch your ferret closely if you have a two-story home with an open balcony on the second floor. Many people put Plexiglas barriers around open banisters on the second floor.

Screaming- If your ferret lets out a scream, you can be sure your ferret is not a happy camper. Ferrets can let out a scream when very frightened, injured or unhappy. It is not a sound you want to hear. If your ferret screams due to an injury, you want to get he or she checked out by a vet as soon as possible. Sometimes, ferrets may scream during rough play or dominance wrestling. This is especially true when a new ferret is being introduced into the family. Ferrets do have a pecking order and the submissive ferret may be getting bullied by the "alpha ferret" of the group. If you hear your ferret scream while playing with another ferret, always check out the situation. You want to make sure there are no bites or serious scratches that need medical attention. If no injuries are taking place, continue to let the ferrets "duke it out" for short supervised periods of time. Ferrets will usually sort out their differences on their own. However, if one ferret is injuring another ferret, they should be separated.

Tail wagging- This is another adorable ferret behaviour. If you are lucky, you may see your ferret wag his or her tail very rapidly when excited. This behaviour usually takes place when two ferrets are playing in a tunnel or tube. It just means that your ferret is very excited and is anticipating something fun.   For example, my ferret Ed will wag his tail while waiting for Ginger to join him inside their play tunnel (Ferret Freeway). Ginger has no idea that Ed is in the tunnel when she enters it.    Ed wags his tail until he sees her and then lunges forward to surprise her!   It really is fun to watch.

Toe Nipping- Ferrets will often nip toes and feet when they are young. They are basically treating your foot like another ferret. Ferrets will often nip one another to entice play. They also scruff one another using their mouths during play. Because ferret skin is tougher than human skin, a playful nip can feel like a bite. You should discourage this behaviour in young and old ferrets. Wearing socks is usually the best deterrent for foot and toe nipping. Ferrets seem to LOVE stinky feet. So, if your feet stink, try wearing socks around your ferrets at all times. If this does not stop the behaviour, purchase some Bitter Apple and apply it to your feet. It tastes terrible and should deter your ferret from nipping.

War dance- This ferret behaviour looks a lot like the "dance of joy," however it has a very different meaning. If your ferret is arching his or her back with bristled fur, jumping from side to side, backing away and hissing- look out. Your ferret is pretty darn upset. While the general movements of the war dance are similar to the dance of joy, the body language is different. Ferrets can do the war dance when frightened, injured or angry. If your ferret has not been descented, he or she may release a very stinky smell during this display. Your ferret is trying to look big and scary and stinky. He or she is telling you to stay away- and you should listen to your ferret.

Wrestling- Ferrets often play with one another in the form of wrestling. One ferret will usually use his mouth to "scruff" the other ferret behind the neck. He or she will then try to "alligator roll" the opponent and pin he or she to the floor. This can be done with much dooking and hissing (and sometimes screaming). Ferrets wrestle to establish dominance and to "mock fight during play. Ferrets are very elaborate and talented wrestlers. Their antics may look dangerous, however more often than not they are just playing rough. However, if you hear a lot of screaming coming from one ferret, be sure to look the ferret over for injuries. Not all ferrets like one another and they could really be fighting

NOTE - Thank you so much to Ed and Gingers Human for writing this great information. I hope it is fine to use this on my site. I just can't remember where I originally found it in order to ask personally. Thank you so much.

A lot of my information comes from articles written by BOB CHURCH. Bob's life work is ferrets.I have read a lot of Bob's articles and love what he writes.There will be bits and pieces of wisdom from Bob as you go along. Thank you Bob Church for your knowledge.

FERRET HINTS