Ferret Terms (A Glossary)

There are many terms associated with ferrets, included disease, vaccines, and their special sleep. This glossary might help you. Aleutian's Disease Virus (ADV)

There is a silent but deadly virus is in the ferret world. It is commonly known as ADV, or Aleutian's Disease Virus. All of Rocky's ferrets are tested and each adoption is accompanied with letterhead proof of it's results. We only adopt into homes where ferrets are tested negative for this disease.

To learn more about this disease we encourage to read and learn at Rocky's friend's site http://www.ferretadv.com

anal gland

A small sac located in the rectum of the ferret possessing a scent. Use; mating and self-protection.

bottle brush

The appearance of a ferret’s tail when scared or angry.

canine distemper

A viral infection disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological systems.

ear mite

A microscopic parasite.

ferret

Scientific name – Mustela putorius furo. The ferret is the only domesticated member of the weasel family Mustelidae. They are a carnivorous mammal.

ferret coma

A non-fatal very deep sleep accompanied with light respiration.

ferret proofing

Providing a safe play/exercise area free of any endangerment or element of escape.

gib

A castrated male ferret.

hob

A sexually unaltered male ferret.

jill

A sexually unaltered female ferret.

kit

A baby ferret under the age of 6 months.

litter

The substance put in the litter box to absorb and suppress bodily functions. Due to ferrets having a love of playing in clean litter, most regular cat litters are not good for ferrets. Clay litters are very dusty, and can cause respiratory and urinary problems in ferrets. Wood shavings are NOT a good idea for ferrets, in addition to being dusty; they can have aromatic oils that can cause respiratory problems as well. Never use any kind of cedar chips with ferrets. Wood stove pellets, on the other hand, are excellent for ferret litter. Due to the heat treatment process, there are no dust or oils to cause problems. In addition, when wet, they disintegrate into sawdust, so you can tell where your ferret has done his business. They are also excellent at absorbing odors. Newspaper pellets, sheets of newspaper, or corn cob litters will also work.

litter box

Where the ferret does his voiding of bodily fluids and excrement. When looking for a litterbox, look for something with sides at least 3 inches high all the way around. If the sides are any lower, litter will be all over the floor. Smaller cat litterboxes work fine, so do Rubbermaid shoeboxes from a discount store. Triangle litterboxes work okay for some ferrets, most ferrets like to be able to put their whole body in the litterbox to go. The

litterbox will need to be secured in the cage by something. Binder clips work well as do some hammock clips if you're a little creative. Whatever you use, you will want something that you can easily remove, but the ferrets can not. You will also want a few litterboxes to strategically place around your home in places that your ferret will be. Most ferrets do not like to have to travel far to find a litterbox.

Litterbox Training
Ferrets can be trained to use the litterbox. However, depending on the ferret, and how much time you are willing to spend on litter training, your ferret could have anywhere from a 100% hit rate, to a 0% hit rate. Most ferrets average about 75% hit rates. This means you may occasionally get a little 'present' in the corner of the room. Some ferrets even go out of their way to move the litterbox and go behind it. You must be prepared to spend several hours to several months litter training, and the more attention you can give it, the more likely you will have a litterbox trained ferret. When litter training, the best way is to start the ferret out running around in a small room, such as a bathroom, and work you way out from there. Ferrets will generally go within a few minutes of waking up, or after eating. When you first wake the ferret, place him in the litterbox. Do not let him out until he has gone. At this point, immediately give him a treat. If you catch your ferret going somewhere he shouldn't be, immediately place him in the litterbox. Try to get him to associate going in the litterbox with receiving a treat. This can take a lot of time and patience, and it depends on how tolerant you are of 'accidents' as to whether a ferret will work for you. Never physically punish a ferret for any reason. They will only learn to fear you, and will not associate something they did 5 minutes earlier with why they are being hurt or mistreated.

neuter

All references to male; to castrate; sexually alter; to render the animal with the inability to produce offspring.

rabies

A fatal viral infection. Rabies is transmitted by the bite of an infected mammal.

rescue

To save, as from imprisonment or danger.

shelter

Providing cover or protection.

spay

All references to female; to sexually alter by removing the reproductive organs and render the animal with the inability to produce offspring.

sprite

A spayed female ferret.

stool

Excrement, poo, poop, dookie.

Vaccination

The process of protecting against diseases by inoculating with active artificial immunity.

Vaccine

Suspensions or products of infectious agents used for producing active immunity.

War Dance

A dance of joy exhibited by the ferret jumping , bouncing and twisting, sometimes with mouth opened as if to be smiling; Also known as happy dance.

Bedding

Bedding refers to cloth hammocks, sleep sacks, and other items that your ferret will sleep and play in. Unlike other small pets, ferrets don't need wood shavings for bedding. Instead they prefer to make their nests and sleeping
spots in cloth bedding. You will need something soft for your ferret to cuddle up in. Old towels, blankets, sheets or clothing work great as bedding as long as they contain no foam, or rubber. You will also need hammock, the softer the better. Ferrets are creatures of comfort, they like soft cuddly items. Never use wood chips, your ferrets will not be comfortable in them and can have respiratory problems from its use.

Business

A business is a group of ferrets.

Cage

Your ferret will live in a cage. They need a tall, wire cage with lots of levels for climbing and playing. The smallest cage you should get for one ferret is 2' by 3'. You will need a cage in which to house your ferret when you are not home or will be gone for more than a few hours. Cages should be made of a wire mesh for ventilation with at least two levels. Aquariums do not provide enough ventilation, and will make the ferret feel isolated. Wood cages will absorb urine and will be very difficult to clean/sanitize. If the ferret will be caged for any length of time, a substantial, larger cage should be used. The bigger the cage, the more room the ferret will have to stretch his legs. Also, you will want at least two levels so the ferret can have his sleeping and food area away from the litterbox area. Although wire cages are good for ventilation, the wire mesh is hard on ferret feet, so you will need to cover the floors with towels, sheets, blankets, linoleum, or carpet remnants to protect their paws. When purchasing a cage, check to make sure that it is sturdy and well put together. Also check for sharp edges not filed down that could hurt your ferret. Make sure that you can reach into all parts of the cage for ease of cleaning and to be able to get a hold of a ferret.

Carnivore

A carnivore is an animal that eats only meat. Ferrets are carnivores.

Chew toys

Ferret chew toys should never be made of wood. They should be edible. Some good ferret chew toys areSuper Fries, Marshall Super Chew Toys, and N-Bones.

Crepuscular

A crepuscular animal is one who is most active at dusk and dawn. Ferretsare crepuscular.

Daily diet

A daily diet is what your pet must eat every day to get the vitamins and nutrients he needs. A ferret's daily diet should bemeat-based ferret food, water, and healthy, meat-based treats. Unlike other small pets, ferrets do not need fruits and vegetables, and they can't even digest them. You will need a heavy ceramic food dish for your ferret. Plastic ones can be tipped easy, and used as a toy. Do not buy a little one just because you have a little ferret, you will be amazed at how much they can eat in a day. About 4-6 inches in diameter is about the right size. Some people also have success with bird food dishes that can be securely attached to the side of the cage so they can't be pushed around/play with. When looking for a good ferret food, check the back for the ingredients. Just because a food is labeled for ferrets does not mean that it is necessarily good for ferrets. On the same note, some kitten foods are just as good for ferrets, if not better. The requirements are 30-38% protein, 15-22% fat, and less than 3% fiber (0%is preferable). Corn should NOT be one of the first three ingredients; the first three ingredients should be meat protein. Ferrets can't digest fiber, and will not get any nutrients out of the corn, resulting in more eating, more waste, and a less healthy ferret. A ferret on a high protein, high fat diet with mostly meat will eat less, have less waste, and generally be healthier with more energy and softer fur. Grocery store foods are NOT acceptable. Ferrets are carnivores and cannot digest fiber. They need a high protein, high fat, low fiber, meat based diet. The food needs to have 30-35% protein (32-50% for young ferrets under the age of four), and 15-20% fat (18-22% for young ferrets). The first ingredient should be animal protein, preferably chicken, poultry or red meat, and as at least 2 or 3 of the next few ingredients. Corn should not be in the first 3 ingredients. Check food labeled as ferret food carefully. They often do not meet ferret minimum nutritional requirements. This is not always the case, but it is best to read the ingredients. Some brands of kitten food also meet basic requirements. Dog food is not acceptable, as it lacks needed nutrients.

Water bottle/dish
Just about any size water bottle will do, but depending on how often you want to keep filling up water bottles, a 16 oz size is just about right. Most water bottles will have a small amount of leakage, it is a good idea to either place a heavy ceramic dish underneath it, or place the water bottle just over the edge of the litter area. Otherwise, your pet may end up with soggy bedding and kibble from turning their home into a waterpark

Dook

"Dook" is a sound that your ferret makes when he is happy or excited. It
sounds kind of like a chattering noise that a squirrel makes.
Ferret-proofing
Ferret-proofing is when you make sure that the room your ferret is going to
be playing in is safe by moving anything that he could hurt himself on out of
his reach.

Toys
Toys are what your ferret will play with in and outside of his cage. Good
toys let him do what he loves to do - hunt, play in tunnels, and dig. Be careful when you get toys for your ferrets, soft rubber and latex toys are a big no-no. Ferrets can chew off pieces and end up with life-threatening blockages. Ideal toys are: plastic balls with bells, plastic golf balls, and squeaky stuffed animals made for dogs, dryer tubing or cardboard tubing. Ferrets are also just as happy with cardboard boxes and plastic grocery bags. Ferrets also like variety, since they get bored easily. Alternate the toys you give them, so they always have something 'new' to play with.

Treats and deterrents
Linatone or Ferretone are excellent treats and work well as training aids. Just be careful use them in moderation, as these are high in vitamins and fatty oils. A few drops a day are sufficient. Deterrents, such as bitter apple can help nip train a ferret, or keep a ferret away from cords or anything else they may chew on.

Nail Clippers Bathing and Ear Cleaning
Ferrets are just like cats in that they groom themselves. Ferrets do not need to be bathed for cleaning reasons, they will clean themselves. Ferrets do have a light musky odor though, that will be removed temporarily by bathing. 2 weeks after a bath, the odor will return, stronger that it was, since the oils in the skin try to compensate for the drying effects of soaps. Frequent bathing will dry out a ferret's skin and affect coat quality. If you do decide to bathe your ferret, you will need to use a conditioner afterwards. Ferrets have high body temperatures, so warmer water will make for easier bathing times.

Ferrets frequently get earmites, and these can be treated topically using Tresaderm, or orally using Ivermectin. Some people prefer to keep their ferrets ears clean, if you decide to do this, have a vet or another ferret

owner show you how to safely do it. Improper cleaning can lead to hearing damage and inner ear injury, as well as pain for your ferret.

Ferrets claws need to clipped at least once every other wee or more often. If not clipped, they can splinter off, and cause the ferret to get caught which can lead to painful dislocation of limbs. Either small cat clippers or regular nail clippers work fine. When clipping, the easiest way is to put some Ferretone on the ferret's belly, and direct their attention to it. You can then clip away without the ferret squirming much. Just be careful not to cut the red line in the ferret's nail, since that is the blood supply, and will bleed profusely if cut.