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Ferrets

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Anyone ever kept ferrets? Been reading about them and apparently they make not bad pets.

Most people would think i was mental if bought a couple, but then again, rats are by far the best rodents you can keep despite their reputation as shitebags.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my dad used to keep ferrets years ago
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MrG wrote:
    my dad used to keep ferrets years ago

    Worthwhile would you say?

    Much work?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    id have to ask him when he wakes up, he kept them well before i was born
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ferrets, rats, cats, whatever. If I can't take it for a walk, I don't think I would like it that much.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ask kaffrin... she's got two. I think.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One of my friends had ferrets and loved them. I had rats which were brilliant, but I was really allergic to them so I had to give them away.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I keep ferrets.

    Best pets ever
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    We used to keep them but not as pets, they stink.
    Weekender Offender 
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    We used to keep them but not as pets, they stink.

    they're very hygienic animals

    my ferret has baths about once every month or two, and doesnt smell as much as a small dog. A non castrated male however will smell really bad. My male was castrated and smelled no more than my spayed female.

    and she uses a litter tray :D
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I had an ex-boyfriend who had a couple of ferrets. They were ok, but I would definitely pick a rat over ferrets. Rats are fantastic pets :yes:
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Blah wrote:
    and she uses a litter tray :D

    Well ours stayed outside in a cage. Fantastic animals for hunting, perfect little killing machines.
    Weekender Offender 
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My grandpa used to keep ferrets, but i think his were more for hunting and what not, and my uncle does now, my uncles are so lovely and tame and let you walk them on leads and run up and down you be affectionate and everything, but my grandpa's were evil fuckers who used to bite and hiss and did whiff a bit, but the smell shouldn't be too much of a problem if they get cleaned out regulary, and as someone else said if you have a male get it's bits done :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ask kaffrin... she's got two. I think.

    :yes:

    they are awesome little pets. very mischevious, but affectionate and hilarious.

    they will smell if their cage is not clean, but if you keep on top of it it isn't a problem. mine go in a litter tray in their cage, and it gets scooped every day and totally emptied and cleaned at least once a week. their hammocks and bedding also needs to go through the washer every week. if you can do that the smell shouldn't bother you.

    and if you do want to get some, consider rescuing some from a shelter rather than buying them, cause there are a whole load of needy little fuzzes out there.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My friend's sister kept ferrets a while back.
    Aww I kinda want one now, do you think Uni would count them as pets? Because we aren't allowed pets...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My friend's sister kept ferrets a while back.
    Aww I kinda want one now, do you think Uni would count them as pets? Because we aren't allowed pets...

    You wouldn't be able to get away with it - all rodenty animals have a distinct smell, so your cleaners would realise straight away.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I saw a lady walking a ferrett on a lead on Lincoln High Street once!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bugger.

    I did wonder if goldfish counted as pets or not, but my mum pointed out that I wouldn't be able to bring it home for the holidays.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    KHSS- its impossible to hide a ferret!

    they need a big cage which will obviously notice, and if you hide them away while cleaners or anyting are about, they will scrap to get out because all they want to do is play!

    I take my ferret to uni though :cool: i got my landlord to amend my contract on the terms that i keep my ferret outside and dont bring her indoors he doesnt know i bring her in every night to play
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    mate of mine and his son hunt more or less every weekend with a couple of 'em.
    very inteligent ...the creatures not my mate.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blah wrote:
    KHSS- its impossible to hide a ferret!

    they need a big cage which will obviously notice, and if you hide them away while cleaners or anyting are about, they will scrap to get out because all they want to do is play!
    #

    :yes:

    that and they snore :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was only joking!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do they bite much? Hamsters were bad enough for that, but i wouldn't fancy a ferret to start nashing at me.

    Also, do they genuinely enjoy human company in the same way as say, a rat?

    Quite liking the idea of getting one, might look up the nearest sanctuary in the yellow pages tomorrow.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Spliffie wrote:
    Do they bite much? Hamsters were bad enough for that, but i wouldn't fancy a ferret to start nashing at me.

    Also, do they genuinely enjoy human company in the same way as say, a rat?

    Quite liking the idea of getting one, might look up the nearest sanctuary in the yellow pages tomorrow.

    whether they bite or not depends on their training, same as a dog

    i trained mine not to bite by flicking her on the nose every time she bited. Got to be consistant though because gentle biting biting is a ferrets way of saying hello to eachother and they will always bite eachother during play. They need to be taught that its not acceptible with humans!

    Had my ferret 6 years and even before training she never so much as nipped (which neither hurts or breaks ths skin)

    Shove a ferret at the end of the garden in a hutch and only get it out for hunting is a sure way to raise a vicious little bastard; and rightly so!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Spliffie wrote:
    Do they bite much? Hamsters were bad enough for that, but i wouldn't fancy a ferret to start nashing at me.

    one of mine does, and one doesn't. the one that does only nips playfully, and she doesn't break the skin, but i guess she wasn't trained properly as a youngster, and now she does get a wee bit bolshy, cause she thinks we're just big ferrets and enjoy it.

    the other genuinely wouldn't hurt a fly, and i'm quite happy for my 3 year old nephew to play with her.
    Also, do they genuinely enjoy human company in the same way as say, a rat?

    more so, i think. when they are out playing in the house they follow us round to see what we're doing, and they grab your wrist when they want picking up. i've had rats. and they're nice, but ferrets have 10 times more personality.
    Quite liking the idea of getting one, might look up the nearest sanctuary in the yellow pages tomorrow.

    i would recommend going to a rescue place just to meet some ferrets at first, cause they aren't for everyone, and it's quite a big commitment. any good shelter will let you pop round for a chat and a play with the fuzzes before you make any decisions.
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