Keeping Ferrets as Pets-Is It a Good Idea?

If you don’t have a ferret yet, you may be wondering about the answer to this basic question: do ferrets make good pets? Generally speaking, owning a ferret is not radically different than owning a cat or dog. And ferrets are highly intelligent which means they can be trained. But no pet is perfect, and there are some negatives associated with ferret ownership as well.

There is a persistent misconception that ferrets are rodents. This is entirely false. However, given their appearance, you might be surprised to learn that in the taxonomy of living things, ferrets are classified between dogs and cats. Since many people keep dogs and cats at home, this would seem to be a good sign for choosing a ferret as a pet. Of course, you probably know cats and dogs that have vastly different personalities and behaviors. Ferrets are no different; each one is unique and will come with distinct joys and challenges.

One thing that often takes people by surprise is the amount of attention that a ferret requires. It’s true that ferrets spend a major portion of their day sleeping. But when they’re awake, they will want attention. Plus, there’s the issue of ferret-proofing your home. Ferrets are notorious for getting into just about everything. Small objects around the house will tend to disappear and turn up later under furniture. Ferrets love to dig in your houseplants and scratch at the carpet. These behaviors can be modified by training, but they won’t disappear by themselves.

The most important thing you can do if you want to keep a ferret as a pet is to learn everything you can before you buy the animal. Tragically, many ferrets are abandoned by their owners, simply because the owners didn’t know what they were getting into. Being released into the wild is a death sentence for domesticated ferrets, so take time to learn more and make sure you’re ready for a ferret as a pet.