Ferrets - small predators, belong to the family of marten. Many people know them as annoying and uninvited visitors to rural households. There are several main types of these animals: steppe, American ferret and honoric.
Life expectancy in nature
The steppe ferret (names such as light or white are often found) are a rather large species. It grows to 53–55 cm in length, and its body weight does not exceed 2 kg. The American, or black-footed, ferret is a unique genus of North American predators. It is under protection and is listed in the Red Book as an animal that is facing extinction. The size of his body is 30–40 cm, and the mass is from 650 g to 1 kg.
The third species - honorik - is a hybrid that was obtained by mating steppe and forest ferrets, as well as minks. Domesticated is a forest ferret, which is often called ordinary, dark or black. The size of his body can reach up to 50 cm, and weight - up to 1.6 kg. Animals are nocturnal predators, holes are rarely dug up, as quite often they occupy the housing of other animals.
The lifespan of ferrets is not too long, since in nature there are many dangers: larger predators, diseases, various injuries, cuts. In addition, animals do not always get plenty of food.
Therefore, in natural conditions they live only 2–4 years, sometimes reaching the age of 5 years.
How many live at home?
Owners protect their pets from various adverse factors, and with good care of domestic animals, life expectancy is much higher.
On average, the age of an animal living in captivity can reach 6–10 years, and in rare cases this indicator increases to 14 years and even to 17.
Pets can reach this age only with proper care, proper feeding, and also with systematic veterinary care. Cases where ferrets survived to 18 years have been recorded.
Domestic ferrets need to be sterilized. The procedure is required after 6-8 months from the date of birth. In a sterilized male, the rutting period does not occur, and in females - estrus. The race in males tentatively begins at 5-8 months, lasts about six months. These dates may be delayed.
During this period, males have a distinctive feature: they have an unpleasant odor. Ferrets also change their behavior. They become aggressive and restless, begin to mark the territory. The structure of the coat is being transformed: it looks dirty and clumped, can thinn. A number of diseases of the internal organs appear that can lead to the death of a pet.
A distinctive feature of females is that estrus does not stop when mating is deprived. It can last several months, and this leads to a deterioration in immunity. If untreated, it will lead to the death of the pet. After sterilization, the behavior of animals changes: they become calm and non-aggressive. It is proved that in animals that did not have offspring, sterilization leads to an increase in life expectancy.
What affects the lifespan?
Heredity plays a huge role in the life of a pet. In this regard, when purchasing a ferret, you should ask the owner about the health of the parents of the animal. Providing suitable conditions, you can significantly extend the life of the pet.
So, to increase the lifespan of ferrets, much attention needs to be paid to its nutrition. The body of the animal does not perceive plant food. The basis of the diet should include offal, fish (boneless), raw meat. Products should not be with a mass fraction of fat above 3%. As a treat, you can give a little cottage cheese or cheese. It is strictly forbidden to feed ferrets fatty, smoked or fried foods, sweets, nuts, chocolate, flour, bakery and confectionery.
On average, the animal requires 6-10 meals a day, but in small portions. This is necessary if the majority of the ferret's diet is dry food.. If the ferret is given natural products, it is enough to feed 2-3 times a day, but provided that all the necessary substances are present in the food: trace elements and vitamins. We must not forget that this is a predator, and it should be provided more often with meat and offal.
Water is one of the most important conditions for the existence of a ferret. Be sure to ensure that the pet has constant access to water, as ferrets are prone to dehydration.
This is especially important when using dry feed. Regarding vitamins, their dosage, composition, it is better to get advice from a veterinarian.
Due attention should be paid to hygiene. Ferrets are extremely clean animals. It is necessary to clean their cage every day, thoroughly clean the drinker and feeder, and change the litter. The house must always be dry and warm.
Consider the psychological factor: like all pets, a ferret needs care and affection. Despite the fact that ferrets sleep a lot, they are very curious and energetic pets, they like to play a lot with humans and are very attached to their master. No need to shout at the ferret, even if he is to blame for something: for him it is a lot of stress.
Be sure to give the animal vaccinations. The procedure is repeated every year. Usually 3 vaccinations are needed for the following diseases:
- rabies;
- leptospirosis;
- plague of carnivores.
There are still a few vaccinations against common ferret diseases. The veterinarian will tell you about the needs of your pet.
How to care and maintain?
A cage should be purchased.In order for it to be spacious for the animal, its parameters should be at least 80X80 cm, and the gaps between the rods should be no more than 3-6 cm, because ferrets are quick and energetic. In the cage there should be a bowl with water, a house (it must not be made of glass or plastic), a feeder, a tray. And also the cage should be equipped with various simulators: ladders, climbing pipes, platforms, hammocks, a claw point. It is best if the cell will be several floors.
It is possible to open a cage and release a ferret only after adaptation in new conditions. Walks should last about 2-4 hours. Before this, it is required to remove all things, especially small ones, a nimble and smart friend will hide everything.
When the ferret grows up, the cage can not be closed, if the owner of the house, so that the pet could easily move, could run and fool around. The animal necessarily needs movement. He constantly wants to learn something, climb into different places and hide there. If the ferret is in the cage day and night, this will adversely affect the state of his body and his life span.
In warm weather, it is advisable to take your pet out for a walk on the street. This is only allowed for adults who are vaccinated. You can do this in the winter, the main thing is that there isn’t much snow and strong cold. A special leash is required for a walk.
Special attention must be paid to the ferret's sleeping place. It should be quiet and non-sunny. A terry towel or bike that you no longer wear can be used as bedding.
Leaving a ferret alone at home, it is better to close it in a cage.
Ferrets love to take water procedures, but after swimming they have a more pronounced characteristic pungent smell. Because of this, pets should be bathed as the coat becomes contaminated. Bathing can be done in a not very hot bath or in the shower. When bathing, a special shampoo for animals is used. Be sure to trim your pet's nails every month. This must be done very carefully so that the animal does not hurt.
Once a month, the ferret should clean the ears. The procedure must be carried out using specially designed drops or oil. A certain amount of the drug is instilled into the ear, and then the impurities are removed with a cotton swab. Ear cleaning should be done carefully so as not to deform the hearing aid. At the end of the procedure, wipe the ear with a soft cloth.
For about 2 weeks (the timing may vary slightly) in the spring and autumn, the animals undergo molting periods. At this time, you need to start combing out old wool. The ferret cannot be licked, as this will lead to the filling of the stomach with hair. To avoid problems, it is advisable to give the animal a special paste designed to remove wool. And you need to add vitamins to the diet, since at this time the immunity of ferrets is very weakened.
For how to care for and keep ferrets in the apartment, see the next video.
