Hello From Australia

[corbather]

Howdy all,
I come from the Land down under! Melbourne, Victoria - Australia

Whilst I don't own a ferret at the moment, I am super keen on getting one in the new year, just have to convince my mother!! hehe
I am thinking I will build my own cage, so that should be fun/interesting!
I have wanted a ferret for years now, but have never actually gotten one. One thing I am worried about is the heat. Summer here can get quite hot ( above 30 degrees {not sure what that is in farenheigt, bout 85 I think}) and as my research has told me ferrets dont like heat, so first question would be how do you keep your ferrets cool in the heat?


Cheers

[sherrylynne]

Hi, and welcome to Holisict Ferrets! I'm Sherrylynne, and to answer the question about heat, it depends on where the ferret will be living- inside, or out? If inside, either a/c, fans, or ice packs. Ferrets do have a problem with the heat, especially when it gets over 27C. If they are living outside, some one from a warmer climate than mine will have to answer . Since you're here, I assume you'll be interested in finding out about natural feeding and care.
If you are new to natural feeding, here are some links to help you navigate the site:

Post all questions about natural ferret diet here:
holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=newbquest

When you are ready to make the switch to a natural diet, fill out one of these forms:
holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=newbie&action=display&thread=822

and start a thread in this section (copy/paste the filled out form into your first post):
holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=newbie

Post all questions/updates on the progress of your ferret's diet switch in that one thread.

After making your initial post we will help you start the switch and we will assign you a "Holistic Ferret Mentor" to assist you and monitor your progress.

[bigsis7]

Welcome!! I hope you enjoy it here! Everyone is very nice and helpful! Fill free to ask any questions!

[Jen]

Welcome- nice to meet you.

You should be able to make your own ferret housing without too much trouble. People have posted their housing projects here and they all turn out really good.

I agree with Sherrylynne. You are right- ferrets cannot handle the heat. If they have to be kept outside, try finding them a spot with lots of shade and air circulation. They'll need tunnels and little places to hide as well as water all the time. If traveling in the heat, some people freeze water in bottles, wrap them in a cloth, and put them near the ferret so they have something to cool off next to. If they'll be outside, I've read its better to move them outside during the fall so they'll adjust to the cold of winter and the heat of summer. Keep in mind though that they don't tolerate heat well, so possibly consider keeping them inside with a fan or air conditioner when it heats up. All that soft fur is built to keep them warm, so they do better in cooler temperatures.

If you have any questions or want to chat, please jump right in Everyone's friendly and helpful here and everyone LOVES their ferrets

Have a good day,

Jen, Slinky, and Weasel

[nwheather]

Welcome! It's great to have you here! =)
Be sure to post pics of your cage, & feel free to ask for help if needed.

[Darlene]

Hi welcome to the group. My guys have a home made cage,I used an old Kitchen table,pvc pipe and wire. It's only one level,but since they're only cage for about 7 hrs,it works just fine. I've been thinking about re-vamping it but for now it's just a thought.

Where I live,it's like we have our own climate from the rest of town. We're almost like a desert during the summer, average temp is 35 celsius,even reaching in the low 40s some days!

Luckily my downstairs is alot cooler than the upstairs,so with a fan it keeps the temp fine. I would love to have air conditioning,as the upstairs get unbearable.

[suds]

[Heather]

Hi and welcome
I'm coming in a little late but please accept a warm welcome just the same Please feel free to prowl the site and ask questions, everyone is very friendly and are more than willing to help you out. You're right ferrets and heat don't mix but you can help them keep cool with a good airconditioner, or having their setup in your basement where it's usually cooler. I also make use of cool packs when we're travelling.
I hope to see you around.
ciao