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Post by micareel on Jan 7, 2011 13:20:58 GMT -5
I want to get one or two ferrets but have never owned them before. I read one of the threads on here, and it was very long basically saying to get two. I was just wondering how have one or having two will affect my relationship with it
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 7, 2011 13:27:36 GMT -5
With one ferret, you do tend to bond closely more quickly. However, I've never found it stopped others from bonding strongly with me as well. The problem with one is you are everything to that ferret, but are unable to completely fill all their needs. Yes, they can still be happy, but guaranteed they will be happier with another ferret buddy If you haven't before(not sure if this is the thread you are referring to or not), then read the one on only ferrets. It's a real eyeopener holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=5903
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Post by katt on Jan 7, 2011 18:16:56 GMT -5
Yes read that thread! haha Koda was my only ferret for a year. And BOY was that a challenging year for both of us! We went through surgery, multiple vet trips, replacing about a million items he destroyed, learning how to properly and thoroughly ferret proof, getting up and down and up and down to stop him from getting into things, we had a torn nail from when we left him alone for a minute and he decided to scale a sheer wall of cabinets, several near attempts at making him into a nice scarf and stew. He is a terror - as pretty much any Only Ferret is and will be. As Sherrylynne said, "you are everything to that ferret, but are unable to completely fill all their needs." While I would not trade anything in the world for my bond with Koda, if I were to do it all again I would want to start with 2 ferrets. Only ferrets are demanding, spoiled, and needy. You will NOT be able to meet all of their needs because quite frankly, their expectations are somewhat ridiculous - they tend to forget that we are only human, not ferrets. Even if you are home with the ferret 24/7 and constantly playing with him, there are still things that you cannot do. You can't fit under the bed or dresser to wrestle with him, you can't follow him in and around and under and through every little nook and cranny. You can't sleep with him in his cage and clean his ears out so lovingly with your little raspy tongue. You can't keep him company when you are not home. If you leave for a weekend trip or some other reason, YOU are the ferret's entire world...so all of a sudden their entire world is gone....and it is much more stressful on them than when they have a ferret buddy to keep them company. Having an only ferret is very rewarding, but very challenging. I would (obviously if you read my thread hahaha) recommend starting with a pair. It may take a little longer, but you WILL still form strong bonds with both of them assuming you are giving them the attention that they need. Mjohn is a good person to talk to as, if I remember correctly, none of her current batch started as only ferrets. She is closely bonded to all of them, but she still has a very special bond with her boy MegaWeasel - who definitely was not an only ferret. If you find your soul ferret, you will form an extremely close bond no matter what. Honestly, I think having multiple ferrets is the best way to go for the ferrets sake and your sake (oh the stress of owning an only ferret!). However, no one is going to hold you at fault by any means if you do get an only ferret. haha Plenty of people have only ferrets.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jan 7, 2011 21:46:12 GMT -5
I hate to discourage people. I am not doing that by any means. But when I hear the words "I want to get a ferret and I've never owned one before" I kind if shudder. I would first read as much about them as possible. Volunteer at a ferret shelter do you can see what their behavior is like (who knows maybe you'll find your ferret there). They are very challenging pets to have. When they get sick the vet bills are huge. I would recommend that you start with one. Then when you are ready go and get another. Another reason I recommend starting with one at first is the heartbreak if going to a shelter and seeing pairs of bonded ferrets that are never adopted because a lot of people don't want to adopt two ferrets. I am not discouraging you. I love my ferret. To me they are great pets. But I think that you should do as much preparing and learn as much as you can before bringing one let alone two ferrets home. My ferret is by himself (for now) and he's doing fine. He's happy as a single child.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jan 7, 2011 23:00:05 GMT -5
I forgot to add that you are in the right place if you want to learn about ferrets and how to properly care for them. I have owned ferrets for many many years but I have learned SO much about proper feeding from this site. I found this site when my other ferret was diagnosed with insulinoma which is caused by improper diet. The information that I learned from reading the posts on this site helped him tremendously. So read on!!
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candiceboggs
Going Natural
Ferrets are nature's anti-depressant.
Posts: 187
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Post by candiceboggs on Jan 8, 2011 3:43:43 GMT -5
I heartily agree with miamiferret2.
One great thing about getting a single ferret is if you decide you want another one later - why not adopt a bonded pair from a shelter? Then you will have what many consider to be the perfect number, 3! When one passes on the other will still have company.
So one is a great starting number.
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Post by jacksmomma on Jan 8, 2011 11:21:05 GMT -5
I started with one *just Jack* and i don't think i would do it differently, so i have to agree with Miamiferret2 and Candice. There is a very large learning curve with these guys - they are nothing like cats or other pets! They get sick in completely new ways and do things (sometimes very naughty) that you wouldn't expect. They're very much act, then think. Katt and Sherrylynne are certainly right about all the play-time responsibility falling on you and you will never be able to replace the companionship of a ferret, but until you are acclimated to the *needs* (read demands) of one ferret, you may find yourself over-whelmed with two. You can always add, but should never have to make the decision to subtract because you just weren't prepared for the work of a multi-baby business.
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Post by katt on Jan 8, 2011 12:34:36 GMT -5
Good points. I think though that in many ways starting with 2 would have been easier. They keep each other distracted and get into far less trouble! Sometimes. Really though it is a personal decision. I am very glad that I got Kenai as I feel that Koda really needed a ferret buddy to keep him company when I'm not home and to play games that I just can't play right. I would Not go back and undo anything, but if I had known what I would be facing, I think I would have started with two. That said, despite all of the work and trouble and mischief and naughtiness, I LOVE m Koda and have a very special bond with him that I would not trade for the world. And miamyferret - I think what you said about bonded pairs goes both ways. One option would be to adopt a bonded pair so that you keep one more pair from having to be separated. Adopting is a great option as they are usually already litter trained (NOT always) and bite trained, and older ferrets tend to be much calmer than kits. It's a more gentle introduction into ferret owning, but you still get all of the fun too. Also, you would be giving a needy ferret or pair of ferrets a loving home away from the shelter or goodness knows what type of environment. Adopting isn't for everyone though. I got both of mine as babies at the pet store. All we can do is tell you about our own opinions and experiences, and you will have to make the choice for yourself. But please do listen to everyone's advice. Ferrets are NOT easy pets to own. They get into every kind of trouble that you can imagine, they will destroy your stuff if you look away for even a second, they will empty your bank account, stash "goodies" in your pillow, smear protest poops on the wall, dig trough your carpet to get to China, steal all of your stuff, and steal your heart as well. And guess what? They don't give it back! Greedy little brats! They are some of the most fantastic and terrible pets you can own all in one. Hang out around the forum for a while and read as much as you can. Also, the Ferrets for Dummies, and Animal Planet Ferret books are great resources. Do your research well before deciding. I highly recommend being FULLY prepared before getting a ferret. Stock your freezer with meats and baby food get the cage and get it all set up (unless you plan to adopt from CL and they come with a cage - but even then if it's not a FN I would still get your cage ), get a decent stash of ferret-safe toys, nail clippers, lots of extra bedding, etc. Then, by the time the Right One comes along you will be all ready! Whatever you chose, good luck and we will be here to help you on the journey!
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Post by Jackie on Jan 8, 2011 12:38:55 GMT -5
I have to agree with getting two to start with. I had Pixie for almost a year before I got Trixie. She got in to SOOO much trouble. She was (and still is) extremely needy and most of the time prefers being around humans than her sister Trixie. I think she would have been happier if she had a friend from the start.
Like Katt said, Pixie and I have a special bond because of how much time we spent with each other. But I think that would have happened whether she had a friend or not.
Good luck with your decision!
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Post by maddiesmom on Jan 8, 2011 15:56:23 GMT -5
I started with one, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I did tons and tons of research, and reading, books, the www, info from the local ferret shelter, etc but it was Still TOTALLY different when Lucy came home (childhood ferret)... and, like the others said, it was a learning curve. I think two would've been really overwhelming. Two doesn't always mean they keep each-other occupied, sometimes it means twice the trouble! lol! But I do think its better to have two As an adult, I got Izzy as a kit from a pet store and it was still a bit of a learning experience, because this time I had to find a vet, pay for the bills, food, etc and I did my reserach and wanted to give my new addition the best food I could -- raw Izzy wasn't a single ferret for too long... my roommates got ferrets. And then later I decided I wanted a breeder ferret, and that's when Izzy got a brother - Murtagh! <3 So when I moved my two were still content my little family of 4
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candiceboggs
Going Natural
Ferrets are nature's anti-depressant.
Posts: 187
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Post by candiceboggs on Jan 8, 2011 20:05:11 GMT -5
I still believe it's best to start with one, then gauge whether you're ready for more. Let me illustrate why for me personally (and surely other people) more than one can be overwhelming for a beginner: When I fostered a pair for two months, I prepared. Man, did I prepare! I closed up all the cracks, moved furniture around, stopped up the outlets, and completed various other baby-proofing tasks. Enter ferret 1 and ferret 2. I set their cage down and got ready to play and cuddle with them, so I opened the door. Both of them darted out in opposite directions directly into spots I thought were too small for them to get into - even according to the ferret proofing in books! (These were abnormally tiny ferrets, even for Marshall's). Unfortunately, I couldn't split myself in half to go after both. Needless to say, two very fast, very tiny ferrets were overwhelming and that was probably the first moment I knew I'd need a single. It can be hard when you're new to it to watch both when they're both attempting to get into trouble at the same time, on opposite sides of the room. *face-palm* Another wake-up call was that if you've not ferret-proofed enough, the ferret will more than graciously point out the error of your ways.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 8, 2011 20:19:58 GMT -5
I think most people do start with one. I know I did. I just kind of "fell into" ferret ownership. Was not prepared in any way whatsoever. All I knew is this little creature needed a home . Yeah. The reason I think two is better is the fact that when we introduced a second ferret 2 months later, I'd never seen Boris so happy He'd NEVER danced and dooked like that before. He'd been a little wild man previously, but nothing like when he found his brother again I guess I'm looking at it from the ferret's point of view, rather than the human's. And he did get into a LOT less trouble after Vincent came in. His biting also decreased a lot.
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Post by katt on Jan 8, 2011 20:58:23 GMT -5
I still believe it's best to start with one, then gauge whether you're ready for more. Let me illustrate why for me personally (and surely other people) more than one can be overwhelming for a beginner: When I fostered a pair for two months, I prepared. Man, did I prepare! I closed up all the cracks, moved furniture around, stopped up the outlets, and completed various other baby-proofing tasks. Enter ferret 1 and ferret 2. I set their cage down and got ready to play and cuddle with them, so I opened the door. Both of them darted out in opposite directions directly into spots I thought were too small for them to get into - even according to the ferret proofing in books! (These were abnormally tiny ferrets, even for Marshall's). Unfortunately, I couldn't split myself in half to go after both. Needless to say, two very fast, very tiny ferrets were overwhelming and that was probably the first moment I knew I'd need a single. It can be hard when you're new to it to watch both when they're both attempting to get into trouble at the same time, on opposite sides of the room. *face-palm* Another wake-up call was that if you've not ferret-proofed enough, the ferret will more than graciously point out the error of your ways. I agree with what you and sherrylynne have said. AND you gave me an idea micareel - why not consider fostering ferrets?! Start with one (or two), then try the other. This would give you a great chance to get used to the quirks of ferret ownership and know if it is really something you are up to. And if not, you have not made a permanent commitment to them - you are simply fostering until they find a better home, so no one will think any worse of you if you decide, meh, not for me. And then if you DO decide it's not for you, then it's not like another ferret is abandoned in the shelters. Instead a ferret (or ferrets) had a nice home for a few months, and will continue on to a new foster or permanent home, and you had a great learning experience. AND better still, if you get too attached to that ferret/ferrets in particular, well you can just graduate from Fostering them to straight out adopting them. Man! What a great idea! (If I do say so myself! ). I wish I had thought of that for newbies before! I don't know what the rules of fostering are, but I know that many shelters are often overrun and would probably appreciate the help, and the chance to help You learn about ferrets!
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