New ferret

[Natalia]

What to do if you have a new ferret in Northern Ireland

[Natalia]

1. Get the place ready for them: make sure they have their own little
corner / cage, wherever you will keep them. They should have a little
place to hide. Make sure she cannot get in trouble (no dangerous holes
to crawl into, no chance of electric shock, no folding furniture
nearby that could hurt her). Get a feeding tray, water bowl or bottle,
a litter tray and loads of either paper towels or odour-free cat
litter. Get some bedding material (something soft, Mocha loves old T-
shirts).

2. When buying the ferret try to find out as much as possible of their
medical history. Read after possible problems. If it's a jill, prepare
that you will need to take care of her season-problems (jill jab,
spaying, breeding or some say use a vasectomized hob, but don't let
her in season for any longer than 2 weeks otherwise she might get very
sick and even die). Make sure they get vaccinated (in NI only canine
distemper vaccination is needed as rabies does not exist in the
country - said my vet). Take them to the vet for a general checkup.

3. Be prepared that you can get bitten. Buy anti-bacterial soap. A
pair of gloves can also help at the first times (only to boost your
confidence).

4. Buy ferret food, vitamins, have fresh meat frozen in small
portions, get a blender (for times of sickness) and ferret treats
(especially for ferrets).

5. Buy a soft ferret-sized toy (no hard parts to swallow): chances
are, you ferret will LOVE it to bits. Buy a harness (you will want to
walk them at some point).