Please talk to me about ferrets?

[StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo]

My DP says often about wanting a ferret. I perceive them as smelly expensive and bit vicious... Not very pet like!

Are they vicious? Do they smell? Where do you keep them? Are they mucky?

Educate me MNers please!

If properly trained they are gorgeous, loving animals. So cute and mischievious.
They do smell really strongly. Ours were kept in a shed outside. Their poo is fairly similar to a cats so can be mucky, but they are quite easy to litter tray train.

Hmm. Are they good pets for children or only older children? Do they need exercise? What do they eat? Do they get on ok with cats?

Sorry for all the questions

They fecking stink!!
Seriously it lingers on you!

That is all I remember about them (my next door neighbour had some when I was growing up) , its like cats piss x 50! Oh that and they are bloody good escape artists!

Hope this helps

I'd imagine like 99% of all things rodently and/or pointy toothed the males smell more than the females

Someone I know rescued one and she said the females must be spayed (something to do with never-ending being in season) unless they are breeding stock.

So that would be an extra consideration. (£ and risk wise)

My cousin keeps them and they're hard work but wonderful pets and all are brilliant with my children (3 1/2 is the oldest). Here are links toa forum she uses and a rescue she is involved with
All the advice you could ever need is on those sites.

Thanks for that, looking at it i dont think they are the type of pet we can accommodate at the minute, he will just have to learn to love the cat

If you give your cat a thicker fluffier tail, then he could pretend its a ferret?

And one of those harness/lead things to take it out for a walk?

And could he stick the cat down his trouser leg like people do with ferrets

Cor LittleWhiteWolf I had a look on that link for the ferret rescue.
They are complex little animals aren't they?

The cat is a big dock yard tom, i think Dps nuts would be at risk haha