Do ferrets make good pets? 

What are ferrets? 

Ferrets belong to the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, polecats, badgers, otters, martens and wolverines. Their ancestors are wild polecats, and ferrets often can be mistaken for polecats if discovered outside of a captive environment. Ferrets, unlike polecats, are domesticated species which are kept as pets and working animals in many parts of the world, however feral populations have established in some parts of the UK following release or escape of captive animals, and there are also known cases of ferrets and polecats interbreeding.  

You can read more about ferrets and polecats on the Vincent wildlife trust website here. 

What do ferrets eat? 

Like other Mustelidae, Ferrets are carnivores. This means their diet consists primarily of animal derived protein. As obligate carnivores they rely on animal derived protein to stay healthy and cannot be fed a vegan or vegetarian diet. 

Ferrets kept as pets should be fed a varied diet that meets all of their nutritional needs. Ferrets require a diet high in animal protein and fat, and typically low in carbohydrates.  

Fortunately, nutritionally balanced pet food options are available for ferrets which meet their nutritional needs. These usually take the form of a kibble or dry biscuit specially formulated for ferrets. 

The ideal diet for a pet ferret should consist of: 

• dried biscuit/kibble ferret specific food 
• treats such as cooked chicken, or cooked boiled egg 
• fresh unlimited water  

Feeding raw food to ferrets is not recommended as this puts them at increased risk of bacterial diseases such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Additionally feeding items such as bread, pasta and vegetables is not suitable for ferrets as they may struggle to digest these types of food. 

Ferrets will naturally gain weight over the winter, with their weight increasing by up to 40%. This is a physiologically normal process that happens in ferrets because of an inbuilt adaption to get through the winter when there would historically have been less food around and lower temperatures. As a result they increase their fat stores to provide energy and insulation through potentially harsh winter conditions. As this is a completely natural process nothing needs to be done, and your ferret does not need a diet. It is important that they continue to be fed as normal and they will naturally lose weight in the spring.  

If you are concerned your ferret is genuinely overweight or you are overfeeding them, ensure you have checked the manufacturers recommendations on amounts to feed of the dry food and are not exceeding them, and then seek advice from your veterinary surgeon who will perform a thorough physical examination of your pet ferret and discuss their diet and lifestyle with you to understand if there is an issue with their weight and feeding behaviour or not. They may advise further tests such as blood tests if they think there is an issue. 

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What environment do ferrets need to live in? 

Ferrets are very active, busy creatures who enjoy nothing more than exploring their environment and finding new things to do. They require a large space with lots of tunnels and hiding places and different heights to explore. 

A pair of ferrets need a floor space of 10m² as a minimum. This is a minimum recommendation and is roughly the size of a small single bedroom, ideally they need more space than this.  
Ferrets can be kept inside or outside in purpose-built spaces. If an outside space is to be used, these should be weatherproof to allow protection from the elements and shelter from droughts, wind and rain.  

Whether inside or outside they require a solid floor base in their enclosure as ferrets are excellent diggers and will find their way out of small gaps and natural flooring.  

Platforms providing different levels to explore in their enclosure are important and these should be well linked with tunnels and ramps to allow easy movement around the enclosure without needing to jump great distances.  

Ferrets need clean warm sleeping environments and particularly enjoy sleeping in hammocks. Having multiple hammocks in different spaces in the enclosure is ideal to ensure they have a choice of where to sleep and whether they want to sleep alone or with others. You can also add blankets for additional padding and comfort.  

Ferrets usually go to the toilet in one place in the enclosure. When you have worked out where this space is, you can put a small litter tray in this area to aid with cleaning. This should be cleaned out frequently.  

Hygiene is really important to prevent any health issues. All uneaten food should be removed daily, food and water vessels should be cleaned and dried and fresh water given. All materials such as hammocks and blankets should be cleaned, washed and dried regularly to avoid bacteria build up and the enclosure should be cleaned out daily and pet safe disinfectant used where appropriate.   

Do ferrets need toys? 

Yes! – Ferrets are extremely playful and love interacting with new environments. Toys are an essential part of their environment and really important for keeping their brains active and stimulated. 

Good options for toys for ferrets include: 

• tunnels – these can be made of drainpipe material and the path changed to allow exploration of different areas  
• ropes – these can be hung in different parts of the enclosure to encourage climbing 
• boxes – these can be filled with natural material such as soil and plant matter for digging, or they can be used to hide treats and sealed so the ferret has to find their way into the box  
• string toys – available as cat toys for chasing, ferrets also enjoy chasing things so some enrichment with a toy pulled along by a string is great fun for them 

Can ferrets live alone? 

Ferrets are sociable species and generally do not cope well living alone. They are usually kept in pairs as a minimum or larger bonded groups. If you have concerns about introducing your ferrets to new ferrets this article offers some helpful advice on how to go about the process. 
You can read more about keeping pet ferrets on the PDSA website here. 

So, do ferrets make good pets? 

Yes – ferrets can make excellent pets for the right owner. They are highly intelligent species who need to live with others and require a lot of space and input in their environment to give them a good quality of life. If you have the space and are prepared to put the time and effort into meeting their needs they can make wonderful pets. 

Summary: 

• Ferrets are part of the Mustelidae family  
• Polecats are the wild ancestors of Ferrets 
• Ferrets are highly intelligent and require lots of mental stimulation with toys and an enriching environment to live a happy life 
• Ferrets are carnivores which means they only eat animal protein and cannot be fed a vegan or vegetarian diet  
• Ferrets are sociable species and should not live on their own 
• Ferrets require a large space for their enclosure and cannot be kept in environments <10m²