To Own a Ferret or to Not Own a Ferret

As a veterinarian, my advice is a chinchilla. They are great pocket pets. Ferrets have their share of possible problems. First you have the scent glands; second, they can develope hypothyroidism, to name a few. From what I gather, chinchillas are great pets! Now I am not saying that ferrets are bad but you may want to consider the fact they do give an odor, so as you gather my opinion from observation is chinchillas are great pets and minimal work.

I have not personally owned a Ferret, but I know a couple of people who have. My husbands aunt had two. She had a room just for them. The only problem I had with them was they stunk. The room they were in reeked all the time. The other person I knew that had one. The ferret bite people. If you have a little girl that may not be too fun. Hope this advice helps.

In my opinion I would not own one. I had a friend that had one and they stink to high heaven!! We personally haven't ever had one, but we have had a Guinea Pig,Rabbit, Rat, etc.. They ALL stink! Ferrets stink really bad though.

Ick, hampsters make terrible pets, the vicious little things. And ferrets can be a handful - and expensive. After the critter, cage, and all the goodies, you could be looking at close to $500. A friend of mine lost their ferret when they accidently tossed him in the laundry - he was sleeping in it. They're also little theives and they get into everything eventually. Imagine trying to find your car keys one Monday morning, only to have them literally 'inside' your couch. My advice would be to start with a rat - I know, they creep you out. But I've always kept them myself when I was younger, and now my two little girls have one. They are very sweet and intelligent. They dont bite and love having the attention. (You wont even get the no-biting guarantee from a ferret). Plus they smell less. Its a good cheap way of priming for a ferret if he's still interested. Give a rat a chance and it wont let you down...

-

What about a guinea pig. They sleep at night and have lots of personality. Ours lived a long time and had such a sweet temperment. Be sure that you get a little one. It should fit in your hand. Unless you want babies just get only oneguinea pig. Try to get a female, they have a nicer personality than the males do. They whistle at you and will respond when you pet them. They are great pets and I think they are one of the best for kids. I would get a short haired guinea pig if we got another one. Ours had long hair and it was a problem.

K.

OK first off if you do deside to get a ferret look into a ferret resue instead of a pet store.

I have two ferrets. They do have a slight oder. Petco, PetsMart and Pet Depot have something you can put in their water to help with the smell. But it6 is important to clean their litter daily. (Not all of them will use a litter box, girls are better at that then boys) Yes they clim and will scale a baby gate quickly. They are sweet and loving of course they do have teeth and they may nip. They steal things if you let them, baby bottles or anything that has rubber or just anything in general. They are cutre to watch doing their weasel dance, especialy if you scoled them for something. Then they run and hide. If you are not rough with them they should be gentle. I would deffintly get a book and read about them and they have a ferret magazin also. I love mine to death and they chase my cats. They will also sleep with him if you let them. Just make sure he know he has to clean the litter every day. Just like a cat box if it is done daily there is no smell and it is a lot easier then waiting a week. If they use a litter box then that makes the whole prosses easier.

H.

Have you thought about a guinea pig? My sister had one while we were growing up. It seems like it lived a long time and never escaped.

They midas well be in the rat/cat family too... I had several ferrets... they played all nite eating and chewing on all sorts of things..every nite.. you may wanna reconsider getting one... the stench is unbearable. Its like cat piss but ten times worse and the smell really never comes out.
IF your ferret is not fooled with evey day they are tempermental.. they bite and bite hard.. u might wanna think about an alternate pet..
I know I gave mine all away..when I had to pull up my carpet because of the stench..they were fun for a couple of weeks and then the new wore off and then your stuck feeding it and they are very destructive critters..but good luck in whatever you decide.

My kids had a ferret and to tell the truth they really are more trouble for youngsters. Older children might appreciate them, but they can be good pet, but tend to wander off and hide. We had to keep ours in a cage complete with sling bed, climbing pole the whole bit. Very expensive. We discovered that a ferret is not a pet for young children. We have tried rabbits, those are fun and playful and can be litter box trained. But alas, a dog is the family pet. An English Bull Dog that is probably much more spoiled that any of the other animals. Have fun and good luck with your decision.

Although I myself have never owned a ferret I do work closely with the 4 at my job. I work at little river zoo and am responsible for handling education animals around children and grownups of all ages. Three of our ferrets are very good with kids, and seem to enjoy interacting with them, however, the fourth one dose not enjoy being handled and will bite. Ferrets are very curious and can climb as well as fit behind or under objects, so ferret proofing the ferrets regular play areas is very important! Ferrets are related to European Polecats which means that they can have a very musky oder, so if you want a pet that doesn't give off a strong smell, a ferret isn't for you. Ferrets are most active at dawn and dusk and spend a large part of the daytime sleeping (14-18 hours a day). However, when awake, ferrets want to play. Diet is also a factor to consider, ferrets are carnivores even more so then dogs, so having them around other small animals can be a bad idea. Also a fact that many pet stores won't admit is that many processed ferret foods are too high in carbs. and not high enough in crude protein (min.32%) or fat (min. 18%). Due to this many ferret owners feed raw meat such as mice, rabbit or chicken, which may be a bother but will make for a happy, healthy, ferret. As to Where to find a companion ferret, I would suggest looking for a previously owned ferret from a shelter or rescue group, having worked at a zoo who primarily takes in unwanted exotic pets, I have seen that there are many that need homes, and this also allows you to speak with either the previous owner or fosterer about the animals personality.

I think animals teach kids responsibility and compassion but choosing the right animal is important to you and may mean life, or death to the animal if it isn't what you're looking for. If the ferret isn't what you think you want, I would suggest either a rescued rabbit or rat. these animals tend to smell better and may sleep less. rabbits can be litter trained which cuts down on cage clean up and they come in many sizes. there is a place in Blanchard, OK (Heartland rabbit rescue.com) that adopts out rabbits and have a wonderful process to match the rabbits temperament and habits with an adoption family. I hope this helps you find the right pet fit for your son.

I also worked for over a decade as a vet tech, and there is no way I would have a ferret for a child's pet.

Ferrets are high-maintenance pets, and you will be the one who ends up doing most of the maintaining.

THEY ARE MEAN!!!! I would not purchase this animal with small children around unless perhaps you get one when it is born. My uncle (who is 3 years younger than me, 25) had one a few years ago and he said that his ferret was so mean. He would never take her out of the cage when he had my children over or if there were alot of people around. THey apparently "snap" really easily. This is not the first time I have heard of this. You may want to do some research on the internet before you make this decision. Hope this helps.... Just out of curiosity, where did the idea for a ferret come from? Your son? I ask because I know of a book that I read in elementary school that had a pet ferret in it, Judy Blume I think wrote it.... Just wondering if that's where the idea came from.
C.

DO NOT BUY a ferret with a baby in the house! they are nibblers and climbers and busy little pets until you train them, and even after training they are not to be trusted around the little ones. You have the chewing part head on! you have no idea how much a ferret chews. Buy him a gold fish they are easier to care for. (smile)

Have you considered a bunny?

I have never owned a ferret, but I hear they make good pets. However, I did move into an apartment after someone who owned a ferret. Apparently one of the lower cabinets in the living room was used as the ferret's den and it stunk. The landlord had painted over the affected cabinet with Kilz, but the stench seeped through anyway. Nothing we did could get rid of the smell. We ended up ripping the cabinet out and replacing it. That's my only experience with ferrets.

I do recommend getting a mouse or rat. I know that sounds weird, but they do make great pets. Especially rats. They are very social and clean animals (provided you get one from the pet store) and as long as your son keeps the cage clean, the odor shouldn't be a problem.

I had two ferrets for a while and had to keep them in a kennel when I wasn't home.They did climb but I don't think they would climb enough to get over a baby gate. They were a lot of fun but but smell bad even after I had them desented. They love anything shiny...they use to hide my keys and jewlery.If you do get one let him ride on a remote control car...we had so much fun doing that!!!

My friend had one and no offense.....but it was a dirty smelly little thing. It reaked up their whole house (and they were clean people). I do remember it crawling so I don't think a baby gate would contain it. It would bite as well. It was funny and entertaining at times....BUT not even close enough worth it to me to have such a dirty smelly animal in the home.

I have not owned one however, this is just what my friend went through.

Hi Ro,

How about a space-age ANT FARM!!!!!!!!!!!
Watching them dig tunnels in their own little world.
http://www.antfarmcentral.com/

Digging away at their blue gel. This is cute, and they all have names.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=268tvzwjQNw&feature=re...

I love some of the answers here; esp. the bunny !!!! I knew someone who had a ferret and it was adorable. I have a pic of it snuggling inside my jacket. They had a snake also, and ferret didn't get along, so had to make sure one was always locked in. Oh, they also had two wabbits. The animals got along fine if I remember. I loved that house!

I didn't notice any odors. Good luck, but the bunny also sounds hip hoppity fun to. Your 10 yr. old better keep those cages clean !!!

I had a ferret years ago and I used a baby gate to keep him in a certain area at night. He never climbed it.

NO, you do NOT want a ferret!!! They make such a mess! It takes people 24 hours to digest our food,(therefore having a bowel movement). It takes ferrets only 3 hours!! They eat a lot, due to a high metabolism, so every few hours, they mess and stink up the house. My brother-in-law had one for his kids. He regretted it so much. After a few months, he gave it away! (You could tell he had one as soon as you walked into the house) They also have a musky odor that never totally goes away, even after being descented. I used to work at Petco, where we had ferrets. We had to clean their cages every couple of hours, if not more often. True, they are cute, but do you really want all that extra work?? I think not! But this is just my opinion! Try a couple of gerbils. They are NOT up at night.

I have owned a ferret before. They like most other pets have there pros and cons. We got ours from someone that was tired of taking care of him. He was precious and a lot of fun to play with, but also a lot of work. They can go anywhere, even the smallest of cracks. They are naturally curious so, that's just what they do. Sinbad (our ferret's name) was from what I understand the exception to the rule, but he never ever bit anyone. He was really a lovey dovey guy, but alot of them will nip and bite. They also have to be bathed pretty often, (which is actually pretty funny)even if they have been descented, they still smell funny, not really stinky, but musky sort of. If you get one, I would recommend playing with it and getting to know it as the bitting thing would be my main concern with little ones. The rest is just part of being a pet owner. They are also good at litter box training. We would let him run loose when we where home, but put him in his cage for his safety when we where not home and to avoid him chewing on something he shouldn't. It really depends alot on how much responsibility you 10 yo wants and if you are willing to take care of it when he doesn't. They are alot of fun if you get one with a good disposition. He also liked to play out in the yard, but I always kept a leash on, just in case. We have 2 Leopard geekos now and they make good pets, minimal care, yet if handled alot, make good companions. They eat live crickets and best of all, do not stink. The cage has to be cleaned about every 2 weeks, they would make a great beginner pet.

Pros for us were: hilarious creatures, ours were very loving, entertaining, smart, great with our one year old

Cons for us were: smelled (even with reg bathing - which they hated), cage must be cleaned daily (they poo more than any animal I've seen), their waste smells horrid, they love to hide in small spaces and were impossible to find at times, costs were high initially

We would never own a ferret again unless we had enough money to hire a ferret keeper. :) HA! The work was simply too much to handle in keeping the cage clean, them clean, keeping them socialized, training them. Like I said, if someone would clean them and their cage daily for me I would have them forever. They really were sweet pets.

Hope this helps and good luck in the search for your family pet.

Look on Craigs List for Ferrets needing homes. There are a lot of them! Find out the problems.

Also, A rat makes an excellent pet. The males are pretty smelly though, but can be very tame and relaxed. I had lots of rats when I was growing up and they were always so much fun.

I also like gerbils but the one we have now never quite tamed down. Gerbils are really fun to watch because they are always so busy. Right now we have a male rat and a male gerbil. I like them both but the rat is the only one that gets to come out and hang out. My son now 13, has begged me for a ferret for years but because we have dogs its out of the question. Ferrets need lots of exercise and time with the family!

I had a Ferret when I was younger and YES they do climb. They can be quite messy too -- as with any pet, of course. My 9 year daughter is a HUGE animal lover and basically has a pet store of her own at this point because she saves her money and buys the pets herself. (I of course have a FEW restrictions on what comes in to the house -- for example right now she wants a snake --but that's NOT happening, lol)
Anyway -- we have a dog, a cat, 2 parakeets, 7 hermit crabs, and a leopard gecko. She also has fish at her dads and used to have a dwarf hamster but she passed away. She LOVED the dwarf hamster and had a lot of fun playing with it. They are pretty small and don't make TOO much noise at night. If you can't have a dog or cat...I would go with something along the lines of hamster or guinea pig. Ferrets take a little more work. Or if your son would be in to lizards...the gecko is an awesome pet. (and yes you can hold and play with them). The only disadvantage to the gecko is feeding it live food -- which means you store live worms in your fridge. SOUNDS ALOT WORSE THAN IT IS, lol.

Anyway -- Hope this helps!!

Although I don't own one, (had everything else :-) ), I've seen and read a lot about them. They are EXTREMELY active, are more curious than cats, get into EVERYTHING, and Y-E-S, they can climb, climb, climb. They are much like rats and mice because they can get into places that look impossible. I recommend you do a google search to learn more about their personalities. Also, they bite!

My sister-in-law has a ferret and they round up kicking it outside in a cage. They said it was getting mean towards the baby.

Hello! This is a good question for mr to answer because i have had 2 ferrets and i have freinds that have some and i work at our local small town pet store.ferrets are awesome. great for kids that will play with them all the time. i have to admit they are a lil high maintnenced (sp) they do poop alot and its good to always keep there litter box cleaned. they couldnt crawl up our baby gates but if they can fit there head in a small space, there body will fit also. you wouldnt believe the stuff ours got into! lol.....i have a 3 yr old a 4 yr old and 2 5 yr olds and one 7 yr old. the last three are step kids that dont live with us. if you have any other questions i would love to answer them!!!

I happily grew up with guinea pigs, it would be a good compromise between a hamster and a ferret if you're still not completely sold on the idea of a ferret. Good luck, no matter what you decide your pet will make for many happy memories for your kids.

Yes a ferret can climb. I had 3 ferrets once upon a time. While they were loads of fun, they are also needful of constant attention,& very hard to house train as they go within 4 hours of eating. One thing you might consider, something that had I known, I would not have gotten them...they only live 2-4 years.

I love ferrets, and had two before having my kids. Since this would be your first one, I would recommend adopting rescue ferrets, as older ones won't be as hyper, will be trained to only play-bite (they have to be trained not to bite hard, just like a puppy), and are usually litter trained. Especially since you have a toddler, you don't want to be finding poop in corners
Ferrets do still smell, even with the glands removed. A rice bath helps a lot, and the cage has to be cleaned everyday.
I think ferrets are great pets, and do great with children (after they are trained and not babies themselves). I would really recommend going to a rescue for your pet if you get one. The people there should be able to help match you to the kind of ferret that would be best for you. Just like people their personalities vary greatly. I can recommend a great one in Atlanta that is owned by a couple, they run it out of their house.
But if you have a sensitive nose, this is not the animal for you. Good luck making your decision!

I don't know about the climbing but my daughter had a ferret once and she said they are really dirty animals. Have you considered a bird or fish? Good luck.

We had a ferret when are daughter was 18 months until she was three, they were the best of friends. We took the ferret everywhere. We loved taking him to the park and letting him explore on a leash of course. We can't wait to get two ferrets when my other daughter is older (11 months now). The only reason we don't have our first ferret is I started working 3 days a week and he was use to a lot of love and playtime and he got a little depressed and fat so he lives with a friend who has another ferret and we see him often. We plan on getting two ferrets next time, they are very much social needy animals. And they do climb but they are very smart and can be trained. Good luck and I hope you decide to get a ferret or two!

I knew someone that had a ferret for a long time. He was cute, and fun for awhile, but even with his scent glands removed he was pretty smelly. They can get anywhere they want to get. I'm sure a ferret could figure out a way to go over, through or under a baby gate. It's also a big investment for a pet that they'll be bored with in a couple of months.
We had many many hamsters and they don't sleep all day for the first couple of years, typically. At least ours didn't seem to. We kept them in 10 gallon aquariums with wire mesh lids. Use crushed corncob instead of newspaper and you won't have to clean it as often. You must keep them in separate containers as they will fight. They are incredibly intelligent but possibly don't have good vision. We think this because if you picked one up with a food smell on your hands, they would often bite where that smell was. They looooved thawed mixed vegetables. . . except for the lima beans. Like I said, they are very intelligent! We also knew someone with a guinea pig and they were very fond of it, but it slept in the hall at night because of the rustling. Good luck on your search.

Ferrets stink!
I have had two friends with ferrets and even with their sent glands removed they still stunk.

HI. I owned two ferrets, one was a christmas present over 9 years ago and the other was being passed from home to home. My "present" one, Bandit, was a great ferret. He used the litter box and didn't smell. You would have never know he was in the house. My "rescue" was a female, Gabby Gail. She wasn't too trust worthy at first. I got bit to the bone the first couple times I picked her up. She learned that she was in a safe enviroment and was at her pernament home and settled down. She had an odor about her. Ferrets do take a lot of time. With a toddler in the house, I would not recremend a ferret. In order to have a social, non-bitting or nipping, takes a lot of time, patience, and love. I had my two before Mason came along. Ferrets do climb, dig, nip, and jump. My ferrets woudl beat up my dog, a rottweiler. Ferrets can get along with other animals, not snakes though. Being part of the wezzel ? family, they eat snakes. Ferrets are always on the move. They do need their litter boxes changed daily. My Bandit died of old age, I miss him so. He was such a character. His "obsession" was socks. I had to move furniture around my house about once a week to find missing socks. He would take naps with me on the couch. Gabby, she liked tv remotes. She was very aggressive when it came to them. Gabby was put to sleep. She had gotten a bad respitory infection and it happened over night. The night before, she was fine, running around. The next morning, she could barely breath. Mason was a baby when we had her put down. I would get another ferret once Mason is big enough to understand. They need their nails clipped as well. Most do not like this. Takes two people. the personality of a ferret is the mixture of 3 things, a puppy, a kitten, and the almighty terrible twos. I would say give it about 3-4 more years before getting one. The ferret will get into anything and everything. They are also delicate creatures. They act tuff, but can get hurt very easily.

Hope this helped some
N.

Go to Yahoo kids WITH him and look up the pros and cons of owning a ferret. Yes they can climb and they have a smell even though the glands are removed. Other than the odor they are rather neat but extremely hyper. Sometimes they bite even when they know you well.

I think that Ferret's are wonderful pets. I have had two in my lifetime, and would actually love to have another one. Based off of some of the reply's that I read that you received from other people I must have been very lucky with the two that I had. Neither of them were bitters, and were very loving animals. My daughter was just born when I had the first one, but he became ill with Hodkin's disease. I was devestated...my parents surprised me with another one about a year after that. He and my daughter then just a little over a year old would sit in the floor and litterally play ball with each other. She loved to chase him around the house, and she could pick him up anyway she wanted, and I never had to worry about him bitting her, or hurting her. Yes, you do and will have to bath him/or her on a regular basis. But all you have to do is put them in the sink and in five minutes they are clean again. Towel dry them, and then they can do the rest....watching a ferret dry themselves after a bath is one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. Both of mine really liked bubble bath's and would swim around. You will need a decent size cage, and the ferret likes to sleep hidden, so buying a sling bed would be a good choice. I do have to tell you though that I also lost the second ferret to the same disease. There is no way of you knowing that they may get it, but it's just like not knowing you may get cancer one day too. So with your son being 10 I think that he is at a good age to be able to take care of a ferret, and I completely agree with the lady that said check into the ferret rescue for adopting one. Hope this helps, and good luck with your choice!!!

they are awsome i had a ferret for awhile they are usually very good with kids but they do stink that would be a good choice

I would stay away from Ferrets. My cousin owned one and I had a friend who owned one when I was younger. They aren't bad pets, you can sort of walk them and they're funny when they climb on you. However, they smell really, really bad a lot of the time. And sometimes they have a tendency to bite. Personally, I would spend the money to get a small, but sturdy puppy like a begal or a larger chihuahua. Collie's are also great dogs for kids because they are very very gentle and larger so he can play with it and not worry about hurting it.

Ive owned a ferret in the past and had her about 8 yrs. Ive also worked at petsmart (fyi doesnt sell ferrets) so im familiar with small animals. I think ferrets are great pets but theyre definitely not for everyone. I would definitely recommend researching them. On the plus side of owning a ferret theyre a lot easier to handle than a hamster or gerbil for a child (females are typically more gentle). They are also a lot more active and entertaining. On the negative side they are a lot more maintence. They put off quite an odor that can almost be unbarable for some people. So their cage needs cleaning frequently. They are also quite a bit more expencive. not only for the ferret itself but also for the supplies. And they do require visiting the vet. If your really not sure on the ferret i would also recommend checking out guinea pigs. Theyre not as likely to bite as a hamster/gerbil and the tend to be more relaxed; so theyre very easy to handle. And they dont smell like a ferret or cost as much. As far as the ages of your children, the two older boys wouldnt have a problem with any of the pets, but the two yr old would have to be carefully supervised around any of the animals. Sorry if i went on and on but i seem to have all this useless animal knowledge. lol. if you have any other qts let me know i can help u the best i can.

I had a friend who had ferrets when I was a child, and while they were fun, looking back I would never, ever get one as a pet. They smell, they require constant maintenance, they have super sharp teeth that really hurt when they bite, and yes, they can climb over, under, or through just about anything. Anything their heads can fit in, the rest of the body can too, so they can get into very tight spaces.

My sister owns 2 ferrets. They are very playful, almost like kittens. They are very loving. Down side: they can climb well and they smell very bad! They come from the skunk family, so you can imagine how their bodies smell. She cleans them often and they have a ferret house that rivals my own home...but they still smell up one whole side of her home.

I recommend guinea pigs! They are relatively small, easy to care for, good with kids (they don't bite) and funny. They even make a variety of noises to communicate. Beatrix Potter, the woman who wrote the Peter Rabbit books, loved guinea pigs above all other small animals. We have two and they're great. Oh - and they sleep at night.

My brother had 2 ferrets when we were growing up. They are cute. The one he had would bite and it didn't just bite, it would hang on and chew. They also smelled horrible and pooped all around the baseboards in his room. He had a litter box for them, but they wouldn't always go in it.

My oldest son has a hamster. He does sleep a lot during the day, but is active some in the afternoon. He isn't totally boring! :)

The perfect pet for you is a rat. They are as smart as dogs, very social and love to be played with. They don't smell like a ferret and they never bite. You are much more likely to be bit by a hamster. Rats are easy to potty train and are great with kids. I have four kids, 6, 4, 2 and 5 months, and we love our rat.

Hey Ro,
I had a couple of ferretts when I was younger (in middle school)and they were awesome. Just like a cat, they use the bathroom in a litter box. The ferrets were had all had great personalities. The only problem we ran into was a male dominance problem with two of the males and they had to be seperated constantly. We had one store bought ferrett and several ones that were "rescues", they each have their own personalities and quirks. They loved sleeping in the ferrett hamocks and pretty much had the run of the house. They like shinny things and will hide them from time to time. They do climb and they do jump a bit. As long as their stinker had been removed, there isn't too much of a smell as they can be bathed once a week with ferrett shampoo. In my opinion, ferretts are very lovable and unique pets that are fun for the whole family. It will take a good bit of care from your son, but I believe a 10 year old can handle it.

A.

well ferrets are nice but if they ever get outside of your house I have heard they can't live long cause most ferrets they sell in pet stores are raised or born in captiva and some cites also have laws that you can't have them they also might bite which could be bad for your 2 year old. and I also think they can climb also some baby gates have small holes in them which they can get through. so may you need to look up on the internet to find out more about them. I had a friend who had one and they smell funny.most pet stores can tell you a lot but maybe not what you need to know cause they want to sell the animal so I would try the internet to find out more about them good luck

I think you did the right thing checking this out before you get a pet. We always do a lot of research on what an animal needs, and some of them need a lot.

As far as I know...ferrets can get anywhere. They are very social and require a ton of attention. Really read up on them and ask at the pet store. That way you won't be surprised after you get home with a living breathing animal. You can make the best decision for your family and the pet.

We got our kids a guinea pig when they were little and that thing is going to be 8 years old soon. They are not fragile so that would be a plus for your 2 year old. Also they aren't tiny like a hamster and if it gets out...you can find them. Ours is very social, loves to squeak and eat snacks. We have always had 2 but at this point our older one is content being the one and only. We just make sure he gets our attention every day.

Read, read, read and have your son aware of all you have learned plus sign a commitment contract to care for the pet after you find out all it needs. Pets are fascinating in the beginning but often kids lose interest or have other activities that take their time. Then Mom gets stuck with the pet.

Good luck,

I have to tell you, ferrets require a LOT of care! They cannot just be left in a cage all day long. They are supposed to be let loose for at least an hour or so daily, or they freak out being cooped-up for too long. They also sleep a lot during the day for the most part. They will learn to escape from their cage if left there too much during their waking hours. They are VERY smart and active! They are very fun, and the one we had never bit the kids. She ate high-end cat food. The cage must be cleaned about every day, and if you have a small litter box in it, they will mostly use it, but not completely. The cage must be rather large, and it takes up a lot of space. Do note when they are loose in the house whether intentionally or because they escaped, they are prone to digging into the bottomside of box springs and furniture if left unattended. They need to be watched when running loose. Ours dug a den into the bottom of our box springs, but she never bothered the other furniture. They do have a slight musty odor even when de-scented, and that bothers some people. You can bathe them, and that helps, but you can never completely rid of the slight smell that isn't bad or good--just a ferret smell, but some people hate it. They are funny and entertaining little critters, and ours made us laugh a lot. They will "steal" things and hide them, and ours had a thing for chocolate candy in the wrapper if she found any (of course, they don't need to eat that!). She would play well with cats and dogs plus the kids. If she got outside, she didn't run away but would find her way under the house somehow then show up later. Ours was fun but required more upkeep than Mom wanted to deal with (you know how that goes!). Hamsters are not a good choice, in my opinion. I've owned almost any animal you could consider as a pet, and I will say a rat (like from the pet store) is a great choice for a kid. They are cheap, they are VERY smart and entertaining, they don't just sleep all the time, and they don't bite. They are the cheapest animal you could ever hope to feed as they eat ANYTHING, and that is OK with their systems, unlike hamsters, etc. You can feed a rat scraps of any kind and just vary their diet. They have to have water, of course. They are actually very clean animals and bathe themselves like a cat. You have to clean the cage, just like any animal but no worse than any other. Their "poop" consists of little hard pellets, between that of a mouse and a rabbit, I'd say. They like being handled if you handle them on a regular basis. They can make cute little houses and dens from any old carboard box and scraps of paper or newspaper. We lined our cages with old newspaper and changed it daily. You can use other cage materials like cedar chips, but you don't have to if you clean it more often. They are big enough when grown that you don't have to worry so much about a small child dropping it, and they don't just hop out of your hand like a mouse will do. Rats are much smarter than any other rodent, and once you own one, you will see how much so! I've owned many, many rats, and I've had every other furry critter. My rats never bit me, but every hamster, gerbil, mouse, and whatnot have. A rat will ride around on a child's shoulder and will come back to his "home" (cage) if outside of it for very long (if they get loose in the house, they will likely end up back where they belong if the door is left open). If you want baby rats, that is easy enough if you get a male and female, but remove the male once the deed is done or before babies are born. Rats don't like to be over-crowded in cages with other rats. Get a cage big enough that they have room to explore and make dens. They will come get food out of the child's hand when offered to them then take it back to the den to store until all the offerings are gone. I just have to say, they are very fun little critters, and they are easy to keep alive! They are very tolerable creatures and will easily live a few years or more if taken care of. They can handle changes of temperature, etc., without kicking-off like some animals. So, if you are not wanting a dog or cat, I would recommend a rat. Petco sells them for about $6, I believe, and you can get white ones with pink eyes (albinos) or brown ones in varying colors of white with spots or solid brown with dark eyes. Boys especially like the scaly tails! I can promise your 10-year-old boy would love a pet rat! My 11-year-old son loves them! You can bathe them, also, and he'd take a bath with his then carry it around on his shoulder all day long!
The easiest pet would probably be fish, but the kids can't exactly play with them. Reptiles are very active, and I don't find rabbits to be all that fun for a kid, though they are cute. I think a rat is easier than a ferret but every bit as smart and maybe smarter but not quite as hyper. They are also MUCH MUCH cheaper! A ferret at Petco will run you about $138 the last time we checked. The big cage is about another $100, etc. You can get a nice rat cage for about $40, I think. You can even buy a 10-gallon or bigger aquarium (no more than 1 rat in a 10) and get the mesh lid at Wal-Mart for non-fish pets. Then if the cage gets dirty, you just wash it all out to clean it. The wire kind of cage with ladders and such is funner to watch, but do keep in mind that the rats I've owned weren't interested in the hamster type stuff like little plastic tunnels, turrets, and wheels. You can try them, but rats generally grow too big for them, anyway, especially males.
I hope this helps!
M.

I have to tell you that I personally think a ferret is the worst pet ever. I lived with a guy that had one and the ferret was into everything. They certainly can climb. Let me put it to you this way, the window to our apartment was left about an inch open and the ferret weaseled it's way out the window across the roof (we lived on the upper floor) and into the neighbors apartment window. He made a mess of their house. I hated that I couldn't keep my decorations like I wanted b/c the ferret would take them and hide them and/or chew them up. He dug up the plants and he required a really big cage for when he was put up. I eventually made my boyfriend give him up he was a disaster of a pet. Besides they don't really like to be held that much. The only good thing was he was cute when he was sleeping! And he didn't smell like most ppl think ferrets do, but some of them do smell really strong. I would never get a ferret for a pet again.

Ferrets can get anywhere they want as long as it's in the same room. I don't think a baby gate would slow them down more than a minute as they climbed over it. We have a cat, dog and fish. A beta fish in a bowl on the kitchen table is really fun for the entire family because they will watch you walk around and if you put something in front of the bowl, they will investigate it and nearly get mad and puff up if it's too close for them. Of course, kids love something they can hug on ... go talk to the folks at a good pet store for suggestions.

I would have to advise against it. They are very active pets but SMELL like all as can be. It is my understanding that it is natural for them to smell. If you want a cute and active pet (that doesnt smell) i would suggest a gold fish!

Yes a ferrett can climb or slip through a baby gate.
I bought a ferret for my boyfriend on Valentines Day a few years back, it was about 300 with cage and supplies.
I had two roomates and they eventually killed it on accident when they were cleaning house, they crushed it under my couch!
Before that they would let her out of the cage and then leave the door open to the balcony all the time. A ferrett is not an animal you can just let loose in your house...it needs to be watched carefully when let out. For its own safety and for protection of your possesions...My roommate thought I was stealing her tampons, we found them all under the couch...they can get into cabinets, drawers and any tiny space. They are easily killed on accident. They can be affectionate and smart, or nasty and mean.
I choose an adult ferrett. Ferretts may bite.

When I was 17 my sister-in-law had a ferret.She is now a vet in Baton Rouge. She had the musk glands removed because you almost have to because they have a very distinct oder.The ferret was a female and seemed to run and get into everything , she would play and sometimes become aggresive and bite.They kept Frannie(ferret) in a cage outside on their pool patio.She would climb out the cage when she was cleaning it and she would climb up thier library case which was 12 feet high. They are very fast and with a two year old I think I would wait untill she is a little older. I personally just remember that musk smell that I cant seem to forget. Good Luck!

I wouldn't get a ferret. When I was growing up my cousin had a ferret. Thought it was a very loveable creature, it was also quite hard work. Yes, they do climb and are great escape artists. You do realise that they have a musty smell about them even with the scent glands remove. My cousin lost his when someone accidently left the door open and it was never seen again.

Have you considered a rabbit? They can live in the backyard in a hutch (in the winter in the garage or shed out of the cold) or I even know people who have them indoors running free. You can litter train them like a cat. You would also need a little run in the yard so that they can nibble at the grass, plus they like eating the vegetable peeling from dinner. With alot of handling they can be very gentle creatures.

I suggest a rabbit. They are cute and cuddly, and they will stay in their cage unless you let them out. You can train them to use their cage like a litter box, and they require little maintenance. We used to let ours out to run around the house. However, you do have to closely supervise them while they run around because they will chew on cords! They are also a little sturdier than a guinea pig or hamster so young kids have less of a chance of hurting them. They also don't make noise, smell (as long as you keep the cage clean), or climb. Hope this helps.

I wonder why a cat is out of the question?

I've owned a ferret and, despite the fact that I absolutely LOVED my little Sylvie, am not sure I would recommend one especially since you have a 2 year old.

Most ferrets, even when de-scented, can have a very strong, unpleasant musky odor (even the females). They are hard to litter train. Most of the time they require a large cage to stay in and have needle-like teeth that hurt when they bite even if they are just playing.

Ferrets also need specialized veterinary care and most vets either don't see ferrets or don't take the time to learn how to properly care for exotic animals. You can't just treat them like cats or dogs.

On the other hand, cats (for the most part) are very clean and really are very self-sufficient. If you use the right high-quality food and clean the litter box daily, you don't even know a cat is in the house.

If you are really set on getting a ferret, I suggest you find a KNOWLEDGABLE pet store employee or veterinary and talk to them. Or get some books on caring for ferrets and read them before making a decision.

I've worked in the veterinary medicine field for over 14 years so I've had a lot of experience with people getting animals without having an idea of how to care for them then dumping them at the local shelter for euthanasia.

Please research this carefully and do a trial if you can.

Regards,

M.
www.enidmg.com

Hey Ro, I had 2 and my kids were 7, 10, and 13. You talk about a mess. Yes the kids liked playing with the ferret. but you do know how bad they smell??? They get into everything and dig holes and you must be watching them all the time. I would not want one in my home loose. They will bite also. If you are a real animal person you should have no problem, but if you have a problem with dogs and cats, then a ferret is not for you. I would get a Boston terrier for the child. I have 4 and I have never seen a more loyal and affectionate or playful, they are clean and don't shed. My kids are now grown. with kids of thier own.

ferrets are great pets, the inital cost is high, as you need to buy one that has been descented they also need a round of DHLPP shots and rabies, a large cage, hammock for sleeping and if your house is childproof that is even better because they love small spaces, esp cabinets. they are very friendly and do tend to nip but not to the point of danger. they are energetic, and comical, your family will love one.

I am concerned. Why is a dog or cat out of the question, but a ferret sounds like a good choice? Have you looked into everything that goes with owning a ferret? Do you have a good vet near you who can treat ferrets? Having a ferret is like having a small child and requires quite a committment and a LOT of the same patience you would have to have with a child.

Please be sure that your son is ready to commit to a high maintenance animal. Research the necessities with him and make sure that he understands what it takes to raise one. If he doesn't stick to it you will have to.

Actually this advice works for many different animals that children often find themselves attracted to.

My expertice on this is that I have 4 dogs, 3 cats, 3 birds, 3 gerbils (which by the way are active during the day, but they are much faster than hamsters), 2 hermit crabs, 1 fire belly toad, 1 aquatic turtle, and 1 iguana. I recently lost my ferret Cassie due to old age. She was a delight, don't get me wrong, but kept us very busy.

Good luck with your decision and happy researching!