New ferrets!

As of yesterday, two new ferret jills joined our mini zoo of 13 animals. They are called Meeko Pocahontas (the demon who likes to escape) and Princess Rapunzel (the demon who bites) Even though they may be very grumpy, they still have really fun personalities! They will have to get used to me handling them though!

Meeko

 

 

 Meeko is a polecat and she is definitely and adventurer! She looks the squeeze in the smallest of spaces! I talk a lot about how you must ferret proof the area around where the ferrets are to prevent them from escaping however there was one small place next to the wooden stairs that had not been ferret proofed and Meeko found it. I spent the next half and hour chasing her round the garden and under the rabbit hutches to trying to get her back into the hutch! A nightmare.

Princess

Princess is less crazy and prefers to spend her time sleeping in what look like uncomfortable positions (but what do we know, we are not ferrets!) She doesn't like to be picked up that much so she tries to bite you if you do but with more handling she will be fine! I just love her cute and kind personality.

The perfect home

Ferrets like humans have to have a good quality of life meaning they need to live in a really awesome place with lots for them to do!

 

Outside homes

 

If you want to have your ferret live outside, you will need a hutch or if you REALLY wish to spoil your ferret then you may even give them a whole shed! I don't know but what ever you wish to do, you must make it look really good and make if fun and safe for the ferret to live in.

 

Here is a hutch I found that I LOVE!

 

If I could I would steal this hutch and have my new ferret live in it but I can't. However you can use inspiration from what other people have created when making and decorating your own hutch!

 

I think that a good hutch should have a soft and comfortable bed, some ropes/hammock (something high they can play on as they love to climb),a big area for them to run around in and a place for them to do what every ferret does, eat, drink and poop!

 

Tunnels are a great thing to have in a ferret hutch!

 

However with a hutch that is outside, it is most important to have a warm bed so they do not get cold in the winter or at night so make sure they have lots of bedding and blankets to sleep in!

 

Inside homes

 

This is not a problem if you have a ferret cage that is inside because the house will be heated so they can have les blankets and bedding to sleep in but they will still need some warmth. (I mean we have quilts so they will need a mini version of a quilt as well!)

 

This has lots of little beds for them to relax in!

 

Just like they need outside they need a place to run and climb so again add hammocks and rope and a large area that has tunnels or just running room. This means they will not get bored when you are not there as they can always entertain them selves for a little while.

 

Lots of things to climb on in here!



Dealing with the death of a ferret

Sadly on Thursday, his royal highness Rammy passed away due to what we think is a bacterial infection so he did not eat any food and was very sick. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

I think the best was to deal with a death of a ferret is to remember all the good about them and if you are obsessed with them as i am then i am sure you too will have taken many photos of your ferret and probably even videos! It may be an idea to look at them just to remind you how happy they really where.

It may take a while but you must try not to be too upset about it for long because they wouldn't want you to feel bad for a long time. I know my Rammy wouldn't.

Ferret proofing!

Ferrets love to run around and roll everywhere so what better place to do that than outside!?

however you cannot just let them roam free any where and tunnel under anything so you need to ferret proof your garden!

Here is a garden that has wire squares and chicken wire over a fence.

My garden has chicken wire around an area of grass to prevent Rammy from escaping. It may not5 look the best however it is only a small part of the garden.

One way to stop ferrets from escaping but still allowing them to be in the garden and on grass is to have a run the can play in. It can have ladders, tunnels and boxes in them to keep them entertained. Also if you don't trust them to go in the garden or do not want to ferret proof anything them you can walk them on a lead but that does mean ou have to keep a great eye on them! (unlike in a run)

Ferret photography

Me and Rammy are going to go on a ferrety photo shoot in a studio in Derby in a few weeks. I will hopefully come away with 25 frames of amazing pictures of Rammy acting crazy like he is. Because of this fact, i have decided to share some other photos of ferrets that i have found and love. I hope you like them and find them as cute as i do!

 

And it wouldn't be blogging with Rammy without my favorites of Rammy photos!

My ferret

I feel that on this blog, i talk too much about ferrets in genral but use picture of my ferret without really telling you much about him. So here goes! 

He is called Rambo (Rammy is what i call him) He loves and i mean LOVES to go for a walk on his lead and roll in the grass. He also likes to dig and he gets sooo muddy but it is really cute to watch!

He hates bath time but with all the exploring he has to be bathed every month and his feet are washed all of the time. I love to film him on his adventures so i can remember them forever. They are just amazing!

Unamused!

He also loves chicken. I give him some if he is every being good! One of his other favorite things to do is roll in blankets and play with they toys i have made him. He gets a lot of attention but he deserves it because he is so awesome and the best ferret ever!

The king!!!!

Facing ferrity boredom!

Ferrets git bored just like we do so to keep them amused you have to think f things they can do because it is impossible to be around them all the time. (sadly) However you may think that creating new toys and games for them is expensive. Not if you make it all your self!

I made everything inside of Rammy's hutch and it stops him for getting bored!

It started out as an old wooden hitch so i got some paint, painted it, created a wind chime using string, a bamboo cane and a wooden panel, made a climbing wall using string, tied rope for him to climb on on the ceiling, gave him a tennis ball and created a bed with some wood pieces nailed  together to form a box and them putting a blanket inside it.

Ferrets prefer strips of newspaper and paper bedding rather than hay or straw as hay can get stuck in their feet and it is not good for them. Paper is much softer to walk on and will not cause any damage. 

This shows that you do not have to spend a lot of money to make sure your ferret is not bored. You can make it all you self. Also that way you can make a game or toy that you know your ferret wil love because only you know what they really like!

Ferrets health

Nothing is more important than your ferrets health! That is a fact. So here are some ferret health signs and what they all mean!

 

.Here are some perfect ferret teeth! Your ferret should have lovey pink gums and shining white clean teeth! If your ferrets gums are red in colour it means they are dehydrated and their teeth can rot just like ours so make sure their dental care is good!

.Your ferrets fur should be lovely and soft and not bristle. If there are black dots on your ferrets skin, it could mean that they have fleas. This will also be shown if they are scratching. 

.Their ear wax should have a slight red tint to it- this colour is healthy and if they are constantly scratching their ears, it could mean that they are dirty and have something stuck in them that is irritating.

.Ferrets whiskers should be soft and if they are broken it can mean they are dehydrated. 

Make sure that you ferret has all of these perfected and you can even take them to a vet check up if your not sure something is right with your little fluffy! With that your ferret should be super healthy and happy!

Ferret toys!

There are many things that you can get your ferret to play with so they are not bored! 

One- Jingle mice. You can get these from ferret couture for only 79p! They fight and roll around with them however they make a bit of noise because they have a bell in them but it is so funny to watch your ferret roll around with them!

 

Two- Fuzz ball chasers again from ferret couture (i think i love this website too much!) and only £3.49, you can drag them along the floor and watch your ferret chase after them!

 

Three- A treat ball. You hide small treats inside it and your ferret rolls around trying to get them out! It makes them think and rewards them with treats!

 

 Four- Jittery critters. Pull the chord and it shakes and runs across the floor. Your ferret will hunt it and chase it! Make sure your ferrets don't bite off and swallow the eyes and nose of the critter!
 
 With all forms of play, your ferret has to be supervised because they can choke if they bite any part of a toy off and they will end up finding someway of hurting themselves when you are not there to watch them! Anyway, it is fun to watch because they are so crazy and adorable!

Ferrets and the heat

As you know, it is very hot here in England (for once) and it has not rained for a LONG time! However, have you thought of the effect that the heat can have on your ferret.

Most ferrets do not like heat because it obviously makes them hot! When they get hot, they may drink a lot more and loose their appetite. This means you need to make sure that you are always re-filling their water bottles with fresh cold water so it is cooling to drink. Also you need to make sure they do not over heat because this can make thm dizzy just like it does with humans!

 This can be very dangerous because they can stop eating due to them loosing their appetite and becoming very sleepy. My ferret has this experience. I was watching his food levels for two days and notices that he was slowly eating less and less until the point he stopped eating. He has lost a bit a weight due to this. My next door neighbor came up with a random but very effective solution!

If your ferret over heats follow these steps-

. Make sure they have lots of cold water to drink, even put it in a bowl so they can dip their heads in it to cool down.  

 . Cool them down at a steady rate. I did this by putting Rammy in the outside hutch and standing him in front of a giant electric fan! It works so well and he loved it!

.Get them chicken! Or any other food that contains moisture and is still rather healthy for them. So they can cool while eating if they have lost their appetite. 

.Reduce the bedding amount. If there is too much bedding, take some away because it can still be 18 degrees at night when ferrets are at their most active. 

So in the summer sun, keep a close eye on your ferret and make sure to keep them cool!

Walkies!

Teaching your ferret to walk! (on a lead) 

Ferrets love explore and if they are inside they may not be able to run around, dig and roll in grass! You can just let them run free in your garden but you will run the risk of loosing them. So you can walk them on a lead!

 I prefer to walk Rammy on a harness lead because it gives him that extra bit of support when he is exploring and it means that if he gets into real danger like he has walk him self to the edge of the deck i can pull him up with lead lead a he is fully supported by the harness like a hand.

Others may want to walk their ferret on a lead that attaches onto a collar because to means they can wear a top and people may think that it looks better than a harness. You can also get a lead that is attached using a collar like strap and one that goes across the body to supply support.

You may have noticed that this is not Rammy that is because i had to use an internet photograph as i don't own this type of lead!

You can somewhat control where a ferret walk buy slightly pulling on the lead to direct them. Don't pull too hard as you can hurt them and some will not listen to you as all they want to do is run around and play!

How to make a felt hammock!

How to make a felt hammock!

You may think that you have to buy a hammock for your ferret because either you don't think you can make one or you feel that the one you make will not be very good. However these instructions show that they are simple to make and look really cool if you just have a felt blanket! No sewing is needed!

You will need- scissors, felt blanket and some hooks.

Step one- get three pieces of felt, one large approx. 40cm2, another 5cm smaller and another 5 cm smaller than that. The size of the first square depends on how big your ferret is and how many ferrets are going to use it.

step 2- Cut out 4 thin 20cm strips of felt.

Step 3- layer the 3 squares on top of each other with one of their corners all overlapping. 

Cut a small hole through all of the pieces on the corners overlapping as shown by the cross.

Step 4- you need to do the same with every one of the corners. Re-match each of the three corners as show on the diagram above and thread one of the felt strips through all three of the holes. Make sure you tie it at the top to create a loop. Do this for all the the similar corners.

Don't worry if the hammock looks like it is sagging on the larger piece and less on the smaller piece. This is supposed to happen! You should end up with it looking this this-

 Is has been held up with hooks going through the loops made by the felt strips. Rammy just loves his because he can climb on any of the layers. The layers mean more support, more than one ferret can go on the hammock at any one time and they can climb in and out of the separate compartments!

Bath time!

Bath time!

Ferrets tend to really like water and having a bath because it does not happen very often. You should wash you ferret a maximum of ONCE A MONTH. This is because if you wash them any more than this, they produce a lot more of their "natural sent" Than normal. This can be bad for their health. Bathing them is to get rid of dirt and not their smell because that smell is naturally produced by them. The smell can be rid of by using ferret deodorizers that you can buy.

A bath need to be the depth of their legs but no deeper ( if they can swim in it, it is too deep.) You need to use either ferret shampoo or baby shampoo. Do not use puppy shampoo or human shampoo because the chemicals in them are harmful to ferrets. Make sure you rub the shampoo in well and rinse out properly.

If you give them a towel when you have finished, they will dry themselves!So cute to watch them roll around.

Cutting nails and brushing

When it comes to cutting nails you can buy nail cutters for them
 but you will run the risk of getting it wrong. You can always go to the vets and have them professionally cut. If you wish to cut them yourself, you will need to cut them at the tip on a 45 degree angle.

When it comes to brushing you ferret where are special brushes you can get that has soft bristles so it is kind on the ferret skin and does not scratch. Ferrets love the feeling of being brushed and they always look super cute afterwards! 

Entertainment

Entertainment 

Ferret get bored VERY eaisly so they always need something to do!

Here are some things you can do to ensure your ferret is not bored.

1. Use a lot of tunnels! It is the ferrets natural instinct to love to squeeze through small spaces and along tunnels. so what better than to create a maze of different tunnels for them? They are cheap to buy and it is fun to watch them run about and have fun! You must make sure not to get a tunnel that is too small as they can get stuck. Special ferret tunnels can be bought.

2. Build a blanket den! Ferrets love to curl up and roll around in blankets so if you get a few blankets, you can scrunch some up, lay some flat and even use pegs to prop up a blanket and create a roof! They will love to run around in it and curl up and go to sleep in a very comfortable place.

3. Boxes! You can create the ultimate den using boxes, blankets and tunnels. Just be creative and see what den you create. This is my favorite game to play with Rambo because no den is ever the same. They also love to play and roll around in shoes(if you have any old ones!) You can cut holes in the boxes and join them together with a tunnel, wrap a blanket on the inside of the tunnel to create a bed and you can use tennis balls of witch ferrets love to play with!

Bedding

Bedding

Different ferrets like to have different bedding. A good bedding to use is hay (not straw as its sharp and can spike you ferrets) This is because it is comfortable, they can move it around to make their perfect bed and is cheap to buy. However you may prefer to keep your ferret indoors so hay may get everywhere! There is soft bedding you can buy as well! If they are kept outside in a hutch for example, they need to be kept a lot warmer than they do indoors so they may need more bedding.

A hammock i made with a hanging basket and a blanket!

Ferrets love hammocks to lie and blankets to curl up in! You can buy or make hammocks that are usually a stronger material with a fleece lining because its soft of they can be made up of all fleece. Ferrets love to curl up inside a soft blanket and go to sleep for the whole day! Ferrets are nocturnal so they will try to sleep a lot of the day and are awake in the afternoon and night time!

 

 

Clothes

Clothes

Many people think that it is cruel to be put there ferrets in clothes but if you buy specially made and fitted clothes for them then they do not mind at all!

This is my ferret in some clothes that are too big for him so i turned up the sleeves and got rid of the lace so it now fits him perfectly, is not too tight and he can not take of the lace and run the risk of eating it! It is simple modifications like these that makes the ferret like the clothes and feel comfortable in them!

For me the best website to get clothes for your ferrets if you feel like you can not make any, is ferret couture. They have clothes for ferrets all sizes! You just chose the correct size you need (measurements go on neck and waist) and then you chose your design. They do so many things ranging for t-shirts, hoodies, dresses and coats for the colder weather!  

Ferret couture retro collar- fits all sizes

Ferret couture medium devil hoodie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clothes i have made

I have made clothes that fit my ferret Rambo perfectly because i can make them to fit every exact measurement. Its so useful to be able to sew!

Front

Back

The clothes i made use buttons that have to be sewn on very well and extremely tightly to prevent the risk of Rammy eating one of them. They have to have no loose threads as he may choke on them and it all has to be sewn twice to made sure the stitching does not come undone and the way you thread it can be used as decoration.