Ferrets are Not Vicious Animals!

As Iz reported on Friday there was a supposed ferret attack on a one month old child. The News stations and papers do not seem to have any more information than when they first reported the incident.

Iz did find out that the ferrets and two cats were euthanized. The article only said the ferrets were being tested for rabies. Iz can only hope that a nercrospy was performed on all the animals to see just which one had human flesh in their digestive track. There were also several other animals removed from the home. Unfortunately it is the ferrets that are the ones being blamed for the damage done to this child.

What the news reporters do not seem to understand is that it would take us ferrets a long time to do the damage the child sustained. In an interview the father stated that two of the ferrets were on the child and the third was still in the make shift cage, which again was made from cloth and was never intended to house any animal for an extended period of time. It is my opinion the ferrets were trying to comfort the child like they would do with a small kit, baby ferret, that was in distress. Again that is only MY OPINION.

Iz has the feeling that not all the facts have been discovered and unless there was a pet autopsy, Nercrospy< performed on ALL the euthanized animals wez may never know the real truth. Also living in that house were four other children under the age of five that were released into the custody of the grandparents and one article said there are criminal charges pending. Iz have to point out that this event was 100% preventable. If the parents had used a proper cage made from metal and not a cloth dog playpen, or had taken the child upstairs with them the child would not be in the ICU facing multiple surgeries to her face. The ferrets and cats would be alive and the other animals would not have been ripped from their home and the media would not have a sad story to report. But it also must be said that the living conditions were not ideal for the children or animals and both probably should have been removed or at the very least been monitored a lot closer than they were. This tragedy took place on the same day as the New York City Hearing to lift the ban on ferrets living in the city. It is our fear that those reconsidering the ban will leave it in place due to this incident and use it as the grounds for their decision when it is apparent that it was a preventable situation and that stories like this are not as prevalent as dog incidents in the news. Again leave a comment if you wish but Iz and Hooman reserve the right to delete any comment that is flaming towards other commenters or ourselves. Facts:

Ferrets ARE NOT rodents they were domesticated to hunt them and were used as rodent control until the earlier 30's in the United States

Most ferrets in the United States are fed kibble and have never tasted animal flesh but it also must be said there is a growing movement of raw fed ferrets but our stomachs are small.

Ferrets have claws like a cat and can climb.

Ferrets are curious creatures and will investigate any kind of squeaky noises.

Since the late 50's there have been less than 20 reported cases of rabies in ferrets and there are now vaccines against the disease.

Wez will continue to monitor the story and bring you the latest as wez find it out.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Manny

The Caged Bird Does Not Sing, And There’s Good Reason Why That Is So

 

Many of us enjoy having pets of all kinds, from dogs and cats to gerbils, goldfish and birds. For many, owning a pet is a pleasure. Pets provide companionship and are fun to have around. But still, the experience of keeping animals contained within your home is not an issue that is always easily dealt with for some.

As well treated as your pet may be, the very act of domesticating animals that were once wild sets up a moral dilemma for some. Keeping a dog or cat in your home is one thing. Both, under the right circumstances, can be allowed outdoors to wander about to varying degrees. But for bird owners, the proposition of owning a feathered friend is more troubling. Most birds that are kept as pets are enclosed in a bird cage. And that by itself gives many who are conscious of animal rights pause.

Except on occasions when their cages are being cleaned, birds kept as pets usually stay inside their cages 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To many, this is a cruel form of solitary confinement that is hard to justify. While a bird cage is not exactly the equivalent of a prison cell, it does confine one or more of nature’s creatures to a space that is unnaturally small and restrictive, and is certainly in conflict with the natural environment to which birds are normally accustomed. To many, this act of restriction in itself constitutes animal cruelty, and is an inexcusable form of imprisonment.

In general, birds do not thrive when they are caged. Some domesticated birds, such as parrots are sometimes kept on perches and not confined to a cage. For many, that is a preferable way of handling the issue of keeping animals that should ideally be able to roam free or fly where they may.

Commonly used phrases, such as “free as a bird” demonstrate the conflicted sense of propriety we are always likely to foster whenever the topic of keeping a pet in a bird cage comes up. While birds are beautiful creatures that are a pleasure to have around one’s home, the feeling of justification that some experience when it comes to the act of limiting an animal’s natural freedom is off-putting to many.

For the most part, the birds that most people keep caged in their homes were captured from the wild, or were raised domestically as pets. In either case, both domestic production or capturing wild creatures and keeping them confined for our own amusement is considered by many to be a reprehensible act. Animals are innocent creatures that typically thrive in the wild, unless they have become so domesticated that they cannot survive outside of the artificial environment created by humans.

Birds can be kept in sunny, pleasant areas of your home, where a controlled temperature will ensure that your pet is never too cold or too warm. They can be fed good, healthful diets and even be allowed to fly free inside the home on occasion. All of this can create an environment that is quite a bit better than a “prison cell” for pets. Despite all of the good intentions, keep in mind that birds were born to fly freely, and keeping them in any cage is against their nature.

 

Fabian

 

Disclosure: Enlightened Ferret does not normally have guest posters. In the future guest posters will be ferret experts in their own right. A monetary donation was made this disclosure is in keeping with the FCC rules.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Ferret Proofing

Ferret proofing is important to keep your ferret safe. Many first time ferret owners have been surprised by their ferret showing up on top of the bookcase, in a dresser drawer, or outside of their cage.


A ferret can get their head through a hole that is about one inch the rest of their body will follow. A fifty cent piece is about 2 inches in diameter and can be used as a reference when ferret proofing your home.

Ferret proofing is a three step process.

First child proof this is just the start.

Second puppy/dog and kitten/cat proof this helps to insure a safe environment for your ferret.

I have said before my boys Manny and Marcuz only get to play in one room of the house because of its age and the fact we have Trixie, the bloodhound, and Boyd the cat and they all need supervision when playing together.


Now for the third step which is even more in depth then the first two steps.

The first place you need to check is your ferret’s home. Is it secure? You might be surprised to find that your industrious little fur ball is able to slip between the door and that taught spring with no problems. I had that problem with my little girl Gweny. Fix by using the clip end of leash to secure the spot your ferret escapes from but don’t ever think that it is secure.


I had to use two clips on either side and in the middle of the door before I was able to keep Gweny from escaping. I should also say her cage was the kind that had the small squared wire like that on a rabbit cage.


The boy’s cage is a large dog crate with the bars being about ½ inch apart neither is able to slip through the bars but they are able to slide the latch to the side. Again finding a way to make it so I am not greeted by one of them scratching on my bedroom door was a challenge until I found a type of connector that wraps around the bars of the cage and the latch handle.


Next is the door to the room. If it doesn’t latch securely a ferret can and will work at getting the door open. To a ferret, the grass is greener on the other side. Again, I found an easy fix by adding a hook and eye set up to the door. The boys can scratch, paw, dig at the door but it will not swing open. I just have to remember I’ve latched it that way before leaving the room.


Cords draw a ferret’s attention almost as fast as socks and they will climb, pull, and chew on them, which can lead to disastrous results. Unfortunately not all cords can be put up out of the reach of a ferret so coat them generously with Bitter Apple unless you have a ferret who loves it as I did.


James loved sour tasting stuff my fix was a diluted hot pepper spray. The use of cord hiders will work with some ferrets but some will try to find a way to get the cords out of them.


Recliners, couches, and wheeled chairs can be deadly to a ferret. Many ferrets have lost their lives due to crush injuries because they were in, under, or near these pieces of furniture when an unsuspecting human rocked, sat, or moved.


High spots seem to be the siren’s call for ferrets and they can climb if determined enough and they don’t have any depth perception. Try to eliminate ways your ferret can access higher places and be on alert for them climbing stuff.


This is just a start of ferret proofing and it is an ongoing event for any ferret owner. I have said it before and will say it again.


Ferrets are the perpetual two year-old and kitten that never grow up rolled into one tiny body and are constantly looking for new challenges.


Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Ferret Housing

There are two ways of keeping a ferret in your home. Free Roam or Caged. Both ways work depending on the depth of ferret proofing you want to do and if there are, other factors involved.

While I would love to let my boys be free roamers it isn’t practical because where we live is an old house with lots of little nooks and crannies that could allow a curious ferret out into the big wide world without being seen.

I live with Judy my roommate and her bloodhound Trixie. Trixie and the boys play well together with close supervision and my boys are kept on their leashes to prevent Trixie from going from playing to hunter in the blink of an eye.

For this reason, they only get to play together for about 10 minutes before Trixie is taken out of the room to roam the rest of the house and the boys can be let off their leash to have full access to the playroom that gets ferret proofed every month.

So my boys are caged when they are not out for their scheduled playtime, which they get twice a day for about an hour or two depending on my own schedule.

Ferret cages can range from the very basic single level to the very elaborate Ferret Mansions.

My boy’s home is a large dog crate with their bed hanging in one corner and the litter box in the other. I have also opted for the inside water bowl that attaches to the bars to keep Trixie from eating the water bottles. Their food goes into a ceramic crock that is heavy enough to keep it from easily being dumped but doesn’t have a lip to prevent Manny from digging out that one perfect piece.

Because Marcuz likes to use either corner of the litter box side: I have newspaper put down for easy clean up.

While some people believe ferrets to be dirty little creatures they actually are quiet adamant about where they eat, sleep, and poop.

If the litter box has more poop than they think it should they will not use it. The boy’s litter box is scooped daily and completely changed weekly unless they have been sick and it needs changed sooner.

Their cage is cleaned and spruced up weekly as well but for those who know human bachelors the same goes for male ferrets.

Just minus the pizza boxes and empty beer bottles. Not that I wouldn’t put it passed a ferret to have either in his/her hidey-hole.

What kind of home does your pet have?

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

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