19 Baby Ferret Facts And What To Do If You Want To Care For One

Baby ferrets are as adorable as they are fun. In this article, we share some interesting facts about them. These elongated creatures are the domesticated relatives of the European polecat. Other members of their family, the Mustelidae, include badgers, stoats and weasels. 

The original reasons for domesticating ferrets were rodent control and hunting. Today, they've become a popular choice for people looking to adopt exotic pets. Read on to learn more.

Meet the Ferrets 

Baby ferrets are called kits until they are one year old. Adult ferrets have different names depending on whether they are neutered or not. We call neutered males gibs, while intact males are called hobs. We refer to intact females as jills and spayed females as sprites.

For more information on ferrets in general, check out our ferret facts article.

1. Newborn ferret babies are super tiny. 

A baby ferret weighs about 6 to 12 grams and measures around 2 inches at birth⁴. Gaining weight is a sign that a kit is developing typically. 

As baby ferrets become adults, they increase dramatically in size. They can weigh up to 2 pounds and have a body length of 20 inches². Male ferrets not castrated grow to be much larger than intact female ferrets.

2. Newborn ferret babies look the same.

Newborn kits all have a soft whitish fuzz when they are born. They only start to get their actual fur color around three weeks of age. 

Adult ferrets come in different varieties of fur, some more common. The albino's red eyes and white coat easily distinguish it. We have the white coat with dark eyes type, the cream and brown coat type, and the white and cream coat ferret. There's also the silver ferret with a light or dark gray coat.

3. Baby ferrets are altricial.

When they are born, ferret kits are not only tiny but also blind, deaf, and toothless. It takes four to five weeks for ferret babies to start seeing and hearing. Their baby teeth also come in, and they can begin eating solid foods.

They start to lose their baby teeth at eight weeks and get their complete set of adult teeth at nine months. It takes only six months for ferrets to reach the age of reproduction.

4. Ferrets are obligate carnivores.

In the first three weeks of life, kits depend on their mother's milk to survive. At about three and a half weeks, the weaning process begins. Kits start by eating mushy foods such as ground meat, kibble soaked in broth, etc. By six weeks of age, they're entirely weaned.

Ferrets are obligated meat eaters. Their diet must contain large amounts of animal protein, fat, and fatty acids. It's essential to introduce kits to such food at a young age.

5. Ferrets are picky eaters.

Feeding a ferret is serious business. Ferrets are lactose intolerant, so they cannot safely consume dairy products. Chocolate, raisins, and grapes are also poisonous to ferrets.

You shouldn't feed fruits, grains, and veggies to your ferret¹. They cannot digest those foods. Feeding processed meat to your ferret isn't a very healthy option either. 

Not every food and treat marketed toward ferrets is suited for them. It would help to do  quality research to determine the best food for your ferret.

6. Baby ferrets can be litter-trained.

As soon as kits begin eating solids, they can begin training on how to use a litter box. Kits start learning to use the litter box from their mother even before they open their eyes, using their sense of smell. You can reinforce that training.

Although it requires effort, litter training kits make keeping their cages or hutch neat easier. A large shallow recessed litter box that kits can walk into is best. It makes it easier to avoid messes. Don't use clay-clumping cat litter.

7. Baby ferrets are pretty noisy.

Kits can be pretty vocal. At first, they produce a squeaking noise to express distress or say they want to feed. As they grow, they make many sounds to express different things.

Ferrets make docking or clucking sounds to show excitement. They will ‘screech’ to express fear, pain, or anger. A ferret will ‘hiss’ to show annoyance and anger as well.

8. Ferrets can be smelly.

Ferret kits will have a milky, musky scent until about three and a half weeks of life. The smell is similar to that of a puppy or a kitten. 

The smell of adult ferrets is much more pungent. It is stronger in intact adults than fixed ones, and some people can't bear it. One of the reasons ferrets are neutered is to reduce the smell.

9. Ferrets don't sweat.

For ferrets, temperatures around 29ºC can be quite uncomfortable, and higher temperatures can be fatal. Since ferrets cannot sweat⁸, they must stay cool by other means.

Ferrets need a large, airy cage, preferably one at least ten feet long, six feet high, and six feet wide. Their enclosure should be in a shaded area. You should only take your ferret for walks in the cool morning or late evening when the ground is very cool.

Additional tips for keeping your pet ferret cool include giving it plenty of water and a shallow swimming pool. 

10. Ferrets sleep like the dead.

Ferrets, whether they are kits or adults, sleep a lot. They can sleep about 18 to 20 hours a day⁵. Funnily, they can be active one moment and suddenly fall into a deep slumber. That can be quite shocking for first-time ferret owners.

It's crucial to allow ferrets to nap as much as they want to. However, it would help if you observed the usual sleep pattern of your ferret to check for signs of sickness. Sick ferrets might doze off more and have no energy to play. They may also lie flat, squinted eyes.

11. Ferrets are social animals.

Ferrets are very social, curious, and love to play, which is why they make great companions. Socializing and playing are non-negotiables for ferrets. A lonely or bored ferret will develop behavioral problems. 

Ideally, ferrets should be raised in groups. Vets advise that you adopt a pair of ferrets, preferably of the same sex, from the same litter. 

A ferret’s play can get rough; they may bite and scratch. Hence, they are not recommended for homes with children under five years old. Even when playing with other household pets, ferrets should be supervised.

Note

A pet ferret can be friendly with household pets like dogs and cats but not prey animals like guinea pigs, hamsters, or rabbits. If you already have a pet that a ferret would generally hunt, there will soon be some unfortunate accident. 

Keeping your baby ferret or prey animal locked up is not enough, as even the whiff of a ferret nearby can be stressful for prey species.

12. Ferret reproduction borders on danger.

A male ferret displays violence while mating, biting the jill's neck. If a jill doesn't mate while in heat, she will die from aplastic anemia. A vet can take a jill off heat, but the best option is to get her spayed.

A litter of ferrets typically has 4 to 8 kits⁶. However, a jill can give birth to 15 kits or just one kit. Having less than five kits in litter can halt a jill's milk production, and breeders must resort to hand-feeding the kits. It's almost impossible to hand-feed newborn kits. 

A jill's reaction to baby ferrets varies. Some jills can get violent and kill their kits, while others will happily nurse kits bred by another jill.

13. Ferrets can live for up to 10 years.

If a ferret is adequately cared for, it can live for as long as ten years. However, the average lifespan observed among domestic ferrets is six years⁷. Lack of proper care, accidents, and diseases significantly shorten their average lifespan. 

Before adopting a baby ferret, you should ensure you can commit to at least ten years of care. It's not always easy to rehome grown ferrets.

14. Ferrets are banned in some places.

Ferrets are considered wild animals and thus illegal to have as pets in Hawaii, New York, and California. The main reason for the ban is that ferrets can transmit disease to humans. There are also concerns about stray ferrets becoming an invasive species. Also, if they are not handled carefully, ferrets can be dangerous. 

15. Ferrets nearly went extinct.

By the late 18th century, ferret populations were near extinction due to agricultural encroachment on their habitat. In 1987, 18 ferrets were captured for a captive breeding program. From that group, over 2,300 descendants have repopulated native ferret habitats³.

Adopting a baby ferret 

You can adopt a baby ferret at eight weeks of age. Caring for your ferrets will include trimming their nails every few weeks, cleaning out their ears, and checking their vital signs to ensure they are not sick.

You need to research the best ways to care for your ferret. Ferret care information spread by large pet stores needs to be corrected. For example, water dropper bottles sold by most pet stores damage ferrets' teeth. 

16. Adopting a baby ferret is a costly endeavor.

Baby ferrets cost 60 to 500 USD. Keep in mind that’s just the beginning. If you want to adopt a pet ferret, you should note that they have particular needs that can be quite expensive. 

Ferrets need a lot of space to play freely, and owners must be prepared to provide plenty of room for free roaming. Ferrets also require medical care and specialty diets.

17. Ferrets require a special veterinarian.

A cat and dog vet cannot provide the medical care ferrets need. Before you bring a baby ferret home, you need to be sure there's a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals nearby. An exotic animal specialist would be able to spot early signs of sickness and diagnose confusing symptoms quickly.

18. Ferrets are escapists.

Ferrets are inquisitive, and if you leave it to chance, they'll wander the streets or get into life-threatening situations. You need to ferret-proof your house before bringing a baby ferret home.

It would help if you sealed off holes larger than an inch, as ferrets are masters of escaping through tiny holes. A wire mesh cage with small holes can prevent escape attempts and borrowing. The cage floor should be padded to avoid injury.

Lock your ferrets in their cages and hutches when they are not under active supervision. You also need to remove any plastic or rubber items that can present a choking or suffocation hazard. Cleaning products and medicines should be kept out of reach as well.

19. Ferrets are prone to health problems.

Ferrets need extensive medical attention throughout their lives as pets. They are susceptible to heartworms, respiratory infections, ear mites, rectum prolapse, and Epizootic catarrhal enteritis, to name a few.

At eight weeks, ferrets should receive their first canine distemper vaccination. They ought to receive their first rabies vaccine at 12 weeks and then get rabies vaccinations every year afterward. You have to find out what vaccines your kit has yet to receive before adoption. Some 

Regular health checks are essential to keep your baby ferret alive. You should also watch for behavioral changes, discharge, and litter habits.

Note

Bonding with a baby ferret is like bonding with a puppy or a kitten. Ferrets need daily free roaming time, which is a great bonding opportunity. Ferrets tend to enjoy interactive play with toys like cat wands and balls. Drainpipes can satisfy their urge to burrow.

Speaking to your ferrets and getting them involved in some of your activities is also ideal. To encourage good behavior, reward your kits with treats.

Where to get ferrets

You can buy a ferret from the pet store or private breeders. You can also find people looking to rehome their ferrets. Some animal rescue organizations even help find homes for unwanted kits and stray ferrets.

It's essential to buy a kit that was bred responsibly and is in good health. Don't let big pet brands like Marshall Ferrets or Petco deceive you. Many kits come from substandard facilities, and it's up to you to assess the health of each kit before adoption.

Many believe pet store kits have more health problems and prefer buying from private breeders. An ethical ferret breeder will show you where the kits and parents are housed and provide veterinary paperwork, including vaccine records.

Conclusion

A ferret makes an awesome companion animal. It snoozes off a lot, leaving you with lots of free time, and when it's awake, it's all a fun time! Before adopting a ferret, be sure you have the time, resources, and patience to treat a baby ferret with the love and attention it requires.