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a ferret, life is just one big game. Your intelligent,
inquisitive pet loves nothing more than play time--especially
if it involves you. As a responsible owner, you'll
need to provide safe toys and a secure environment
for your fuzzball. In return, you'll have a healthy,
well-adjusted pet whose antics will never fail to
amuse you!
Did
you know that your furry friend will need a minimum
of at least two hours a day of daily exercise out
of the cage? Failure to provide this can result
in an unhappy ferret who may exhibit negative behaviors.
Bored ferrets may resort to digging in their litterbox
or chewing on the bars of their cage. If you can't
meet this daily requirement for play, it's best
to consider a less interactive pet.
A Safe Play Pen for Your Ferret or Some Serious Ferret-Proofing
To
prepare for playtime, you will need to do some major
ferret-proofing, as your little guy can get into
pretty much anything. Keep electrical cords, garbage
cans and poisonous plants out of your pet's reach,
and make sure he doesn't have access to areas where
dangerous chemicals, appliances and cleaning items
are stored. Keep in mind that your pet can worm
his way into an opening as small as two inches in
diameter, so block any holes under refrigerators,
cabinets, or elsewhere in the walls. And did you
know that ferrets can easily open drawers and floor
vents, and have been known to burrow through the
bottoms of couches and beds? You will also need
to be extra careful of where you step when your
ferret is out of his cage. These guys are fast and
quiet, and can get easily underfoot--or can be found
snoozing underneath that cushion you're just about
to sit on!
Safe Ferret Toys
The
toys you select for your pet must be safe, too.
Experts suggest hard rubber balls, hard-plastic
cat toys (opt for the noisiest ones you can find!),
and golf and tennis balls; some large parrot toys
may work well, as will plastic rattles and squeaky
toys made for human babies. Do-it-yourself toys
provide great entertainment, too. Ferrets love PVC
piping and plastic dryer hose tubing for tunneling;
cardboard boxes, especially when arranged together
with cut-out ferret-sized entryways, are great,
too. Got an old pair of jeans around the house?
Cut off the legs and you'll have two great toys
that your ferret can nap in and/or crawl through!
Avoid anything made of soft rubber or plastic, and
toys with small pieces that can be chewed, pulled
off or eaten. Your curious ferret is likely to eat
anything in his path, including these indigestible
items that can cause a potentially fatal blockage
of the intestine or stomach.
It
is recommended that you spend a good hour of your
pet's playtime interacting with him. You won't necessarily
have to crawl around on the floor with him, but
you can pick up a toy and play tug of war, or roll
a golf ball past him. Ferrets are good jumpers,
and many owners find that interactive cat toys such
as a "kitty teaser," a simple wire or
plastic-string toy with a securely attached feather
or other object, bring out the gymnastic abilities
of their fuzzballs. And don't worry about feeling
silly when you find yourself engaged in a game of
hide-and-seek or chase-the-ferret--you'll probably
be having too much fun to notice!
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