What is the average length of a ferret

Unfortunately, such information is a bit more difficult to nail down than it may be in the case of some other popular pets. Vanessa Gruden, executive director of the Ferret Association of Connecticut. According to Gruden, the lifespan of the modern American ferret is substantially shorter than that of its s counterpart, which when the species, indigenous to Europe, first gained popularity in the United States.

When the ferret craze first took off in the United States, the only option for eager owners was to import their prospective critters from across the Atlantic. Today, domestic breeders are hardly unusual, though perhaps not the best source for healthy critters. Vickie McKimmey, office manager of the American Ferret Association, stresses a similar inconsistency among ferrets.

According to McKimmey, the lifespan difference between a ferret purchased from a breeder compared to a ferret purchased from a pet store may have to do with how early the ferret was spayed or neutered.

No matter where your ferret comes from, there are many things an owner can do to ensure that his or her pet will stay as healthy and happy as possible, including feeding your ferret quality, ferret-formulated food that is high in protein and keeping up with annual veterinary visits, vaccinations and diagnostic testing blood and urine tests, x-rays, etc. Dental cleanings are also important to consider as your ferrets age, as they can be predisposed to dental disease, among other conditions like adrenal disease and lymphoma , as they age.

Of course, emotional health is just as important for any animal as physical. They live and roam alone, spending their nights hunting for prey. Ferrets have very good smell, sight and hearing. They make chattering or hissing noises when they are frightened. During the day they sleep. During the winter, ferrets will stay underground for up to a week at a time.

They love to sleep, though, and will slumber up to 18 hours. Ferrets are carnivores, which means they eat only meat. Black-footed ferrets eat usually eat small mammals, such as possums, rabbits, prairie dogs, hedgehogs and rodents. They supplement their diet with amphibians, birds, bird eggs, fish, reptiles, invertebrates and carrion, according to Woodland Park Zoo In Seattle, Washington. Black-footed ferrets usually consume between 1. A domesticated ferret typically eats factory-made chow.

A healthy diet for pet ferrets consist of 36 percent protein, around 20 percent fats and is low in carbohydrates, according to the American Ferret Association. Male ferrets are known as hobs and female ferrets are called jills. In the wild, hobs and jills mate around March and April. After a gestation period of 35 to 45 days, a jill will give birth to one to six babies. Baby ferrets are called kits. Kits stay in their burrow with their mother for around 42 days, according to the ADW.

When autumn comes, the young ferrets leave their mother and become independent and at around a year old they are mature enough to have their own litter. In captivity, ferrets live around 12 years. The exact classification of ferrets is confusing, according to the Woodland Park Zoo and other sources.

Fossil evidence is scarce and DNA tests have been inconclusive in figuring out the ferret's family tree. Usually considered a subspecies of the European polecat, ferrets are often listed as Mustela putorius furo. You can consider a 4 month ferret as an adult ferret, whereas 4 years or more than that are older ferrets.

As a ferret owner, you should take utmost care in providing proper vaccinations to your furry friend, and their booster doses at various stages of their lives. Check out our detailed guide on ferret vaccinations here. Check this out. Neutering reduces their growth spur, which usually occurs between 9 to 11 weeks.

If done at a proper time, at around 3 to 4 months, neutering the ferret facilitates in maintaining a healthy lifespan for your ferret. In case you are not interested in breeding your domesticated ferrets, you should get them neutered as soon as possible or as they reach their sexual maturity.

Once your ferret is 3 to 4 months old, he can be neutered surgically. By vasectomizing your male ferret, you can prevent the stink bombs that male ferrets tend to release from their scent glands during the mating season. Intact male ferrets also tend to become extremely aggressive. If we talk about female ferrets, they are at risk of adrenal disease if they are not neutered.

This is because female ferrets stay in heat till they are bred. This will cause the release of reproductive hormones in excess by the very active adrenal glands. Since your pet ferret is an obligate carnivore, his diet should only consist of protein and fat. No fibers, no sugars if you want a healthy ferret.

Sugars can lead to insulinoma in your furry friend. Cat foods that are safe for ferrets, kitten food, chicken baby food, and high quality ferret food can also be served. Proteins like eggs make a great choice for ferret treats. You can also give your ferret these yummy treats available in pet stores. As ferrets get older, 4 years and above, they tend to calm down. Older ferrets will remain active and alert, however, their playfulness and energy will decrease with age.

A 4 to 6 year old ferret may not be able to play for many hours, as opposed to the 5 to 7 hours of playtime he had while he was young. It is possible that a ferret may die suddenly, without any previous health issues. They can get ill and die suddenly. Unneutered female ferrets, who are unable to mate can also die due to the lack of breeding.