What Kind of Habitat Should You Have For Your Ferret
A ferret’s habitat has changed over the course of the last few centuries. Wild ferrets used to live in forests, parks, barns, and farms. Anywhere where they can get a good supply of food, which was primarily from birds, mice, and rats. They mainly slept in underground tunnels. Ferrets like a cold and dark place to sleep in; it’s their natural habitat.
Now, ferrets are mostly found as pets, and their habitat has certainly changed a lot. But some things haven’t changed: they still like a lot of food, and they want to sleep in small and dark places. We can keep our ferrets the happiest when we give them the right kind of habitat. As a long-time ferret parent, I’ve learned quite a bit about what a ferret’s environment at home should be like, and I’m going to share these tips with you. You can use them to start making your ferret feel at home now!
Getting The Right Kind Of Cage
The cage is the most important part of a ferret’s habitat. Did you know that ferrets sleep anywhere from 14 to 18 hours per day? That’s right – most of their day is spent sleeping! They spend a lot of energy throughout the day, so they need a good and long rest. As a pet, they need a comfortable and spacious cage that lets them make the best use of their sleeping time.
It’s very important to get a spacious cage, because ferrets sometimes get up in the middle of the night, and walk around or use the toilet. That’s another thing – you need to be able to fit a litter box inside the cage. Ferrets can feel claustrophobic if the space is too small, so it’s best to get a large cage. Many ferret parents also place some fun toys inside the cage, for when the ferret is bored and wants to play. This is not necessary, since you can keep toys outside for them to play with; but if your cage is big enough, having a couple toys in it can be nice.
Another note to make is that ferret cages need to be compact and easily cleanable. While the ferret is awake and outside the cage, you’ll need to clean it. Easily cleanable cages have sharp corners, are durable, and have a compact litter box. Depending on how active your ferret is, you may need to clean the cage anywhere from once per day to once per week. Use your own judgment – the ferret should be comfortable and have a sound sleep! Consider this cage for your ferret.
The Environment At Home
The next step is to make sure the ferret has a fun and relaxing environment when they’re out and about during the day. As mentioned before, ferrets love their food – so keep a good stock of food at all times. A large bag of ferret will is cheap, and it will last up to a month. I also recommend cooking food for your ferret, so it more closely mimics their natural diet. This includes cooking soft pieces of meat, such as chicken. My ferret loves it when I cook pieces of boiled chicken and feed it to him every once in a while.
The last point about a ferret’s habitat is this: they’re energetic creatures, so you need to match their energy to things they’ll like doing. I keep a good supply of cool ferret toys at home – cushions, balls, and tunnels. My ferret plays at least 1-2 hours a day, and he loves it. I’m fortunate enough to stay at home and play with him, but other people often don’t have time for that.
The key to perfecting your ferret’s habitat is to make it feel as natural as possible. Have a large and cozy cage, feed them plenty of foods (especially natural food), and keep them busy and energized. Here is a good-quality ferret food.
About the Author: My name is Jake Bryson. I’ve been a proud ferret parent for over 8 years and counting. I’m also the founder of Caring For Ferrets, a blog about ferret tips and advice. I intend for the blog to be a highly detailed resource for anyone who wants to find out about ferrets and ferret care.
Great information on what makes a happy ferret. We often times forget that our ferret actually likes being outside…
Thanks Danny. Ferets make us happy, we in turn should make sure they are happy. Take care!
can you use cat litter and can you use awater bottle…