by Kim Schilling Foreword by Susan Brown,DVM Ferrets FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page i Ferrets For Dummies ® , 2nd Edition Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2007935587 ISBN: 978-0-470-13943-1 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page ii About the Author A Chicago native for all but two years of her life, Kim Schilling resides in a south suburb of Chicago with her husband, David, and son, Samuel. Kim pub- lished the first Edition of Ferrets For Dummies in 2000 after three grueling years of title changes, rewrites, and personnel turnovers. Today, her book is the bestselling ferret book on the market. Although writing is a passion of hers, and she vows to keep doing it, her true calling is her son, Sam. Her life changed forever in 2001 when she broke her back and pelvis — the result of a horseback-riding accident on Mother’s Day. The traumatic injuries were the bad news; the good news was that she found out the baby she was told she’d never have was three weeks in the making. Born in 2002, this little miracle changed her life. At one time, Kim thought she knew what was important. Today, she knows without a doubt what’s important. Sam, this wonderful, lit boy, has completed her life. When Kim isn’t working full time or being Mom, she’s running Animals for Awareness, a USDA-licensed and -inspected facility. Created in the early 1990s — incorporated in 1997, with nonprofit status attained in 1999 — Animals for Awareness is dedicated to meeting the needs of wild and exotic animals. Its mission: Protection Through Education. Although Animals for Awareness doesn’t adopt out exotic animals to the general public, it does find permanent USDA facilities for the bigger exotic animals and almost always has domestic critters such as ferrets up for adoption. Kim and many of her exotic critters frequently hit the road to educate as many people as possible. Her main goal is to promote responsible pet ownership and discourage the keeping of exotic, dangerous, or wild animals. Among the 50 species of animals she cares for, Kim dotes on her six ferrets — Squee, Gir, Gaz, Casanova, Dusk, and Macey — who reside peacefully with three happy little fennec foxes. You can learn more about Animals for Awareness at www.animals forawareness.org. 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page iii Dedication For my beautiful son, Sam, for he is the brightest blessing in my life. For David, my husband, who stands by my side. For my dearest friend Dr. Mike Miller, whose untimely passing will always leave a gaping hole in my heart and whose wisdom filled my life with priceless knowledge. For my invaluable, precious friend Bob Church, whose immeasurable love and understanding of ferrets has so inspired and taught me. 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page iv Author’s Acknowledgments I have to start off by extending a big thank you to Dr. Susan Brown, my techni- cal and medical editor, who went way above and beyond the call of duty by spending countless hours helping me research and answer my many ques- tions. Susan was both my coach and my cheerleader. She is truly priceless and inspiring, and I value the friend I gained in her. A big hug and a thank you to Bob Church for his generous help on many areas of the book, in particular the diet and enrichment chapters. What’s a ferret book without the influences of Bob Church? Thank you to a doll of a guy, Travis Livieri, for his devotion and work with black-footed ferrets and for lending his support to me. Thank you to the fol- lowing fantastic veterinarians for reviewing and contributing to medical sec- tions or issues: Dr. Bruce Williams (ECE and the infamous Poop Chart), Dr. Jerry Murray (heart disease, heartworms, and diet), Dr. Karen Purcell (descenting and diet), and Dr. Katrina Ramsell (DIM). Some of these wonder- ful vets took their precious time to review other parts of the book as well. Vickie McKimmey of Just a Business of Ferrets and Scarlett Gray of Scarlett’s Happy Dookers, both judges with the American Ferret Association, spent a lot of time going through pictures to pick out the best color photos for the color insert. I thank them from the bottom of my heart! Speaking of photos, thank you to Jennifer Deming for your talent as a photographer. I was blessed to find you. You are nothing but a pleasure to work with — a true gem! Many other individuals helped with this book, including Sukie Crandall with her wealth of knowledge, Bill Gruber, Renee Downs, Dr. John Lewington, Julie Fossa, and Marie Bartholdsson. Dr. June McNicholas was priceless when it came to sharing her thoughts on hybrids. And I’d still know nothing about angoras had it not been for Lisa Oestereich and Christine Matthis. A heartfelt thank you to each of you. Special thanks to Dr. Valerie Staton for sharing her expertise on ferret introductions and aggression. Her grasp of ferret behavior is amazing! Thank you to all of you who sent in photos for possible publica- tion. The publisher decided to go only with Jennifer’s pictures. My apologies. Finally, a special thank you to Rebecca Stout, aka Wolfy, who jumped through hoops to get me information on deaf ferrets and to update her Web site in anticipation of it being published in Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition. She’s a champ! Editors Mike Lewis, Josh Dials, and Natalie Harris of Wiley have to be acknowledged for putting up with my mood swings and difficult moments. There were many others who helped make the second edition possible, and to all of them I extend a heartfelt thank you! 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page v Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development Project Editor: Natalie Faye Harris (Previous Edition: Tracy Barr) Acquisitions Editor: Michael Lewis (Previous Edition: Scott Prentzas) Copy Editor: Josh Dials (Previous Edition: Sandra Blackthorn) Technical Editor: Susan Brown, DVM (Previous Edition: Bob Church) Editorial Manager: Christine Beck Editorial Assistants: Erin Calligan Mooney, Joe Niesen, Leeann Harney, David Lutton Cover and Interior Photos: Jennifer Deming — Photos with Flair Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com) Composition Services Project Coordinator: Erin Smith Layout and Graphics: Carl Byers, Stephanie D. Jumper, Christine Williams Special Art: Barbara Frake Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico Proofreaders: Susan Moritz, Ethel M. Winslow Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page vi Contents at a Glance Foreword xxi Introduction 1 Part I: Is a Ferret Right for You? 7 Chapter 1: What You Need to Know About Ferrets 9 Chapter 2: Understanding What Ferrets Are (And Aren’t) 21 Chapter 3: Ferrets and the Law: Licensing and Other Issues 39 Part II: Finding Your Ferret and Hanging Up the Welcome Hammock 45 Chapter 4: On the Tail of a New Carpet Shark (Um, Ferret) 47 Chapter 5: Home Sweet Home: Preparing Your Ferret’s Quarters 63 Chapter 6: Ferret-Proofing Your Home 89 Chapter 7: Introducing Fuzzy to His New Family 97 Part III: Basic Ferret Care and Feeding 115 Chapter 8: Filling Your Ferret’s Belly 117 Chapter 9: Cleaning Time: Not All Ferret Fun and Games 143 Chapter 10: Enrichment: Yours and Your Ferret’s 161 Chapter 11: Have Ferret, May Travel 181 Part IV: Tackling Your Ferret’s Health Issues and Treatments 191 Chapter 12: Setting Up Your Ferret’s Health Plan: Vets and First-Aid Kits 193 Chapter 13: Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics 209 Chapter 14: Ferreting Out Ferret Pests 233 Chapter 15: Handling Viruses, Infections, and Other Conditions and Illnesses 243 Chapter 16: Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps 275 Chapter 17: Saying Goodbye When the Time Comes 287 Part V: Ferret Psychology 101: Behavior and Training 299 Chapter 18: Understanding What Fuzzy Is Trying to Tell You 301 Chapter 19: Putting Your Ferret through Basic Training: Easy as 1-2-3? 313 Chapter 20: Dealing with the Behaviorally Challenged Ferret 319 02_139431 ftoc.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page vii Part VI: Breeding Ferrets: The Facts, Fallacies, and Plain Ol’ Hard Work 329 Chapter 21: Should You Breed Your Ferret? Looking at the Big Picture 331 Chapter 22: Unmasking the Details of Ferret Love 337 Chapter 23: From Birth to Bundle of Energy: Walking a Fuzzy’s Timeline 349 Part VII: The Part of Tens 355 Chapter 24: Ten Common Ferret Myths and Misconceptions 357 Chapter 25: Ten Recipes Your Ferret Will Love 363 Index 373 02_139431 ftoc.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page viii Table of Contents Foreword xxi Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Conventions Used in This Book 2 What You’re Not to Read 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 How This Book Is Organized 3 Part I: Is a Ferret Right for You? 4 Part II: Finding Your Ferret and Hanging Up the Welcome Hammock 4 Part III: Basic Ferret Care and Feeding 4 Part IV: Tackling Your Ferret’s Health Issues and Treatments 4 Part V: Ferret Psychology 101: Behavior and Training 5 Part VI: Breeding Ferrets: The Facts, Fallacies, and Plain ol’ Hard Work 5 Part VII: The Part of Tens 5 Icons Used in This Book 5 Where to Go from Here 6 Part I: Is a Ferret Right for You? 7 Chapter 1: What You Need to Know About Ferrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 First Question: What Is a Ferret? 10 Giving the Ferret a Physical: Examining Fuzzy Characteristics 11 Looking at the life span of a fuzzy 11 In this corner, weighing in at . . 12 Getting to the point about claws and teeth 13 Making sense of senses 14 Exercise and Time Considerations — Yours and Your Fuzzy’s 14 Taking a Whiff of the Odor Factor 15 To descent or not to descent? 16 Controlling your fuzzy’s odor 16 Getting the Dish on Financial Matters 17 Extreme Cage Makeover: Providing the Space They Need 18 Facing the Challenges of Ferret-Proofing Your Home 18 Ferrets and Kids 19 02_139431 ftoc.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page ix Ferrets and Other Household Pets 19 Leaping over the Legal Hurdles 20 Chapter 2: Understanding What Ferrets Are (And Aren’t) . . . . . . . . . .21 Yes, Ferrets Are Domesticated 22 Getting to Know Fuzzies in the Past and Present 23 Ferrets throughout history 23 Ferrets have always had a knack for meeting man’s needs 24 Ferrets catching on 24 Spotlighting the Sport of Ferreting 25 Exploring the Hot Topic of Ferret Hybrids 26 The pros of and arguments for ferret hybridization 27 The cons of hybridization 28 Picturing the Physical Appearance of the Domestic Ferret 29 The spectrum of fuzzy colors 29 Fuzzy color patterns 31 Not Just Another Color: The Black-Footed Ferret 32 The one, true North American ferret! 33 Are black-footed ferrets really that different? 33 Habitat (or is that prairie dog?) destruction 34 The Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Plan 35 Chapter 3: Ferrets and the Law: Licensing and Other Issues . . . . . . .39 “A License? But He Can’t Even Reach the Pedals!” 39 Ferret-Free Zones and Why They Exist 40 What’s it gonna be? Wild, domestic, or exotic? 41 Feral ferrets in my neighborhood? 42 Should people fear rabies? 43 Knowing the Law and the Consequences of Breaking It 43 Part II: Finding Your Ferret and Hanging Up the Welcome Hammock 45 Chapter 4: On the Tail of a New Carpet Shark (Um, Ferret) . . . . . . . . .47 Ferret Shopping 101 48 Are You in the Market for a New or Used Ferret? 49 Starting off with a kit 49 Adopting an older ferret 50 Should You Pre-Order Blue or Pink Bedding (Get a Boy or Girl)? 51 Pitting Altered versus Whole Furballs 51 Boys will be boys 52 Girls will be girls 52 “You Want How Many Ferrets?” 53 Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition x 02_139431 ftoc.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page x [...]... learn how to care for our ferret friends It’s fantastic to be able to have one book that so thoroughly covers all the ferret topics one could possibly imagine Looking back 30 years to the time when we had little information about these important pets, I am so pleased to know we have such a gold mine as Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition, available today I would recommend Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition,... Organized To help you find the information you’re looking for, I divide this book into seven parts Each part includes several chapters relating to a specific topic on ferrets Find the part that suits you and jump right in! 3 4 Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition Part I: Is a Ferret Right for You? Part I is probably the most important part for people who are in the “considering” stage Ferrets aren’t cats — and... 357 Ferrets Are Rodents .357 Ferrets Are Wild, Dangerous Animals 358 Feral Ferrets Will Take Over! .358 Ferrets Are Vicious Biters 359 Ferrets Pose a Serious Rabies Risk 359 A Ferret’s Stink Will Never Go Away 359 Ferrets Can Catch the Common Cold 360 Ferrets Were Domesticated in Egypt 360 Ferrets Sleep 20+ Hours per Day 361 Ferrets. .. ferret-owning facts the hard way 5 6 Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition This icon points out interesting and sometimes technical ferret facts — some of which I stumbled upon while researching for this book Not all this stuff makes for good dinner conversation, but you’re never too old to learn Consider this information interesting but nonessential Don’t glaze over the information accompanying this icon Paying... — things like this: ߜ Is a ferret the right pet for you? ߜ How do I pick a healthy ferret? ߜ What steps do I take to ferret-proof my home? ߜ How do I set up my ferret’s cage? ߜ What medical conditions require a vet’s care? Conventions Used in This Book Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition, makes information easy to find and use To guide you through the information and instructions in this book, I’ve used... ferret-owning information Foolish Assumptions In writing Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition, I made some assumptions about my readers: ߜ You’re one of the thousands and thousands of people out there who has a nagging child or spouse who whines daily about wanting to own a ferret Or maybe you’ve had your emotions kidnapped by a ferret, and you want to make sure that a ferret is the pet for you before you adopt... percentage of ferrets in our practice grew from about 2 percent to 20 percent! Ferrets were fascinating, and their popularity as a pet was increasing rapidly Caregivers and veterinarians wanted to know how to manage them I was so taken with these little guys that I got the first FERRET license plates for my car in Illinois in 1980, and in 1987, I cofounded the Greater Chicago xxii Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition... this book can help you decide whether a fuzzy is for you And if you already have a ferret, this book can help you give him the best possible care To boot, this book offers practical health and medical information And everything from cover to cover is in cut-to-the-chase format — only what you need to know, in good ol’ plain English 2 Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition About This Book You have plenty to... Mickey’s Meatloaf .370 Clyde’s Seaside Chunks .370 Bluto’s BARF 371 Index 373 xix xx Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition Foreword W hen I graduated from veterinary school and started my career in 1976 I didn’t know anyone who kept a ferret for a pet much less had I ever seen one other than in pictures My only experience with them was in an undergraduate ethology... with a tremendous fight for life, and you can certainly do your part to help See Chapters 15 and 16 for more on the conditions that can afflict your fuzzy and for tips on how to care for him In this corner, weighing in at A carpet shark’s size makes him an ideal pet for both the apartment dweller and the homeowner As is the case with some mammal species, unneutered male ferrets typically measure . by Kim Schilling Foreword by Susan Brown,DVM Ferrets FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION 01_139431 ffirs.qxp 8/29/07 11:46 PM Page i Ferrets For Dummies ® , 2nd Edition Published by Wiley. Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies. com and related trade dress. Wolfy, who jumped through hoops to get me information on deaf ferrets and to update her Web site in anticipation of it being published in Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition. She’s a champ! Editors Mike