Hissing Dog-Like Creatures
~Introduction~
Even though ferrets are known for their silly, cute and destructive traits. There’s more to ferrets than you think! So much that I couldn’t even fit it in this essay…. But anyways, let’s roll to the big picture!
~high-maintenance cares~
Ferrets and cats are more alike than you think they are! First, Like cats, Ferrets also use litter boxes for potty training! One thing that people will think is “Ferrets are probably herbivores and eat fruits” And to answer that… Ferrets are actually carnivores! They need about 30-40% of protein in their diets! And they’re like dogs, they love walks! Another thing to take care of these long mammals is they need to eat a lot! 6-8 times a day! They also need to be out of their cages for 2 to 4 hours. Ferrets are also crepuscular, which means they’re more active from evening to dawn, they need at least 18 hours of sleep per day! To end it on a wholesome note, for them to be truly happy, they need a partner in their cages!
~Some facts to make sure they live their best life~
Ferrets sadly don’t live so long since their lifespan is 5 to 7 years, but there was a record of the longest living ferret was 15 years old! Crazy, right? Big fun fact, Ferrets have been domesticated (Tameable/tamed) for 1000 years, they were used to kill rodents like rats, mice, and other little rodents like that! Ferrets LOVE being held as well! Unlike cats and dogs, ferrets can’t sweat which is a big problem so they have shallow water, cold or (recommended) lukewarm water inside their cages, that leads me to my next fact! Ferrets love being in water, like cats, some ferrets HATE being in water. If your ferrets are bored and want to play a game, their FAVORITE game is hide ‘n’ seek! It gets them moving and active, and makes them feel happy since they’re naturally social! One kind of Ferret is the nicest you can ever know! Can you guess? It’s the albino ferrets! Congrats! You got it right!, or not but at least you tried 😀
~Healthy diets for healthy pets~
As stated previously, Ferrets are carnivores and they need 30-40% of protein in their diets. But there’s other foods they can eat, raw or cooked like chicken, turkey or lamb! I know some people will be like “But why can’t you feed them fruit??” Well, to answer that…. It’s proven that ferrets can’t eat fruit! They can’t eat bananas, raisins, any other fruit/veggie, peanut butter, dairy, or any foods with sugar since it damages their digestive system! Another fact is, Ferrets can eat kitten food! Crazy, right? But the con of it is, they can’t eat it for long. So if you run out of ferret food, just use kitten food but change it ASAP!!
~Emotions you can and can’t understand~
If your ferret ever makes “random” sounds, this part of the essay will help you understand these noises! If your ferret ever shrieks, it means they’re scared. Lead them out with a treat on a spoon instead of grabbing them because they’ll bite you! If your ferret makes a chuckling or “dooking” like sound, it means they’re curious about what you’re doing! (Weird part incoming) If your ferret ever hisses, screeches, arches its back, or… poops… it means they’re 1. Mad or 2. Feel like it’s in danger. Pooping is a mechanism for ferrets that makes predators go away. Last but not final, when it “dances” or does a “weasel dance” it means they’re happy! There’s a lot more but to be honest, my hands and arms hurt so that’s to wrap up that part
~End~
I hope you found my essay entertaining or educational! All you need to know about taking care of ferrets, their diets, or their emotions are all in here, good luck parenting if you get a ferret!