Do you want a baby ferret for your home?
Do you know how to take care of a baby ferret?
There isn’t a better sight than cute baby ferrets, no matter if we are talking about newborn baby ferrets or 3-month-old ferrets. That is why today I want to share with you information about ferret kits before and after you bring them home.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Stages Of Baby Ferrets Life
Baby ferrets are also known as kits. There are a couple of stages of baby ferrets we can separate by their age. The first one is newborn baby ferrets that are up to 3 weeks old. After that, we can consider ferret kits to be toddlers for up to 6 weeks. The next stage of their lives lasts up to 10 weeks of age. The last stage in their ferret childhood is 10-15 weeks of age when they leave their family for another chapter in their lives and another big adventure.
Baby Ferrets Up To 3 Weeks Of Age
The newborn baby ferrets are completely dependent on their mother because they are born both deaf and blind. They are smaller than your little finger and they have only two things in mind: to eat and to sleep. Those fluffy baby ferrets are covered in very soft fuzz that comes in white color so you won’t be able to tell the pattern until a couple of weeks later. The only movement they do is to latch on their mother’s nipples for milk.
Photo Source: It’s All About Ferrets Ferretry
A newborn ferret weighs around 6-12 grams and its weight should rise rapidly in the next few weeks. Once a ferret is 3 weeks old, he or she should be 10 times heavier than the moment of birth. Besides being deaf and blind, kits are also born without teeth. But, by the 10th day, you can see baby incisors forming in their mouth. By the 3rd week, you can even see parts of baby canine and premolars too.
Baby Ferrets From 3 To 6 Weeks Of Age
Once a ferret is 3 weeks old, he starts roaming around but he is still very close to his mother. An important process that starts in this period is weaning. Weaning can last for a couple of weeks and it will eventually end in replacing mother’s milk with other food. These ferret kits don’t have a full set of teeth, but they begin to make an appearance so breeders can slowly introduce them to canned food, mushed kibble, etc.
Photo Source: It’s All About Ferrets Ferretry
They can even be introduced with raw meat nutrition, but nothing too hard, their tiny teeth aren’t ready for that. Another pretty important milestone in this period is baby ferrets opening their eyes and ears which results in higher activity levels at weeks 4 and 5. Also, their white fuzz will start changing color and you will be able to see the pattern on the fur so you can see the type of ferrets they will become.
Baby Ferrets From 6 To 10 Weeks Of Age
Now, this is the period when the fun begins! At 6 or 7 weeks of age, you can expect to see many play-fights between ferret kits. They will wrestle, jump, play tag so leave them be so they can establish their place in the business and develop their character the right way. When it comes to eating, this is the period when cute baby ferrets start eating soft food, leaving the mother to finally rest. This is the perfect time to introduce them to good ferret kibble or raw meat nutrition because they can easily imprint on the type of food you give ferrets in this period.
They are also developing permanent canines around the 8th week. That can result in biting but you have to consider this process is painful and annoying for them too! A good breeder will start training a ferret kit in this period so a ferret won’t have trouble with biting future owners and that is a part of a good quality ferret socialization. Another part of good ferret socialization is litter box training. At 10 weeks of age, some ferret breeders are ready to let new owners take ferret kits to their new homes. That actually depends on the breeder so it is best to talk with a ferret breeder about that.
Ferret Kits From 10 To 15 Weeks Of Age
I don’t think we can call ferret kits babies anymore since they have all their teeth and high energy levels. A 12-week old ferret kit is actually a 3-month-old ferret. This is the period when almost every ferret breeder lets cute baby ferrets leave with new families. In this period you can experience high-intensity interval playtimes which will make every human (no matter the shape) sweat in under minutes. Once a ferret hits that 15-week old phase, you will see the personality and the type of ferret you have. Now, the only thing you can do is to take care of him, love him and enjoy the company.
Baby Ferrets Medical Care
When a ferret kit enters your world, you will have to go to the vet with him to make sure he is a healthy kit. There are two things you have to take care of at the vet: vaccination and neutering.
Ferret Baby Vaccination
Some ferret breeders will do the first canine distemper shot at 6 weeks of age, so the second one should be around 9th week. But, besides canine distemper, you can also vaccinate your fuzzy against rabies.
Photo Source: It’s All About Ferrets Ferretry
If you get a ferret from a good breeder, you probably won’t have to worry about vaccinations. But, if you get your ferret from someone else, ask about the vaccinations so you know whether you have to do them or not. It is important to be clear about that. Ask the previous owner loud and clear and ask for documentation.
Ferret Baby Neutering
Good breeders don’t neuter kits when they are with them because they are too young at that moment. Neutering should happen when a kit reaches at least 6 months, although, some people prefer to wait up to 9 months of age. Some ferret farms do it when kits are only 6 weeks of age and that is way too early. It is not uncommon for those kits to experience serious health issues later in life. You have to spay a female ferret if you don’t plan to breed her.
If you don’t do it, she might develop aplastic anemia. If she ends up in heat, the only way to pull her out of it is to use a male ferret. If she is in the heat for too long, she will develop anemia which can seriously damage her health. Male ferrets aren’t that complicated. Their neutering mostly connects with behavioral issues. They can become aggressive, territorial and they will mark their territory with pee. You can avoid all that with neutering them.
Baby Ferrets For Sale
Now that you know what baby ferrets experience before they come, it is good to know where to look for ferret kits for sale. There are many options, but not all of them are good.
How Much Does A Baby Ferret Cost?
A price of a baby ferret can vary from a $100 to a couple of hundred dollars. It all depends on where you look for a ferret and what type of ferret you want. I strongly recommend going with a good, verified option that will give you happy and healthy ferret. Unfortunately, most cheap ferrets aren’t under that option. So, if you want to know why should you avoid cheap ferrets, read my post about cheap ferrets for sale.
Ferret Kits For Sale In Pet Stores
Buying a ferret kit in a pet store is not a good option. The main reason for that is because those kits are unsocialized. That means they will most likely bite you so you will have to work with them. Make sure to read about how to get a baby ferret to stop biting. Also, most of them come from ferret farms. Those places aren’t good because they don’t treat ferrets the right way, they are neglected, neutered at too early age, etc. You can read all about it in my post about ferret farms.
Ferret Kits For Sale By Breeders
If you are looking for baby ferrets for sale, you can contact ferret breeders. But, just like ferret farms, not all of them are good. You have to pick a good breeder that cares about genetic material and ferret socialization. Good breeders will give you a healthy, well-mannered ferret you can enjoy having around you. You can read more about how to pick them in my post about ferret breeders.
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Baby Ferrets For Sale Adoption
If you want to adopt a pet, then this is the option for you. Although this isn’t necessarily the “baby ferrets for free” option, it is a good option if you want to save a life. If you want to see if there are baby ferrets for adoption, it is a good idea to check your local ferret shelters or ask around online. Read all about that process in my post about ferret adoption.
Conclusion
Baby ferrets will definitely bring you joy and happiness because they are all little balls of energy. But, you have to be sure that you are ready for that high-intensity pet and be sure you got him from a good source. Do you have experience with ferret kits and their adventures? Share them with us in the comments below!
