How much does a ferret cost?
How much does owning a ferret cost in general?
Having a financial structure before you get any pet is a smart move. When you are thinking or the cost of a ferret, you have to consider every aspect of a ferret’s life, not just the animal itself. You have to consider the ferret price, ferret vaccines cost, ferret equipment like cages, toys, and hammocks, and ferret monthly cost like ferret food cost, litter cost, etc. So, with that in mind, today I want to share with you what you have to think about when you ask yourself how much are ferrets?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Average Budget For Owning A Ferret
The Cost Of A Ferret
- in the pet shop – around $150
- from a breeder – around $500
- adopt form shelter – around $100
One-time Expense For Ferret
- ferret neutering cost – $150-$300
- ferret cage – around $250
- all ferret accessories – up to $500
Annual Ferret Expense
- ferret vaccine cost – each around $20
- annual ferret checkup cost – around $150
Ferret Monthly Cost
- ferret food – min $30 a month
- litter for a ferret – min $20 a month
How Much Does A Ferret Cost?
A cost of a ferret depends on where you plan to get him. You have several options. You can get him in a pet shop if your city doesn’t have laws against selling ferrets in pet shops. Then, you can get it from a breeder, a person who breeds and sells ferrets. The last for you is to adopt a ferret. Now, I know that adopting is not the same as selling, but most ferret shelters will ask for a certain donation so they can see you are serious about getting a ferret so I decided to put them on the list too. So, let’s talk about each and every option.
How Much Does A Pet Ferret Cost In Pet Shops?
The average ferret price in a pet shop is around $15o, but that price may vary from pet shop to pet shop. Also, not every pet shop has ferrets for sale so you might want to consider checking out which ones have them. Almost every pet ferret in a pet shop is a baby ferret. They come there around the 6th week of age so they are still pretty young. When ferrets come in pet shops, most of them are already descended and neutered, especially if we are talking about Marshall ferrets. That means you won’t have to think about ferret neutering costs, but that is not entirely great.
If a ferret is neutered at a too young age, he can develop health issues later in life, which can raise future ferret vet bills. Also, most ferrets for sale in pet shops aren’t socialized. That means you will have to teach that ferret not to bite, to use a litter box, switch to some better quality ferret food and you will have to work hard with him in the beginning. If you want to know more about ferrets in pet shops, read my post about ferrets in a pet store.
How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Ferret From Breeders?
Getting a ferret from a breeder is a more expensive option. The average cost of a ferret from breeders can go up to $500. It is hard to say anything more about the price because it depends on the breeder and the type of ferret. For example, an albino ferret cost is similar to a dark sable ferret price, but an angora ferret price is much higher because they are considered unusual and rare. A good thing about getting a ferret from a breeder is that you will get a well-behaved ferret.
Most professional ferret breeders work with their ferrets so they will know what a litter box is, that biting hard is not an option, etc. But, a baby ferret price is a price for a ferret that is too young for neutering. That means you will have to do it once a ferret reaches a safe age for neutering. Yes, neutering is an additional cost, but if you do it at the right time you can avoid numerous health problems in the future so you will cut back on the future vet costs. If you want to know more about ferrets from breeders, read my post about ferret breeders.
How Much Do Ferrets Cost In Ferret Shelters?
Adopting a ferret doesn’t mean you will get him for free, but the price of a ferret in a shelter is not very high. Most ferret shelters come with a price of around $100. A great thing is that you will get a neutered, vaccinated ferret that went over a checkup in the near past so you won’t have to add any vet costs immediately. Also, you will get a socialized ferret because almost every ferret shelter works with ferrets as much as they can.
I think that the price of a ferret in a shelter is a great way to help that ferret shelter in taking care of other ferrets they have in their home. So, what does it mean to adopt a ferret and how can you do it, you can read in my post about ferret adoption. Once you contact a ferret shelter, they will do their best to get to know you and to help you pick a ferret that suits you best. That means they will show you baby ferrets as well as adult ferrets. They will help you pick a ferret based on your lifestyle and they will recommend you a good veterinarian and what are the most important ferret supplies.
Other Ferret Expenses
There are a few ferret expenses that are rather big, but their advantage is the fact that once you get them, you don’t have to think about them again, or if you have, it is once a year. Those expenses are connected to neutering, vaccinations, and important ferret accessories like ferret cages, litter boxes, food, and water bowls, etc.
How Much Does Ferret Neutering Cost?
It is hard to determine the exact ferret neutering cost, but I would say it is around $150 to $300 dollars. That price depends on where you are from so make sure to ask a veterinarian before you make a budget for it. Besides that, ask your vet if you will need any additional things like, for example, a ferret cone, maybe some medication, etc. Another pretty important thing you have to know is that there are different things you can do to neuter a ferret. You can do regular neutering (operation) or you can do a chemical castration. Neutering is a one-time process while chemical castration involves implant replacement treatment every year. The price of the implant is around $100.
How Much Does Ferret Vaccines & Checkup Cost?
There are a couple of vaccines you have to give to your ferret. Those are a canine distemper and rabies vaccine. They are given annually so you will have to set aside around $20 for each every year. That is not a very high price so you won’t have to plan a budget for months in advance. You have to keep in mind that ferrets should be vaccinated at ~8, 10, and 12 wk of age first then every year. If you adopt a ferret then you probably don’t have to go through with it since most ferrets in shelters have their vaccination. You simply have to continue where they stopped.
A regular annual ferret checkup is around $150, but still, it depends on the country you are in and the veterinarian you go to. That is a regular vet checkup that checks weight, ears, lungs, teeth, blood, sugar, ultrasound, and a few other tests. Keep in mind that older ferrets need more tests for cancers and tumors so their checkup can be slightly more expensive than planned.
How Much Does A Ferret Cage Cost?
A ferret cage is your number one list on the ferret equipment list. It is a place for a ferret when you aren’t at home and you can’t look out for him. A ferret cage shouldn’t be cheap or small. That means you can’t look for ferret cages under $100, you will have to raise the bar to at least $250.
I know that it sounds much, but you have to consider that once you buy a good ferret cage, you will have it for ages. That means you won’t have to worry about that anymore. But, before you go and buy a cage, I strongly recommend you to read my post about the best ferret cages. I have explained there what are some criteria you have to consider and why.
How Much Does Other Ferret Accessories Cost?
Before you get a ferret, you will have to get a litter box, hammocks, ferret toys, etc. One part alone from the ferret supplies list isn’t expensive, but the total accessories ferret expenses are high. The toys are around $50, the hammocks are around $100, the litter boxes are around $20, then there are ferret nail clippers, playpens, harnesses, food and water bowls, etc. With all those things you will have to set aside at least $500.
But, a good thing is that you don’t have to buy a gazillion ferret toys at once. The first thing you have to focus on are the hammocks, litter boxes, food, and water bowls so your ferret has something to eat, sleep, and poop. Everything else can come a day or two later. I recommend you to read my posts about water and food bowls so you can pick the best designs immediately. The same thing is with litter boxes, hammocks, even ferret toys.
Ferret Monthly Cost
Monthly costs for ferrets are a small category and they are usually connected with everyday actions. For example, ferret food, ferret litter, and puppy pads are some of the most common ferret monthly costs.
How Much Does A Ferret Food Cost?
Ferret nutrition is a very sensitive topic because their food should be high-quality or they can develop several medical problems. That means even some kibbles with a ferret on the package aren’t a good choice. If you plan to feed your ferret kibble, then you have to use only premium quality food, without grain, with meat, etc. Those ferret foods aren’t cheap so you will have to set aside at least $30 a month for it. That depends on the number of ferrets you have too so it can go up to $100. You can read more about good ferret food in my post about good ferret kibble.
On the other hand, you can feed your ferret with raw meat nutrition. Raw meat nutrition usually means feeding ferrets with raw meat, bones, organs, whole prey, etc. It is their natural diet and the best diet for them. But, that doesn’t mean you can simply give them meat and that is it. There is a certain menu you can make to keep your ferret healthy. When it comes to money, raw ferret food costs more than kibble food and it can be a challenge to get everything you need. But, keeping your ferret healthy is worth it.
How Much Does A Ferret Litter Cost?
Just like with ferret food, you can’t use any ferret litter on the market. There are ferret-safe litters and they are slightly more expensive than other litters out there. You shouldn’t use clay litter because it is not a good option for the ferret’s respiratory system. A good ferret litter lasts around a month if you have one or two ferrets and it has a price of $20-30. If you have more, then you will have to buy it more often. If you want to know what are good ferret litters, read my post about ferret litters.
Have A Budget For Unexpected Situations
Unexpected situations are possible when you own a ferret as a pet. They are mostly related to unexpected veterinarian visits when your ferret does something he shouldn’t. That can be some accident that can result in a broken bone, some illness like ECE, or blockage. The costs vary from a couple of hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars and that is why it is smart to have a budget for it, no matter if the budget is really necessary.
For example, ECE treatment costs around $100, emergency care and X-rays can come up to $1000 and obstruction surgery that is related to the blockage costs much more, around $3000. Operations regarding cancerous cysts can be around $1000, but if you manage to get them early, it can be less. Here you can see the importance of a regular ferret checkup!
Conclusion
The most important thing in this post is to make sure that you are aware of your expenses besides the ferret cost. How much does a ferret cost is a very important question, but so is a question regarding the cost of owning a ferret. Ferret vet bills are by far the highest expenses you can have so it is important to keep your ferret healthy and happy. What is your opinion on this topic? Share it with us!
