# Tell me what it's like owning a ferret **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 29, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730 "2009-04-29T14:21:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/21 "2009-04-30T18:29:01Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > What type of glue should you use to assemble a ferret kit? 😃 Dunno, but I heard mink oil is good to keep them from squeaking. (Kit = name for the pre-adult ferret, rather like “kitten”/“puppy” 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/22 "2009-04-30T20:47:33Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Seconded. There are few things in this world more entertaining than taking two ferrets, rubbing them together, and then sliding them across the floor. And if you have two, you can race 'em! ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/23 "2009-05-01T14:26:22Z")
It amazes me to hear from the type of person who owns slobery mutts that they let slobber down their backs while they drive, “How do you stand the smell of those things?” ---
**Author:** ![Morgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Morgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgis)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/24 "2009-05-01T14:40:37Z")
Is it strange that I think my ferrets smell sort of nice? Not their poo, of course, but their natural ferrety musk. Maybe it’s just because I love them. Probably the same reason dog owners think all that slobber is cute. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/25 "2009-05-01T16:48:50Z")
> [@Morgis](#): > > They’re a lot of work, but ferrets truly are wonderful pets. As someone mentioned, it’s like having a kitten that stays a kitten forever.. This is true. One of our cats is basically a short ferret. A lot of people I know who have ferrets also have cats, and they generally get along fine. The playfulness & mischeviousness levels are the same. And the both hide under things and attack your ankles when you walk by. This thread makes me want ferrets. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/26 "2009-05-01T17:49:49Z")
Well, at least the people at the per shop let me hold one while my mom was getting kitty litter. ---
**Author:** ![andiepandie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@andiepandie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andiepandie)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730/27 "2009-05-01T20:38:43Z")
We currently have two ferrets, but we’ve had five in total over the past dozen years or so. All of those ferrets have lived with our three cats - it hasn’t always been the most harmonious relationship, but they seem to tolerate each other for the most part! If you’re thinking about becoming a ferret owner, it’s important to know that ferrets will likely cost you a great deal in vet bills - far more than you are used to with a cat. And unlike cats and dogs, ferrets are so injury- and illness-prone that (last time I checked) insurance isn’t even an option since none of the companies offer it. For reasons that aren’t quite yet understood, ferrets are extremely suceptable to many diseases, pancreatic and adrenal tumours in particular. While some of the symptoms from these diseases are treatable with diet changes, medicine, and/or surgery, completely “curing” the disease is extremely rare. Like others have said, if you are going to get a ferret, be prepared for some heartache and some hefty vet bills. Like **Ferret Herder** I’ve been thinking about calling it quits with ferrets after my two remaining girls finally leave me. We’ve lost one to adrenal, one to insulnoma, and another to a mystery heart disease, but I’m hoping that these two girls have beter luck. I love them so much, but having to go through the grieving process every few years is very hard ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-its-like-owning-a-ferret/494730.md?page=1)