Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When i went to visit my grandma in Brandon,MB(Canada) i saw an add for a petstore on tv and in the commercial the petstore looked good so we went the it was called the exotic pet Corner so i went in to look for ferret stuff and the store was nothing like the add the had 2 spaniels in a 2' by 4' wire enclosure and one of them looked dead. While i was looking around i saw 3 HUGE male ferrets they were like probably 2' long. They were kept (all three together) in a Hagen Guinea Pig cage with no hammocks or anything just a food dish a water bottle and wood shavings. The were nice looking ferrets and they had a nice temperment, i felt so sorry for them. I bought some Hagen Silken Shampoo and the cashier person didn't know anything about any of the animals cuz she said "You're going to give your ferrets a bath everyday to?" After we went outside my grandma told me that the petstore had been reported several times for how they keep their animals. SO, my first question is my mom had said that i could probably get another ferret in a year so i was wondering should i buy one frome their so it can live a proper ferret life or just adopt one from the petstore and also if i wait another year Bubbles will be 2 and a half is that too late to get another ferret for her? My third question is, is Hagen Silke Shampoo a good shampoo?

Although it is difficult to see animals in need of love and affection, particularly when they are in a very poor living environment (like an inadequate pet shop), I would not recomend purchasing an animal from these places. Unfortunately, once a pet shop sells the animal, it's their excuse to bring in more inventory...i.e. more ferrets. These new ferrets will then be given the same treatment that your new ferret was given prior to you taking it home. My suggestion is that you contact a local ferret rescue organization about the pet shop. While you're at it, see about adopting a ferret that needs a home. Many animals are euthanized simply because there are not enough homes for them. Unfortunately, ferrets are an animal that are rather abundant in the pet trade, however not many people know anything about them. They are purchased on impulse and often the pet shop employee gives out misinformation simply because they have not taken the time to educate themselves about the "stock" they are selling.
Let me share the story of my ferret with you...

I currently am owned by an albino male named Casper. He was previously owned by a friend of one of my student's (I am a teacher). I orginally said I would take him for a classroom pet....but once he came to me I knew there was no way I could keep him in the classroom, at least not in the condition he was in. His previous owner kept him in a medium sized rabbit cage with wood shaving substrate. He did have a little ledge, but it was obviously too small. As treats, he was given vegetables and apples and was being fed meow mix cat food. You could see every rib in his body, his white coat was a very washed out yellow color, and he was missing a huge patch of fur between his shoulder blades. He was very alert, but very pathetic looking.
I took him home for some TLC. I immediately weaned him onto a proper ferret diet, including ferretone to help his skin and coat. He went to one of the most renowned ferret vets on the east coast...Dr. Anna Edling. I gave him a 3 story ferret cage, complete with ramps, hammacks, and toys. With time, he began to gain weight and his fur grew back. His coat is now a gorgeous clear white. Casper is not the same animal that came to me a year ago.
Fortunately, I did the research about proper ferret diet and health. Unfortunately, most don't. Good luck with your fuzzy adventure. I hope this helps you make a decision.

What about my other two questions?

First I agree with Terriorboy about not getting one from that store. The best place would be a ferret shelter. If you would get one from there, you could take Bubbles there to see how she gets along with other ferrets. 2 1/2 isn't too old, but you might have a harder time and it may take longer for the 2 to get along. We had our 1st one for 1 1/2 yrs before we got our 2nd one. We had gotten a 9 wk old kit, Holly, that was 1/2 lbs bigger than our 1st, Kit. Kit was very jealous of Holly. She didn't want Holly to play with any of her toys or anything. It took Holly a few wks to realize that Kit was 'top dog'. Holly passed away when she was only a little over a year. Kit and Holly had become best buddies. I got another one, Glory, and Kit wanted nothing to do with her. She'd chase her around and wouldn't even let her in the cage. So I kept them separated for almost 2 months before Kit finally let Glory go in the cage. Every day I would let them out to get used to each other....always supervised. Glory was a real sweetie too. She just wanted to be friends. That was the longest it ever took for any of my ferrets to get along with each other. It may take awhile, or Bubbles and a new one could get along right off the bat. Like I said, if you can, a ferret shelter is the best bet to get a new one.
As for the shampoo, I've never heard of that one. But you can try it out. If she keeps scratching a lot for a week after her bath, or her skin gets red, I would stop using it. Normally, mine seem to scratch a little more for a few days after a bath. I think it may be because you're washing the natural oil off of their skin and it take a couple of days or so to come back. That's just a thought, don't know for sure.
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Kat
Ferret mom to Jasmine and Daffy
A Cheesehead from Wisconsin

Bubbles scratches alot but her skin isn't red.

Ferrets do scratch a lot. I always hear mine when they first wake up...thumping their legs while they scratch! LOL! Also when they get excited, they'll be running around and stop to scratch. But that's normal. They do it more than dogs and cats. If the skin looks good, not dry or flakey, no redness, or fleas, etc., it's just their normal scratching. They also tend to scratch more when they have their seasonal shedding. If you don't think she's scratching more than usual, then keep using the shampoo. Do you give her ferretone? It helps to keep their skin good. Also, don't bathe her too much. I do mine about once a month from around April to Sept., then around mid December and then again in April. Some people go 6 months or more without giving them a bath, but I think of all the dust and such in the air that gets on their body, so I don't wait that long. I make sure they are rinsed really well also. Soap residue can irratate(sp?) their skin.
I hope this helps answering your question.
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Kat
Ferret mom to Jasmine and Daffy
A Cheesehead from Wisconsin

I agree- ferrets do scratch alot esp. compared to dogs & cats. I think it is also more noticeable cuz they do that thumper thing when they scratch. Alot of people do worry about the scratching but I thnk it is pretty much normal behavior for ferrets. Why? Who knows! LOL!
I have had 3 ferrets who have never had baths! People seem to need to bathe their ferrets to get rid of the "smell." It doesn't work. M ferretsall groom themselves very well and do not smell anymore than any other ferret. Their tongue is like a cat's- rough- and therefore very capable of doing very good grooming. If you watch them, they actually spend quite a bit of time grooming themselves when there aren't other things to get into that is! LOL! One of my ferrets is about 6 1/2 yrs. old- he has never had a bath and has always looked great. But.....that's just imo!
Nancy

I don't bathe my ferrets either unless they get into something nasty. The last time they had a bath was nearly 2 yrs ago when one of the boys had a vax reaction and projectile vomited all over the rest of them. The didn't seem to mind the vomit nearly as much as the bath. Go figure. LOL

The only one of mine that ever really smells is my girl that still has her scent glands. Her life was hell before she was rescued and she tends to poof in her sleep. Nightmares no doubt. She is getting better though, she goes days without smelling poofy now. Hopefully one day she'll forget all that came before the rescue.
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I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it.