Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My friend and i are going to get his ferret cage tomorrow and he is trying to deiced what would be best, getting 2 ferrets from our local shelter or going to the actual petstore?

Personally im not a big fan of getting a adoption just because when my family has done this they got some... interesting personalities. These we dogs however but thats my experience. I know shelters re usually much cheaper than the petstore, however with the petstore they said they will have them descented and spayed/neutered and can be chipped i believe.

What would be best for him to do since he has never owed a ferret before?

Ray

The BEST place to get a ferret is from a private breeder. Pet stores nearly always sell farmed or mass-produced ferrets, and you have to ask yourself how much attention they will pay to the details of temperament and health that are so important.

The second best place to get one is from a ferret rescue group. That's because they are experienced with ferrets and can help you select one whose personality and temperament are most suited to your needs. And you'll be doing a good deed.

It's true that in shelters you're often on your own in evaluating the ferrets, although of course some shelters do a better job than others with placement counseling.

Good luck to you with your new ferts!
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Christie Keith
Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds
Holistic Husbandry since 1986
www.caberfeidh.com/

My first ferret was from a petstore, and was entirely healthy and even litterbox trained. My second ferret i got from a rescue shelter, a woman with 20 years experience with ferrets. She had an ear infection and stomach problems when we got her and spent 145. getting her checked out and medicines. So you never know. But i would not trade either ferret for anything.
So i also think a ferret rescue place is the best, get 2 that need homes. Breeders would be my last choice, actually, because you get no better ferret from them than you would a farm or mill, really. thats my opinion, anyway. Its like paying more for a pedigree dog when you can get a lovely dog at a shelter.

Yes, I should have specified a GOOD, ETHICAL private breeder. Although in general the breeding stock do live better lives, bad small scale breeders are no better a place to get a pet than bad large scale breeders.

But a good breeder, an ethical breeder who is motivated by the desire to preserve and improve their breeding lines and the species/breed they work with, who doesn't have making money cranking out pets as their goal, who is genuinely and passionately dedicated to the animals, is a treasure worth more than gold. They will understand the pedigrees of the animals they are mating, will stand behind the pets they place, will educate and support their buyers. That is the kind of dog breeder I am, and while no one working with living creatures can guarantee their "product" as if it were a household appliance, I still believe that ethical hobby breeders are the best place to obtain pets.

Second is a good rescue organization, third is shelters, and not even on my list is pet stores.
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Christie Keith
Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds
Holistic Husbandry since 1986
www.caberfeidh.com/

I have to agree with Deerhounds, a good, ethical breeder is your best bet for a healthy ferret but there are no guarantees. And just like there are good breeders & bad, there are good shelters and bad shelters. A good shelter will not adopt out ferrets that are not neutered, current on vaccines, and ADV tested. De-scenting is really an unnecessary surgery which does almost nothing to abate a ferret's natural smell. I have had several fuzz with their "ass guns" and unless they were poofing at the moment you'd never know it.

All of my ferrets have either been owner surrenders or have come from good shelters. Most have been mill ferrets but a couple were from private breeders (not necessarily ethical breeders). Some have had a lot of health problems and some have had none. It's a crap shoot. A good breeder just gives you better odds.
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I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it.

Both of my ferrets were bought from pet stores, at different times, and both came accompanied by friends (read: earmites). One, we are all but certain, is very hard of hearing if not deaf. It does not interfere with her quality of life in any way. One had intestinal problems, as well, at the time of purchase. These problems were easy to clear up (well, except for the hearing one, but as I said, it doesn't bother her), but save it to say, I do not think we would be encouraged to buy from a pet store again. Aside from that, they are both wonderful, fun, intelligent animals. They're very healthy now and, at 4 and 4.5, have had no illnesses since their purchase.