If you have ever seen one in person, you may be assured that baby ferrets are some of the most adorable creatures on the planet. Sleepy, clumsy, silly, and funny, these sweet little creatures are amazing to bring into your home and will provide hours of entertainment, both during their infancy as well as as they age. This article will discuss everything you need to know about baby ferrets before you bring one home into your family.

When Can You Bring A Baby Ferret Home?

Like any animal, it is important that you let baby ferrets spend a significant amount of time with their mothers and litter mates before separating them. For the first three weeks of a ferret’s life, they are blind, deaf, and do not have much hair, and depend completely on their mother.

At around 6 weeks of age, baby ferrets begin to wean from their mother’s milk and begin to eat much exclusively, as well as start to truly learn the art of using the litter box. 6 weeks is the very youngest that baby ferrets can be taken away from their mothers, though most experts suggest allowing ferrets, like most other animals, stay with their mothers and the rest of their litter for 8 to 10 weeks after birth.

What Do Baby Ferrets Need When You Bring Them Home?

There are a couple of different things that you need when you bring home a baby ferret, and a couple of other things that are not absolutely necessary, but are definitely recommended. When you bring a baby ferret home, it is absolutely imperative that you get them a cage that allows them enough room to freely move about when you are not at home, high quality ferret or cat food that is high in protein and fat (check out our article on what to look for in the best ferret food!), paper pellet litter and at least 2 litter boxes to keep throughout your home, beds and/or hammocks, and plenty of small toys that they can hide and wrestle with.

As for recommended items to bring home with baby ferrets, the first thing we recommend is another ferret. Ferrets do best when they are able to socialize with other animals of their species. If you are not able to afford or accommodate two ferrets at a time, a cat or dog that you already have in your home can also keep your ferret company, as long as they are ferret friendly.

Additionally, there are plenty of different ferret accessories on the market today. Some of them may seem unnecessary, but undoubtedly they will provide your ferret with plenty of fun.

How To Make Mush For A Baby Ferret

Making mush for your baby ferret is actually incredibly easy. When bringing baby ferrets home for the first time, you may find that due to all the change and excitement, your ferret may not be willing to eat. Mix a little bit of warm water in a small food bowl with your ferret’s kibble until the food softens but is not a liquid. This will make your ferret more inclined to eat, particularly if they are in the painful teething stage in which solid food may be uncomfortable.

Due to the moisture level, do not leave this much in your ferrets cage for more than 8 hours, so it is important not to make too much! If your ferret is not inclined to eat, there are also ferret appetite stimulants available at most pet stores that can encourage your ferret to eat.

What Veterinary Care Should Occur For Baby Ferrets?

Like any other pet you bring into your home, baby ferrets need to start veterinary care fairly early in their lives, starting prior to being separated from their mom and litter. Ferrets do need to be vaccinated against both rabies and canine distemper.

Rabies is always fatal and there is no treatment or cure for this deadly disease. Canine distemper can be treated, but ferrets are unlikely to survive the illness. Even if they are able to survive, they will be left with permanent neurological damage.

Additionally, while there is some disagreement in the veterinary community, most ferrets will be desexed and descented prior to being sold in the pet store.

Where Do I Get A Baby Ferret

There are a couple of different ways to bring baby ferrets into your life. First, you can work with a local ferret rescue and let them know  you are looking specifically for an infant ferret or baby ferret to bring into your family.

Second, you can work directly with a breeder in your area. This is  a good option as it allows you to ensure that the parents of your new friend are well taken care of, your baby ferret has spent its first few weeks of life in a healthy environment, and that proper potty training methods have been implemented.

Finally, you can shop at your local pet store and bring home baby ferrets this way. The one drawback to this option is that ferrets are most likely bred purely for profit and that you cannot be 100% sure that your ferret is not at risk for various genetic or other health issues.