Housing

You can house your ferret indoors or in an outside ferret hutch.

A cage or hutch is necessary to protect your ferret from getting lost or injured, as well as to protect your home. Ferrets have strong teeth and need an even stronger cage. There are a variety of specially designed indoor ferret cages or outdoor hutches available.

Toys

Ferrets are fun-loving, good natured creatures and remain playful throughout their adult lives. They are natural little clowns and will play crazy games even when alone. They will play with almost anything! Balls of all types (especially knotted old socks!), cardboard tubes and boxes to hide in can provide hours of fun. A ping-pong ball thrown into a group of ferrets will stimulate a wild hockey match.

Ideally provide toys specially designed to withstand a ferrets rough play, such as the Kong Small Animal.

Check toys daily and remove them if they become damaged to prevent your ferret swallowing bits of rubber or plastic.

Ferret proofing your home

Before you let your ferret have free play in your house it is a good idea to get down to ferret level and look for potential hazards or escape routes. Look out for electric wires which could be chewed, holes to get lost in (e.g. under floorboards) and mechanisms to get trapped in (e.g. reclining chairs). Keep house plants out of reach - ferrets love to dig. They are quite handy at opening cupboard doors and will take great pleasure in emptying the contents onto the floor so child locks are advised. There is always a danger that your ferret will hide under a cushion or a rug and be accidentally stood upon. Use a ferret harness with a bell on to help locate your ferret.