General Care
The most important thing you can do for your ferret is find a ferret-knowledgeable Vet.
Your vet will be your greatest asset if your ferret becomes ill.
Safety
Ferrets are very intelligent animals, curious and highly inventive when it comes to exploring their environment. Everything reachable will be explored, eaten, knocked over or taken somewhere else. It may be funny to watch but you could lose your valuables or your ferret to an accident.
Anywhere the head fits so will the rest of the ferret so if there is a 1 inch gap expect the ferrets to go in it or through it .
Ferrets can jump and climb so things that have been put higher up may not always be safe if a chair, small table, or cage can be used as a ladder. This can be especially dangerous for your ferret because as inventive as ferrets are going up, they lack the skills to get down and will jump if no other way is available.
Ferrets are natural diggers so plants, grass and carpet will be their target. Anyway to escape. Runs outside need to be on a solid base otherwise THEY WILL dig out.
Most ferrets are not problematic chewers but soft rubbery things are hard to resist for some ferrets. Be wary of TV remotes, keys, covered cables, and shoe soles and inserts. Old worn out toys can start to break apart into small pieces which pieces that may be accidentally swallowed, so take away that mangy toy for something new before you have to make a trip to the vet.
Ears
If you notice a dark reddish-brown to black grainy substance in your ferrets ears or if they are itching at their ears a lot, you should get them to the vet as these are signs of ear mites.
Toenails
Your ferret's toenails should be trimmed regularly. You should trim their toenails at least once every two weeks.
An easy way to trim toenails is to sit in a chair with the ferret in your lap. Lay him on his back and put some yummy treat like Ferretone on his belly. Be careful not to cut into the ‘quick' (the pink area of the toenail). This is painful for the ferret and will cause bleeding. Do not cut them to short to prevent this. Better to do often.
Heat & Drafts
Ferrets do not fare well in high temperatures. Heatstroke can come on rapidly and can kill your ferret. NEVER leave your ferret in a closed-up car. Obvious signs of heatstroke are panting and lethargy, but could also include discharge from the nose or mouth, limpness or loss of consciousness. The most important thing to remember when dealing with heatstroke is not to lower the ferret's body temperature too quickly or the ferret will go into shock and get him to a vet IMMEDIATELY. Ferrets should also be kept out of drafts so they do not catch colds.
Coat Shedding
Most ferrets shed their coats twice a year, in the spring and fall. During this time it might be useful to brush your ferret to help keep fur from ending up everywhere, but also to help cut down on the possibility of your ferret developing a blockage from a hairball.
Descenting
Descenting is where ferrets anal sacs have been removed. This is largely a cosmetic procedure and is unnecessary and inmoral. Contrary to popular belief, ‘descenting' a ferret does not remove the normal musky smell from the ferret, it only makes it impossible for the ferret to ‘poof'. Poofing is the term used to describe when a ferret expresses the liquid in its anal sacs. No good vet will do this.
Sick Ferret
If your ferret is sick and has stopped drinking or eating it is important to get them to a vet as soon as you notice something is wrong as ferrets go down hill quickly and could pass away over night so geting them help imediately is important. Do not attempt to nurse them yourself if you do not have experience as they may need medication from a vet.
