Ferrets For Dummies

ISBN-13: 9781119720836 / Angielski / Miękka / 2021 / 464 str.

Kim Schilling

Spis treści

Introduction 1About This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: Is a Ferret Right For You? 5Chapter 1: What You Need to Know About Ferrets 7First Question: What is a Ferret? 8Giving the Ferret a Physical: Examining Fuzzy Characteristics 9Looking at the life span of a fuzzy 10In this corner, weighing in at 11Getting to the point about claws and teeth 12Making sense of senses 12Exercise and Time Considerations -- Yours and Your Fuzzy's 13Taking a Whiff of the Odor Factor 14To descent or not to descent? 14Controlling your fuzzy's odor 15Getting the Dish on Financial Matters 16Extreme Cage Makeover: Providing the Space They Need 16Facing the Challenges of Ferret-Proofing Your Home 17Ferrets and Kids 17Ferrets and Babies 18Ferrets and Other Household Pets 18Leaping over the Legal Hurdles 19Chapter 2: Understanding What Ferrets Are (And Aren't) 21Yes, Ferrets Are Domesticated 22Getting to Know Fuzzies in the Past and Present 24Ferrets throughout history 24Ferrets have always had a knack for meeting man's needs 24Ferrets catching on 25Spotlighting the Sport of Ferreting 25Picturing the Physical Appearance of the Domestic Ferret 28The spectrum of fuzzy colors 28Fuzzy color patterns 30Hanging up the question on ferret coat changes and colors 32Crazy ferret categories 32Not Just Another Color: The Black-Footed Ferret 35The one, true North American ferret! 36Are black-footed ferrets really that different? 36Habitat (or is that prairie dog?) destruction 37The Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Plan 38Chapter 3: Ferrets and the Law: Licensing and Other Issues 43"A License? But He Can't Even Reach the Pedals!" 44Ferret-Free Zones and Why They Exist 44What's it gonna be? Wild, domestic, or exotic? 46Feral ferrets in my neighborhood? 46Should people fear rabies? 47Knowing the Law and the Consequences of Breaking It 48Part 2: Finding Your Ferret and Hanging Up the Welcome Hammock 49Chapter 4: On the Tail of a New Carpet Shark (Um, Ferret) 51Ferret Shopping 101 52Are You in the Market for a New or Used Ferret? 53Starting off with a kit 53Adopting an older ferret 54Should You Pre-Order Blue or Pink Bedding (Get a Boy or Girl)? 55Pitting Altered versus Whole Furballs 55Boys will be boys 56Girls will be girls 57"You Want How Many Ferrets?" 57Where to Find Your Ferret 61Perusing pet shops 61Picking out private breeders 63Adopting from a ferret shelter 64Craigslist and other classified debacles 66Rescuing the wayward weasel: Stray ferrets 67Getting a Vet 68Chapter 5: Home Sweet Home: Preparing Your Ferret's Quarters 69Setting Up Fuzzy's Cage 70Size matters: Picking the proper cage 70Fuzzy blueprints: Making sure the design is right 70A home within a home: Finding a place inside for the cage 74A room with a view: Finding a place outside for the cage 76Making Your Ferret's Bed 78Setting Your Ferret's Table 79Serving your ferret's food with a sturdy dish 79Hydrating your ferret 81Designing Your Ferret's Bathroom 84Potty on! Choosing the right litter box for your ferret 84Picking out the perfect litter 87Acquiring Accessories and Other Stuff Fuzzy Needs 89Fluffing up extra snoozing sites 90Ferret toys galore! 91Leashes and harnesses for your ferret 93Finding a good travel taxi 94Chapter 6: Ferret-Proofing Your Home 97Inspecting Your Home for Ferret Hazards 98Laundry room 99Kitchen 99Moldings, baseboards, and under cabinets 100Windows and doors 100Floor vents and air returns 101Plants 101Heights 101Electrical cords 101Reclining chairs, rockers, and foldout couches 102Fireplaces 102Mattresses, couches, and chairs 102Toilets, bathtubs, and buckets 103Cabinets 103Trash cans 104Changing Some of Your Home Habits 104Chapter 7: Introducing Fuzzy to His New Family 107Ferrets as Social Animals 108You and Your New Ferret: Making the Most of Your Friendship 109Hold me gently, please 109Letting fuzzy set up shop in his home 111The steps to successful bonding 111Fuzzy Meets Fluffy and Fido 113Heeeere kitty, kitty! 113Nice puppy! 114Ferrets and other small animals 116Preparing Your Child for the Ferret 117Pause the cartoons: What your child should know beforehand 117Fuzzy, meet Junior: Making the introduction 118Fuzzy Meets Fuzzy: Adding A New Ferret to Your Family 119Meeting on neutral ground 120Messing with their sniffers 120Forcing a relationship 121Easing your fuzzy into the business 122Heading Off Stranger Danger 123Part 3: Basic Ferret Care and Feeding 125Chapter 8: Filling Your Ferret's Belly 127Water, Water, Everywhere 128Ferrets as Diners 128Feeding the Traditional Commercial Diet 129Wet or dry food? 130Setting a feeding schedule 133Changing kibble diets 134Serving Up an Alternative Diet 135Getting to know the wild polecat's diet 136The good, the bad, and the ugly on bones 140Choosing commercial raw or freeze-dried raw diets 143The evolutionary diet: Feeding your pet small animals or insects 144Exploring the alternative way of feeding 150Supplementing Your Fuzzy's Diet 154Omega-3 fatty acids 154Omega-6 fatty acids 155Savoring Treat Time! 155Giving the good stuff 156Avoiding the not-so-good stuff 157Chapter 9: Cleaning Time: Not All Ferret Fun and Games 159Cleaning House for a Cozy Cage 160Doing your fuzzy's dishes 160Stripping his bed 161Scrubbing (or scooping) the toilet 162Tearing down the house 162Getting the gunk off the toys 163A wall full of turds! 163Scrub a Dub Fuzz: Navigating Bath Time 164One bath too many? 165Picking a shampoo 165Oatmeal -- It's what's for baths 166Choosing the crime scene 166Doing the deed 167Caring for Those Little Ears 170Gathering supplies 171Executing the ear clean 172Nailing Down the Manicure 173Choosing your clipping method 174Performing the clip 174Chewing On Chomper Maintenance 176Performing the dental checkup 176Brushing his teeth 178Breaking Out the Hairbrush 179Odor Control Tips 101 -- A Summary 179Chapter 10: Enrichment: Yours and Your Ferret's 183Why is Enrichment Necessary? 184What Does Enrichment Do for Ferrets? 185Relieves boredom and stress 185Facilitates bonding 185Keeps their senses alive and well 186Helps to curb negative behaviors 186Keeps the flab at bay 186Encourages curiosity and creative problem solving 187Helps to keep bones, muscles, organs, and joints healthy 187Improves heart health and overall circulation 187Makes humans smile and laugh 187Understanding Your Ferret's Senses 188Hearing 188Smelling 188Tasting 189Seeing 189Touching 189Recommended Enrichment Activities for You and Your Fuzzy 189Organizing your ferret's play areas 190Movement and physical-exercise activities 191Social-development activities 193Food-related activities 194Training exercises 194Using novel objects in activities 199Finding Your Own Enrichment at Ferret Clubs 200Participating in Regional Shows, Club Shows, and Competitions. 200So, you want to show your fuzzy? 201Preparing to bring home the blue ribbon 201Fun matches 203Facebook and Other Internet Sources 204Chapter 11: Have Ferret, May Travel 207Fuzzy is Going on Vacation! 207Checking ahead 208Packing the necessities 209On the Road or Flying High 209Road trip! 210Taking to the friendly skies 211Going international 213Leaving Your Furball in Good Hands 213Let the interviews begin: Finding the perfect pet sitter 215Away to camp: Boarding your ferret 216Ferrets as Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) 217Part 4: Tackling Your Ferret's Health Issues and Treatments 221Chapter 12: Setting Up Your Ferret's Health Plan: Vets and First-Aid Kits 223Selecting Your Ferret's Veterinarian 224Interviewing potential vets 224Going for a visit 227Developing a good working relationship 228Putting Your Vet to Work with Vaccinations and Checkups 230Kits -- The office visit 231Adolescents and adults -- the office visit 232Recognizing allergic reactions 233Titer testing 234Stocking Your Ferret First-Aid Kit 235Ensuring Emergency Preparedness 240The basic (quick) evacuation kit 240Collecting and evacuating your fuzzy 241The deluxe (and orderly) evacuation kit 241Chapter 13: Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics 245Behaviors You Usually Don't Need to Worry About 246Shivering 246Itching and scratching 246Yawning 247Excessive sleeping 247Sneezing, hiccuping, and coughing 248Butt dragging 249Drinking urine 249Pain Management and Care 249Determining if your ferret is in pain 250Caring for a ferret in pain 251Setting Up Fuzzy's Home Hospital Room 252Feeding the Sick or Debilitated Ferret 253The Assist Feed Recipe: Better than Mom's chicken soup 254The feeding method: Just as effective as the airplane into the mouth 255Handling Actual Emergencies 256Shock 257Dehydration 257Bleeding 259Vomiting 260Diarrhea (and other fecal issues) 261Seizures 263Heatstroke 264Hypothermia 265Eye injuries 267Fractures or spinal injuries 267Poisoning 268Animal bites 269Electric shock 269Burns 269Blockage protocol 270Chapter 14: Ferreting Out Ferret Pests 271Booting External Critters That Go Bite in the Night 271Fleas 272Ticks 278Ear mites 279Sarcoptic mange (scabies) 280Battling the Internal Bugaboos That Threaten Your Fuzzy 281Heartworms 281Extra care for your ferret 284Intestinal worms 284Coccidia (coccidiosis) 285Giardia 286Chapter 15: Handling Viruses, Infections, and Other Conditions and Illnesses 287Gastrointestinal (GI) Diseases 288Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) 288Ferret systemic coronaviral disease (FSCD) 291Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) 292Intestinal and stomach blockages 293Helicobacter Mustelae (H mustelae) Infection 294Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis 296Megaesophagus 297Dental Problems 298Faulty teeth 298The dreaded dental disease 301Heart Disease 302Influenza (The "Flu") 304Disseminated Idiopathic Myofasciitis 305Urinary Tract Problems 306Bladder or urinary tract infections 307Prostate problems 307Stones and blockages 308Eye Problems 309Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV) 310Canine Distemper 312Diabetes Mellitus 313Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly) 314Hairballs 315Rabies 315Ulcers 317Chapter 16: Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps 319Adrenal Gland Disease 320Making the diagnosis 322Treating the disease 323Insulinoma 326Making the diagnosis 327Treating the disease 327Lymphosarcoma (Lymphoma) 328Making the diagnosis 329Treating the disease 329Chordomas 329Itchy Growths: Skin Tumors 330Mast cell tumors 331Basal cell tumors 331Sebaceous cell tumors 331Chapter 17: Saying Goodbye When the Time Comes 333Letting Go of Your Family Member 334Learning from Fuzzy's Death with a Postmortem 335Selecting Fuzzy's Final Burrowing Place 336Choosing cremation 337Proceeding to a pet cemetery 338Opting for a backyard burial 339Grieving for Your Lost Fuzzy 340Know you're not alone 341Face the feelings 341Give yourself time 341Help others deal with their loss 342Helping a Surviving Ferret Cope 343Part 5: Ferret Psychology 101: Behavior and Training 345Chapter 18: Understanding What Fuzzy is Trying to Tell You 347Say What? Speaking Ferret-ese 348The dook 348The squeak 349The giggles or hee-hees 349The screech or scream 349The squeal 350The bark 350The honk 350The hiss 350You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'! Interpreting Your Ferret's Jig 351The dance of joy 351The war dance 352Decoding Your Ferret's Body Language 353The frizz look 353The alligator roll and wrestlemania 354The treasure hunt 354The chase is on 355Fuzzy stalking 355Tail wagging 355"Why Does My Ferret Do That?" Understanding Other Fuzzy Behaviors 356Digging to China 356Ferret fixations 357The movers are here 357A felon on your hands? 358The zig-zag 358Butt scooting 359Coveting thy hidey-hole 359Scoping out boundaries 360Chapter 19: Putting Your Ferret through Basic Training: Easy as 1-2-3? 361Just Say NO to Biting 362This Way to the Bathroom 363Harnessing Your Fuzzy for a Walk 365Getting fuzzy used to a harness 366Following basic rules when you're out and about 367Chapter 20: Dealing with the Behaviorally Challenged Ferret 369Understanding Your Dracula in Fuzzy's Clothing 370I'm having growing pains 371Nobody told me not to bite 371I'm in pain, darn it! 371Resource guarding 372I'm a manly or bully ferret 372I'm facing a lot of change right now 372Biting always worked before! 373I'm still fighting back 373Some other reasons for my biting 373Socializing Your Biting Beast 374Getting a grip 375Getting unstuck 376Taming the critter 378Bonding with the biting ferret 380Part 6: Breeding Ferrets: The Facts, Fallacies, and Plain Ol' Hard Work 381Chapter 21: Should You Breed Your Ferret? Looking at the Big Picture 383What It Takes to Be a Responsible Breeder 384Deep pockets 384The emotional stake 386Time to care 387Willingness to find out what you don't know 388Avoiding a Need for More Shelters 390Chapter 22: Unmasking the Details of Ferret Love 391Fine-Tuning the Organs 392The boy (hob) 392The girl (jill) 393Making a love connection: Enter Neanderthal ferret 394What Happens If Your Unaltered Ferret Isn't Bred? 395Mothering the Mom-to-Be 396Strange craving? Keeping mom nourished 397Providing a maternity ward 398Heading Off to the Delivery Room 400The typical delivery 401The difficult delivery 401Some Problems You May Face after Birth 402A difficult mother 402A mother incapable of nursing 403Calling on the foster mom 403Chapter 23: From Birth to Bundle of Energy: Walking a Fuzzy's Timeline 405Fuzzy Infancy: Birth to 3 Weeks 406Furball Toddlerhood: 3 to 6 Weeks 407The Terrible Fuzzy Twos: 6 to 10 Weeks 408Adolescence Already? 10 to 15 Weeks 409Part 7: The Part of Tens 411Chapter 24: Ten Amazing and Creative Ferret-Proofing Hacks 413Pool Noodles Be Gone! 413Up, Up, and Over -- Not! 414Cardboard Cut-Outs 416Yule Get Hung Up on Christmas 417Dual Purpose Door Blocker 419Couch Cures 420Fixing Floors and Revamping Ramps 420A Room with a View 421Wired for Trouble 422Velcro to the Rescue 422Chapter 25: Ten Recipes that Make Your Ferret Go Mmmmmm 423Hobbit Delights 425Karen's Brew 426Raw Soupy Recipe 427Barb's Recipe for Hungover Ferrets 427Ferret Bland Diet 428Tui's Chewies 429Family Dinner 430Mickey's Meatloaf 431Clyde's Seaside Chunks 432Bluto's BARF 432Index 433

O autorze

Kim Schilling is the founder of Animals for Awareness, a non-profit USDA licensed sanctuary dedicated to the needs of exotic and wild animals. When she discovered domesticated ferrets some 30 years ago, she never looked back. Kim wrote both previous editions of this book and has shared her home with as many as 20 ferrets at once.