A ferret shelter and habitat can range from Spartan to luxurious with a price tag to match. Before you whip out your credit card, there is one main decision to make about your pet’s living arrangements. You must decide whether your ferret is going to spend most of its time in the cage or out.
Bigger is Better
If your answer is “in the cage,” then the rule of thumb is to buy as large a cage as you have room for and can afford. The right ferret shelter and habitat is going to be absolutely essential for an animal that will spend most of its day in the cage. In this situation, size matters. Ferrets are intelligent animals who get terribly bored and cranky when stuck in a cage. To combat this, first make sure your pet gets to play outside of the cage for at least a couple of hours each day. Second, make your ferret’s cage as entertaining as possible.
Good Cages - What To Look For?
A good cage for this situation will have multiple levels, tunnels, and other stimulating items like hammocks, chew toys and more. Cages such as this can be purchased for $150 and up, and will measure five feet or more in height. They are made of wire so the ferret gets adequate air flow, with wire or plastic shelves and levels. Or, you can build a cage yourself if you wish, using wood for the frame, levels and ramps, and a roll of fence wire with openings too narrow for the ferret to climb through. You may want to consider a metal or plexiglass cage floor, because urine accidents on wood floors don’t clean up very well.
Using Rooms
If your primary ferret shelter and habitat is going to be a ferret-proofed room or special area of your house, then the cage becomes a sleep-only zone and size is far less of an issue. Ferrets given the freedom to run and play in a room-sized area need a cage large enough to eat and sleep in. Double-level cages of this sort may cost as little as $50 or $60. No matter which cage is right for your pet, be very careful about where you place the cage. Ferrets do best in temperatures below 75 degrees. If your pet’s cage is in the sun or in a hot, stuffy room where the heat climbs over 85 degrees, your ferret will be miserable and may die of the heat.
Once you have the cage, you’ll want to choose accessories to make your ferret shelter and habitat interesting and entertaining. Also, a litter box in the cage can make cleanup much easier. Choose heavy food dishes that a ferret can’t tip over, and a water bottle that attaches to the cage is always a good idea. Fill the litter box, or cover the floor of the cage, if you wish, with bedding material. Recycled paper litters are excellent, as are aspen shavings. Cedar shavings smell wonderful, but they can lead to respiratory problems with your ferret, so avoid using them. Pine can cause similar problems.
Soft & Comfortable
You’ll also want to include something soft and comfortable so your pet can curl up and fall asleep in whatever structure you’ve chosen for the ferret shelter and habitat. Old towels, blankets, or fancy ferret sleeping bags are all fine choices for bedding. And remember to use baby gates or other means of blocking the doorway if you’re allowing your pet to have the run of a room.
Portable Shelter (Cages)
Portable ferret shelter and habitat options include a good-sized travel cage, those designed for dogs. It’s a good idea to have a travel cage ready to go, stocked with baggies of food, a water bottle, a toy, a blanket and a litter box, in case of emergencies. That way, if you ever need to grab your pet and get out of your home, you’ll have a way to keep your ferret safe. Pouches you can wear like backpacks or purses are fun temporary shelters for a ferret on the go. If your ferret travels with you in the car, you may want to pick up a restraint designed to keep your pet in the seat, attaching its harness to the seatbelt.
Whether you build your own ferret shelter and habitat or spend a thousand dollars on a fancy cage, don’t forget these three things: ferrets need plenty of room, they need things to keep them from getting bored, and above all, they need your love and attention.
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