Ferrets For Dummies, 3rd Edition
- Length: 464 pages
- Edition: 3
- Language: English
- Publisher: For Dummies
- Publication Date: 2021-03-03
- ISBN-10: 1119720834
- ISBN-13: 9781119720836
- Sales Rank: #123594 (See Top 100 Books)
Everything you need to know about your playful new pet
Thinking of getting a ferret? It’s not unusual—millions of people worldwide keep ferrets as pets, and they’ve been domesticated for around 2,500 years! While they’re quiet for a lot of the day (catching up on important beauty sleep), when they’re awake, they’re lively, affectionate, and curious—and require lots of quality interaction with their humans. And that’s why a happy ferret is a well-trained one, whose owner knows everything there is to know about its needs!
Ferrets For Dummies, 3rd Edition is here to make sure you become just that kind of owner, fully equipped to give your little friend the best possible home. It’s packed with practical information on feeding, housing, health, medical care, and much more. You’ll also find the latest on diet, dental hygiene, common ailments, and how to build an enjoyable and engaging environment for your smart, energetic new pet. There’s even a section on how to get to know your ferret properly (spotting those little mood swings) and how to introduce it to play well with friends and family.
- Make sure a ferret’s the pet for you
- Ferret-proof your home
- Keep a clean house
- Find the right vet
Whether you have a jill (female), a hob (male), or a full “business” of ferrets (several), Ferrets For Dummies helps you ferret out whatever you need to know—and ensure that your fuzzy new pal is a healthy, happy member of the household.
Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here Part 1 Is a Ferret Right for You? Chapter 1 What You Need to Know About Ferrets First Question: What Is a Ferret? Giving the Ferret a Physical: Examining Fuzzy Characteristics Looking at the life span of a fuzzy In this corner, weighing in at . . . Getting to the point about claws and teeth Making sense of senses Exercise and Time Considerations — Yours and Your Fuzzy’s Taking a Whiff of the Odor Factor To descent or not to descent? Controlling your fuzzy’s odor Getting the Dish on Financial Matters Extreme Cage Makeover: Providing the Space They Need Facing the Challenges of Ferret-Proofing Your Home Ferrets and Kids Ferrets and Babies Ferrets and Other Household Pets Leaping over the Legal Hurdles Chapter 2 Understanding What Ferrets Are (And Aren’t) Yes, Ferrets Are Domesticated Getting to Know Fuzzies in the Past and Present Ferrets throughout history Ferrets have always had a knack for meeting man’s needs Ferrets catching on Spotlighting the Sport of Ferreting Picturing the Physical Appearance of the Domestic Ferret The spectrum of fuzzy colors Fuzzy color patterns Hanging up the question on ferret coat changes and colors Crazy ferret categories Not Just Another Color: The Black-Footed Ferret The one, true North American ferret! Are black-footed ferrets really that different? Habitat (or is that prairie dog?) destruction The Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Plan Chapter 3 Ferrets and the Law: Licensing and Other Issues “A License? But He Can’t Even Reach the Pedals!” Ferret-Free Zones and Why They Exist What’s it gonna be? Wild, domestic, or exotic? Feral ferrets in my neighborhood? Should people fear rabies? Knowing the Law and the Consequences of Breaking It Part 2 Finding Your Ferret and Hanging Up the Welcome Hammock Chapter 4 On the Tail of a New Carpet Shark (Um, Ferret) Ferret Shopping Are You in the Market for a New or Used Ferret? Starting off with a kit Adopting an older ferret Should You Pre-Order Blue or Pink Bedding (Get a Boy or Girl)? Pitting Altered versus Whole Furballs Boys will be boys Girls will be girls “You Want How Many Ferrets?” Where to Find Your Ferret Perusing pet shops Picking out private breeders Adopting from a ferret shelter Craigslist and other classified debacles Rescuing the wayward weasel: Stray ferrets Getting a Vet Chapter 5 Home Sweet Home: Preparing Your Ferret’s Quarters Setting Up Fuzzy’s Cage Size matters: Picking the proper cage Fuzzy blueprints: Making sure the design is right A home within a home: Finding a place inside for the cage A room with a view: Finding a place outside for the cage Making Your Ferret’s Bed Setting Your Ferret’s Table Serving your ferret’s food with a sturdy dish Hydrating your ferret Designing Your Ferret’s Bathroom Potty on! Choosing the right litter box for your ferret Picking out the perfect litter Acquiring Accessories and Other Stuff Fuzzy Needs Fluffing up extra snoozing sites Ferret toys galore! Leashes and harnesses for your ferret Finding a good travel taxi Chapter 6 Ferret-Proofing Your Home Inspecting Your Home for Ferret Hazards Laundry room Kitchen Moldings, baseboards, and under cabinets Windows and doors Floor vents and air returns Plants Heights Electrical cords Reclining chairs, rockers, and foldout couches Fireplaces Mattresses, couches, and chairs Toilets, bathtubs, and buckets Cabinets Trash cans Changing Some of Your Home Habits Chapter 7 Introducing Fuzzy to His New Family Ferrets as Social Animals You and Your New Ferret: Making the Most of Your Friendship Hold me gently, please Letting fuzzy set up shop in his home The steps to successful bonding Fuzzy Meets Fluffy and Fido Heeeere kitty, kitty! Nice puppy! Ferrets and other small animals Preparing Your Child for the Ferret Pause the cartoons: What your child should know beforehand Fuzzy, meet Junior: Making the introduction Fuzzy Meets Fuzzy: Adding A New Ferret to Your Family Meeting on neutral ground Messing with their sniffers Forcing a relationship Easing your fuzzy into the business Heading Off Stranger Danger Part 3 Basic Ferret Care and Feeding Chapter 8 Filling Your Ferret’s Belly Water, Water, Everywhere Ferrets as Diners Feeding the Traditional Commercial Diet Wet or dry food? Setting a feeding schedule Changing kibble diets Serving Up an Alternative Diet Getting to know the wild polecat’s diet The good, the bad, and the ugly on bones Choosing commercial raw or freeze-dried raw diets The evolutionary diet: Feeding your pet small animals or insects Exploring the alternative way of feeding Supplementing Your Fuzzy’s Diet Omega-3 fatty acids Omega-6 fatty acids Savoring Treat Time! Giving the good stuff Avoiding the not-so-good stuff Chapter 9 Cleaning Time: Not All Ferret Fun and Games Cleaning House for a Cozy Cage Doing your fuzzy’s dishes Stripping his bed Scrubbing (or scooping) the toilet Tearing down the house Getting the gunk off the toys A wall full of turds! Scrub a Dub Fuzz: Navigating Bath Time One bath too many? Picking a shampoo Oatmeal — It’s what’s for baths Choosing the crime scene Doing the deed Caring for Those Little Ears Gathering supplies Executing the ear clean Nailing Down the Manicure Choosing your clipping method Performing the clip Chewing On Chomper Maintenance Performing the dental checkup Brushing his teeth Breaking Out the Hairbrush Odor Control Tips 101 — A Summary Chapter 10 Enrichment: Yours and Your Ferret’s Why Is Enrichment Necessary? What Does Enrichment Do for Ferrets? Relieves boredom and stress Facilitates bonding Keeps their senses alive and well Helps to curb negative behaviors Keeps the flab at bay Encourages curiosity and creative problem solving Helps to keep bones, muscles, organs, and joints healthy Improves heart health and overall circulation Makes humans smile and laugh Understanding Your Ferret’s Senses Hearing Smelling Tasting Seeing Touching Recommended Enrichment Activities for You and Your Fuzzy Organizing your ferret’s play areas Movement and physical-exercise activities Social-development activities Food-related activities Training exercises Using novel objects in activities Finding Your Own Enrichment at Ferret Clubs Participating in Regional Shows, Club Shows, and Competitions So, you want to show your fuzzy? Preparing to bring home the blue ribbon Fun matches Facebook and Other Internet Sources Chapter 11 Have Ferret, May Travel Fuzzy Is Going on Vacation! Checking ahead Packing the necessities On the Road or Flying High Road trip! Road trip do’s Road trip don’ts Taking to the friendly skies Going international Leaving Your Furball in Good Hands Let the interviews begin: Finding the perfect pet sitter Away to camp: Boarding your ferret Ferrets as Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) Part 4 Tackling Your Ferret’s Health Issues and Treatments Chapter 12 Setting Up Your Ferret’s Health Plan: Vets and First-Aid Kits Selecting Your Ferret’s Veterinarian Interviewing potential vets Going for a visit Developing a good working relationship Putting Your Vet to Work with Vaccinations and Checkups Kits — The office visit Adolescents and adults — the office visit Recognizing allergic reactions Titer testing Stocking Your Ferret First-Aid Kit Ensuring Emergency Preparedness The basic (quick) evacuation kit Collecting and evacuating your fuzzy The deluxe (and orderly) evacuation kit Chapter 13 Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics Behaviors You Usually Don’t Need to Worry About Shivering Itching and scratching Yawning Excessive sleeping Sneezing, hiccuping, and coughing Butt dragging Drinking urine Pain Management and Care Determining if your ferret is in pain Caring for a ferret in pain Setting Up Fuzzy’s Home Hospital Room Feeding the Sick or Debilitated Ferret The Assist Feed Recipe: Better than Mom’s chicken soup The feeding method: Just as effective as the airplane into the mouth Handling Actual Emergencies Shock Dehydration Bleeding Vomiting Diarrhea (and other fecal issues) Seizures Heatstroke Hypothermia Eye injuries Fractures or spinal injuries Poisoning Animal bites Electric shock Burns Blockage protocol Chapter 14 Ferreting Out Ferret Pests Booting External Critters That Go Bite in the Night Fleas Ticks Ear mites Sarcoptic mange (scabies) Battling the Internal Bugaboos That Threaten Your Fuzzy Heartworms Extra care for your ferret Intestinal worms Coccidia (coccidiosis) Giardia Chapter 15 Handling Viruses, Infections, and Other Conditions and Illnesses Gastrointestinal (GI) Diseases Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) Ferret systemic coronaviral disease (FSCD) Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Intestinal and stomach blockages Helicobacter Mustelae (H. mustelae) Infection Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis Megaesophagus Dental Problems Faulty teeth The dreaded dental disease Heart Disease Influenza (The “Flu”) Disseminated Idiopathic Myofasciitis Urinary Tract Problems Bladder or urinary tract infections Prostate problems Stones and blockages Eye Problems Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV) Canine Distemper Diabetes Mellitus Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly) Hairballs Rabies Ulcers Chapter 16 Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps Adrenal Gland Disease Making the diagnosis Treating the disease Insulinoma Making the diagnosis Treating the disease Lymphosarcoma (Lymphoma) Making the diagnosis Treating the disease Chordomas Itchy Growths: Skin Tumors Mast cell tumors Basal cell tumors Sebaceous cell tumors Chapter 17 Saying Goodbye When the Time Comes Letting Go of Your Family Member Learning from Fuzzy’s Death with a Postmortem Selecting Fuzzy’s Final Burrowing Place Choosing cremation Proceeding to a pet cemetery Opting for a backyard burial Grieving for Your Lost Fuzzy Know you’re not alone Face the feelings Give yourself time Help others deal with their loss Helping a Surviving Ferret Cope Part 5 Ferret Psychology 101: Behavior and Training Chapter 18 Understanding What Fuzzy Is Trying to Tell You Say What? Speaking Ferret-ese The dook The squeak The giggles or hee-hees The screech or scream The squeal The bark The honk The hiss You Make Me Feel Like Dancin’! Interpreting Your Ferret’s Jig The dance of joy The war dance Decoding Your Ferret’s Body Language The frizz look The alligator roll and wrestlemania The treasure hunt The chase is on Fuzzy stalking Tail wagging “Why Does My Ferret Do That?” Understanding Other Fuzzy Behaviors Digging to China Ferret fixations The movers are here A felon on your hands? The zig-zag Butt scooting Coveting thy hidey-hole Scoping out boundaries Chapter 19 Putting Your Ferret through Basic Training: Easy as 1-2-3? Just Say NO to Biting This Way to the Bathroom Harnessing Your Fuzzy for a Walk Getting fuzzy used to a harness Following basic rules when you’re out and about Chapter 20 Dealing with the Behaviorally Challenged Ferret Understanding Your Dracula in Fuzzy’s Clothing I’m having growing pains Nobody told me not to bite I’m in pain, darn it! Resource guarding I’m a manly or bully ferret I’m facing a lot of change right now Biting always worked before! I’m still fighting back Some other reasons for my biting Socializing Your Biting Beast Getting a grip Getting unstuck Taming the critter Bonding with the biting ferret Part 6 Breeding Ferrets: The Facts, Fallacies, and Plain Ol’ Hard Work Chapter 21 Should You Breed Your Ferret? Looking at the Big Picture What It Takes to Be a Responsible Breeder Deep pockets The emotional stake Time to care Willingness to find out what you don’t know Avoiding a Need for More Shelters Chapter 22 Unmasking the Details of Ferret Love Fine-Tuning the Organs The boy (hob) The girl (jill) Making a love connection: Enter Neanderthal ferret What Happens If Your Unaltered Ferret Isn’t Bred? Mothering the Mom-to-Be Strange craving? Keeping mom nourished Providing a maternity ward Heading Off to the Delivery Room The typical delivery The difficult delivery Some Problems You May Face after Birth A difficult mother A mother incapable of nursing Calling on the foster mom Chapter 23 From Birth to Bundle of Energy: Walking a Fuzzy’s Timeline Fuzzy Infancy: Birth to 3 Weeks Furball Toddlerhood: 3 to 6 Weeks The Terrible Fuzzy Twos: 6 to 10 Weeks Adolescence Already? 10 to 15 Weeks Part 7 The Part of Tens Chapter 24 Ten Amazing and Creative Ferret-Proofing Hacks Pool Noodles Be Gone! Up, Up, and Over — Not! Cardboard Cut-Outs Yule Get Hung Up on Christmas Dual Purpose Door Blocker Couch Cures Fixing Floors and Revamping Ramps A Room with a View Wired for Trouble Velcro to the Rescue Chapter 25 Ten Recipes that Make Your Ferret Go Mmmmmm Hobbit Delights Karen’s Brew Raw Soupy Recipe Barb’s Recipe for Hungover Ferrets Ferret Bland Diet Tui’s Chewies Family Dinner Mickey’s Meatloaf Clyde’s Seaside Chunks Bluto’s BARF Index Supplemental Images EULA
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