I want to buy a ferret for my 2 kids for X-/mas but need to know more about them first!?

Ferrets are not like hamsters, and they are not for anyone under 10 years of age. I don't care how mature your children are, it's just NOT safe for the ferret or your children!

First of all the water chemical does nothing for their smell, nothing. I've used it before and didn't notice any difference, but that's probably because my ferret had her litter box cleaned every single day and her bedding washed every week, so there was really no smell to take away as she never smelled.... neither do the two I have now, either.

Ferrets are typically 80-95% litter trained, some are 100%, but don't count on it. My male ferret goes to the litter box about 75% of the time and my female is 100% and has never missed, so it depends on the ferret. It will not poop or pee on the floor unless you hold it and force it not to leave you. When ferrets have to go, they have to GO right off.

Ferrets do bite as babies, and it can be hard when they get carried away.

Ferrets are more work and WAY more expensive than a cat or dog, and cannot be caged all day like a gerbil or hamster. They need yearly vaccinations. They are EXTREMELY hyper, and will not sit on your kid's lap. Also, they're very excitable, so if your kids get excited, so will the ferret, and vice versa and someone will get hurt or bitten. One movement of the foot and they can be stepped on and killed. I've had 7 year olds step on my ferrets RIGHT when I was telling them for the fifth time NOT to move their feet.

If you want a pet for a 2 and 6 1/2 year old- get a guinea pig. It will be happy to sit on their laps, and they're not as fragile as hamsters and all that. They DO NOT like loud situations though, so make sure they're kept in a quiet room and that your children are quiet around it.

If you still want a ferret, read up on them. I really do not suggest one, though, and doubt it will fit in your family with your situation.

http://www.ferretcentral.org/

http://www.ferret.org/

http://www.ferretuniverse.com/

http://www.hugawoozel.com/

Also read the book Ferrets for Dummies, 2nd Edition by Kim Schilling. It's a great book.

Karen B's answer is not from a reliable source. Yes, there was a baby with her face claimed to be eaten by a ferret- but they didn't mention that the parents also had a dog that for some reason was never blamed, AND the father was sleeping on the couch 10 feet away and obviously slept through hours of the baby screaming. If the father can neglect his own child like that, just imagine how starving the ferret was to be forced to eat a baby. (Ferrets ARE carnivores, and will eat any meat available provided they're hungry enough!)

There are things you can do to control the smell, but if you're that worried about if I definitely wouldn't get one. I haven't used the water stuff because I heard it has been linked to severe medical problems (such as cancer) in ferrets. Mine is kept in my room and while I don't notice the smell, when my mom walks in the says it smells like urine. I can keep the smell at bay but I work very hard at it....things you're kids wouldn't be able to do. They can use a litter box but will not use it as well as a cat. Mine uses it 95% of the time in his cage, and when he runs about I have no idea where he's going to go. And they need several hours out of cage time per day (and the house will have to be ferret proofed, similar to baby proofing). There will definitely be more than one time it will have an accident on the floor, especially if you get a baby from a pet store. They will nip, especially when young. They typically nip when excited or scared, and that's more likely to be around kids. They will bite hard in some instances. Mine has broken skin when I took a candy wrapper from him. I definitely don't recommend one for your kids. My 9 year old brother plays with my ferret, and we have to supervise him all the time. And he can't care for him by himself at all. If you think of getting a rodent, just look at them and hold one. They really aren't creepy looking or anything. I'm not gonna type a complete answer because "DookDook"'s answer hit the nail on the head.

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/choosinganexoticpet...

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=11+2072&...

Hey There,

I had owned ferrets for a while before giving them up to good homes.

They make wonderful pets ONLY if you have heaps of time to spend on them.

They can play really rough and unless trained not to bite WILL bite and do bite hard. Some little buggers wont let go. Im sure though if your getting them from a pet shop they will be trained not to do so. Also they have a very strict diet, I fed my guys dry cat food and fresh meet. They arnt supposed to eat fruits although some ferrets love them like mine did, you just gotta say no I guess. Also milk let alone any dairy products upset their stomach as all ferrets are lactose intolerant giving them diarea which is a pain to clean up. If ferrets aren't trained to the litter box properly they will poop in all sorts of places..some you wont even no about. They also will hide food so dont give them a piece of meat that they will run away with and hide as it will most likely go off. Ferrets naturally have an oil in their skin this oil smell really bad to us but it keep the ferret insulated and also is their own unique smell. Desecnting a ferret will manipulate the oil glands but I dont think it completely flushes them out. People tend to get used to the 'ferret smell'. I surely couldn't. They also like to rub their bodies all over things males being the worst. De-sexing them is a must at first I thought why de-sex them if you dont have them to breed? But then I understood de-sexing not only decreases the smell it also stops males from spraying/marking as much and females from well becoming really ill during her heat cycle. I havnt herd of those water droplet things but it must also have something that triggers those oil glands.

I would recommend you buying a little guy from a shelter, many ferrets there are actual good pets the owner just wouldn't have the time to care for them. You can look each one up and ask how they got there. The one that seems most suitable you can choose. There ferrets also aren't as expensive and many of them are already desexed, descent-ed, litter, house trained and friendly!

Its entirely up to you though but either way I wish you luck.

Personally I would get my kids a rabbit - one that doesn't grow to big.

They dont smell at all if they are kept in a clean environment, will eat all your veggie scraps, dont make noise, are clean, cuddly, dont have sharp teeth and can be house and litter trained!!!

they stink some even with the drinking water stuff. its an odd smell but not OVERLY potent if they have the drinking water stuff. they usually will go the bathroom in one place, so ya they can be litterbox trained and lots of people linoleum train them, but its not for everyone. and usually they will not go in your lap, providing its old enough to have complete control of its bladder.

two yrs old is quite young for a ferret. i would not reccomend one for such a young child for a few reasons:

1. children dont fully understand how to interact with animals.... EX: if you dont hold a ferret right, they could end up with a SERIOUS back injury and could have to be put down. they also tend to hold small animals a little too tightly sometimes

2. most people let ferrets roam around the house, its a must for ferrets so they dont become bored and distructive.... if your 2 yr old is taking a nap, (and there has been cases of this) the ferret could wander in the baby's room and since they like warm breath, the ferret could either smother the baby by curling up on the face and nose, or they have been known to try to get to where the warmth is coming from and end up chewing a piece of the kids face literally off

it left the girl permanently disfigured.... her nose & her lip were bitten off when she was just a baby.

I'm sorry but you dont just go into the pet store and "decide" to get your children a pet. You do your research and THEN decide on a suitable pet, not just one you find cute! The napping thing is a load of crap, just nonsense made up to slander ferrets, but they are NOT suitable pets for kids anyway as they can give nasty bites and dont tolerate rough handling. They are great pets for responsible older people, but not kids.

sorry but this is a bad idea,yor kids are a little too young when you have no experience.ferrets need ALOT of care,they cant be treated like hamsters and gerbils,they aren't rodents.they love to play and need to be out and played with 3-4 hrs a day.they can be hard to potty trainand may use the boxes,but they may decide to stop using them for no apparent reason.They make smart,loving,fun,entertaining pets,but they are definitrly different from cats and dogs.The worst thing to do is get a baby anything,baby ferrets of course use their teeth when they play,just like pups and kittens,none of them come litter trained,nor social trained.I would suggest you contact a local ferret shelter and offer to "foster" a ferret for a stipulated period of time,to see if they are a pet for you.I adore ferrets and don't want to chase you to another animal but your kids are young.a shelter could answer all your questions,too.Wish I could talk to you,good luck!!

ferrets are not like hamsters or girbils and they are DEFINATLEY NOT for children under 10 no matter how mature you think they are. especially as they are like puppys that dont grow up and they need constant care that you will end up providing.

my advice is you get a different pet i can personally recoment leapord geckos, royal pythons or corn snakes

you should get a guinea pig instead- so cute and easy to look after, they're clean and only poo in one corner of their cage,and they're great for kids!

http://www.all-about-ferrets.com/