So, you've decided that you're ready to bring a ferret into your life? If you're still not sure, then check out my article Is a Ferret for You?. If you're sure that you're ready to have a new furry family member, then you've come to the right place. We'll help to guide you through choosing a ferret that suits you and your family, which is very important in ensuring a healthy, happy relationship between both humans and ferrets.

Unless it'll be just you and your fuzzy, it is a good idea to make choosing a ferret something that the whole family participates in. Not only will it be an exciting event for the family, it will help the ferret become an accepted new member of the family with a smooth transition into his or her new home.

There are many things you'll need to keep in mind when choosing your ferret. As hard to resist as it may be, don't just bring home the first cute youngster you see. It's very important that you think things through, and know what qualities you seek in a ferret.

You should be asking yourself questions like: Is the animal I'm considering healthy? Should I adopt from a shelter, or purchase from a pet store? Would I enjoy a playful youngster, or a calm, relaxed adult? Do I want to devote my attention to a single ferret, or would I enjoy having a group? Male or female? What color might I want?

Not only should you be thinking about your personal preferences, but you also need to make sure that your new furkid is a healthy one. This is probably the most important thing for you to consider in any ferret that you're considering bringing home. A visual inspection alone can tell you a great deal about his or her health. There are a few things in particular that you should examine.

• Eyes, Ears and Nose: In a healthy ferret, the eyes are bright, clear and equal in size. There should be no discharge or mucous in or around the eyes. The ears should also be clean, free of any discharge, and should not smell. While a ferret can have a nose that is wet or dry, cold or warm, there should be no discharge coming from the nose, and no dried crusting should be seen. **Please note that young ferrets on soft diets tend to be very messy eaters, so make sure that you don't confuse crusting resulting from illness with a messy face.
• Mouth: If you can get a look inside the mouth, you should examine the teeth. Make sure there is no tartar on the teeth, and that none of the teeth are chipped. The ferret should not have bad breath, or inflamed or swollen gums.
• Fur: A healthy ferret has soft, silky, shiny fur that covers their entire body. No bald spots should be present. The whiskers should be loand and shiny, not dry, brittle or broken. Their skin should be free of any parasites, and should be a nice even pink color. You should not see any bumps, or red or dry, scaly patches present on the skin.
• Rear End/Underside: If possible, take a look at the ferret's underside. It should appear clean and healthy. There shouldn't be anything stuck in his fur, which could indicate diarrhea or discharge. Most kits sold at pet stores are spayed/neutered, and will usually have a visible scar. However, if sutures are still present, or if there is swelling, redness, discharge, or if any gaping of the incision is visible, then the ferret has not fully healed or has complications resulting from the spay/neuter. In some extreme cases, the umbilical nub is still present, and may look like a very thin brown thread. This an indication that the ferret was taken from it's mother too soon. Please, don't support the breeder of these underage kits by purchasing their youngsters.
• Feet: A ferret's paw pads should not appear dry or scaly, or red or cracked. The nails should be trimmed, and not split.
• Mobility: Watch the ferret walk around. Signs of health problems might include limping, staggering, or wobbling.

• Overall Behavior and Attitude: A healthy ferret should be very inquisitive, and will likely come right over to inspect you. He should not hide or run from you, but instead should welcome the interaction with you. Some ferrets, especially younger ferrets, might be bouncy and playful. Don't confuse a sleepy ferret with an unhealthy one, though. Baby ferrets, or kits, seem to be either going full speed, or out like a light. It takes a lot of energy to be as cute as a ferret!
• Nipping: A kit may try to get you to play by giving you a play nip. This is nothing to worry about, it is normal behavior for a young ferret. He's just trying to entice you to play, just like a puppy or kitten might. On the other hand, if a ferret bites hard enough to draw blood, or won't let go, then he may have a serious issue with biting. A ferret that bites like this is often the result of abuse or neglect, and is likely biting out of fear or aggression. It won't be hard for you to tell the difference between a playful nip and a fearful bite. I highly recommend that any problem biters not go into a home with young children. And please, unless you are an experienced ferret owner, let these cases for those that have a great deal of experience with special needs ferrets. While it may seem like a good idea to bring these guys home, it can be very challenging, both physically and emotionally, to deal with this kind of situation, and many ferrets end up in shelters because of this.

You'll also need to be thinking about whether you'd prefer to have a kit (baby ferret), or an adult. There can be advantages to both young and older ferrets, which I'll tell you about here.

Kits are quite adorable and can win you over very quickly. They are energetic bundles of joy that enjoy life to the fullest. They are wonderful in so many ways, and will surely make you laugh with their silly antics. Not only are kits a lot of fun, but they will also require a lot of your time and attention. You must be prepared for all that is involved in having a bouncy kit join your family.

• Training: Baby ferrets don't come pre-trained. It'll be up to you to teach him or her right from wrong, how to use a litterbox, and proper human interaction. Unless you teach him otherwise, he won't know what you'll allow him to do. Baby ferrets use their teeth to explore their environment, as well as a way to interact during play sessions between you and other animals. Just like kittens and puppies, kits will engage in mock combat with anyone who'll join in. You'll need to set limitations and rules, and consistently enforce them. Biting and other behaviors that you don't approve of will only get worse. This will almost surely lead to frustration for both you and your ferret if you don't train from the very beginning.
• Energy: Kits have more energy than the older guys do, and will demand more of your attention. You need to make sure that you're prepared to keep up with a high speed ferret. Make sure that your lifestyle will allow for plenty of time out of the cage for play, training, and interaction with you and the rest of the family.
• Health: Making sure that your furry new family member is healthy does not end with picking out one that looks healthy. All baby ferrets need a series of vaccinations to prevent deadly health issues. They'll need their Canine Distemper vaccinations which should be administered at 8, 11 and 14 weeks, then annually thereafter. If you acquire a ferret with an unknown vaccination history, vaccinate him or her for Canine Distemper twice over a two week period, then annually thereafter. They'll also need a Rabies vaccine which should be given at 3 months of age, then annually thereafter. Make sure that you receive a copy of his or her vaccination record if one is available, not only for your reference, but these documents may alse be required to license your new ferret, depending where you live. Some sellers also offer a health guarantee, ensuring that the ferret you purchased has no illness or congenital defects. However, every new animal that you bring into your home should be examined by a veterinarian upon arrival anyhow, to asses his or her overall health, no matter what their age is, even if a health guarantee is given.

Despite the fact that so many people seem to prefer going to pick out a baby ferret, choosing an older ferret to become a new member of the family can be every bit as rewarding and enjoyable. If you don't think an older ferret can be as unbelievably cute, or as playful as a baby, then think again! My gang here, ages ranging from 5 to 6 years old, can still wardance with the best of them. And there is most certainly no shortage of cuteness is this house. Just ask any one of them. Unlike most other pets that outgrow their playful attitude once they reach adulthood, ferrets usually stay bouncy and playful throughout their entire lives. It may take a bit more effort to get them going when they are older, but once they are, look out!

Here are a few points for you to keep in mind when deciding on whether to get an adult ferret.

• Experience: Older ferrets do tend to be more layed back and relaxed than most kits. Now, I know, you're thinking "You just got done telling me how older ferrets are still playful!?!" And they are. But unlike the crazed chaos that kits are able to create for us, older ferrets seem to go at things with more thoughtfullness, a look before you leap kind of attitude. With this comes highly planned and executed chaos. Where a kit may fall short, an older, experienced ferret will succeed!
• Training: If you're considering an older ferret, you may end up with an animal that's already been well trained and socialized by his previous owner. This would make the transition into your life much easier for both you and the ferret. On the other hand, it's possible that you'll run across an older ferret that was never properly socialized and trained as a kit. These ferrets could be a challenge, even to long time experienced ferret owners, because they are more likely to be set in their ways. This does not mean that an older ferret is impossible to train, you'll just need a little more patience, particularly if you're trying to stop a behavior that has been going on for a long time. Luckily, most ferrets can adapt very well to new environments and situations.
• Health: I said it earlier in this article, and I'll say it again. Making sure that your furry new family member is healthy does not end with picking out one that looks healthy. All ferrets need regular vaccinations to prevent deadly health issues. Make sure that you receive a copy of his or her vaccination record if one is available, not only for your reference, but these documents may alse be required to license your new ferret, depending where you live. What vaccines your new ferret will need depends on his previous vaccinations. If the ferret has been kept up to date with yearly vaccinations, both distemper and rabies, you'll just need to followup with them each year thereafter. If you acquire a ferret with an unknown vaccination history, vaccinate him or her twice for Canine Distemper over a two week period, then annually thereafter, and annually for Rabies. Some sellers also offer a health guarantee, ensuring that the ferret you purchased has no illness or congenital defects. However, every new animal that you bring into your home should be examined by a veterinarian upon arrival anyhow, to asses his or her overall health, no matter what their age is, even if a health guarantee is given.

I'm sure you are also thinking about whether you'd like a male or female ferret. While this shouldn't be a major deciding factor, it is still something that you might want to think about. The reason that gender shouldn't play a big part in your decision is because there are very few notable differences bewteeen the boys and girls.

• Size: The girls tend to be somewhat smaller than the boys. You can see the difference in size in our article called What is a ferret?
• Personality: Some people say that male ferrets tend to be a bit more calm, layed back and more likely to become lap ferrets as they get older, while females are often said to be more active. While this may be true, it isn't something that you should let sway your decision, since every ferret is different.

We currently have a big boy that sometimes enjoys lounging with us, as well as a female that almost always enjoys just kicking back and relaxing with us, so it really depends on the ferret. So, you are better off choosing a healthy ferret with a winning personality, than choosing one based on gender.

A ferret that has not been spayed or neutered is said to be intact, or whole. Most ferrets that are sold in the U.S. are already fixed at the time of purchase. You won't likely see an intact ferret unless you go to a breeder, although going to a breeder does not guarantee that you'll find intact ferrets, as many of them also spay and neuter before selling. If you buy from a place that sells intact ferrets, you'll need to be prepared, if you get a female, to spay her before she goes into heat for the first time. Some ferret experts recommend doing this when the ferret is at least 6 months old, and has grown to nearly full size. Unless you plan to breed an intact female, spaying is an absolute must. Intact female ferrets that go into heat but are not bred can develop a very life threatening condition called Aplastic Anemia. Females with this condition almost always die. While whole males don't develop life threatening health problems, neutering is still highly recommended to drastically reduce his odor, prevent territory marking and can minimize aggression. Some males have been known to seriously injure or even kill other ferrets, including females, when in season. There is really no reason for ferrets that will be kept as pets, not breeding, to remain whole, so please take these issues very seriously and have your ferrets spayed or neutered.

You'll need to decide if you just want one ferret, a pair, or more. I think many ferret owners out there would agree that it's hard to stop with just one ferret. There is a term in the ferret community called "Ferret Math", which refers to how the number of ferrets in a household can inexplicably multiply before you ever realize what's happening. It's the inability of ferret owners around the world to resist the charm of ferrets that resulted in the term "Ferret Math". As an example, our first ferret, Loki, joined our family during the month of April. By December of that same year, we had 5 ferrets in our furry family. Now that's "Ferret Math" at work!

There really is a serious side to this question, though. You should think through this decision carefully.

A single ferret can be very happy as long as you have plenty of time to spend with him. Having just one ferret means that your attention doesn't need to be split amongst several ferrets. If this is your first ferret, beginning with one is probably the best idea. That way you can get to know each other one on one. Training a single ferret might be easier for the new ferret owner also.

On the other hand, if you won't have alot of free time to be with your ferret, you might want to consider a buddy for him. Ferrets are very social animals, and a lonely ferret might get into trouble more often due to boredom and frustration. Multiple ferrets aren't a whole lot more work than a single ferret, but with each ferret comes additional veterinary costs which you must keep in mind.

Many ferret owners recommend that you keep groups of 3 or more ferrets together. Ferrets tend to bond very closely with their cagemates. It's been said that when one of a pair of bonded ferrets dies, the remaining ferret becomes very lonely and depressed, sometimes so much that they pass away shortly afterwards. Sometimes no amount of human intervention can cheer up the remaining ferret when they've lost their cagemate. Trying to introduce a new ferret to "replace" one of a bonded pair is not likely to work out as planned, and is not recommended. Many ferret owners believe that having 3 or more ferrets can help alleviate some of this depression when one passes away, because they'll still have the companionship of another ferret. On a more positive note, if one ferret is a bundle of joy, then a group of ferrets is most certainly going to be a real riot! Some ferrets even have 10 or more ferrets!

Keep in mind that coat color is actually not very important in choosing a ferret, as a kit's coat color can change drastically as he gets older. Here is a perfect example:

Duke at 1 Year Old	Duke at 4 Years Old

We'll explain all of the colors and patterns in an upcoming article.

If you keep all of these things in mind when choosing a ferret to become part of your family, you and your new ferret will be much happier together.

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