Costs of
Ferret Ownership
Dear FerretLady:
About how much are ferrets,
ferret cages and food?
Thanks,
Morgan
Dear Morgan:
Here are some ideas of initial costs and ongoing costs:
Ferret
$100-$150
(purchased from pet store) - one time cost
Consider adopting a ferret from
a shelter or from someone who is has to give up their pet for some reason
and they are looking for a good home for it. Adoption will cost you
little or nothing. Ways to find adoptables: Look for ads in your local newspaper, post a
flyer at veterinarians' offices around town, check out this website
http://www.animalnetwork.com/critters/clubs/ferrets.asp
(many of these clubs are also shelters) and check out the FerretCity
adoption page
http://www.ferretcity.com/adoption/default.htm.
Cage
$150 -
one time cost
Get as large a cage as
possible. For one ferret, it should be at least 3 ft. by 3 ft. by 2
ft., preferably with multiple levels. I have three ferrets and they live in a cage 4 ft. long, 2 ft.
deep and 6 ft. tall with multiple shelves and ramps. A photo of my
cage can be viewed here:
http://www.cagesbykoch.com/item18.html.
This high-end cage costs around $500. Note that your ferrets can't stay in the cage all the time
- it's not good for their mental health. You need to let
them out to run around, for about an hour a day, in a ferret-proofed room
in your home.
Water
Bottle
$4 -
one time cost
Water bottles are better than
water bowls. The water in the bowls can get dirty quickly from dust
falling into them, from the ferrets putting their paws into them, etc.
Keep the water bottles filled at all times. Get a large bottle (16
or 32 oz.) so it doesn't run out too fast. When you let your
ferrets out to play in the house, you can place a bowl of water on the
floor for them to splash in (they like to do that).
Food
$15 -
ongoing cost
There are many quality ferret
foods available. Some people choose kitten foods. Either way,
it must be dry food - wet, canned food is very bad for ferrets'
teeth. See our
Nutrition page
for recommendations. A 5 lb. bag may last a month or so for one
ferret.
Food
Bowl
$5 -
one time cost
Get a heavy glazed ceramic bowl
for the food - something the ferrets can't tip over. If something can be
tipped over, it will be! Ferrets love to knock things over!
Litter
Box
$5 -
one time cost
Get a plastic pan and set it in
one corner of the cage. Ferrets will usually choose to do their
business in the litter
box UNLESS the litter box is dirty. Clean it out
every day or every other day.
Litter
$14 -
ongoing cost
The only litter I recommend is
Yesterday's News. It's made from recycled newspaper. A 30 lb. bag
costs about $14 and will last for several months. Regular cat
litter can cause respiratory problems in ferrets because they will try to
burrow in it and will get that sandy, dusty litter up their noses.
Hammock
$15
- one time cost
Ferrets like to sleep in
hammocks that hang down from the top of the cage.
Toys
$10 -
one time startup cost, but you should add new toys from time to time
Tennis balls, tubes, etc.
See our Ferret Toys page for
recommendations.
Rabies
Vaccination
$10 -
ongoing cost
When you get your
new ferret, find out if it has had any of its required vaccinations.
Ferrets must have a rabies shot every year.
Canine
Distemper Vaccination
$30 -
ongoing cost
Don't let the name fool
you. It's not just for dogs and it's not for taming a bad temper or
bad behavior. It's the name of a deadly viral disease that dogs AND
ferrets can get. If you bought your ferret from a pet store, it
probably has already had at least one distemper shot. It needs one
more within the first two weeks you get it home, then a booster shot
annually.
Total
Startup Cost
$383
(approximate)
The total startup cost includes
the one-time purchases of one ferret, a cage with cage accessories
(hammock, water bottle, etc.), toys, one rabies shot and one distemper
shot..
Total
Ongoing Costs
$270
annually
The ongoing costs estimate
includes food, litter and yearly vaccinations against rabies and canine
distemper for one ferret.
Note that these are ballpark estimates - you may
spend less or more depending on what you buy for your ferret, how much your vet
charges, etc.
Also - these are costs for ONE ferret.
Having two ferrets will not double all your costs, mostly just double the vet
bills and a little more for food for two instead of one.
Most
people will tell you that if you want to add ferrets to your household, it's a
good idea to get two instead of just one. Ferrets are highly intelligent
and will get lonely and sad if they are by themselves a lot. If you play
with your single ferret every day, it will probably be okay. But if you
are a busy sort of person and won't get to hold and play with that lone ferret
every day, it's best to get two ferrets so that they can at least play with each
other.
Best of luck!
The FerretLady
Send letters
to The FerretLady at
FerretLady@FerretCity.com.
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