Ferret Personalities

What is a good pet? One with a great personality right? You wouldn't want a dog that bites, a cat that scratches or to be the proud owner of an angry cheetah. When you pick out a puppy or a kitten its best to spend a bit of time with it first to figure out if its a good fit for the family. Many times (and this is up for debate of course) certain breeds of dogs are known to have a short fuse or the cat will have an unparalleled attitude problem. I actually knew a woman that named her malicious cat that attacked all guests ferociously Satan. You'd probably think twice about getting one for your baby girl. This brings me to the topic I am going to address here and that is pet personality!! Ferrets are not wild, kind of like how domestic dogs can't really be compared to wolves. Just like a dog or cat, each and every ferret has its own distinct personality. In my experience ferrets can be nippy at worst but never dangerous. Observe.

Bueller is my houdini ferret. What this means in ferret land is that he is a profound escape artist. He can jump baby gates used to confine him, rocket at light speeds through the apartment, far faster than I and he can get up, over the couch, over a wall and into the kitchen in two bounds. His athletic prowness is uncanny allowing him to climb anything in the apartment no matter how well barricaded. He hides all of his captures under the couch in his room and when I steal them back, he somehow can climb six or eight feet to wherever I hid them. I have only caught him red handed once, with a hair brush in his mouth wayyyyy up in a closet. All other times there is just a mysterious reapearance of said item back where it was. Bueller is also my cuddly ferret. He often comes over and lays on my foot to be picked up, or crawls onto my keyboard laying across it for attention. When I come home from work I even find him laying flat by the door waiting for me to play. Does this sound like the behavior of a vicious, volatile and bloodthirsty creature?

He doesn't really play with toys, he is however the greatest theif I've ever seen as I have mentioned. Maybe this has something to do with his black mask perhaps? Bueller is also a picky eater. He will attempt to steal whatever I am eating but he isn't interested in consuming it unless its cereal milk or beer. (No I don't give it to him, he usually spills it when he jumps and causes a can to spill all over me, him, and the carpet. Its about a 15 minute clean up project)

I swear, ferret clothing wasn't my idea!!! My girlfriend did this to them once and they went insane trying to destroy and hide all of it. This is one of the few surviving pictures of Brando in a vest. He killed it shortly after I took this photo. Brando is crazy!!! He is high energy, always ready to play, and any sort of cuddling is absolutely forbidden. You can hold him for a sec, but he wants to go, go, go. Brando is not much of a houdini ferret because he can't jump too well due to his size. This boy loves to eat! Raisins, OJ, cereal, ferret treats, his bed, his brother, socks, anything!! Needless to say these aren't given to him he also is a theif and steals whatever he can. Unlike Bueller however, he loves to play with toys, loves the bathtub and can play by himself for hours. Sometimes I catch him just messing with a plastic bag no idea he's being cute, not lonely or wanting, just happy. Once again, I reiterate, not a dangerous creature or an evil mastermind we are dealing with here. He loves to be played with, have his belly scratched, be wrestled with, and is a huge fan of digging in a rice bin. Bueller's far more intrested in his ferrety plans of escape. The point I'm trying to make is that all people and animals, including ferrets, have their own personalities. Many times, the environment we are raised in makes us irritable or dangerous. If a ferret is abused he will be abusive, the same as a dog, cat, or a child. This is why children and any animals, including ferrets should be supervised. If you were three pounds and saw a giant foot coming down on you for the purpose of harm, you'd get a bit defensive too.

The Neurotic Ferret

This topic is one that is hardly serious. I've included it to illustrate further the human like characteristics and the personalities of ferrets. My two don't like changes and are pretty set in their ways. When Bueller is experiencing anguish he does this funny little head bop thing where he rocks back and forth like Dustin Hoffman in Rainman. This is brought on by moving his hidden toys, cleaning his room thus moving his things where he can't find them, or removing his foodbowl to clean and refill it. He and Brando will stand where the missing bowl was head bopping and looking under everything in the cage until it is returned. They act like they are starved and Brando is near 4 pounds!! A sizable gentleman in the ferret world. If I am caught taking it they will reach out grabbing it with their little hands and we will have a tug of war witht the dish. Brando's vice is hiding kibble. When the food dish returns after a 60 second abscence, he will take mouthfuls of it and ferret it away under his bed, under the couch, and in his litter box!! New ferrety emotions make themselves known each day as they find something else to become passionate about in their little world.

Integrating your furry friends

Many people are curious of what animals a ferret can get along with. They might have previous pets and are wondering how the ferret cat or the ferret dog relationship will work. (yeah, I know I'm missing commas in the previous sentance but I don't like them so bleahhh!!! Btw, my maturity level is suspect) As I have said, animal personality will always be different. There is no way to tell if they will get along so I guess the only way is to try it, keep a close eye, and send the one you brought home back if it doesn't work. It probably works best if the dog, cat or ferret are all babies and can grow up friends. Then there will be no territorial battles. I have seen ferrets and cats get along wonderfully. (declawed cat, quite big, but gentle). This will not always be the case. I have heard of dogs getting along wonderfully with them. My girlfriends old dog Fila (named after all of the shoes she ate as a puppy) was a gentle giant and loved, me, cats and tried to be a mom to anything she found in the yard. It depends as I have said on animal personalities.

The ferret bunny relationship (haha, did it again!!), or the relationship between a ferret and other small animals is probably a bad combo always. The reason is that a ferret's personality is generally mischevious and playful. They will stress out a guinea pig to the point of heart attack from trying to play with it. This will make it nervous. A bunny will freak out too and will kick a ferret killing it instantly. Its not viciousness in either creature just a mutual misunderstanding. The ferret will want to play and the other animal will see it as a predator. The baby ferret relationship is a lousy one too, for the same reason that it is a bad idea to combine them with small children. The baby will think its a toy to be played rough with the the ferret being choked, stomped or cornered will put up his dukes. Still a general misunderstanding between the species but one that should never occur.

In conclusion, Bueller and Brando aren't evil. Ferret personality is mischeivous, playful, and wild but mostly when it comes to the toybin. Pet personality is a difficult thing to figure out without combining the animals to see how they react. If any animal is territorial they won't like a newcomer no matter what it is. I have included some non threatening and rather cute ferret movies of my two below. Silence your ferret fears America, these guys are here to play!!