My parents found a ferret on Sat night under our RV, he was covered in fleas starving and cold so we took him in we bought a small cage and a few essentials hes very sweet and doesn't nip however he hates the food I got him from pet smart its a chewy food so Im going to take it back and will try to find him something else any suggestions? We have Dogs and the ferret (we havent decided on a name) prances over and eats their food but wont eat his own so I let him but its protein content is only 21% and I have read they need 30 -40%... Also I would like to get him a larger cage all he does is sleep when hes in his cage and I think its because he doesnt have much room to walk where can I find a mid-size affordable cage?

Please contact us, www.ferretrescuehouston.org, call Dana

dana called me today she was so helpful I exchanged the food for totally ferret but he doesnt like that either out of the 3 or 4 she recommened its the only one they had... I don't know what to do he will only eat the science diet dog food...

Hi Melissa,

My name is Jeanette and your right Dana is a great help with the ferrets. She has also helped me with my 2 ferrets and their diet. My children and I just did a cleaning day with Dana at her rescue and we had an awesome time and learned a lot from the wonderful people in this group. I have several different types of food here at my house that I am no longer using that your little guy may like better if you would like to try them. I can meet you at a place of your choosing if you would like to have it so you don't have to spend so much to try and find the right kind. I'm on the SW side of Houston around Sharpstown Mall but I have no problem driving to you if I'm too far away so you can get your little guy on the right track. My e-mail is nettbrand@comcast.net if you would like to set something up. I certainly understand how picky they can be when it comes to food.

Congratulations on taking in the little foundling. Is it a boy or a girl? Boys have a Belly Button that isn't a Belly Button.

You are correct in that Dog Food is not high enough in protein to sustain a ferret. In fact they will starve to death eating dog food.

I would try Marshall Food. Your foundling is probably a Marshall Ferret (2 blue dots in the right ear). All Marshall ferrets are started on Marshall Food. If you can meet Jeanette with her assortment of food that will save you from having to buy several different ones. You may have to end up buying Cat Chow the same brand as your dog food to get him to start eating. Only buy a Good Cat Chow like Iams, Science Diet, etc. Then gradually add in a good ferret food like Totally Ferret, Zupreem etc. No less than 36% protein. To get your little guy to eat his food you are going to have to keep him away from the dog food.

As for the cage. All you need room for in a cage is a litter box which can be a plastic shoe box, a food and water area away from the litter box, a sleeping place it can be between the litter box and the food, use an old T-shirt, sweat shirt, or baby receiving blankets, ferrets like to cover up and room enough to hang a hammock. Ferrets as a rule Do Not play in their cage. All they do is sleep, eat, drink, and use the litter box.

They play when they are out of the cage. They Love empty boxes, paper and plastic bags, balls and small stuffed toys they can hide. Nothing like nerf, or soft solid rubber toys. These are things they can chew up and get a bowel obstruction.

Good Luck! Dana is a Great source of information.

ok for some reason my comcast e-mal is not working so I'm going to give you one that I know will work. nett225@yahoo.com

wow you are all so helpful thank you so much its was a bit frustrating but I tried mixing in totally ferret food with the science diet dog food and ferret treats at first he was just picking out the treat and the dog food lol but I didnt give up I put the ferret food in his mouth to try to get him to taste it and that night I put the bowl of food that only had the totally ferret food left in it back in his cage with him that night. To my surprise in the morning his bowl was empty so I looked thinking he had dumped it out but nope it was gone he ate it!!! so hes doing a little better with it, and its all I can ask...

Also at petsmart they exchange opened food! I took the first bag back and they exchanged it and the girl said I could bring the totally ferret food back if it didn't work out.

He is def male and omg sooo freaking sweet I thought ferrets like hamsters bite but he doesn't I'm staring to think he has always been wild though his right long tooth is chipped pretty bad :( and he won't eat chicken or steak or hot dogs? I'm thinking he survived off of worms and bugs and that's why hes having a hard time eating but he's getting better and better everyday.

Again thanks everyone its so sweet to offer me the food and even offer to meet me somewhere very kind hearted of you!!! I love this group already glad I found you all on google lol.

Hi Melissa!! Very cool you found him and are taking such good care of him!! Ferrets are not wild. And have never been wild in well over 2000-3000yrs. There is a Black footed ferret native to North America but it is not the same as our Domesticated Ferret.

The reason he is probably not eating the hotdogs, chicken or steak is that most ferrets will only eat kibble. He is not used to the meat product and will not try it :) He may have had to eat bugs, etc to survive but he will be so much happier on the kibble :)

The tooth could have happened from a few things, biting the cage, biting something to get out, being smacked, hit, etc.

Good luck with your new little man :) He sounds like a doll!! Ferrets are nothing like hamsters and I had the same thought when I first got mine 13yrs ago :) My mind was quickly chnaged to believing they were some sort of mutant of a puppy, cat and 3yrs old kid :) hehe

Ferret= infant (must take care of them) toddler (get into EVERYTHING, ferret proofing is important) teenager brain (yeah...) LOVE THEM!

that's crazy! so even if he's never been a "pet" most ferrets wont bite or run away? He's so adorable I let him out of his cage so I could clean it just now and we played some hide and seek it was hilarious he's so much fun... he's not eating that food now... so I'm going to take it back tomorrow and get a few for him to try and I'm going to get him a harness and leash so we can take him out :).