Sorry ,but this was our last litter for FONE. We are no longer breeding ferrets but we are keeping our site up as an informational site. We have alot of wonderful articles and videos that can help the first time owners. If you have questions please feel free to email us we still own ferrets and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about them. We are still committed to educating people about our wonderful but demanding friends.

With all the ferrets that are available in pet stores, a person might be wondering why one should take the extra time and effort get a Ferrets of New England kit. Below are a few points we would like to make about the average pet store ferret. While you might be lucky enough to find one that is both friendly and healthy, do you really want to take that risk?

Our ferrets are well socialized and used to people. While we can’t guarantee the personality of any individual ferret (some are runners, explores, cuddlers, etc.), we do guarantee that you will get a ferret that is typically much friendlier then one you would find at a pet store. Temperament, health and conformation is our highest concern when we match our breeding pairs. Kits are handeled from an early age to ensure they are friendly and used to people.

Our ferrets are weaned at no earlier than 7-8 weeks of age. They are kept in our nursery for several additional week to be sure that the ferret is eating kibble and drinking from a water bottle, etc.. This ensures that your baby has received adequate nutrition from his/her mother and makes for a much healthier ferret in the long run. Many of the ferrets one finds in pet stores are taken from their mom by 4-5 weeks  then they are neutered or spayed and sent  to the  pet stores. After all, the pet stores want to get them in as young as possible because people think they are cute when they are tiny. Due to lack of nutrition and stunted development, many of these babies get sick and end up at the veterinarian’s office before they are 8 weeks old. Unfortunately the damage done by weaning a baby too early is difficult to undo, and if they survive, many of these ferrets end up with severe long term problems.

Our ferrets are kept in clean cages and in good conditions. Many pet stores keep their ferrets in overcrowded cages with substandard conditions. These ferrets are either poked and yelled at all day by excited visitors, or completely ignored because store employees are afraid of getting nipped. The ferrets are typically not given a hideout so that they will be visible to potential buyers. In a truly bad situation, they may live on dirty shavings, eat dirty food, or drink from water bottles sprouting mold. They learn to fear the loud voices and screaming children who poke at them, and even with proper care, they may never become trusting and friendly ferrets.

Our babies are kept in large cages so that they have room to roam and play.  We make sure that they have play time out of their cages every day. They have tubes and toys to play with and a hideout to retreat to when they need to rest. The litter box, food, and water is changed on a regular basis to keep the cage free of poop, mildew, mold, and germs. Our babies learn that people are friendly, and they will seek out human interaction.

We carefully plan our breedings  Unfortunately, we’ve heard horror stories about some ferret mills who will put any male and female together. This can potentially lead to multiple generations of inbreeding, as well as long term health problems.

Our breeding are planned very carefully and we often consult with fellow breeders when matching our pairs. We keep detailed pedigrees on site, and most parents are available for prospective buyers to meet. Upon purchase, we will provide you with your ferrets parents’ official names and his/ her date of birth.

We offer pre-sale support. A ferret can be a troublesome pet and may not be the right pet for you and your family. We would rather you figure this out before making a purchase, so we encourage those people who are interested in learning about ferrets to make an appointment and visit our facility. We will show you how to pick up and handle a ferret, and go over all the things you need to know to care for a ferret. If you discover your love for ferrets is true and you are smitten with a particular fur ball, you can leave a $50 deposit and we can hold your baby while you get set up and ready to bring him/ her home.

We offer post-sale support to help you and your ferret while she/he adjusts to his/her new home. You will receive a ferret sleep sack, a packet of food and an information packet on ferret care. Small breeds are not breeding for a profit the way large mills do, we got involved  out of love of the animals and to better the breed.

One of the most frequently asked questions is, “How do I litter train my ferret?”.  The first thing that people need to understand is that very few ferrets will be completely reliable (like a cat).  Ferrets have very fast metabolisms and need to use the litter box often.  They are also unlikely to travel very far to use it.  So  there will need to be several conveniently  located around the play area and cage.  Here are  a couple of tips to help you and your furry friends to letterbox happiness.

1. Stay flexible; unlike cats where you place the litter box in a location that you choose, let your ferret pick the placement.  Most ferrets will establish several favorite spots.  Try placing boxes in these locations. It is best if you can secure them, as ferrets are very playful.
2. With a new kit you may want to block off the upper levels of the cage until they have litter training down.  You may also  need cut down the front lip of the litter boxes  to allow for easier access.  Ferrets do not like to go on their bedding so you can fill the bottom of the cage with sleep sacks and blankets to help encourage them to use the box.  They also do not like to go where they eat, so sprinkling food around may also deter them from using a certain spot.
3. If you really want your ferret to use a litter box in a certain spot that you have picked out and they won’t, do not give up hope.  Try placing a small amount of material from a dirty litter box in it.  This way it will smell right and they will understand what the box is for.  Next you will need to watch your ferret like a hawk.  Ferrets generally need to go soon after waking, so wait until you see them start to back up with their tail lifted. Grab them and place them into the box.  You will need to do this several times at least.  Praise them for using it but never scold them if they have an accident.  They will have no idea what you are yelling about.
4. If your ferret tends to dig in their litter boxes making a huge mess try switching litters.  Just be careful not to use a ceder product; it could cause burns. Stay away from anything that produces a lot of dust because it could cause respiratory distresses.  You can try taping newspaper onto the inside of the litter box.  This method works, but requires a frequent of changing.

Free Ferret Toys
Almost anything can make a great ferret toy .  Ferrets love to play and the messier it is, the more fun they will have.  But one does not need to spend a lot of money to entertain their furry friend.  Here are a few ideas, but I am sure once  you start to think about it you will find loads of great things for your ferrets to play and explore all around your house.

ROTATE
I recommend keeping a small open topped box that your ferrets can climb in and out of.  Place all of your ferrets toys in the box before you let them out for their play time.  They will quickly make a game of jumping in and out of the box to retrieve toys.  It is also wise to rotate through your toys.  Do not have all the toys in the box every time but switch them out for something new. This way there is always something unexpected for them to find.

DIG, DIG, DIG
Make a dig box.  You can fill a cardboard box that your ferret can climb in and out of, with starch packing peanuts or shredded paper.   Then stand back and watch the fun.  This game will get messy, so be prepared to sweep up the paper or peanuts when they are done.  It is well worth the mess, however.

FERRET FISHING
Get a small piece of fabric, a sock or small stuffed animal will work.  Tie a piece of yarn or string  securely around the middle of it.  This makes a great interactive toy you can use to go “fishing” for ferrets. Holding one end bounce and drag the sock near your furry friend. It will drive them wild. Warning: Never let them play with this toy on their own, or they can eat the string resulting in an intestinal blockage.

YA! PAPER BAG LAND
As I am sure you have noticed ferrets love to burrow.  Try giving them a paper bag filled with 5 or 6 socks. Just lay it on it’s side and watch the fun.  Use old socks, as they may get chewed on quite a bit.  They will enjoy jumping on top of the bag as well as digging out the socks inside of it.  Just always check the bag for ferrets before moving it.  It makes a great place to sleep in as well.

WHATS THAT SMELL?
Try taking some of their old toys and making them new again by adding a smell.  All you need are some herbs from your spice rack.  Place about two table spoons of basil or another spice into a small zip lock bag.  Put the old toy in the bag and seal it up.  Shake the bag and rub it to get the sent rubbed into the toy.  Take the toy out of the bag and shake off the extra herbs. You have now created the “whats that smell?” game.  Your ferret will enjoy trying to figure out what the new sent is and will show renewed interest in the toy.

IMPORTANT :
Always check anything you give your ferrets for possible chocking hazards. They should not be able to break off pieces that they could swallow.  Always watch you ferrets when they are playing with these toys.  They are interactive toys for you and your ferrets to enjoy.  They are not for unmonitored cage use.

You can make a sleep sack easily if you have basic sewing skills.

1. Find an all cotton fabric that you like.  You will need about 1 yard to make about 3-4 sleep sacks.  You will also need some matching all purpose thread.
2. Cut  four 12”x22”  Rectangles be sure to leave an additional 1/4” or 1/2” seam allowance .
3. Pin 2 of the rectangles’  right sides together .  Straight stitch 3 side leaving one of the 12” sides open.  At this point it should resemble a pocket.  Unpin the pocket. This is pocket # 1
4. Pin the other 2 rectangles right sides together and straight stitch.  Stitch 3 sides, leaving one of the 12” sides open.  Unpin after stitching and turn right side out. This is pocket #2
5. Place pocket #1 inside pocket # 2  Now your pattern will show on the outside and inside of the pocket and only the top will have raw edges.
6. Now turn the 2 top edges of the pocket 1” over  on the out side of the pocket. It should look like a cuff.  Turn the fabric again hiding the  raw seams on the inside of the cuff.  Finger press the fold at the top and bottom of the cuff.
7. Straight stitch  around the bottom of the cuff.  Stitch 1” up from the bottom fold of the  cuff.
8. Trim all loose threads and pat your self on the back!  You have made your first sleep sack.
   

   sleep sack

Nail trimming is an important part of taking care of your new friend.  I like to use a regular pair of   human nail clippers for this.  There are many different kinds of clippers on the market.  You should pick the one that you are most comfortable with.  It is always wise to have some Quick stop or fresh clean corn starch on hand.  You should consult your veterinarian if you have any questions.

Try to stay relaxed. You do not have to trim all the nails at once.  Doing one paw at a time over several days will still get the job done.  It is easiest as a 2 person job; one person to hold the ferret the other does the trimming. For proper technique on how to hold and scruff a ferret please ask your veterinarian.

Have your helper scruff your ferret with one hand and support its lower body with the other.  Then you can take and look at the first nail.  The nail coming out of the paw will have a red vein or quick in the middle of it. The tip of the nail will be white.   You may have to look carefully to find the quick.  Once you see the quick follow it until the nail turns completely white.  The completely white tip is what you will be trimming. It is important to remember to never cut the quick. The quick will bleed and hurt your ferret  if it is cut.  When you are ready to make your cut leave about 1/16-1/4 of nail from the end of the quick to your cut line.  If you are concerned with hitting the quick you can always trim father down.
Holding the nail still proceed to trim.  If everything has gone well proceed to repeat this process with the rest of the nails.  Your ferret may get restless after a short while. Let them play and finish the job later.

You can also trim the nails by your self, you will need nutrical,  ferrovite or other simaler product for this.  Place a 1” strip of the nutrical on the ferrets stomach.  While they are distracted licking it off, start clipping their nails. You will probably not be able to trim them all.  Just remember you can always finish the job tomorrow.

Important Note:
If you cut the quick remember to remain calm.  There will appear to be a lot of blood. This is nothing to panic about.  Open the bottle of quick stop or corn starch and take a pinch of it  press it onto the end of the nail and hold it there.  The bleeding should shop. If the bleeding continues for more than a couple of minutes call your veterinarian immediately.

Remember if you find this too difficult to do your self your veterinarian will be happy to to it for you.

Congratulations on your new baby! It is important to read the following information carefully and direct any questions towards your breeder or veterinarian. There are many opinions on ferret care this is just a small overview.

Cages
Ferrets need a lot of exercise, so it is important that their cage be large enough to accommodate toys, food dish, water bottle, litterbox and open play space. Space should also be made for your ferrets to hide. Ferrets require a sleeping bag or tent to retire to for some privacy. The less time they will get out the larger the cage should be; at minimum, a 24″ x 36″ solid bottomed, bi-level cage. Ferrets need at least 3 to 4 hours of play time out of their cage. If your rooms are not ferret-proofed, I recommend a 8–11 panel play pen designed with ferrets in mind.

Bedding
Ferrets will have less odor if their cages are cleaned regularly (weekly). Routine spot cleaning can ensure that the enclosure remains clean. I recommend having 2 hammocks and 2 sleep sacks so you can exchange them while one is in the wash, helping to reduce oder. I would recommend doing this weekly. There are many good types of litter on the market including Carefresh bedding, Purina Yesterday’s News, and wood pellets. Cedar bedding should never be used as it causes respiratory distress and skin burns. Some cat litters contain a lot of dust and should be avoided.

Food and Water
Ferrets must have fresh water available at all times. Water bottles are preferred over bowls for convenience and sanitary reasons. Ferrets are very playful and will quickly empty a water dish all over their cage.

A heavy shallow dish or locking bin feeder for food is fine; look for one that cannot be tipped over. Ferrets will dig in their food bowl. All ferrets must have food available at all times, as they have very fast metabolisms and need to eat often.

A diet of high quality protein ferret food is best. Totally ferret, Ferret Store brand food, Ferret Zu Preem. Companies are constantly changing their mix so for up-to-date information on the best foods please contact your breeder or veterinarian.

Temperature
Ferrets have a low tolerance for heat and need to be kept between 55°F and 80°F. If they get too hot they can die of heat stroke. They should never be in temperatures below freezing. Domesticated ferrets should be not be kept outside.

Accessories
Cat balls, hammocks, dig boxes, and tubes are all favorite ferret toys. Ferrets are extremely curious and love to explore new things. Baby toys such as small stackers, rattles, and trucks can provide hours of fun. In order to enrich the ferrets environment they should be provided with toys that have new smells, shapes, and colors. A box of toys you rotate weekly can help to keep their interest. All toys should be checked for choking hazards before giving them to your ferret.

Ferrets need a place to hide where they are out of view. There are many products on the market that can satisfy that need. Hammocks and soft tubes are popular choices. These can be hand made or purchased.

Sleep
Ferrets need a lot of sleep, with new kits needing even more. Do not be surprised if it seems like your new friend sleeps all day. After only several hours of play you will often find them fast asleep in your new shoes or in your bag this is normal. Just gently wake them up when you can give them some play time. They will quick adjust to your routine and will be ready and waiting for you when you get home.

Medical Examinations
It is very important to see a veterinarian that either specializes in exotics or has previous experience. A relationship should be developed with them early on, preferably within the first 2 weeks of acquiring the ferret. A fecal float, urinalysis, and physical exam should be done annually as a preventative measure. Many states require annul vaccines as well.

Toenails
Ferrets need their toenails trimmed on a regular basis. Frequent checks are very important as different animal’s nails grow at different rates. Long nails can get caught on bedding and potentially rip out or curl under themselves and grow into the pad. Should any toenail develop problems a veterinarian should be seen immediately to prevent the area from becoming infected.

Although trimming a ferrets toenails may seem difficult, it is not too terribly hard. A breeder or veterinarian can demonstrate the proper techniques. A small nail clipper should be used to trim the white tip of the nail and care should be taken not to nip the quick (pink cuticle). If bleeding does occur one shouldn’t panic. If the bleeding does not stop immediately then a dab of corn starch or styptic powder may be used before applying pressure. If the bleeding persists a veterinarian should be seen.

Breeding
First time owners are advised to wait before considering breeding. Ferrets are difficult animals to breed and the survival rate of young averages about 69% for experienced breeders. High veterinary bills for emergency C-sections and other care, cannibalism of babies, mothers rejecting or mutilating babies, 24/7 hand feeding, and even the loss of the mother are all things a breeder may have to deal with. If you still wish to breed please speak with a established breeder and witness these difficulties first hand.

We just finished shooting the film footage for the ear cleaning video.  That never takes very long, on the other hand the voice over work kills me.  I do not know how all those actors do it.  Trying to read several paragraphs on ear cleaning (that I just know will not make it into the video) while speaking clearly and not rushing is not where my talent lies. I hope people find them fun and informative.  I take my hat off to Mr Reel for all his hard work.  His illustrations are great.  With out his hard work none of this would be possible.  Hopefully will will have the finished video in a couple of weeks. I am really looking forward to see what he has done with it.

When bringing home a new member of the family, it is important to remember that you may be in love with your new kit but preexisting animals my not. It is not uncommon for an animal to exhibit jealousy over the time you are devoting to this intruder. Hopefully this will give you some ideas what to watch out for and how to deal with issues if they come up.

Most owners seem very sensitive to whether their dog or cat may have issues with the new ferret and often ask for ways to introduce them. I think most people understand that a dog or cat could hurt a ferret and that they should never be left alone together. What I wish to address is how your other ferret(s) will deal with a new member.

We all know how much ferrets love to have one or more playmates and really seem to need the company. Often when a playmate dies the owner rushes out to find their sad buddy a new friend. Younger ferrets 2 years old and under general seem less bothered by the addition of new ferrets than older animals. This is very true in the case of a pair of ferrets and one dies. Often they are older and a concerned owner runs out to find a replacement after reading about how ferrets can die of loneliness. Unfortunately this does not always go well. The owner may be taken with their new kit but often times the older ferret is not. Sometimes every thing goes as planned and they get along great; but if you do have trouble here are some tips.

Do not expect everyone to sleep together and share a cage. Your older ferret may have only had to share their stuff with one other ferret and may not enjoy having a stranger just moved into there home. Remember when you bring your kit home they may never get along well enough to share a cage there are no guarantees that their personalitaes will mesh. Most of the time it works out just fine but have a secondary cage ready for you new kit just in case.

Start the introductions by just letting them sniff each other. If that goes well let them meet in a neutral are like a play pen. They will get excited jump around and get crazy. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether they are getting along. Look at the tail; if the hair is standing straight out like a bottle brush then they are nervous, scared and not relaxed. As long as they are not hurting each other, drawing blood or locking onto each other and not letting go, then give them time to figure things out on their own. If they seem to want to get away from the other ferret, give them some separate time in their own cages. You can always try again later.

I have seen this process take a matter of minutess (instant best friends) or months and permanent separate cages. Every ferret is different you can not force them to like each other but they should be able to tolerate being out at play time together. Take your time and if they do not get along like best buddies think of how you would feel if some one just dumped a stranger on you and said, now play nice.

Luckily ferrets typically get along really well together. They do so well that we tend to forget that this could happen and are very surprised and sometimes at a loss of what to do. Hopefully this will help.

Here at ferrets of new england we are proud of our facility. All of our ferrets are members of the family.

All of our hobs are housed singly in 21/2ft x 3ft bi-level cages with solid plastic bottoms. They have plenty of space for there food, water, litter box, hammocks, sleep sacks, and toys. They enjoy time out of there cages every day in our play pens and we place tubes, dig boxes and other fun items in the play pen to keep them physically and mentally stimulated. We rotate the toys in the play pen on a regular basis to try and prevent boredom. All breeding hobs must be housed separately because they will fight and can injury themselves or other ferrets. Keeping them apart is the only way to ensure there safety and well being.

Our jills are housed in several very large multi leveled cages. This allows them more freedom to choose where to sleep and who to play with. They have access to a multitude of toys, games, sleeping hammocks, cubes, tubes, etc.. We rotate the toys in the cages weekly to try to stave off boredom. We match our jills’ personality to the group that they will be kept with. The jills get out every day to run in my kitchen and eating area. This space has been ferret proofed and they can play to there hearts content. This is our favorite time of day; playing with our furry family. It is not only fun but relaxing to watch their silly antics and funny ways; it makes all the hard work worth it.

Our breeding pairs are carefully picked to improve conformation, health and personality. Once a Jill is pregnant she is given a supplementary jill mash and weighed regularly. About 2 weeks before the due date she is moved into a birthing cage, she is provided with clean water, dry food, mash, litter box and a nest box or mommy sack. At this time she still gets a chance to run in one of the play pens every day. We place a baby monitor near the cage in case of a night birth. Not all births require our assistance, but it is important to monitor the jills progress to be able to determine if medical intervention is needed. The Jills and kits will stay in that cage until about 8-9 weeks. The jill and kits continue to get there mash and once they become mobile and there eyes open, lots of hands on love from us. Towards the end of this time they all get some time out of the cage in one of our kit play pens.

All of our ferrets have access to clean food and water. Their litter boxes are scooped daily and completely changed weekly. We handle our ferrets daily this allows us to check for any possible medical problems and evaluate overall health. We are a small breeder and enjoy getting our hands on them every chance we get and give them love, kisses and treats of course.

We encourage anyone who may be interested in getting one of our kits to make an appointment to come and visit our facility. Playing with them and seeing the care involved in owning a ferret will help you decide if this is the right pet for you.