Ferrets for Dummies
by Kim Schilling
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Book Summary Information
Author: Kim SchillingEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2000-10-05
ISBN: 0764552597
Number of pages: 408
Publisher: For Dummies
Book Reviews of Ferrets for Dummies
Book Review: Too much of a sales pitch
Summary: 3 Stars
I had previously owned 3 ferrets, who were quite a wonderful business to have. Now that I am a Stepmom, I am considering getting a ferret for my son. I called the local ferret rescue and spoke with the woman for about an hour discussing what we were looking for and what she had. She informed me that she would feel much happier if I purchased this book and read it with my son since it has been over 10 years since I have owned a ferret.
I purchased the book used and my 7 year old and I sat down and read a chapter a night. On this whole, this was a very good beginner's guide to owning a ferret, though I did have some minor problems with it. The over all information was fairly accurate and should give someone who has no clue what they are getting into, a better idea of what a ferret is.
What I would have liked to have seen that wasn't there:
1) This book reads an awful lot like a sales pitch, extolling the virtues of ferrets. Though I personally love them, they really are not the right pet for everyone, and I feel that a much more unbiased reality check on what a ferret is and is not should have been included to deter people from getting a pet that would not be right for them. The book glosses over the scent issue, saying "its not and worse than a dog or cat" well sorry to say, ferrets have a VERY distinct, musky odor and the room you keep them in is going to have that smell. It didn't bother me all that much, but I had friends who wouldn't even enter that room in my home when I had them in college. And I cleaned their litter box daily and cage weekly.
2) The Poo factor - ferrets create a LOT of poo, and unlike a cat, they aren't going to bury it so you need to scoop out their box daily. Also they like to dig, so there is a good chance that they will play in their litter box and you will find poo on the floor around the cage.
3) The colored poo factor - The book tells you that you can feed your ferrets cat food, which you can, but nowhere does it mention that if there is dye in the cat food their poo will contain all of the dye (I thought mine were dying because their poo was neon red) also the dye WILL stain anything the poo touches.
4) Deafness - Many ferrets with white heads are deaf, I had one, it wasn't a problem for me, but we didn't know he was deaf for a long time.
5) Baby ferrets WILL nip, you have to teach them not to, and it's not as easy as they imply in the book.
6) Ferrets have no fear and will commit suicide if you aren't careful. They will climb your bookcase and leap from the top, they will get under your oven, and they will end up in your neighbors apartment by climbing through a hole in the back of your cabinets that you didn't know was there. They CANNOT be left unattended - EVER.
7) There should have been a chapter on how to make appropriate toys for you ferrets, and more on what you should NOT give to your ferrets to play with (IE paper towel rolls can suffocate and kill them)
8) More on ferret proofing - IE pictures of places that almost all homes have which need to be taken care of, but that you may never notice until your fuzzy has made it known to you. Like little holes up under your cabinets, blocking off your kitchen entirely, holes where people have run their cable themselves, etc.
9) Updated section on ferret diseases, particularly warning signs. Too many people think of ferrets as giant hamsters that never need a vet visit.
On the whole this book gave okay starter information on the colors of ferrets, their history, what kind of cage you should buy, and some basic diseases they can get. But in the end it felt more like a sales job to get people to purchase a ferret. And they do a great sales job, my hubby was against a ferret purchase, read the book and was suddenly sold on them. I hope that there will be a future version that is a little less like a sales pitch and a bit more informational.
Summary of Ferrets for Dummies
Slinky, lightening fast, mischievous, and smarter than many people you know, ferrets, like their otter cousins, are the merry pranksters of the animal world. Ferrets are also inveterate thieves who'll steal just about anything that isn't nailed down and spirit it off to their hidey-holes. But, as most ferret owners will tell you, the thing those fuzzy little balls of energy are best at stealing is your heart. Hmm. cunning, mischievous, light-fingered - sounds like a recipe for disaster in a pet. And the truth is, coexisting with a ferret can be a challenge - one you'd better be certain you're up for, before you commit to bringing a ferret into your home.Ferrets For Dummies lets you take a long, well-informed look before leaping into the fabulous furry world of "ferts." This fun, entertaining book fills you in on everything you need to know to successfully adopt, nurture, live with, and love a ferret. You'll discover how to:
- Choose t he right ferret for you
- Ferret-proof your house
- Understand your ferret's special needs
- Train your ferret to be well-behaved
- Feed your ferret properly
- Select safe and creative toys
- Manage ferret odors
- Integrate your ferret into your life
- Breed ferrets
Ideal for first-time and veteran ferret owners alike, Ferrets For Dummies is a gold mine of advice, guidance, and tested-in-the-trenches tips on:
- Deciding if a ferret is right for you and vice versa
- Finding your ferret and introducing him or her into your home
- The care and feeding of ferrets
- Health issues, concerns ,and treatments
- Ferret psychology and sociology
- Breeding ferrets for fun and profit
- Recipes your ferret will love
Your ferret is a smart little guy, and you'll need to stay two steps ahead of him. This fun and informative book shows you how to handle your furry tornado's playful energy and boundless curiosity, so you can live happily ever after together.
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