Ferrets for Dummies
by Kim Schilling
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Book Reviews of Ferrets for Dummies
Book Review: Great book "dumb" title!
Summary: 5 Stars
Aside from the obnoxious title these books are actually quite informative. They break down the basics of ferret nature and care in a way that is easy to read and understand. I would, however, put a book cover on it before placing it on my bookshelf; there is no seen to announce to the world that I am a "dummie" in any area. ;)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.
Book Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
We had just rescued a ferret and needed information quick. So we started with Ferrets for Dummies. It's a good book and it answered all our questions. Easy to read and understand.Book Review: Lots of Info!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am so happy I bought this book! It was recommneded by some users on a ferret forum. What a good idea! So much information, I've referenced it a few times about my problematic ferret: he's a biter! Some useful information about switching diets, some recipes, ferret-proofing, etc. Good to have, excellend place to check for questions, and if you still have more- take what you learned to a ferret forum and they can answer your question more detailed! This is a must-have for any ferrent!Book Review: Ferrets For Dummies 2 book
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this book just as much as the first one. Everything was excellent. The seller was terrific as well couldn't have been better.