Ferret Adoption: Why Adopting a Ferret Is The Best Choice

How ferrets end up in shelters

The most common reasons why ferrets are left at shelters are:

The owner is moving and cannot take their ferret with them
The owner cannot afford the ferret
The owner changed their mind about having a ferret

Most of the time, ferrets are not surrendered to shelters because of behavioral problems, so you shouldn’t think that ferrets at shelters have something wrong with them. If a ferret does have behavioral or health problems, they will let you know up front. Shelter owners want the best outcomes for you and the ferret, so they will not want you to adopt a ferret you cannot take care of.

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Benefits of adopting a ferret

Shelter owners are not motivated by profit and they care about what happens to their ferrets. Because of this, they are careful to ensure that the ferret they give you is the right one for you.

The benefits of ferret adoption include:

Saving money

Ferrets are typically checked by a vet ($75 USD)
Ferrets are typically desexed ($350 USD)
Ferrets are typically vaccinated ($80 USD)

Saving time and hassle

Ferrets are matched to you and your needs
Ferrets are regularly handled and socialized, meaning you can spend less time training them not to bite
Ferrets are typically litter trained

A white ferret looks curiously at something beyond the camera.

The ferret adoption process

The process of adopting a ferret from a shelter is usually fairly simple.

Step 1: Get in touch with your local ferret shelter

Step 2: Do a quick interview

The ferret shelter will ask you some questions to determine your level of experience and knowledge of ferret care. If you are new to ferrets, they will typically point you to resources for you to do your research before you adopt your new furry friend. Here are some resources that will give you a bit of a head start:

Shelters don’t just ask you these questions to determine if you are able to look after a ferret properly, but also to help them determine what ferrets they have that would be appropriate for your needs and level of experience.

Step 3: Meet the ferrets

You should be able to interact with the ferrets at the shelter to help you and the shelter determine which will be the best match for you. This is the fun part! Play with all of the ferrets and see if you have a connection with any of them.

While you’re at the shelter, you can ask the shelter volunteer about the ferrets, their health and personality, and anything else you’d like to know about ferret care.

Step 4: Sign a waiver and pay the adoption fee

Step 5: Take your new ferret home!

Make sure that you have an outfitted cage ready before you take your ferret home. You should also have a carrier to transport them from the shelter to your home.

After you have gone through all these steps you should feel fairly confident that you can look after your new adopted ferret. However, don’t forget that a ferret owners education never ends. Even the most experienced ferret owners never stop learning!

How to find a ferret shelter near you

There are ferret shelters located all over the world, so there is probably one near you. We have put together a directory of known ferret shelters for you to find one. We continually review this directory to make sure it is up to date, so be sure to check back regularly!