Ferret News

When it's time to take a break from ferrets

By Stephanie “Stef” Warzecha

This article originally appeared in Dook Dook Ferret Magazine (Issue 15). To receive 6 new Dook Dook Ferret Magazines per year + get access to other bonuses then join the Ferret-World Membership.

I’m currently on a ferret hiatus. I know, it seems weird that the owner of Ferret-World and a magazine about ferrets would do such a crazy thing. However, just because I don’t currently have ferrets doesn’t mean I don’t still love them or that I’m any less of an advocate for their health and happiness. 

Do I miss having ferrets? Yes.  Am I going to get another ferret one day? Yes. When? I have no idea. 

You see, the funny thing about life is that it can take us in a myriad of wonderful new directions. After my divorce, I started to dream about living and traveling around Australia in a van. My idea was to take my dog and my beautiful ferret girl, Yuki, with me. However, being old and sick, Yuki unfortunately didn’t make it that far. She crossed over the rainbow bridge before the big adventure. 

There are lots of reasons that I’m taking a break, and lots of reasons that other ferret lovers take a break from ferrets.

Time to heal your heart

Anyone who knows the hurt and heartbreak of losing a ferret knows that it leaves a lasting impact. Ferrets take a piece of your heart with them when they die. And after 10 years of loving and losing ferrets, my heart has lost a lot of pieces. I’ve noticed that a lot of ferret owners start to feel this way after a while. The hurt that you experience with each ferret loss can build up and the thought of getting another ferret anytime soon can become a bit unbearable to even fathom. So, I, like many other ferret lovers, have chosen to take a break from ferrets to give my heart some time to heal.

A financial break

The team at Ferret-World.com recently did some calculations and found out that on average, one ferret is going to cost around $15,000 in order to keep them happy and healthy over their lifetime. That is a significant number. Ferrets are not cheap animals to keep. They have special food and medical requirements, and looking after them can sometimes put a strain on your finances. So, sometimes it is nice to have a little break, saving up some money, buying yourself a nice thing or two, before diving back into ferret ownership. 

A responsibility break

Ferrets are a delight, but they’re also a lot of work! They require 4 hours of supervised playtime per day. You also need to prepare their food and clean their cage every day. A lot of our time goes into caring for our beautiful fuzzies! However, unlike with dogs, it can be really difficult to find someone or somewhere that can properly look after your ferrets when you want to go away on vacation. They have a lot of special needs and demand a lot of time from the person who would be watching over them. So going away can become difficult and expensive. As a result, a lot of ferret owners forgo going away on trips altogether. Having a break from ferrets can mean having the time, money and freedom to take that trip you’ve been wanting to go on for years.

It’s okay to take a break

Life is beautiful, but it can certainly throw a few curveballs our way. Change happens; lifestyles change, circumstances change…and sometimes those changes mean that you are not able to designate the time, money, and effort to keep ferrets. That’s just the nature of life. 

As an animal lover, sometimes there can be a little stigma and guilt attached towards wanting to have a break from ferrets once yours pass on. However, you also need to look after yourself and your own needs and make sure you are happy. That way, if you ever do get a new ferret, you can be ready to give it all the love it deserves. 

This article originally appeared in Dook Dook Ferret Magazine (Issue 15). To receive 6 new Dook Dook Ferret Magazines per year + get access to other bonuses then join the Ferret-World Membership.

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