You might have a dog or a cat or some reptile and now you are thinking to buy or adopt a ferret. Maybe you already have a ferret but now you want to buy a dog or hamster or rabbit and you ask yourself if it is a good idea… First of all -the question is good. Second of all ferrets love the company of other ferrets the most ( except your company, of course ) So if you are thinking to bring ferret to a house where already lives some other animal, think again.
Ferrets mostly get along with cats, when it comes to combining your fur-ball with dogs it is possible to have both but with great measures of precaution. Combining ferrets and small pets especially reptiles is not recommended.
For advice on why are some pets compatible with ferrets and others are not, or how to introduce a ferret with other pets and what precautions you should take please keep reading
Ferrets and cats
Ferrets are most compatible with cats, that combination could be successful. Both species are carnivorous and predators so they do not represent some big threat to one another. There is no big difference in size. Ok, cats are larger but still small enough not to hurt ferret by accident. From one side ferret’s play could be more aggressive /rough and provoke a cat to attack it but if they become friends, which can happen easily, never ever let them unsupervised. Always keep your eyes on them.
Ferrets and dogs
Ferrets and dogs are totally different story. The first thing to keep in mind is the size of the dog. If the dog is large in size then it can hurt ferret by chance. Also you have to know that hunter dogs can see ferrets as prey so this friendship would not last.
If you insist on having a dog and ferret together in the same house you should be very careful and introduce them very gradually. It might happen that they become friends. Again, the same as for cats, you should always watch them play and intervene if necessary.
Ferrets and small pets
Ferrets could be thrilled to put them in the same house with other small pets such as hamsters, rabbits, mice but the only reason for that would be -so they can eat them! And of course you do not want that. As i mentioned ferrets are predators and other small pets are not so they would become perfect prey for ferret.
If you have a ferret and some other small pet, make sure to place that small pet in some ferret free room or even better to place rabbit for example in the hutch in the back yard and secure ferret inside your home.
All other options are dangerous and if ferret seems to get along with your hamster you never know when its instinct will appear and put you in a sad situation. If you decide to put the ferret in one room and some other pet In another you make sure that all holes or cracks are covered to disable the ferret to get into that room.
If you have reptiles, snakes, fishes, birds, rodents, or other animals make sure all cages are well locked and all aquariums or tanks have the proper coverage.
The general rule, no matter which other animals you consider as pet near ferret is that ferret needs to have its own space and its own staff. Its cage is its safe place, everything needs to be his/her – bedding, litter box, toys, food, and water bowls …
Also when you decide to introduce your ferret to a cat or dog you have to be very calm and patient and to try again if the first attempt was unsuccessful. It is essential to watch the behavior of both animals and act accordingly to prevent any potentially dangerous situation especially when you introduce a much bigger dog to a ferret.
The advice I got from the people who have several different pets in their homes, including ferrets is that it would be a good idea to have for example baby ferret or kit and baby cat or kitten at the same time and let them grow up together. This would increase the chance of building one beautiful friendship.
