What to do if you have Lost Your Ferret
If you have lost your ferret Try to stay calm, check house under sheds neighbours gardens etc, calling & a squeaky toy will often bring them out of hiding & whatever mischief they have been getting into If this fails put a cat carrier out with blankets some of their favourite food & some water or leave hutch or house door propped open, they often come home a few hours later unless scared & lose sense of direction. If you have lost an Entire hob he can & will cover a considerable distance if he gets a sniff of ladies, If you have jills He will often be lurking close by.
Use the internet,
There are many facebook ferret pages Including our Abington Ferret Refuge page, lost & found page, local pet selling or spotted pages etc are also good to help track down a missing pet, Contact your local ferret rescue, they will usually do all they can to spread the word.
Hopefully your Ferret will be micro chipped & owner details up to date & if so you have a good chance of getting him/her back Call Petlog with chip no & they send an email out to registered chippers within 20 mile radius & as handed in strays are checked for chip on arrival a reported lost pet is flagged up. fastest I personally have got a ferret home after scanning was 4 hours Spending a mere £15 can help get your pet back home, Sadly most are not chipped so we post on lost & found ferret page & all other ferret pages we can think of in the hope owners will see them & claim their little fuzzy. Ring local vets as ferrets are often handed in or we have called vets asking if anyone has reported lost in the area
Posters, door to door enquiries, add's/posters in local shops & pet shops are also good ideas
What to do if you find a ferret
Don't panic, ferrets despite reputation only usually bite when frightened, Most that are found are lost loved pets & will often come running up & jump around in front of or around you mouth open or even jump up your leg etc, This is not a sign of aggression it is excitement & invitation to play, if you have a cat carrier put a blanket & a bit of meat in & tempt the little guy in & shut the door, if no carrier a cardboard box or upturned laundry basket often does the trick but ferrets are very fast moving, a loose ferret is often very hungry & thirsty, a saucer or small bowl of water is a good idea, food wise Ferrets are obligate carnivores & eat meat, bit of mince or raw chicken is fine & tho normally cat food is a big no in these circumstances a little bit is ok.
Once ferret is secured call your local rescue for advice. If you have failed to capture If in Northampton Please call I have live capture traps that can be brought out & set within a 20 mile radius 01604 464615 Afternoons & evenings until 10pm.
How do I prevent My ferret escaping
Make sure all outdoor runs/play areas have a good roof as they are good climbers & will test it & a level solid concrete slab or wooden base is a must,
Ferrets are exellent strong diggers & can go through a lawn or earth in a few minutes.
Make sure ferret house/hutch is solid & sound with no weak points or broken wire, Add extra bolts top & bottom on all doors, For a small animal they are surprisingly strong & can wriggle through amazingly small spaces, Also check roofs are solid, Any weak point They Will find it & Will get out. Don't leave a repair for another day fix it asap.
If they live indoors make sure they cant reach to get out of open windows & make sure they are safe before opening doors etc & Please keep washing machine etc doors closed while ferrets are out to play as they love to investigate & a half loaded washing machine or pile of laundry next to it Is to a ferret the perfect nap spot.