Food and Housing

ferrets

Food

Ferrets are exceptionally playful, so expect your ferret to tip over his food and water bowls. Check on them often, tape them down, or use an unspillable bowl. Rodent water bottles are not recommended as a ferret may damage his teeth on the spout. Because ferrets have such rapid metabolism, they awaken to eat about every four hours. Fresh water and food should always be available to them. Ferrets eat only what they need and leave excess food for later, so one need not worry about over-feeding. Ferrets must be fed a high quality dry ferret or kitten food. Hard food keeps the ferrets teeth clean and makes their feces less smelly. The food should contain at least 32% protein, primarily meat, and 18% fat. Older ferrets can be fed dry cat food as they become less active due to age. Be aware that some ferret foods contain high quantities of fish oil and by-products. These types of food are soft, causing plaque and tartar build-up on the teeth, and also give the animal an unpleasant smell. Avoid dairy products (most ferrets are lactose intolerant) and nuts or similar items which the animals would swallow whole as ferrets do not have grinding molars like us.

Vitamin supplements are not necessary if the ferrets are fed high quality food. However, many ferrets love "Linatone" and it is an excellent reward for good behavior or a distraction when clipping nails and such. No more than 3-5 drops of Linatone should be given to your ferret per day as an excess of certain vitamins can cause medical problems including fur loss and blindness. Ferritone is a similar vitamin supplement designed specifically for ferrets. Once again no more than a few drops per day should be given to your ferret. Nutri-Cal is another acceptable supplement (and is especially recommended for ill or malnourished animals.)

Housing

Ferrets are active, curious animals that should be allowed to run free when awake and be caged only when required. Should you not be able to allow the animals a large area with toys to roam about freely and explore, then ferrets are not the pet for you. If it is necessary to confine your pets periodically, they should always be kept in a cage large enough to allow separate sleeping, eating, litter and play areas. Generally, a cage of 30 inches by 18 inches can house one to three ferrets comfortably for a few days or for travel. If confined for too long, clawing and gnawing at the cage occurs and dental damage often results. When it is necessary to keep the animals in a cage, exercise in a large area conducive to exploration for periods of two to three hours twice a day is advised.

Ferrets love to tunnel, so their favorite beddings are sheets, towels, blankets, sweaters and such. These items are ideal for ferrets to snuggle into (ensure that sweaters and blankets do not have decorations on them that the ferret can pull off and swallow). Small cardboard boxes, bags of plastic and paper, throw rugs and towels, white socks and clean linen: These are a few of a ferret's favorite things. Fancy toys are nice for humans, but the child in the ferret enjoys the things he can crawl into, under, and through, like drainage pipe and box lids. The leavings of the latest shopping expedition are the greatest gift mankind can bestow upon a ferret.

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Working Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Tuesday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Wednesday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Thursday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Friday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Saturday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Sunday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

THE WORD OF MOUTH

What our patient say

  • "My dog Buster was in pain and wasn’t acting like himself. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Gill ASAP. He did a remarkable job during the initial exam to diagnose the problem and recommend additional treatments/services to relieve the pain Buster was in. After doing X-rays and blood work it was determined my little guy was suffering from intervertebral disc disease."
    Jotika
  • "This place was awesome. They took such good care of my giant Rottweiler during an emergency. They even called the next day to check up on her. The price was reasonable too. Went back again and the treatment was great yet again. Love that they stay open late and open everyday. So convenient. Thanks guys for treating my girl as is she was family!"
    Mea
  • "I’m planning to travel with my baby cat. In order to do that she has to do a Rabies Neutralization Antibody Testing from certified lab. I was lucky to reach out Dr. Gill. He explained to me throughly and helped me to get it done. I would recommend Dr. Gill to everyone who needs professional and friendly help on their loved pets."
    Hsinti
  • "I’m very happy with the service and prices of the Silicon Valley Pet Clinic. I have gotten quotes from other vets around and SVPC offers the best value! I took my dog in to get some growths removed and get this teeth cleaned."
    Katie
  • "My 16 yr old cat Pete had some green discharge coming from his eye. I recently brought a feral kitten in to care for that my cousin found. I figured that Pete probably got scratched in the eye from the little guy."
    Jeanna
  • "I was very nervous to have her spayed, especially after going through an episode of Giardia. She has been dealing with poop that is not consistent and we are doing some probiotic treatment."
    Connie