Like cats and dogs, ferrets can make excellent pets for you. However, you must be willing to give them a lot of your attention and care. Generally, ferrets are companionable, inquisitive, cuddly, and intelligent pets.
Ferrets love to play a lot and as such, it’s usually recommended to take them out of their cages for about 2 to 4 hours to exercise. Furthermore, most ferrets love to be taken out for a walk in their leash and harness. But here’s a burning question; can ferrets go camping?
Camping with your ferrets is a good idea. However, a great degree of planning. For instance, before camping, you need a dependable water source, enough food, and shelter for your ferrets. Above all, you also need to avoid high temperatures as anything above 85°F to 90°F is often considered bad for your pets.
Will my ferrets run away outside? Can ferrets go camping? What is the best way to find a lost ferret? Is it possible to lure ferrets with some food? These and more are the frequently asked questions that I’ll further address in the rest of this article.
Will My Ferrets Run Away Outside?
Ferrets are amazing pets to have around, no doubt about it. They are affectionate, playful, and inquisitive. In addition to that, ferrets are also known to be curious by nature. With that, it means if ferrets are allowed to move outside freely, they can wander off.
Yes, ferrets have a great skill at escaping from their owners, especially when taken out for a walk. Usually, when they do, there are certain steps that one can take to locate them and bring them home. Before I go into that, however, you need to also understand that you can always prevent your ferrets from escaping any time you go camping.
Here’s how to prevent your ferrets from escaping outside
Since you’re going out camping, it’s important to do all you can to prevent your ferrets from escaping. To achieve that, the first thing you need, as earlier mentioned, is to give them proper shelter (cage).
One of the things to look out for when getting a cage for your ferret before camping is the bar spacing. Ensure the cage has a proper amount of spacing – this will prevent the ferrets from escaping easily when you’re outside.
Furthermore, ensure that the cage has a lid on the top. Ferrets, as you already know, are small and very intelligent. They can always find their way to the top of the cage and escape if proper care is not taken. Even with a lid on, it’s still possible for ferrets to escape; this is why you need to keep the lid secure to the top of the cage.
When feeding your ferrets from the cage, you need to also be careful. Ferrets are very fast and escape while you try to open the small space to feed them.
You also need leashes and harnesses (depending on the number of your ferrets) when going camping with your ferrets. Escape is a pretty real danger for your pets; to avoid that, ensure to keep them in their leashes and harnesses at all times.
So, the bottom line is that ferrets can always escape when camping. However, this will only be possible if you don’t take the tips mentioned above seriously.
Can Ferrets Go Camping?
Sure, you can always go camping with your ferrets. However, you need to keep everything in order before going out.
Some of the factors that you need to put into consideration when going to camp with your ferrets include:
- You need proper shelter, to prevent the ferrets from escaping when camping.
- You need good water and enough food for your ferrets. Ferrets are known to have a high metabolism. That’s not all; they are often quick to dehydrate too – this is especially true during a hot day. So, you need sufficient water to keep the body system of your ferrets working fine.
- The most important factor to consider before going camping with your ferrets is temperature. How hot is it outside or is it likely to become during camping? Ferrets are generally known to handle colds better than heat. With heat, they can fall sick; this explains why you need to avoid hot temperatures (usually above 85°F to 90°F) at all costs. Once you start noticing that the temperature is becoming unbearable, you need to carry your ferrets to a cool place.
- Another thing you need to be worried about when camping with your ferrets is diseases and parasites. Ferrets are prone to several different diseases, such as rabies. However, you can always prevent this from happening when you get your ferrets properly vaccinated before the trip. For camping, you need alcohol wipes to wash your ferret’s feet when returning home.
- According to experts, heartworms can be dangerous to your ferrets. In case you don’t know, heartworm is a parasitic infection that can be transferred by mosquito from an infected animal to an uninfected animal. As such, spending time outdoors can increase the chances of your ferrets contracting the parasitic infection, especially if you reside in an area where heartworms are a problem.
How Do You Find a Lost Ferret?
Depending on where your ferret went missing, there are a couple of ways to find it. During camping, the very first thing you need is to search everywhere around you for the ferret. After that, you can consider contacting and informing local veterinary clinics and shelters in your community.
Microchipping is something that’s usually recommended for every ferret owner. So, the question is; have you ever microchipped your ferret? If yes, this might be the best time to reach out to your ferret’s microchip company. Let them have your contact and other necessary information needed to locate the missing animal.
Lastly, you can consider talking to people around the camping area for any trace of your ferrets. You don’t have to be shy about it, you never can tell if they’ve come in contact with the missing ferret.
Can You Lure Ferrets With Food?
You can always use smelly, enticing foods, and treats to lure your missing ferrets. This is very effective, especially if you’re using the missing ferret’s favorite packaged treats.
