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05-05-2011, 03:23 PM | #1 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Abbotsford, BC
Posts: 2,060
| Kind of wondering- Ferrets and yorkies as Pets? Could be midlife crisis(or old age crisis) me not my dogs. I wondered if anyone out there has a pet ferret and a yorkie or two. I have no idea if I really do want a ferret and could really be opening a major can of worms with my Yorkies. The idea just is NOT going away, wish it did!. The sad part is that there are so many very young ferrets on Craigslist and Kijiji yep you got it, "too busy, started school or job" "have to move" blah blah blah. any feedback welcomed. |
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05-05-2011, 04:36 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York
Posts: 3,896
| Yorkies were bred to hunt rodents so I think it might be their instinct to chase down a ferret. Not that the dog would intentionally hurt the ferret, but it's just in them. When we had hamsters, Sammy did not like them at all! Would the ferret be kept in a seperate area? I think they would have to be seperated. Good Luck! |
05-05-2011, 04:38 PM | #3 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Toluca Lake, CA
Posts: 5,491
| Sorry I have never had a ferret. I know Yorkies were originally breed to be ratters so I wonder if you would be messing with Mother Nature. It is sad when people do not think about their lifestyle before getting a pet. Good luck with your midlife crisis. I am trying to decide whether getting another dog will help with mine! Best Wishes
__________________ CarolynBuster Brown "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything." |
05-05-2011, 04:45 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Abbotsford, BC
Posts: 2,060
| That is what has held me back, knowing the why's and wherefores of the yorkie breed. Possibly it would work if a puppy and baby Ferret were raised together, Yorkie wouldn't know enough that it is supposed to hunt it. A ferret definitely would have to be housed in a separate area of the house BUT with also knowing I would have to make the time a couple of times a day to spend time with the ferret as well. From the reading I have done, they are almost as needy if not moreso as a Yorkie. I doubt I am very serious about doing this but I was sure curious if anyone has a yorkie and a ferret. They are quite intriquing animals, actually both the Yorkie and the ferret intrigue me. Maybe one day when I can retire from my job and have more time to devote to an additional needy different animal. |
05-05-2011, 04:47 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Abbotsford, BC
Posts: 2,060
| I keep thinking how darn unfortunate it is that people don't think a pet purchase through and end up getting rid of it as they don't want to put in the time the work or I guess sometimes, the research in the first place to determine if this is a workable idea or not. |
05-05-2011, 04:52 PM | #6 |
YT Addict | We had a ferret that was raised around dogs, but our dog didn't like him. If you want a ferret and a yorkie you have to get the ferret first, then a BABY yorkie to raise with the ferret. Otherwise chances are your Yorkie will think of it as a toy because they're very slinky and quick like rodents. HOWEVER, ferrets are VERY intelligent and make great pets and they are SUPER cuddlers. They can be trained to do tricks too!
__________________ Tikka&Pooter Dogs>Other Humans. Any day. |
05-05-2011, 04:56 PM | #7 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Up North
Posts: 808
| I can tell you that an unfortunate end happened to a hamster in my home in the mouth of a Yorkie and a full grown blue and gold Macaw was de-feathered rather quickly one day while I was mowing the lawn. And the Yorkies had been raised with the bird and she could have seriously hurt them and she did not. One of mine goes nuts when the mouse trap has a mouse in it. I live in an old home (130 years old) and I catch the mice in the live traps and set them free miles from home but when I do, AJ the one in red in my avatar goes nuts, chattering teeth, drooling, whining, chirping to let me know one is in the trap and I know all 3 pounds of her would kill it in a new york minute!! Even this many years after this breed was made to do that job, many still have that very strong instinct. I would pass on a ferret and get another puppy
__________________ "The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for." |
05-05-2011, 05:00 PM | #8 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Abbotsford, BC
Posts: 2,060
| My other thought is that if I were to get a ferret it would definitely have to be kept way separate from my yorkies. Well, all this could be a bad idea as I am so busy with working, looking after my dogs and puppies and hopefully getting one into the show rings this year hopefully two. All that takes time. |
05-05-2011, 05:01 PM | #9 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Abbotsford, BC
Posts: 2,060
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05-05-2011, 05:07 PM | #10 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Toluca Lake, CA
Posts: 5,491
| Quote:
__________________ CarolynBuster Brown "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything." | |
05-05-2011, 05:11 PM | #11 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Posts: 290
| I would also be worried about a ferret attacking the Yorkie! I've only met one ferret, but it was larger than the average Yorkie, and ferrets are used to hunt rodents too. What if the ferret and Yorkie each thought the other was prey? |
05-05-2011, 05:12 PM | #12 |
YT Addict | They do fine in cages, you can buy a two level cage and buy two so they have a playmate, and really they'll be happy. They usually prefer another ferret vs. other animals. If you can give them an hour or two a day, they'll be happy, but if you're too busy with your dogs, I'd definitely just find a friend with one haha Also dont get an albino, usually they are deaf and are can bite pretty hard as they get scared easy... from experience!
__________________ Tikka&Pooter Dogs>Other Humans. Any day. |
05-05-2011, 06:12 PM | #14 |
Donating YT 30K Club Member | My best friends had ferrets for 15 years. She had 3 or 4 at a time. She really loved them. Then she got her first dog and after her last ferret passed away she didn't get any more. She had to keep her dog (Cavalier King charles) away when she let the ferrets out to play. They get into everything! They have a very distinct musty odor. She liked the smell, I didn't. Hers were all friendly but every time she brought a new one in (rescues) they would fight for awhile. My sister had one that was mean and bit. If I remember correctly it is important to get one that is from Marshall's Farm as they are the most tame. I believe they have a blue dot in their ear to show they are from there. The other thing is they do not have a long life and tend to get adrenal disease and it can be very expensive to treat. Several of hers had to have emergency surgery and 2 didn't survive the surgery.
__________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html |
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