Ferrets are adorable and cuddly animals, so it is no wonder that many humans who love pets want to own a ferret. Although they are an existential amount of work, you are willing to take that challenge and meet their needs at every turn. However, you may also be wondering where you can buy a ferret from. Surely it would not just be from the pet store, right?

There are quite a few places where you can buy a ferret. Here is a list down below:

• Ferret shelters
• Reputable ferret breeders
• Backyard ferret breeders
• Your typical pet shops
• Online websites

Although there are many places you can purchase a ferret from, it is imperative to note how businesses have treated these ferrets and if a specific area is the best option for you to go by or not.

Some places can be a bit shady, while others are very reputable, as mentioned above. In this article, we will discuss this particular subject further and the very best options.

Where Do I Buy A Ferret From?

As mentioned above, there are many places to go when it comes to purchasing a ferret. The most important thing to do is to love them, regardless of what background they have!

1. Ferret Shelter

Ferret shelters are one of the best and most reputable options for quite a few reasons. For starters, ferret shelter owners will know every pet that comes through the doors. The shelter owners will then spend time with the ferrets and learn about their personalities, see how they interact with other ferrets and people. The owners will also check out how these ferrets socialize with other ferrets too.

If you have any questions about ferrets, the owners and employees will be knowledgeable enough on the subject that they can help you out. This is especially true because they are very experienced on the subject.

Shelter owners take new babies or animals to the veterinarian to check and see any specific conditions or diseases that you will need to know about. This helps during the adoption process. The vet will do all they can to help your future ferret friend treat any curable issues, such as ear mites or fleas, which saves you money and time to go to the vet yourself.

Overall, they will set you up with success before bringing your furry friend home. However, one of the downsides to this is that a ferret shelter is few, far, and between, so make sure you look up “ferret shelter near me” to see if they are nearby.

Other information on ferret shelters is that they may be more on the expensive side, which is between $80 to $150, but this is because you will receive numerous amounts of benefits, such as:

•  Spayed or neutered
• Checked out by the veterinarian
• Socialized and trained
• Matched to fit your specific situation
• Up-to-date on their shots
• Treated right by the owners and workers

2. Reputable Ferret Breeder

Having a reputable ferret breeder means that they are much less likely to have certain illnesses and diseases. This is because of the lineage of the ferrets and poor breeding practices, which most places will not honestly know about. A good ferret breeder will ensure that the ferret will not have many medical and, in some cases, behavioral issues.

Although this is one of our most recommended places to get your ferret, there are not many reputable ferret breeders worldwide. Just like ferret shelters, these places are sporadic throughout the globe.

Most ferrets will come from commercial breeders or backyard breeders, which we will get to momentarily. You can even go so far as to ask a ferret shelter or pet store if there are any reputable ferret breeders in your area.

Their goals as breeders are to create well-behaved and healthy ferrets.

Reputable ferret breeders will be more expensive, being between $80 to $350, but here are some benefits that come with that price:

• Checked out by a veterinarian
• Genetically healthy animals
• Up-to-date shots
• Show you their breeding ferret’s family lineage
• Litter box trained
• Socialized trained
• Provides advice on how to properly care for your ferret

3. Backyard Ferret Breeder

As opposed to the option mentioned above, there will be many backyard ferret breeders you can get your breed from. However, this is not the best recommendation as a backyard ferret breeder does not understand genetics or good breeding practices, leading to unfriendly and health issues in the future.

Backyard breeders use breeding as a hobby or because they want to get some money on their hands. Overall, you are not entirely sure what their intentions are. However, you can purchase a ferret from these breeders for the same price as above: $80 to $150 per ferret. So, what will you get for that price, you may ask?

• Not checked by a veterinarian
• No up-to-date shots, or none at all
• Expected to have ferret diseases

Here are some of the ways you can tell that you are dealing with a backyard breeder:

• Advertisement on Craigslist, Gumtree, etc.
• The company does not show the ferret’s living conditions
• Cannot prove documentation of the ferret’s family lineage
• They do not require you to return the ferret to them if the ferret is not a good fit for your lifestyle

4. Pet Shop

The most obvious choice you can get your pet ferret from is, of course, the pet store! Generally speaking, these ferrets will come from large commercial ferret breeding farms, which you can always ask the employees where they were bred and do research of your own.

Although commercial breeders tend to create friendly ferrets, they also can develop specific diseases, which the pet stores may be unaware of.

Many pet stores are uneducated about how to care for your ferret correctly, and they pass on information that a commercial breeder provides for them. Because commercial breeders are motivated by making money, they will typically say that their pet food is the best for your ferret as well, so pay close attention to what you are feeding your ferret.

The goal of pet shops is to sell animals for a profit, so they will always sell other items such as food, cages, toys, etc. Their prices are between $80 to $150 per ferret.

Here are some things you can get for that price range:

• Spayed or neutered
• Predisposition to common ferret diseases
• Descended if they are found in the USA (other countries will outlaw medical unnecessary descending)

What Websites Sell Ferrets?

As mentioned above, there are online websites where you can get your new furry friend. In today’s world, we are all about online shopping, so it would make much sense why you can purchase an animal online, too.

1. Carolina Ferrets

Being yet again one of the best websites you can purchase your ferrets from, these breeders are very much invested in their ferrets and do not affiliate with an organization or pet store. They will raise and sell Angora ferrets themselves.

If you live in the USA, it is best to purchase a ferret from their website, especially since they provide easy shipping to most areas in the USA. However, shipping on an international level may be a bit more complicated due to regulations, and you may need to hire a broker for the transactions themselves.

In short, Carolina Ferrets is an excellent choice because of how well they treat their ferrets and due to easy shipping in the US. However, in terms of their services, they have received mixed reviews, with some customers saying their site is unresponsive or the ferrets have not been properly trained to bite.

If you choose to go through this website and have this issue, it would be wise to contact the website owner directly and speak with her or meet in person to check the ferrets out yourselves. Just simply go to the contact page for better information.

2. Craigslist

You can always go on Craigslist and search “ferrets for sale.” However, as mentioned above, this is not the best choice due to all backyard ferret breeders.

3. KSL

KSL Classified works very similar to Craigslist. However, their typefaces are more modern, and user profiles have more structure, but you can find just about anything, including pet ferrets. Again, buy with caution.

4. Hoobly

Hoobly Classified will provide listings for numerous animals, including ferrets. All you need to do is search for ferrets in the search box, and you will come across many listings.

5. Facebook Groups

Nowadays, there is a Facebook group for everything, including one or many, for ferrets. You can even get involved in a local animal group and let the notifications come on for you to know if there is a pet for sale, more specifically, ferret. If you are lucky, sometimes, the owner will give a ferret away for free if someone needs to rehome them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can purchase your pet ferret in five different places, but it is always important to research before buying a ferret animal.

We here at Little Pet Corner have provided a vast amount of topics on ferrets alone that you can become knowledgeable of. We encourage you to check out all of what we have and wish you the best of luck in finding a wonderful ferret friend for your home!