How Much Does a Ferret Cost?

The name “ferret” traces its origin from the Latin noun furonem which means “thief”. From the name, you should easily point out that ferrets have the habit of stealing and stashing away about anything they come across.

They can take away your phone, keys, pens, charger, wallet, or even your money. As such, the name befits their character and nature.

Beside this, ferrets are very intelligent, sociable and playful pets and do get attached to humans very easily.

But how much does it cost to buy and own a ferret? Before you are going to purchase a ferret, make sure, you can afford it!

Cost of a Pet Ferret

The truth of the matter is that buying a pet comes with responsibility on top. This is the same case with acquiring a ferret.

A pet ferret will cost about $100 to $250, which will depend largely on where you are buying it, the age, and the type of ferret you are interested in. Beside the purchasing cost there are many other factors to consider too.

The cost of certain ferret species varies from one seller to another. That said, the cheapest breed on the market is the White Albino Ferret. This particular species costs between $100 and $130.

The other affordable breed of ferrets is the Sable Ferret mixes and it costs about $130. The Black Sable Ferret is the most expensive in this category of pets. Its price ranges from $100 to $250 or even more.

Age is the second factor that determines the cost of acquiring a pet ferret. As you may anticipate, young ferrets are more expensive than older ones. This is due to the fact that they are in high demand besides being easy to train as they grow.

Another factor that influences the price of a pet ferret is where you purchase it from. A ferret from a local pet store will most likely cost less than that from a private ferret breeder. However, you can adopt one since this is a cheaper option compared to buying.

Cost of Keeping a Ferret

As mentioned before, buying a ferret is just a fraction of the cost, that you will have to spend on your pet. You will need to provide your pet ferret with adequent housing, health care, food and even entertainment.

In the following, I break down the cost of keeping a pet ferret:

– Housing

After you are done with budgeting for your pet ferret, the next assignment is to consider its habitat. The habitat is usually in the form of a cage with several accessories, and bedding.

With the cage, you must consider the size in relation to your pet. The best size should be at least 2 x 2 x 3  feet to give your ferret adequate space to play and move freely.

If possible, look for a cage with several tiers to allow your pet to climb around. In this regard, the most appropriate cage will cost as much as $110 or more depending on design and size.

But the cage alone will not be enough for your pet. Therefore, you will have to look for bedding and some cage accessories such as a water bottle, a bowl, hammock, litter box, a food dish, and a sleeping hut among others.

In total, it will cost you between $150 and $250 or more for housing and accessories to keep your ferret comfortable.

– Veterinary Services

Your ferret’s health will also need to be checked from time to time. So may need to have it access veterinary services to monitor its health and growth. Such vet services will cost between $150 and $200 per year.

At the same time, you will have your ferret vaccinated, neutered, or spayed to ensure that it is in good health condition. This service will cost as much as $150 to $300 for a one-time fee.

In general, the veterinary services will cost you about $1000 per year depending on the age and health of your pet.

– Food Cost

According to Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA), 2.2 pounds weight pet ferrets can consume between 2.0 and 2.5 ounces of food in a single day.

This is almost 5% to 7% of its body weight. The quantity of food can differ from pet to pet although ferrets may require large amounts of food during their growth, gestation, or reproduction phases.

Now coming to the cost of food, you will realize that 2 pounds of chicken fillets can cost as much as $10. Since your ferret cannot be kept on a single diet throughout, you will have to combine it with other types of foods such as dry or wet foods.

Avoid snacks and dog food because it might impact your ferret’s health negatively. In one month you will spend at least $30 to $50 on your pet ferret’s food.

So the food cost for a ferret is projected to $350 to $600 in one year.

– Toys for Your Ferret

Ferrets enjoy playing around with toys. Toys keep them entertained most of the time when you are not there for them. Some of the toys may include objects to roll around, items to chew on, things to climb while playing, or places to hide.

Different types of toys will help them burn their energy, or focus their attention on something more useful to their well-being.

The cost may vary from toy to toy depending on the size, design, and material used in their construction. On average, these toys may cost you at least $3 to $7 each.

Is it Better to Get 1 or 2 Ferrets?

Naturally, ferrets are social animals, so having two in a cage is a good idea. At least they will interact and play around together, thus eliminating loneliness and boredom.

The only downside of keeping more than one ferret is the cost. Obviously, you will spend almost double the amount of keeping one ferret if you have two under your care.

Do Ferrets Need Bedding in their Cage?

Yes! Ferrets need proper bedding in their cages. No pet loves running around or sleeping on a hard surface. So, your ferret will be happy sleeping and moving around on its bedding all day long.

Wrap Up

Ferrets are increasingly becoming popular pets at home. This is because they are friendly, fascinating to have around, and easy to maintain. Anyone regardless of their experience in pets can have an easy time with ferrets. All they need is a really good cage, a nutritionally balanced diet, and enough security around them.

Although ferrets are easy to maintain, compared to other pets, you will still need to spend a good amount of money on upkeep. So keep in mind, that a ferret or any other pet will have an upkeep cost for many years.