Ferrets for Dummies (Paperback)

by Kim Schilling (Author) "To the undiscerning eye, he looks a little rat-like..." (more)
Key Phrases: ferret shelter, ferret community, ferret club, Health Issues, North America, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Slinky, lightening fast, mischievous, and smarter than many people you know, ferrets, like their otter cousins, are the merry pranksters of the animal world. Ferrets are also inveterate thieves who’ll steal just about anything that isn’t nailed down and spirit it off to their hidey-holes. But, as most ferret owners will tell you, the thing those fuzzy little balls of energy are best at stealing is your heart. Hmm. cunning, mischievous, light-fingered – sounds like a recipe for disaster in a pet. And the truth is, coexisting with a ferret can be a challenge – one you’d better be certain you’re up for, before you commit to bringing a ferret into your home.

Ferrets For Dummies lets you take a long, well-informed look before leaping into the fabulous furry world of “ferts.” This fun, entertaining book fills you in on everything you need to know to successfully adopt, nurture, live with, and love a ferret. You’ll discover how to:

• Choose t he right ferret for you
• Ferret-proof your house
• Understand your ferret’s special needs
• Train your ferret to be well-behaved
• Feed your ferret properly
• Select safe and creative toys
• Manage ferret odors
• Integrate your ferret into your life
• Breed ferrets

Ideal for first-time and veteran ferret owners alike, Ferrets For Dummies is a gold mine of advice, guidance, and tested-in-the-trenches tips on:

• Deciding if a ferret is right for you and vice versa
• Finding your ferret and introducing him or her into your home
• The care and feeding of ferrets
• Health issues, concerns ,and treatments
• Ferret psychology and sociology
• Breeding ferrets for fun and profit
• Recipes your ferret will love

Your ferret is a smart little guy, and you’ll need to stay two steps ahead of him. This fun and informative book shows you how to handle your furry tornado’s playful energy and boundless curiosity, so you can live happily ever after together.

From the Back Cover
"A must read for anyone who loves these little creatures we call ferrets!" Norm Stilson, Managing Director, Greater Chicago Ferret Association Shelter Praise for Ferrets For Dummies® "A very enjoyable presentation of the care and feeding of our ferret friends." — Karen Purcell, DVM, Author of Essentials of Ferrets: A Guide for Practitioners "An intelligent start for anyone considering a ferret as a companion animal and a great addition to the library of seasoned ferret owners." — Faith Hood, Shelter Director of Ferrets R # 1 Shelter and Rescue and Director (Shelters) of the American Ferret Association

Find out about your ferret's special needs

Get the lowdown on keeping your ferret healthy and content What can you do when a ferret burrows his way into your heart? Your ferret is a smart little guy, and you'll need to stay a few steps ahead of him. This fun and entertaining book shows you how to handle your furry tornado's playful energy and curiosity so you can live happily ever after with him.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (October 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764552597
• ISBN-13: 978-0764552595
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #432,914 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dummies for Ferrets, July 14, 2001

By	Mark Hills "Nobody gets me, I'm the wind, baby!" (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I can't imagine owning my ferret Tycho without the aid of this book. When my ferret lost weight and began vomiting, I panicked and agonized over what could possibly be wrong with the little guy. After he calmed down and I calmed down, I grabbed this indispensable tome and began reading to see if I could figure out what might be wrong. It turns out that ferrets are some times susceptible to all manner of little bugs just like we are, and while they can be worrisome, do not actual long term harm. And that's all it was, a virus had nailed Tycho and weight loss was a common seasonal thing. A trip to the vet confirmed our what we had read. Tycho is much better, and so are we.

Kim Schilling's book is probably the best there is for owning a fert. She gives all sorts of insights into what makes them tick-how they play, what their body language means-something that taught us a valuable lesson during a thunder storm. Tycho was so frightened by the noise that when my wife picked him up and went face to face with him to sooth him, Tycho sunk his teeth into her chin, then did the same to me. We both missed his frizzed out tail and fur-something that told should have told us to stay away for a little while, but we didn't know any better until after we had read the book. It has a wonderful section on health, including numerous diseases and their symptoms. It covers playing, food, housing, even breeding, plus has a wealth of state by state resources, ferret shelters and contacts for the reader.

Only a dummy would buy a pet, any pet, without doing research into them first. Ferrets more than just about any other pet, need to be researched thoroughly before bringing one home for the first time. We had only read one book before getting Tycho, but we probably should have read more. Now that I have read `Ferrets for Dummies', I am a little wiser in the ways of carpet sharks. I love my ferret, he's a good pal to read with as he bounds around the bed nibbling toes or burrowing under blankets. It's gratifying to know that he thinks I've done a good job raising him with his numerous kisses.

Buy this book and understand what you're getting into. Ferrets are great pets, but they are a high maintenance pet. They require attention, care, and love. But you know what? You will get it all back and then some.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for ferret lovers and first time ferret meeters, September 23, 2000

By	Samantha Pfaffinger (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews

Ferrets for Dummies is the only ferret book I have read that can be usefull to both new and old ferret owners a like. For new ferret owners and even first time ferret meeters,this book really helps the reader get to know the general personality of ferrets. Ferrets are a wonderful pet.......for the right person. Ferrets for Dummies helps you know if a ferret is the right pet for you before you go out and buy one. If first time ferret owners read this book before they went out and purchased a ferret, there may be less homeless and neglected ferrets and a smaller need for ferret shelters. This book helps explain what to expect from your ferret and how to care for it, from before your new pets arrival home until its final days!! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested or involved in ferret ownership.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you own or will soon own a fuzzie, READ THIS BOOK!!, November 12, 2000

By	"rhyakat" (Columbia, MD USA) - See all my reviews

I recently got a new fuzzie, and before I did, I wanted to read everything I could find, so I would know what I was getting into. Kim Schilling's Ferrets for Dummies has to be the best ferret book on the market today: it's clear, concise, easy to read, comprehensive, and ever humorous and entertaining, while being informative. It's defitetly a must-read for any fert owner or soon-to-be owner. And even though I resent being marketed to as a 'dummy', the book is definetly a must read.