What Happens When a Ferret Is in a Cage All Day?

Ferrets can make excellent pets for the right type of owner. An owner who is prepared to deal with an extremely inquisitive, sometimes destructive, occasionally smelly pet can reap the benefits of a pet ferret. Ferrets are very attached to their owners. They have distinctive personalities and are very playful. Prospective pet owners considering ferrets for a new addition to their home should thoroughly research ferret care, and should be aware that ferrets are not cage animals -- leaving them alone in a cage all day is not an acceptable way to treat a pet ferret.

  1. Minimum Free Time

    • Ferrets are social creatures, just like cats and dogs. Imagine what would happen if you left a pet cat in a small cage all day, and apply the same situation and reactions to a pet ferret. Ferrets require a minimum of four hours of time outside of their cages each day. This time is invaluable when it includes socialization with you, but even simply being let out of the cage a few times a day to have the run of the room or the whole house is extremely beneficial to your ferret. Keeping a ferret locked up in a cage all day long can have serious consequences to your ferret's health and yours.

    Loneliness

    • Ferrets need love and companionship, just like any other mammal. They are such social animals that new ferret owners are often instructed to adopt two ferrets at a time to ensure that the social needs of the ferrets are met, and to prevent them from getting lonely. A single ferret left alone in a cage all day can experience severe psychological harm from isolation and loneliness. Even two ferrets left together in a cage all day can get lonely without attention from their human owner.

    Destructive Behavior

    • One practical consequence of leaving ferrets alone in a cage all day is that the loneliness and boredom often causes destructive behavior. If your ferret has nothing to do all day, it will resort to any means necessary to keep itself entertained. This includes destructive behavior aimed at its cage, such as chewing on the bars and demolishing any toys present. Bored and lonely ferrets may also resort to self-destructive behavior, including biting, picking, and chewing its own limbs and body.

    Exercise

    • A ferret's cage is usually relatively small, though new pet ferret owners should be sure to purchase a cage at least 3-by-3-by-2 feet to comfortably house one or two ferrets. Like most pet mammals, ferrets need exercise to keep themselves fit and healthy. A ferrets confined to its cage all day long never gets the chance to stretch its limbs and get in a good run. Lack of exercise can lead to ferret obesity and other health problems.