Lost...
Someone forgot to close the door, or just didn’t
look when opening it. A window was left open, and there’s
a new hole in the screen. A hole in the wall went unnoticed until
now .
. . And the ferret has disappeared. What do you do?
A stray
ferret has very little chance of surviving for long; usually
no more
than a few days. The ferret’s fearlessness and curiosity
can be their undoing in countless ways out-of-doors. You
must act quickly and keep from panicking if your ferret goes
missing.
Search Inside the House
Look everywhere in the house, high and
low (literally!). Dresser drawers are very popular hangouts for
ferrets
loose
in a house.
Look in the usual places first, then make a list of the
10 places you’d least expect to find your ferret and look
there. Chances are, you’ll be relieved to find your ferret
in a very odd place.
Search the Immediate Area
Take the loudest squeaky toys and
that box of treats or
Cheerios outside and work first around the house, then
the yard, then your neighbors’ houses, then the block,
calling, squeaking, and shaking the box. Stop and listen
for rustling. Look under
bushes, near trash cans, under cars, in garages, under
porches and decks, and in gardens. Look carefully or you
might miss
that quizzical little face peeking back at you from behind
a stump
or next to a trash can, wondering what all of the fuss
is about. When your neighbors come out to gawk at you,
tell
them what has
happened and enlist their help.
Alert Everyone
Start with your neighbors,
and especially the neighborhood children. Tell them what
the ferret
looks like, and what kinds of sounds it responds to. Give
them your phone number. Ask them to check their basements,
yards,
and garages. People will help you, but you have to ask.
Call area vets, pet stores, the humane societies,
the local
animal control officer, the police, and the MaFF Hotline
(781 / 224 1098). The person who finds your ferret will
probably be
calling these places, too.
Place a ‘lost ferret’ ad
in the local paper and with the local cable TV company.
These ads are usually free.
Make flyers with your ferret’s
name and description, and your name and phone number. Put “LOST
FERRET” at the top in writing large enough to be
read from a passing car. Putting “REWARD!” on
the flyer ensures that it will be read. Include your ferret’s
photo, or copy or trace a ferret picture from a book.
Post
flyers everywhere
in the neighborhood, and at the local convenience store,
supermarket, gas station, and bus stops. Put a flyer in
every door in the
neighborhood.
Alert the building superintendents at nearby
apartment buildings, the postal carrier, the UPS and FedEx
drivers on your
route, and utility workers if you see them.
When you find
your ferret, please try to let everyone know so that we
can “stand
down” from the alert.
Make It Easier for the Ferret to Find Home
Ferrets follow their
noses, not their eyes, so it is important to leave odor ‘clues’ outside.
A carrier with their own used bedding in it and the contents
of their used litterbox scattered all around the foundation
of your house will help greatly. Put out food and water
in the carrier
and check it frequently.
Buy or rent one or more Hav-a-Hart
(humane) traps and set them in likely locations. Sometimes
you can rent
these from the local animal control officer, animal clinic,
or shelter.
Keep Looking
Search your house, and then search it again.
Keep looking
around your neighborhood, and remind the local kids to
keep looking for the ferret. Be alert for flyers or ads
posted
by someone
who may have found a ferret.
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Before You Lose Your Ferret
1. Ferret proof. Ferret proof. Ferret proof. And do it
again whenever the weather changes or the furniture is
rearranged.
2. Watch the door. Look down when you open the door and
count noses after you close it. Create ferret-free zones
between the ferrets’ living area and doors to the
outside.
3. Watch the windows. Never leave a window uncovered
by a screen or glass. Since ferrets can shred screens with
their claws, consider covering the screen with hardware
mesh or chicken wire. Remove “ferret ladders” (bookcases,
chairs, etc.) from beneath windows if possible.
4. Examine under sinks and in the bathroom where pipes
go into walls, in the fireplace where ash cleanouts could
be left open, any vents to the outside, and both ends of
the dryer hose (the one that’s actually connected
to the dryer, not the one used as a toy). Many ferrets
can open ordinary kitchen cabinets. Any of these places
could appear as welcoming caves to a little explorer.
5. Count noses periodically while the ferrets are out,
and especially when it gets “too quiet.”
6. Train your ferret to come to you for treats when you
squeak a squeaky toy or whistle. Begin by whistling or
squeaking as you feed it a treat until it associates the
sound with the treat. Conduct a “drill” periodically
to make sure that they’ve learned this “trick.” |
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... and Found
Chances are that you will, at some point,
come across
a stray ferret in your garage, in the park, beside a
road, or at the grocery store parking lot. Or, because you’re
known as a ferret owner, someone else will alert you to a stray
that
they have found. The stray ferret may be an escapee from
a heartbroken owner, or an intentional release (which is illegal
in Massachusetts).
Whatever the cause or circumstance, you are now in possession
of a stray ferret. What do you do?
Practice Compassion, but Exercise Caution
The first thing to
keep in mind is that in rescuing this ferret, you have saved
its life.
Be careful when handling the ferret. A sick, injured,
or frightened ferret may bite. Even when you are ‘sure
of it,’ exercise
caution. If you have gloves, use them. Coax the little
one into a carrier with food or treats.
If you are bitten,
don’t
panic. Wash the affected area thoroughly with lots
of soap and warm water for at least five minutes. This goes
for
any animal
bite — stray or your own dog, cat, or ferret.
Keep the stray isolated from your own ferrets. Chances
are,
the little
ferret is healthy and disease-free, but don’t
make assumptions until it has been checked by a vet.
Always
wash your hands after
handling the stray.
If you do not have an extra cage,
a large carrier will do as a temporary home.
It is
very important that
the stray eats and drinks. If the ferret will not
eat your ferrets’ or
cats’ food, try cooked, unseasoned chicken or
turkey, warmed chicken baby food, or Nutri-Cal. Observe
the ferret
for signs
of illness or injury — and if these are present,
consult your vet.
If you need more information on how
to care for the
ferret, please call the MaFF Hotline 781 / 224 1098.
Spread
the Word
Post flyers announcing that you have found a ferret
with your name and phone number. Ask callers to
describe the
ferret to
you.
Call area vets, pet stores, the humane societies,
the local animal control officer, the police, and
the MaFF Hotline 781
/ 224 1098. The person who lost the ferret will
probably be calling these places, too.
Keep alert for flyers
or ads placed by someone
who has lost a ferret.
Place a ‘found ferret’ ad
in the local paper and with the local cable TV company.
These ads are usually free.
Keep It Local
It’s best that the
stray stay in the same area in which it was found
for a week or two, in case
the owner is still looking for it. However, if
you are absolutely unable to care for the ferret, ask your
local
vet or animal
control officer whether they can foster the ferret
for a couple of weeks
until its owner is found. Please let them know
that the MaFF Rescue / Shelter System (781 / 224 1098) will
take
custody
of the ferret if the owner is not found. MaFF can
also give them
information on how to care for the ferret during
the brief time that they have it.
Is There Anything We Missed?
Or do you have any questions about
this information? Your comments will help MaFF help others.
Please send us your tips
on finding lost ferrets, or what to do when you
find a stray ferret.
You may also view
this article as a PDF file.
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