This survey of 116 ferret owners in the UK found that most owned 2 ferrets on average, with polecat being the most common color. Over half obtained their ferrets from rescues. Most owners kept their ferrets both inside and outside. While many fed a kibble-based diet with occasional meat, over half fed at least one meat meal daily. Few had vaccinated or bred their ferrets. A minority worked their ferrets for hunting. Rescues housed over 200 ferrets total and fostered additional ferrets. Surgical neutering was the most common method to bring jills out of season. The top illnesses reported were adrenal disease and lymphoma. Most prospective new owners planned to adopt from resc

1. Online Research into Ferret Ownership in the UK Hilary Anderson Ferret Research: 2011

2. Methodology 116 people took part in a online survey between the 8th and 16th of August 2011. Respondents to the survey were members of ferret forums and ferret-related facebook sites. This means that the sample is skewed towards technology confident, ferret-loving people who actively engage with ferret-related matters. For this reason, these results will not be representative of the UK ferret-owning population in that those without access to ferret forums are not represented. Additionally, the forums are dominated by people who are aware of ferret rescues and would expect this sample to own more ferrets and to be more likely to have obtained from a rescue. With regard to colour of ferret or incidence of illness, the results should be more representative as these are characteristics of the ferrets and not their owners. These results should be viewed with caution – they represent the views and ferret engagement of 116 people not the UK ferret-owning population.

3. Demographics of Ferret Owners Of the 116 people who took part in the survey, 94% currently have ferrets, 3% have had ferrets in the past but not currently and 3% do not have ferrets but intend to acquire them. 21 respondents were male, 79 female and 16 did not give their gender. The sample was skewed towards the young, with 29 people being under 25, 41 people being aged 25-44 and 31 aged 45-64.

4. Number of Ferrets Owned 109 people currently own ferrets. The minimum number of ferrets owned is one and the maximum 80. The average number of ferrets owned is 8 but this is highly influenced by the 6 people who have more than 20. The most common number of ferrets kept is 2. The total number of ferrets within the survey was 882. The ferret distribution by size of group (assuming one group per owner) can be seen below. As can be seen a few owners have a lot of ferrets. 60% of ferrets are kept by 22% of sample respondents – each of whom have more than 10.

5. The Ferrets – Gender, Age and Colour 57% of the ferrets are hobs and 43% jills. 21% of respondents have no jills and 8% no hobs. Polecat is the most common colour (33% of ferrets), followed by albino (23%) with silver, sandy and other colour all being about 10%. Most ferrets in the sample (51%) are younger adults (1 to 4). 12% are kits, 11% aged 5 to 6 and 6% older.

6. The Ferrets – What are they like Most people (93%) owned only pure ferrets but 17% had at least one hybrid and 11% at least one EU Polecat. 71% of owners kept at least some of the ferrets outside, either with access to a run or with regular inside playtime. 18% kept at least some of their ferrets inside running free and 28% inside but with periods caged. 81% of ferret owners walk their ferret outside – most commonly in the garden (57%), outside their local area (38%) and less commonly in the local park (28%). The most common source of ferrets was from an independent ferret rescue (54%). About 25% of ferrets owners had obtained from each of the following – the free ads, direct from a breeder of from friends and family. 15% had gone to the RSPCA. A lot of people had obtained their ferrets from a mix of the above. There was, on average 1.7 sources mentioned per respondents. 7% had kept a stray, 6% had rescued at least one ferret themselves and 7% had purchased at least one from a pet shop (although sometimes to save it from a bad situation). Most people (87%) have never bred their ferrets. 6% had bred an occasional litter from their own and 3% had bred a litter for sale or by mistake.

7. The Ferrets – Ferret Diet and Vaccination 37% of respondents feed their ferrets a mainly kibble diet although 89% of these feed the occasional meat. 54% feed at least one meat meal a day and supplement it with kibble and 5% feed a pure meat diet. 5% did not respond. The most popular brands of kibble by mention are James Well Beloved (48%), Vitalin (39%), Alpha (26%), Supreme Science Selective (26%), Pet at Home (22%), Dr Merlins (20%) and Chudley’s (14%). Most people feed a mix of kibble with an average of 2.3 mentions per respondents. 8 owners use cat food (5 Applaws and 3 IAMs/Purina). Vaccination This questions were asked of anyone who has ever owned a ferret. 100 people answered this question. 41% of respondents (41) have vaccinated their ferrets, 53% have not and 5% are undecided.

8. Hunting with Ferrets 104 people answered the question on whether they worked their ferrets – 16 (15%) people do work them and 1 respondent does it professionally. All hunt on private land where the owner gives permission and 2 also hunt their own land. 11 of the hunters regard their ferrets as both workers and pets. 4 regard them mainly as pets and no-one regarded them mainly as workers. (1 non-response). Purse nets and ferret finders are used by 15 out of the 16 respondents. Using guns and dogs is less common with 6 and 5 respondents mentioning each of these respectively.

9. Ferret Rescues and Fostering Only five rescues responded to the survey. To avoid identification of any particular rescue, only aggregate results will be give. Of the five rescues, two have charitable status. They raise funds through donations, holding ferrets show and open days and through ferret racing. Of the three rescues without charitable status, two do not fund-raise while the third accepts donations, sells ferret-related good and holds ferret shows. The rescues were started because the individual became known as the local ferret person (3 mentions), they became aware of limited facilities for ferrets (2) and a particular ferret kick-started the process (2). The other two reasons mentioned (one mention each) was to help the ferret community and the progression from fostering to rescuing. The five rescues currently have 212 ferrets in their care (62% male, 38% female). There are 37 kits, 76 teenagers (1-2), 45 young adults (3-4) and 37 older ferrets. 46 residents are permanent due to age (10), health (15) or behavioural issues (26). Of these permanent residents, 37 are at one rescue and this rescue is also fostering 21 ferrets. Fostering 14 people who foster ferrets responded to the survey. To avoid identification of any individual, only aggregate results will be give. These 14 individuals are fostering 41 ferrets. The maximum number fostered is 10 (all kits under six months) and minimum fostered is one ferret. 16 of the ferrets are under six months, 10 are older kits, and 4 are young adults. The age of the remaining nine is not known.

10. Medical Section: Neutering This question was asked of all respondents who either had had or currently have a ferret. 102 people took part in this section. All respondents use some method to bring their jills out of season. No one answered yes to letting nature bring them out of season. The most commonly use solution was surgical castration mentioned by 77% of respondents followed closely by surgical spaying (65%). About 8% of respondents use a vasectomised hob to bring their jills out of season and 7% have or had a v.hob. The implant – chemical castration is still relatively new – with 14 people using it in total. 8 of these plan to repeat it and 6 to surgically neuter after first implant wears off. 6% of respondents (6 people) use a jill jab to bring their jills out of season. Most people use a range of methods – esp surgical castration AND spaying for mixed groups.

11. Medical Section: Illness The 102 people who responded to this section have or have had a total of 3495 ferrets – either personal, fostered or rescued. For a range of illness, the number of ferrets and owners who have experienced this illness is given. No ferret in the sample has had Aleutian disease. The high number of ferrets with ECE is caused by owner having 21 ferrets with this disease and also one onwer had 15 ferrets with lymphoma (adult).

12. Acquiring a new Ferret 39 people are looking to acquire at least one more ferret. 7 intend to get one or more within the next 3 months, another 12 within the year. 10 will acquire one or more within a longer time frame and 10 people are not sure when. 32 people will look at their local independent rescues for their new ferret(s), 13 from the RSPCA or other national body, 6 from the free-ads and 4 from a breeder. 2 people are looking to breed their own. The majority of people are not sure what age their next ferret(s) will be or are not bothered. 15 are not bothered by what the age the ferret is and 9 are not sure what age they are looking for. Of the 14 people who have a rough idea of the age of ferret(s) they want, 7 want a kit(s), 5 a young adult(s) (1-2) and 2 and older ferret. 14 people are looking for two ferrets and 11 are not sure how many they will get. 7 people are looking for just one ferret and 6 for three or more.