Ferrets Quarterly - Summer Issue - #3

A publication of MARSHALL PET

F E R R E T S Q U A R T E R LY | S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 | I S S U E N O . 3

HOME SWEET HOME

S E E W H AT O T H E R F E R R E N T S H A V E D O N E TO C U S TO M I Z E T H E I R F E R R E T S PA C E S

ASK THE VET K E E P YO U R F E R R E T S A F E AS T H E T E M P E R AT U R E S C L I M B

DIG BOX INSPIRATION E A S Y, S A F E & F U N

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FEATURES

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HOME SWEET HOME

It’s almost impossible to have only one ferret. Find out how some of our superfans built their businesses.

Photo credit: Jennifer Collins

From developing the best practices for breeding, to developing the freshest and highest quality nutrition, to creating a catalog of products to fulfill all aspects of the ferrets’ lives and behaviors, the ferrets have guided our efforts. Our company of ferret enthusiasts works to engage and educate every household that chooses a ferret to be part of their family with the knowledge we have learned.

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#FERRETLOVE

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DIG BOX INSPIRATIONS

This adorable poem written by a fan captures her joy and love for her ferret.

Get down on the floor with your business and play in a dig box!

Enjoy these fun fillers and toys.

Photo credit: Dietra DeRose

AMANDA ALTMAN Editor AAltman@MarshallPet.com T

800. 292. 3424

ABOUT THE COVER

The Octoplay has long been one of Marshall’s best selling ferret toys. The plush fabric invites ferrets to curl up inside, while the tubes provide them with the opportunity to play hide and seek with their friends through 11 openings. We chose this product to feature on the cover of this issue as it is an amazing addition to any space made for ferrets.

MARSHALL PET PRODUCTS Wolcott, NY 14590 Monday – Friday 8am–4pm www.MarshallPet.com E

T 800. 292. 3424 ferrets@MarshallPet.com FB @MarshallPetFerrets

You can find the Octoplay at your favorite online retailer or local professional pet store.

MEET DENICE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

Yes, Denice is a real person. Denice is the one that answers your customer service calls, responds to your emails and helps the marketing team with monitoring the Facebook inbox. So much more than just a job, Denice has worked for the past 15 years to help ferrents, retailers and rescue organizations take the best care of their ferrets.

REGULARS 7

NEWS FROM HQ

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ASK THE VET

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ASK A FERRET

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DIETRA’S PHOTO

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#FELFIEFRIDAY

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#FEATUREFERRETS

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LETTER FROM the PRESIDENT

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ello ferret families. We would like to start this issue with gratitude.

Thank you to our pets. For continually providing us with companionship when we cannot gather and socialize. Our four-legged friends large and small have filled a role of comfort, support and peace of mind for many when they have needed it most.

Thank you to our loyal friends. For the overwhelming support and love for our animals and our products. This magazine and social media streams have given us an opportunity to engage our community like never before. We couldn’t be more honored to have you, our reader, as part of our family.

As we all took to our homes and started sharing more online, we have seen our engagement increase and have been truly amazed with the stories and photos that are being shared. Thank you for welcoming us into the homes that you have created for you and your ferret.

This issue starts by showcasing some of the spaces that our ferret families have created just for them. The creativity used with some of these spaces speaks volumes for how important these ferrets are to their humans. As always, #Felfies and #FeatureFerrets come from our online community and can be found on pages 14 and 15, respectively.

Many have asked why they can’t find ferrets in their local pet stores — we address that on page 7 with News from HQ. The ferrets that are home are getting some deserved one-on-one with their humans. Ask a Ferret on page 10 has some fun ideas for playtime with some Dig Box inspiration on the following page. And we all know the summer heat has its risks. Get some tips on keeping your ferrets cool, and be prepared for heat stroke with Ask the Vet on page 8.

We couldn’t be happier that you are enjoying the time home with your pets. Everyone here truly enjoys the stories from our fans. Keep them coming and stay cool!

Sincerely, Peter Reid

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HOME

Sweet

HOME

By: Amanda Altman

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ome of our ferret families have gone above and beyond to make their ferrets feel at home in their space. This article recognizes four families that have some very creative and innovative solutions for their ferrets’ environments. It is so much more than just keeping them comfortable. Providing them a place to enjoy and run out their energy in ways that complement their individual personalities is integral to everyone living their best lives. Take a peek, use some of these awesome tricks, and be sure to share your incredible ideas with us on Facebook. #FerretHomes

Faith Keller is featuring two levels of her ferret cage. She decked out her ferrets’ digs in cozy fleece, fun hammocks and fluffy beds. Check out those ramp covers!

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Jennifer and Debbie have a family of 16 ferrets that they call Ferret Street. About 3 years ago they got their first ferret, Navi, and immediately ran out the next day to get Nova. Ferret math happened big time, and they came up with the idea of creating a Disneyland for ferrets! Their now - 16 ferrets roam freely the basement when there is a human home, but stay in their cage while the humans go to work. Jennifer and Debbie built the cage up because they couldn’t build out.

Tubes connect all levels, and there are cat trees that help them climb from level to level. Jennifer loves ferrets so much that she works as an animal care manager at PetCo so she can educate new ferrents! Wow, Jennifer. We love your story.

Corrinne Emily Pearce’s ferrets love to scratch their faces and lounge in hammocks. Corrinne introduced fake grass into her cage environments to give them plenty of opportunity to rub on the scruff. The fake grass is multipurpose and also provides a soft footing for their levels and ramps. What a good idea, Corrinne!

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Cindy Grande has dedicated an entire room to her ferrets. She appreciates being able to give them the space to live happily amongst the humans in the house with tubes, tunnels and cozy coverings that they love. Both humans and ferrets benefit from the interaction.

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NEWS FROM HQ

Ferret Families We’ve been getting inundated with questions like…

“I haven’t been able to find a ferret in forever! Where can I get a ferret?”

We would like to address the situation.

It wasn’t long after the stay-athome orders were put in place across the country that we saw an unprecedented uptick in interest in owning a ferret.

With more time on their hands and stimulus checks arriving, people are clamoring to add ferrets to their families. Honestly, we couldn’t think of a better way to pass the time than bonding with a ferret!

We are firm believers that it is a customer’s choice how you bring a ferret into your home. Every animal deserves love, and we encourage you to adopt those that need forever homes if that is your choice.

With that being said, the demand for a pet ferret is at a historic high, while our availability is at our traditional levels.

While we adjusted our breeding calendar to accommodate a projected increase in demand from last year, the number of kits born does not meet the insane demand that we are seeing. This has caused a significant shortage and has the appearance that we have no ferrets, which is not the case.

Our customer service department is overwhelmed with requests for specific sex and color patterns.

While these types of requests are typically welcomed and fulfilled, at this time we simply cannot fulfill any specific requests. On average we are receiving 300 a day!

As a responsible and ethical breeder, it would have been impossible to forecast and plan for this event that has affected us all.

The health and safety of all of our ferrets is our top priority. While we have safely adjusted our breeding practices to help bridge the current interest, this shortage will not resolve itself overnight. There is no rushing Mother Nature!

If you are looking to add a ferret to your family, please be patient.

We are working to keep the map on our website as updated as possible. Visit www.MarshallFerrets.com to search your

ZIP code for retailers that carry ferrets. We encourage you to call them directly to check their inventory before you run out to get one.

Many stores have waiting lists for when the ferrets arrive. And most stores are selling out within hours of the ferrets’ arrival. Our suggestion is to get on your pet store’s waiting list so the store knows what kind of demand the area has and your interest is recorded.

Thank you in advance for your understanding, patience and support as we all navigate through these times.

Without you we would not only not have a business, but we would not have anyone to share our love for ferrets with. We will keep you updated as the situation continues to unfold and the demand continues to be fulfilled. As always, if there is anything we can do to make life with your ferret better, let us know! We love your ferrets almost as much

the Marshall Pet family

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Ask the VET It is hot out there! Your ferrets are very susceptible to extreme temperatures. It is important that you work to keep you and your ferrets cool and comfortable on those especially hot and humid days. Always keep fresh, clean, cool water available for your ferret and read these tips to surviving the summer.

How do you cool down a ferret?

Temperatures over 85°F can cause serious problems for ferrets. How do you know if your ferret is suffering from heat stroke and what should you do?

The symptoms of a ferret that is suffering from being too hot typically include panting, lethargy, a bright red nose and dark red foot pads. If you suspect that your ferret is overheated, quickly cradle its head with a cool wet rag and wrap its body with a cool wet towel, and call your vet for further instruction.

Your ferrets’ cage could be in harm’s way!

Make sure your ferrets’ cages are not in direct sunlight from windows to avoid a greenhouse effect. Direct sunlight can easily increase the temperature of your ferrets’ cage by 10 degrees or more!

Be sure to check the cage throughout the day to see where the sun’s rays land. Make sure that their water dish and sleeping quarters are never getting direct sunshine.

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Ferrets cannot sweat. You can help them sweat and benefit from the cooling effects of sweat by misting your ferrets with water from a spray bottle and letting a fan blow over them.

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The perfect temperature for ferrets is the low 70s. Air conditioning vents or fans should never be in direct line of their cages to avoid them becoming too cold.

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Freeze water in empty plastic pop bottles or milk jugs and wrap them in towels. Place them in the cage to provide your ferret with a cool place to lounge as the water thaws. (Test this one out under supervision first to ensure your ferret doesn’t chew the plastic of the bottle.)

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Soak a washcloth, roll and freeze. Place it in your ferrets’ cage to thaw.

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Let your ferrets splash in a cool bath or shallow pet pool. The Marshall 24” Ferret Swimming Pool is perfect for this.

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If you don’t mind your ferrets splashing where they drink, toss a couple of ice cubes in their water bowl.

They’ll have fun.

Ferrets lick themselves to help shed winter coats.

This causes hairballs. You can help reduce the need for them to lick by brushing them with a soft bristle brush once a week. Ferret Lax is the perfect remedy for both eliminating existing hairballs and preventing the formation of new ones. It also aids in removing Ferret Lax » other items which may have been accidentally ingested. « Grooming Brush

DID YOU KNOW? Although rare, ferrets can get heartworms from the bite of an infected mosquito. Ferrets are similar to dogs in their susceptibility to heartworm infections, but their symptoms are more similar to those seen in cats.

Symptoms of heartworm disease in ferrets include decreased activity level, coughing, trouble breathing and overall weakness. Talk to your ferret’s veterinarian about preventing heartworm disease in your furry friend.

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Ask a FERRET We have a pool and our dogs love to join us when we swim.

Will it harm our ferrets to get in on the fun?

Generally, ferrets love the water and would enjoy swimming with you and your family. The trouble comes in with the chemicals that are used to keep pools clean. Chlorine or bromine pools are not recommended for ferrets. A salt water pool is totally safe for your ferrets though, and I am sure they would appreciate cooling off. Always watch your ferret while in a pool, and make sure they are able to exit easily when they want. Never invite your ferret into a hot tub or whirlpool tub.

We’ve had a lot of time on our hands.

What are some fun games we can play with our ferrets?

With the whole family home, our ferrets have been getting a lot of bonding time with the kids. They’d love some fun ways to better interact with our fuzzbutts.

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erret racing is a popular sport in London that involves competing ferrets racing through drainpipes. You can mimic this fun at home with our Cruising Critters Raceway. The kids love seeing which ferret takes home the win!

Cruising Critter Raceway »

Create a dig box and hide treasures in there for your ferret to find. When they do and cart them off to hide them, send the kids to look for them.

WHAT’S IN A GOOD DIG BOX? - Obtain a large container like a cardboard box, large plastic tub or kiddie pool.

- Fill with a dustless filler that they can dig in. Dry elbow macaroni, dehydrated beans or paper crumbles work great.

Can you give us a little ferret history?

Sure! Greek scholars wrote about a ferretlike animal as early as 450 BCE. They were probably domesticated to hunt vermin.

The practice spread across Europe with remains having been found in medieval castles in Belgium, but there was no mention of them in contemporary writings. It is possible that the ferrets of that time were exclusively a lower class pet which would explain the lack of record. In the late 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci painted Cecilia Gallerani holding a weasel-like creature. Although the animal has been dubbed an ermine, many scholars believe the animal is actually a ferret.

- Sand, rice and packing peanuts are not recommended.

- Hide little treasures in the substrate like our plush toys or sneaker toy, or collect some of their favorite things to steal around the house.

Play hide and seek. Ferrets move and hide so quickly, they are hard to keep track of. Let the ferrets loose in a ferret-proofed room, allow them to hide while the kids count, and let the kids look for the ferrets.

Tubes and slides are a blast for ferrets and kids alike. Simply allowing the kids to create their ultimate ferret playground of Thru-Ways and an old kiddie slide would keep everyone busy for hours.

Mini Thru-Way » Super Thru-Way »

- Play with them while they are in the dig box by using a teaser toy. The Marshall Fishing For Fun Ferret Teaser Toy allows you to attach their favorite snack or treasure.

Fishing For Fun Ferret Teaser Toy »

Sailors kept ferrets on ships to control rats, and that is likely how they came to North America in the 1700s. By the 1800s, ferrets were commonly used as pets and often given as gifts to visiting heads of state. In the 1900s they were imported by the thousands and used as rodent control for barns and warehouses.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that ferrets really became popular as family pets. Today they hold the number 3 spot for most popular domestic pet in America. They will always be number 1 in our opinion.

Leonardo painting: PUBLIC DOMAIN, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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Digbox Inspiration

featuring the 24� Ferret Swimming Pool

Dry Elbow Macaroni

Dry Black-Eyed Peas

Pop N Play Extra Ball Pack

Ferret Face Toy Sneaker Toy Squeak Fish Toy

Fresh & Clean Ferret Litter

Tear-Free Shampoo with Aloe

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#FERRETLOVE Your are my sock thief and my love.

I know you were sent to me from heaven up above.

God knew I needed you to fill my heart, I sure dread the day when we will have to part.

I love you little ferret with every ounce of me, Especially when you war dance and pounce around my feet.

You are my angel and my best friend.

I’ll love you, my furry noodle, until the very end. By: Jerrica Martinez

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#FELFIEFRIDAY

Eric D. Wisdom

Catherine Limbert Mikayla Whitson

Jay Hufty

Danyel Soulier Valerie J. Yanes

Jennifer Lee Reid

Zackery Harper

Dee Waterman

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#FEATUREFERRETS

MELISSA BECKER FEHRENBACHER SAMANTHA MARIE KATIE KELLEY This is Mr. Bandit Weasel and Ms. Violet Weasel! Bandit is super cute and slightly overweight. Violet is known around our house as the $1300 ferret because she loves to eat anything she can get her teeth on!

This is Bandit. He has a lot of beds, blankets and comfy places to sleep in, yet he chose this plastic bag covering a book. His brother Beethoven also sleeps in bags. They are too funny. Some day I want to make a calendar of the weird places I catch them sleeping. Love them!

Binx was found very malnourished running through my work. Nobody knew what type of animal he was, and they were going to release him into nature. I told them that he was a ferret and that I would look for his owner. I took him around to local shelters, called vets, checked Facebook… nobody was looking for him!

Luckily, I found a local vet that knows about ferrets, which is very hard to find. He estimated his birth to be May 2019. We nursed him back to health and quickly realized that Binx needed a buddy. So, I searched and searched! The closest ferret I could find was 2 hours away at a ferret rescue. We had a “home visit” and off we went to add to our family’s business. We took Binx with us to choose his new friend. He chose Bella! Bella was also estimated to have been born in May 2019. Both are Marshall Ferrets and are spoiled rotten! I never thought of owning a ferret, but now I couldn’t imagine life without them.

NATALIE BOWLING These are my 3 fuzzbutts... Cash, June and Maliah. They chose us. Each time we went to the pet store with no intention of buying a ferret, and each time there was that one ferret in the cage who won us over and came home with us. They truly are the best ferrets. We have had other ferrets... but these 3... each is unique with a different personality.

NICOLE VAN HALEN This is Clem! I got him when he was two months and he loves to cuddle and give kisses.

He is THE most perfect weasel ever. I knew he was the one at the store because he came right up to the glass and stared at me. Truly t’was love at first sight.

JENNIFER CALVO Marty is just hanging out enjoying the view.