Do Ferrets Make Good Pets?

The other day, I was sitting down with my wife discussing how the kids kept asking us whether or not they could get a pet. There were two reasons that we were discussing this, is that for one, we always do our best to make decisions like this together, and two simply because the kids won't stop asking us this question, no matter how many times we answer it. Anyway, I digress, back to the topic at hand. As we were going over the many different types of pets, my wife asked me the simple question of do ferrets make good pets?

There are many things that can qualify something as a good pet or not, and almost all of them are subjective. There are however some things that a person can do to help them decide whether or not this particular animal would make them a good pet. To help you decide, I have provide the short list of pro's and con's for this issue. In the end, the answer to this question is only something that you can decide.

Pros:

1. Cute. There is just something about ferrets. Even if you don't particularly like ferrets (for whatever reason) it is hard to argue that they are NOT cute. After all, there is just something about their faces that seems to make a person think that they are always smiling or giggling, almost like a real life Disney character.
2. Playful. Ferrets, as a whole, love to play. Since they are happy to play with toys by themselves, or with others they are fairly easy to get along with. If nothing else, it can be extremely enjoyable to simply sit and watch the ferret play.
3. Smart. Of all the smaller pets, there are none that are quite as intelligent as a ferret. A person can just about literally watch a ferret learn. In fact if you set up a maze of different little tunnels (which you can quite often see in most pet stores) ferrets are quite often willing to spend hours simply exploring.
4. Personality. Ferrets typically have a unique and pronounced personality, most of the time they like to play and cuddle with their owners.
5. Clean. These cuddly creatures are easily trained to use a single location for relieving themselves. Litter boxes are perfect for this job.

Cons:

1. Cute. As with anything, cuteness can fade over time. Don't base your decision simply off of looks.
2. Playful. Ferrets are playful true, but there is a downside to this as well. Ferrets must have some type of interaction every day, or they are going to find their own entertainment.
3. Smart. The ferret is almost too smart. If you are not careful about locking their cage (using an actual lock) then they are going to eventually be able to figure out a way to get out of their cage. This may not sound bad, but if the ferret is bored, it could be.
4. Personality. There is no guarantee that a ferret is going to be nice, just like there are no guarantees that people are going to be nice. You could just as easily end up with a mean or nasty one as you are a nice and playful one.
5. Clean. While the ferret is easy to clean, you are going to have to do it a lot! The absolute minimum would be once a week, but it would be much better to do this chore two, maybe three times a week. Also, be prepared for a smell, as ferrets do have a distinct odor to them.