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[woose1]

So, It's almost Christmas time as I hope most of you are aware of, and I've been looking at getting another pet for quite some time now. I've had pet rats in the past, and currently I have two dogs, one a huge golden retriever, and the other a small mixture between a chihuahua and a pug.

I've done a little bit of research on the ferrets, and consider myself informed, albeit 20 minutes spent googling an animal is nothing compared to the real-life experiences of someone who's owned one before.

I'm currently concerned about how well a ferret would integrate into the household, what with 2 pets already living here. Furthermore, I'm a bit worried about the smell. I've heard talk that you really can't feed your ferret fish or fish byproducts, and certain types of bedding help, but I'm on the fence about this. Next weekend I'll be seeing a veterinarian and I'll see what s/he has to say on the matter.

For now though, does anyone have any useful information that could help me decide whether or not I'm cut out to take care of (what is essentially) another dog?

[PenguinOverlord]

Ferrets are cute and look awesome.
Talk to somebody at a pet store.

[sonerohi]

Advice: Murder it swiftly and shed no tears. My brothers ferret was an asshole to my guinea pigs.

[woose1]

But I didn't even get it yet. D:

[Labs]

Derp.

[nenjin]

I wouldn't. They reek and they have a rodent mentality of getting into things and destroying them. Except unlike rats or mice, people tend to let ferrets free roam, so they get into trouble. Imagine a dog, that doesn't listen to you or learn what you don't appreciate and has no trouble getting up on counters, in cabinets or into your trash without you hearing them. Need to find your ferret? Prepare to have to hunt for it, probably behind couches, or inside of them. You can't really discipline them either. If you try, they just tend to bite you.

No one I know that has owned a ferret has stayed an owner for the long-term. Even if they're nice and cuddly variety, and not a rampaging psycho, the stink they generate alone is enough. I've never encountered a pet that can fill a whole room with its natural smell quite like the ferret. Their coats are incredibly oily, which probably contributes to it getting all over couches ect...

I'm not a ferret hater. And you seem like quite an animal lover already. But they're the kind of pet that ends up defining your household. Not to mention a small, fast-moving rodent looks like a meal to a bored dog.

[Grakelin]

I was scarred permanently by a ferret once.

[ChairmanPoo]

Next year I don't expect to be many hours a day wherever I am staying, so I was looking onto pets that are affectionate yet can be well by themselves. Thus, I'm thinking that I'll get either a ferret or a cat (I had been pondering getting fish instead, but those are hell to transport back and forth)

I was scarred permanently by a ferret once.

Chicks love scars, man

[Satarus]

My advice.  Get a cat.  They are smarter and easier to train.

[ChairmanPoo]

And cheaper, since when the time comes I'll just grab one of the stray kittens that wander around the urbanization where I live.

[DJ]

Cats are the best pets. The require virtually no attention (feeding and litter changing take like 5 minutes a day), yet they're very cuddly.

[ChairmanPoo]

I think DOGS are better pets than cats. But require much more attention and company that cats. I think it's just wrong to keep a dog at my (future) home when I might well be absent for a full day, and will have little time even when I don't. That's why I was considering other alternate pets

[DJ]

Dogs aren't pets, they're burden. And they can't even purr.

[Soulwynd]

Cats are better pets imo. They're more affectionate, funnier, less smelly, more relaxing, and in some cases more deadly.

[scriver]

I have to ask: If you allready have two dogs, why are you getting another pet? Getting animals are not something that should be taken lightly.