This article was co-authored by Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA. Deanne Pawlisch is a Certified Veterinary Technician, who does corporate training for veterinary practices and has taught at the NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant Program at the Harper College in Illinois and in 2011 was elected to the board of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation. Deanne has been a Board Member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation in San Antonio, Texas since 2011. She holds a BS in Anthropology from Loyola University and an MA in Anthropology from Northern Illinois University.
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Ferrets are super cuddly and they love to be cuddled and carried by their humans. However, make sure you lift them the correct way and carry them comfortably. Scruffing your ferret – carrying them by holding the scruff of skin behind their neck and close to their head– is a good way to hold them if you need to examine them. Carry your ferret safely and comfortably by supporting their middle and back end or by placing them in a carrying sack.
Steps
Lifting Your Ferret
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1Place one hand near its front armpits. This supports their spine, which is pretty flexible. It also makes your ferret feel comfortable and secure. Keep a tight enough hold to prevent your ferret from getting away, but not so tight that you're actually squeezing it.
- If your ferret starts to squirm, hold their body against yours. This will help you keep the ferret steady, and can also calm your ferret down.
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2Use your other hand to support their bottom. Once you have one hand around your ferret’s middle, place the other hand under its bottom.Advertisement
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3Lift your ferret. Once you have your hands properly supporting your ferret, you can lift it. Some ferrets enjoy being rocked side to side in this position – it relaxes them and helps them bond with you.
Scruffing Your Ferret
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1Grip the scruff of your ferret’s neck with your thumb and index finger. The scruff is the loose bunch of skin on the back of your ferret’s neck, right below its head. Make sure that you grip the skin close to the ferret's head since this is how mother ferrets carry their young. Pinch this bunch of skin and pull it up slightly. Don't pull the skin so it's completely taut, just enough so your ferret freezes.[1]
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2Slip your hand under your ferret’s feet. You should never lift your ferret merely by its scruff – you can damage your ferret’s skin and really hurt it. After you’ve pinched its scruff, slide your hand under both of your ferret’s feet to support the weight of its body.[2]
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3Lift your ferret. Holding your ferret by the scruff will tell your ferret to relax, so you might notice it yawning quite a bit. Make sure you keep hold of your ferret's scruff, since this will keep it from squirming and possibly falling.[3]
- Scruffing is great if you need to lift your ferret to examine it for anything, clip its nails, or give it medicine.
Carrying Your Ferret
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1Hold your ferret against your body. Use a regular lifting motion, placing one hand around your ferret’s middle and one under its hind legs and cushion it against your body. Your ferret will feel comfortable against you and you can carry it around the house like this.
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2Use a carrying sack for longer trips. Many pet stores have carrying sacks specifically designed for carrying your ferrets around. They should be used if you're carrying your ferret around the house while you do other things or on long trips out of the house. They are slim at the opening but have an accordion like bottom that gives your ferret plenty of room to root around and get comfortable.[4]
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3Get a carrying cage for vet trips. You’ll occasionally need to carry your ferret to and from the vet. A small carrying cage will work to transport your ferret. You can purchase carrying cages made specifically for ferrets or those made for small animals like cats. Make sure you add some bedding to the carrying crate so your ferret is comfy.
References
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