Why neuter your male ferret?


Male ferrets need to be fixed too, though it isn't as big a case of health as with a female. Most people will have bought a fixed petstore ferret, so you probably don't have to deal with having him fixed yourself, but if you bought an un-neutered ferret from a breeder, or an un-neutered ferret from a petstore, you'll have to have him neutered yourself.
Neutering a male ferret isn't dangerous if done by an experienced ferret vet. Be sure to neuter after he is four months old.
In the long run, it's definatly as nessisary to neuter your male ferret as it is to spay your female ferret. It prevents him marking his teritory with an icky slime, reduces his smell considerably (descenting does nothing to a ferret's day to day smell) and most of all reduces his agression towards other ferrets.
"Why should I spend the extra money getting a fixed male ferret?" Unfixed ferrets are almost always cheaper. But even though fixing at 5 weeks (the standard petstore age for fixing) can be detremental to a ferret's long term health, it's better than not fixing your male ferret at all. He will be happier being able to be around other ferrets, and you won't have to worry about agressive ruts and smelly teritorial marking. He'll also have a better scent by far. If you can't afford the price of a fixed ferret, you probably can't afford a ferret at all.
"If it doesn't change his health, why bother neutering?"
It is essential to netuer to have the best possible male ferret pet. Male ferrets who aren't neutered will be increadibly smelly, more so than the ferrets you see in petstores, especially during rut, where even when bathed a few times a day, they will stink up the house.
Un-neutered male ferrets will territory mark with slime, an unpleasent and smelly item, and this cannot be trained out of them.
Finnally, you will not be able to keep an un-neutered male ferret with other ferrets, due to agression which will leave him to try and kill any other males, and possibly females, in his territory.
"I don't care if I have to keep him by himself"
Your ferret will care. Unless you stay home all day, your ferret will prefer companionship. He will also be more likely to be fat, and gain health problems from lack of activity, than a ferret with companions. He will also smell. A lot. It's really unimaginable if you haven't been exposed to it, and may cause you to give up your ferret.
"I want to use my male to stud, so I won't have him neutered."
Before you even consider breeding, read the information on it on the female ferret page. Breeding can be very harmful for the female ferret involved.
As for your 'boy', when he goes into rut may not be when your (or someone else's) ferret is in season. He'll also become very agressive, and will try to kill the other ferrets in your house, sometimes even the females, even if they're neutered or spayed. Your ferret won't be agressive to you, but you will not be able to keep him with others.
More importantly, there are too many ferrets in shelters. There is a serious ferret overpopulation. Most ferret shelters have anywhere from 40 to 100 ferrets, and there are many shelters in every state. Do you know who to sell 4, or 10, or 45 ferrets to?
Even one litter is too much.
Don't breed. Period.

Go back


Rut: When a male animal is capable of breeding with a female.
Season: Also know as heat, when a female animal is receptive to breeding and pregnancy.
Stud: A male used to breed