Ferrets, as very active and curious animals, need periodic walks on the street. To prevent the beast from escaping, the owners use leashes and special harnesses. Consider how to choose a suitable harness, how to make a harness for a ferret with your own hands and how to walk a ferret on the street.
Why do you need a harness
Ferrets are energetic and active creatures, and therefore in a confined space they are very destructive. If the animal has nowhere to put energy, it begins to restore its order in the house. Ferrets can not only damage equipment and furniture, but also become aggressive towards the owner.
Long street walks can exhaust the animal so much that at home it will behave calmly and harmlessly. However, unlike a dog or a cat, a ferret cannot just be let out into the street without supervision, because a curious animal can be frightened and get caught somewhere or jump out under the car. That's why for a walk this pet needs to be led out only on a leash.
They use a collar for walking dogs, is it suitable for ferrets? No, because ferrets have a different body structure, and they are also dexterous and sneaky. The collar can strangle the animal. The ferret can pull him off and flee. Ferret harness is safer and more reliable.
How to choose a harness in a store
Of course, it is better to come to the store with a pet in order to immediately try on different harnesses and choose the appropriate option. It is worth remembering that harnesses for cats or small dogs are not suitable for ferrets, because ferrets are much smaller in volume. If you cannot take the animal with you, you can take measurements from the neck and torso.
The harness should be made of durable, but not very hard material. The stores sell leather or nylon harnesses. The skin is good because it is not so dirty and easier to clean, while nylon harnesses are much easier to put on due to their elasticity and convenient fastenings. It is necessary to examine the seams: they must be strong and reliable. The harness should not strongly compress the body of the animal, but it should not hang out. It is ideal if one finger can be inserted between the ferret’s body and the tissue. Photos of ferret harnesses are presented below.
The leash should not be longer than two meters. Trendy roulettes are not suitable for ferrets. Small nimble animals can jump into the bushes and become entangled in the branches. Ferrets can nibble on a leash, so it must be strong. It is undesirable to let the pet go far away, because the animal can climb into a place from which it will be problematic to rescue.
How to make a harness for a ferret himself
It’s not so difficult to make a harness with your own hands. To do this, you need a rigid woven tape three meters long, two fasteners, two adjusters, a carbine and a half ring for attaching the leash. Of the tools you need a needle, scissors and an awl.
First you need to take measurements from the beast: measure the volume of the neck, the diameter of the body under the legs and the distance from the neck to the chest. By measurements you need to add a couple of centimeters to the seams and fasteners. It is necessary to cut pieces of fabric in accordance with the taken measurements. After all three parts are sewn together: the front and rear parts are connected using a jumper. Seams should be strong and strong so that the beast could not tear them. Fasten the fasteners and adjusters to the harness. On the jumper in the middle, you need to attach a half ring.
A leash can be sewn from the rest of the fabric. On one side, attach a carabiner to it, and on the other, make a loop for which it will be convenient to hold the leash with your hand.
How to train a ferret to harness
For the animal will be a lot of stress if in one day you put on a harness and immediately take it outside. Therefore, it is advisable to accustom a pet to this from childhood.
How to put a harness on a ferret? At first, he can violently resist incomprehensible manipulations, but he should be persistent. It is necessary to carefully fasten the fasteners and check that the body of the animal is not too tightly compressed. After that, give the pet a treat so that the ferret associates this process with something pleasant. You need to let the beast walk around the house for 10-15 minutes. This ritual must be carried out until the ferret gets used to the ammunition and stops trying to remove it. After that you can attach a leash to the harness and walk with the ferret around the room. When the ferret gets used to such walks, he can be led outside.
What to do before a walk
Street walks are only allowed for vaccinated quarantined animals. Ferrets can be walked after four months of age, after two weeks after the last vaccination. It is undesirable to walk a weakened or sick animal. Due to a fallen immunity, the ferret can pick up the infection.
For animals, the street is dangerous with a large number of various parasites. Before walking, the ferret should be treated with a flea and tick remedy. Periodically, the animal should be given anthelmintic drugs. You can walk a ferret almost all year round, you just need to find the right weather. You should not go for a walk in the heat and in slush. In winter, it is undesirable to walk at temperatures below 15 degrees below zero.
How to walk a ferret on the street
First you need to put the harness on the ferret and check the reliability of the fasteners. It is worth remembering that if the animal breaks off the leash, it will not be easy to find it, so do not neglect the check.
For a walk it is better to choose a less crowded place where dogs are rarely found. There should be no roads nearby. If during a walk you see a dog, you need to pick up your pet until the threat passes. Especially dangerous for ferrets are dogs of hunting breeds, which can consider the animal as prey and attack it.
On a walk, especially in hot weather, you need to have water with you. It must be periodically offered to the animal. If the animal has become inactive and is breathing heavily, the ferret may have overheated and should be taken home urgently. During winter walks, it is desirable to keep the animal mostly on hand, occasionally lowering it in the snow so that the ferret frolic as it should. But here you need to be careful that the snow does not crush the animal if the ferret starts digging holes in it.
You should not expect that during the walk the ferret will execute commands, like a dog. The animal can be allowed to frolic in nature, but you need to carefully monitor that the animal does not pick up anything from the ground and does not eat it.
Thus, the ferret is a very active creature who needs street walks for normal mental and emotional development. To prevent the animal from escaping, frightened by an unfamiliar noise, for walking you need to use a special harness, which is easy to make at home.