Surrendering

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Ferrets are very social animals.  When your ferrets' mate dies, sometimes we think the "best thing" for them is to rehome them to have a new friend.  This is not always the case.  Ferrets do grieve, each in their own way.  During this time it is imperative for the health of the ferret, that the owner provide as much stability as possible.

While your ferret is grieving, consider that removing them from the only home, love and stability they have had, in addition to a loss of their mate, can result in more harm than good. Grief of loss of a home and human family in a ferret can result in stress. Stress in a ferret can result in illnesses or worse.

Not all ferrets, particularly older ferrets, seek a new mate to bond with.  Many older ferrets who lose a partner remain single ferrets and do not accept a new partner.  There is little to no guarantee that your ferret will ever bond with another, and therefore this should not be a reason to rehome them.

FRES strongly encourages families in this situation to reconsider rehoming or surrendering their remaining ferret, after a mate passes.  Instead, we encourage families to provide extra love and attention for their remaining ferret.  Your ferret can live a happy life on their own with the support of their family.

After the age of 5, ferrets are considered senior. At this life stage, stability is the most important thing, especially as most ferrets by this age have one or more medical issues. Also at this stage, most ferrets are slower and sleep more, and do not require the same amount of stimulation and attention young ferrets do, meaning owners who are worried about not having time for them may not be considering they don't need as much.

Rehoming, or surrendering a senior ferret can be incredibly stressful for that ferret and can result in additional medical issues, illnesses or worse. In addition, a new owner may not have the experience or knowledge to properly vet or recognize the symptoms of the stress, or illness, until it's too late, resulting in the pet suffering.

Most senior ferrets that come into care with a rescue, remain with that rescue and are not adopted.  Much of this is due to the health conditions and the extreme stress of rehoming, but also the fact that most people are not prepared to or interested in caring for a senior ferret with a limited life span.  

At FRES we encourage families to understand the long and short-term impact that rehoming a senior ferret may have on that ferret.  This includes the stress of losing their family, as well as the likelihood of them remaining their days in a foster environment, where they may not thrive. The decision to rehome or surrender your pet may not be the best option for your pet, even if you feel they would "do better", as generally, this is not the case.  We strongly encourage owners of senior ferrets to reconsider rehoming or surrendering their ferrets, for the health and wellbeing of their pet.