Ferrets - fad or popular pet?

Someone just posted on MyLot that their hubby was bringing a ferret home to her. I have cats. I had a friend that had one. Ended up giving it away. I have no idea why wild animals are bought and sold and given away. Do you?

i think a ferret is a bigger version of the rat,no thanks for me

I have been a ferret owner for about 20 years now- between owner, rescuer, and state association owner. All the places I have ever lived, the popularity of ferrets has been huge. Ferrets stand as the third most popular pet. I don't see the #s decreasing- only increasing. Ferret rescues always have a good amount of ferrets up for adoption, and pet shops can't seem to keep them in the stores.

Well we live in Australia and have 9 ferrets, mum, dad and tyhe 7 kids, now 6 weeks old and most people we know want one , but we wont just give them to anyone as they are a bit fussy to look after, we will sell the kits and have told a few people if they change there minds in the future to bring them back to us, and not let them go in the wild or just give em away. They are a very intelligent animal and the best fun to have around you, just watching there antics is great. So i dont think there a fad, i just think some people dont like taking resposibility for there pets which is rrealy pathetic on there part.

I have two ferrets. I see them in petco all the time and know a lady here in our small town who also has them. I know they are not as common as a cat or dog but I still think pretty popular. I know of a magazine about ferrets so they have to have some popularity to demand that type of marketing.

I absolutely adore my ferret! as for the fad people(shrug) just not a pet they could deal with, I guess. keep them clean, keep food in their dish, fresh water, let them play for an hour or so, what is so hard about that? I guess some people just don't get it. they are a living creature, not a play toy!

Ferrets have been pets for about 1200 years. They used to be used instead of a dof for hunting. They have always been prized pets. I think they are great because of their intelligence. Mine also gets along well with my cat so it is fun to watch my cat learn from my ferret.

I remember ferrets being the 3rd most popular pet. I'm not sure if they still are. I know tons of people still have them. The problem is people get rid of them, just like dogs and cats. I've gotten at least 6 from people who decided they didn't want them. Almost all my ferrets were "dumped" on me. PetCo sells them like crazy still where I live.

I think that ferrets are a fad, just like igauna's and other exotic animals. Here where I live chincillas were a huge fan, and everyone had to have them. The next thing you knew, you started hearing that there was going to be fines for people letting them go in the wild, because so many people were. They just wanted them to show off basically, and not as a pet, and when the fad ended they didn't want anything to do with them. I have seen ferrets in the local pet store about six or so years ago, but not sence then. When we checked on them a couple of years ago, they said that they did not sell them anymore, because local vets were refusing to see them, and not vaccinate them, so they were prohibitaed where I live. Like every animal, they have their pro's and con's, and it takes a divoted animal lover to care for one.

Ferrets may not be for everyone, but it's not very kind to call them something they aren't. I don't think that they were a fad, as many people I know still own and love their ferrets, including me. I've had ferrets since a very long time ago, so for me they were not a fad. Ferrets have been bred as pets longer than cats have been, so the domestic ferret will most likely always be around as a pet.

We contemplated getting one, and still want one or two just haven't had the money to set them up yet. Around here they're easy to find, but expensive. They're in the Petco here, as well as another local pet store, and can be gotten from other people fairly easily as well. As far as the fad is concerned I think most pets go through phases or being "in". Certain breeds of dogs, birds, etc all seem to be more popular sometimes than others. Kindof like baby names I think it rotates.

i have two of them and a good friend of mine has like, five. i tend to run into people who own them or who have owned them before fairly often. they might be popular kind of like hamsters or something, but they are bigger like little dogs and cats. i get the best of all worlds i think, with their catlike friskiness, their love for my pug's dogfood that they steal out of her dish, and the ability to let them stay in a cage when i'm at work and they will just sleep and not complain.