Do Ferrets Like Water And Do They Swim?

People often debate whether ferrets like water or not. Some say that they are naturally drawn to it, while others claim that they will avoid it at all costs. But what do we really know about ferret behavior? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at why people think ferrets love water and if there is any truth to these claims.

So Do Ferrets like Water?

So do ferrets like water? Yes they do! Ferrets are mammals that enjoy the presence of water, they have fun and they love to run around water sources. It can be very entertaining and remains as a great exercise for your pet.

Note: Avoid bathing them more than twice a month since the more you bath them the stinker they get!

Do Ferrets Swim?

Yes they do! Ferrets are actually very good swimmers. They can swim for long periods of time and enjoy playing in the water.

Wild ferrets find it a way to escape from predators, by swimming across banks, these ferrets don’t need to learn how to swim they are natural swimmers, and it is an innate action for them, baby ferrets do the same.

Ferret owners can get them self a small baby pool filled with fresh water to train their pet if they think a river is more dangerous.

Ferrets and otters share the same way of swimming, they poke their nose out of the water and paddle with their feet at the same time using their tail as a rudder.

It is nice to take a dip in the pool when the weather is hot. It can be hard to handle the extra degrees without this at times. So, what about our furry friends? Smaller animals like ferrets can be a little more concerning when it comes to jumping in and splashing around. You will need to watch them if they cannot swim, because you don’t want to force them into a pool if it makes them uncomfortable.

Teaching Your Ferret to Swim

It might sound a little contradicting as I have mentioned previously that they are natural swimmers, but that does not mean that they cannot be taught a method. Every ferret learns, but at different pace, best would be to introduce them to a pool before endangering it by sending them to an open river.

Start of by giving the ferret an opportunity to associate with water. Ice cubes can also be added to cool down the ferret’s body.

Hold them tight when they are standing in bath bowl make sure it is shallow water, so that they don’t drawn in the initial stage which is going to make this bathing experience a horror for them, and it also prevents the chances of soap water getting into their eyes and nose.

Gradually the ferrets can be sent to deep waters and in which the ferrets are comfortable swimming, if they are not comfortable, better is to stop trying and bring them back to the shallow water.

Also, a major lesson is to make note of the body size of the ferret, one saying does match this situation, “not all small ferrets are a small, and not all big ferrets are big”.

Take it slow and have a break to avoid tiring the ferret, Ferrets do respond to love and food threats, so keep encouraging your baby instead of forcing your pet ferret.

At some points leave them alone as well, so they might figure things out for them self and this is a really good strategy to follow, because self-learning is the best learning.

Since pools are meant for outdoors another major factor to consider is the direct sunlight falling on your pet. Not like humans’ ferrets do not really need tan lines, they are covered with hair and this hair prevents sun from toughing the skin but temperatures over 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (29 to 32 degrees Celsius) are too hot and overheating and heatstroke is a serious risk for these animals. 

Remember after all of these, ferrets are domesticated animals and they are keen learners and a big-time attention seeker as well, so whatever training they go, a well-loved ferret is always going to perform well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aB_TNxzyUI