I am a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, licensed in the State of New York. I graduated from the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981, and I completed a residency in Wildlife and Zoo Animal Medicine at The University of Florida in 1984. I am the coeditor of Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents, Clinical Medicine and Surgery, W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1997. Since its publication, this veterinary textbook has been one of the best selling textbooks in the veterinary field. This attests to the popularity of these animals as pets in the United States.
Many pet owners consider ferrets a very desirable pet.
They are playful, quiet friendly, and nonaggressive. Even with ferrets that have a tendency to bite, the bite is more of a nip rather than the serious bite that commonly occurs with dogs or cats. Ferret owners in general tend to be very responsible and attentive pet owners. If a ferret owner has young children or infants in the household, I counsel them on the potential risks, and warn them that any infant or young child should not be left unattended in a room with an uncaged animal, be it dog, cat, ferret, or bird. I consider that the risk of being bitten by a dog much greater than that of being bitten by a ferret.