Do you know that your very own kitchen is an unsafe place for a ferret? You probably thought about securing your dishes and other fragile items so they don’t get dropped, but have you considered what could be harmful to your ferret? Many other harmful substances and objects can harm a ferret and kill him, such as soaps, tempting wires, an oven, and dangerous cleaning solutions. To be a responsible pet ferret owner, you must ferret proof your kitchen!
The kitchen is an adventure land for a ferret, as it has some oddest enclosed spaces and things that ferrets can chew on, crawl through, and climb over.
But their adventure in the kitchen can also lead to lethal consequences. For example, they can consume harmful solutions, get an electric shock, or create a fire hazard and endanger themselves and others.
So, to ensure their safety, here are a few things you can do to ferret-proof your kitchen.
1 – Protect Your Appliances
The first job when you ferret proof a kitchen is to protect your appliances.
Unfortunately, ferrets can and will target your appliances and destroy them within minutes. Many ferret owners state that their pet ferrets always try to slip inside their appliances once they are in the kitchen. This is not only bad for the appliances but also dangerous for the ferrets, because they can get seriously injured when the appliances are on.
Refrigerator
Start with your refrigerator, as it has too much space for a ferret to crawl in and fit under it, behind it, and inside it with no trouble.
They particularly crawl into the back of refrigerators, where there is too much space and a sitting area where they often fall asleep. When the fan inevitably turns on, they can get seriously hurt.
Bear in mind, even if you have a large ferret and you think there isn’t too much space behind the fridge for your ferret, many owners have made this mistake. They are known to squeeze through holes as small as 3/4 inches. Don’t underestimate their bodies and ability to shrink themselves to maneuver through tight spots. All they need is the smallest gaps underneath or around your appliances and their curiosity will do the rest.
Oven
Next, you have to take care of your oven and always locate them before your turn on the oven. They usually fit under the oven very easily.
Then, they may suffer burns due to the pilot light, and if you’re not checking on your ferrets before turning on your oven, well…you can guess what may happen.
One more thing that you need to keep in mind about your oven (and dishwasher too) is the fiberglass insulation. If your ferret ingests that isolation, even if these appliances aren’t on, it can die. That’s why you must make sure there are no access holes on your oven or dishwasher. You cannot consider your kitchen ferret proof if there are still holes to be found anywhere.
In case your oven or some other appliance has too many holes, it is worth considering some duct tape to seal the holes securely and prevent total access.
If it is not possible to use duct tape, like on the back of the refrigerator, due to too much open space, use a metal mesh panel as it covers a large area and restricts access.
2 – Hide Cleaning Supplies
When it comes to cleaning supplies, it can become complex.
Since you not only need to hide but also ensure everything is fully dry before letting your ferret back into the kitchen if you are cleaning.
Never ever leave your cleaning products unattended.
Cleaning products that are pet-friendly aren’t so friendly for ferrets, because ferrets are different than cats and dogs. It is in their nature to consume the cleaning solution if it tastes or smells good to them.
Furthermore, most cleaning products have a powerful odor.
The odor particularly attracts the ferrets. It compels them to help themselves to a taste. According to experts, consuming even a small amount of cleaning solution can give your ferret nausea, vomiting, and cause death.
This doesn’t mean the odor itself is safe; it is dangerous as well, especially if the cleaning supplies aren’t pet-friendly. A ferret is very sensitive and if it ingests the toxins through odor, it can face serious health issues.
In case your ferret drinks some cleaning solution, the only option you have is to bring the solution with you to the vet so that he can assess what type of poison your ferret ingested and get rid of it in the best possible manner. Mostly, in situations like these, the vet provides fluids to your ferret to clean their stomach.
Apart from that, people usually keep cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink. This includes basic soaps and supplies that may be small and accidentally ingested. It’s not worth the risk.
To sum it up, the kitchen isn’t a great place to keep these supplies if you have ferrets at home. Try to relocate them to somewhere more out of reach. Or, if you can lock them up inside a cabinet, please do that securely, for peace of mind.
3 – Keep Plants Out of Reach
If you are one of those people who love indoor plants inside the kitchen, it is time to be cautious.
Ferrets love plants too.
Make sure they don’t have any kind of access to them. Ferrets have a very sensitive digestive system, and this is mainly because they can chew on anything. Particularly plants are very attractive for them, but the problem is plants are also very toxic.
Some plants are ferret safe, however, we use plants to beautify the kitchen. No one wants their beautiful houseplants destroyed by ferrets.
The key here is not to give them the opportunity.
Here are a few things you can do to stop your ferret from digging in your kitchen plants.
- One way to keep your plants safe from ferrets is to hang them from the ceiling. It is a lot better and safer and doesn’t allow them to destroy them. This will also raise the beauty levels of your kitchen and give it a clean, artistic look. Just make sure you aren’t hanging the plants close to anything your ferret can climb up.
- Another good option you have is to use the wire mesh. Ferrets don’t like wire mesh as it hurts them if they try to struggle with it. Cover your plants with fine wire mesh so that they can receive direct sunlight and fresh air too. Besides, wired mesh won’t hide their beauty. Your kitchen plants will stay intact and beautiful.
How Ferret Proof is your Kitchen?
Ferrets are determined creatures; it is immensely hard to stop them from exploring everything around them.
When you ferret-proof your kitchen and block their access, they still try to find a way around your preventive measures.
Therefore, you have to be very vigilant and keep an eye on their actions at all times. Make sure locks are secured, unsafe items are out of reach, and you will be able to keep yourself and your pets from harm.