What does Frettig Gestoord do?
Frettig Gestoord is a ferret association and ferret shelter. We take in approximately 100 ferrets each year — through surrenders, because an owner has fallen ill or passed away, or because they are found on the street.
- We take in found and surrendered ferrets without reservation.
- We provide permanent care for elderly ferrets and ferrets that can no longer be rehomed for medical reasons.
- We support animal shelters that also take in and rehome ferrets.
- We give talks to shelters and animal ambulance services.
- We advise people who wish to acquire a ferret and offer a visit address where they can come and have a look.
- We keep our members informed via social media and an association magazine about news from the ferret world, and we attend events and fairs.
One or more ferrets?
A great deal of conflicting information can be found on the internet. We have been rehoming ferrets for more than 25 years and base our approach on what the ferret itself indicates.
When ferrets start playing quickly and sleep together at a first introduction, there is a connection — and we will not separate them again.
Ferrets truly become attached to one another. A ferret living alone wanders around aimlessly, has little to do, and sleeps much more — even if you wave tunnels and balls at them endlessly as an owner. As a human, you simply cannot offer the same companionship as another ferret.
The best approach is to take two (or three) ferrets right from the start. Two ferrets are just as much work as one: they share the same cage and litter boxes and keep each other entertained when you don't have time.
Occasionally we do place a ferret on its own: if a ferret has been alone for too long and finds it too stressful to be around another ferret, it may immediately go on the attack out of fear during an introduction. This is rare, however.
Our position on breeding
We do not want our ferrets to be bred from. We rehome so many ferrets that we cannot always keep track of what happens after a few years. All ferrets that come to us are castrated or sterilised.
Our position on the implant
See Care and nutrition for a detailed explanation. In summary: we choose surgical sterilisation or castration over the implant, because follow-up of an implant goes wrong too often in practice.
Contact and further information
Want to know more about Frettig Gestoord, become a member, or surrender or adopt a ferret?
Visit our website: frettiggestoord.nl