When you get a ferret, it is extremely important that you get them spayed or neutered, if this has not already occurred at the breeding farm. Even if you don't neuter a male, you absolutely must spay a female that will not be bred.When a female reaches sexual maturity, she will essentially go into heat, and this will not reside until she has mated. The female cannot ovulate unless she mates. Since she will not be mating, she will suffer. She will have bladder infections, bladder stones, lose hair and weight, and eventually have bone marrow failure, which will cause her to become anemic. When this happens, she will eventually hemorrhage internally and die a slow and painful death.
When the female ferret is spayed, both of her ovaries and the uterus will be removed. She should be spayed before reaching sexual maturity between six and eight weeks old, or as soon as she is weaned from her mother.
If a male ferret is not neutered, you will notice that his body has a greasy feel to it, and that he has a great deal of body odor from spring to summer. This is the ferrets breeding season, and this is what happens to his body naturally to attract females.
Left un-neutered, the male ferret is very likely to attack other ferrets that have been neutered, causing permanent damage, such as hair that will never grow as it should again. If for some reason you have chosen not to neuter one of your male ferrets, he absolutely must not come into contact with neutered males.
Males reach sexual maturity between seven and eight months of age. It will not matter, once he reaches this maturity, whether the female is in heat or not he will try to mate with her.
Like female ferrets, the male ferret can be neutered at any time after he is weaned, or between six and eight weeks of age. When the male is neutered, both of his testicles are removed. Typically when a male is neutered, you may notice that his head and neck start slimming a little. He will also become more congenial, turning into a more ideal pet.
Note that a male ferret that is neutered before reaching sexual maturity will not grow as large as one that is not neutered until after reaching sexual maturity. Typically, ferret owners will wait until sexual maturity is reached before neutering the male, but again, this is not recommended for female spaying. Females should be spayed as soon as possible.
After being neutered or spayed, ferrets show little sign that there is any pain. In most cases, they are right back to their active selves not long after the anesthesia has worn off. Most ferrets recover from the procedure with absolutely no problems at all. Your veterinarian will advise you concerning the care your ferret needs for his or her incision, and will instruct you concerning problem signs that you should be on the lookout for as well.