Ferret and Rats live together?

OK. You will probably think that I am crazy. I love my three hooded rats. I would like to get a ferret. I know that the majority of the time an adult ferret would probably kill any rat or mouse that he meets. However, has anyone successfully gotten a rat and a ferret to get along? Possibly even live together?

The reason I ask is because I'd really like to get a ferret. I recently built a cage for my rats that takes up about a quarter of my bedroom. It is 5 feet long by 3 feet wide by 2 feet tall. They love it. If I were to get a ferret it would only be fair that he have a cage at least that big. I don't have the room for another cage that size.

Anyway....perhaps if I got the ferret when he was VERY young and he was properly introduced to the rats.... could this work?

My rats have NO fear of other animals. They even play with my german shepherd.

Thanks for your in-put.

Hank

[fstybrat]

Quite honestly I do not think it is a good idea to attempt this. Ferrets are naturally meat eaters & in the wild rats,mice, etc are considered food for the ferret.

You could have a ferret in the same house with a rat but NOT in the same cage. If you were to get a ferret I would strongly suggest you keep the two separate. I have heard many stories about ferrets getting along with many other animals but NOT rodents... they almost always kill them.

I wish you the best of luck!

[Wendy]

I also think this is a bad idea..not worth taking the risk, you'd never forgive yourself if something bad happened, what happens to the ferret in that situation, a situatiion in which the ferret kills a rat or rats?

Wendy

[Nancy]

I wouldn't recommend it. A rat would be considered "prey" to a ferret. Ferrets were used as rodent control before cats. They'd probably end up killing it or severely injuring it; even if introduced at an early age. Is it possible for them to get along w/o injuring or killing the rat? Anything's possible, but IMO it isn't worth the risk to find out.

[tutebugs]

Ferrets are meat eaters. It would probably not be a good idea to put ferrets and rats in the same cage. Although the only time a ferret will normally eat meat is if they've been fed it since birth, they do have that instinct still and could possibly decide the rat looks like lunch. I've held a rat up to my ferrets when they are out playing and they run the other direction, but I still wouldn't put them in the same cage.

[ratman]

what does the top of the cage made out of, do the four corners of the cage have bracesif so just build a cage the same size and put it on top of the other but put a peace of plywood in between.

[tutebugs]

Quote: Originally posted by ratman what does the top of the cage made out of, do the four corners of the cage have bracesif so just build a cage the same size and put it on top of the other but put a peace of plywood in between.

HUH???