"Mongoose or Ferret" dilemma

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Cichlid king

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 25, 2010
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Caribbean
Okay. I have to choose between one of the latter for a pet, but here's where it gets tricky. In regard to the indian mongoosw (herpestes javanicus), they were introduced to my island in the 1800's as a means of controlling the rat population, but they can also make great pets if you catch them from young (I can't seem to find a baby). When it comes to ferrets, there seems to be a bit of legal trouble importing one, but this law isn't very enforced, and I'm sure I might get one through, but still I haven't gotten any site where I can get/buy a ferret. So can you guys help me? Which do you think would be better, and why?

Images of the two species:

Mongoose:
485900101FJPGeE_ph.jpg



Ferret:
polecat%20ferret%20151107%20063.jpg
 
Have mongooses been "domesticated" to any degree? For example, in some places you can get foxes, so long as you get a permit, and you get a ninth (I think), or more, generation fox. They do ninth generation so that they can breed the most docile with each other, and the end result is something which still looks like a wild fox, but which has a much milder temperament than a wild animal. I know people keep ferrets without many issues, but I'd be a bit worried about a mongoose, considering it is a wild animal. Those teeth can do damage!

On the other hand, I cannot in good faith condone illicit practices (meaning, I'm afraid the mods will ban me if I tell people to break the law).
 
I found out that you can keep ferrets, but you need a license of some sort, still though. How can I order one? How much do they cost?
 
Ferrets are not expensive but the shipping might be. Look into getting the permit and ask around for others that have the permit, they might be of more use to you.

Here are some for sale but I am not sure if they will ship to the Caribbean
http://market.exotichobbyist.com/detail.php?cat=25&de=6238
 
Screw the mongoose. I would easily go with a ferret. Are ferrets even found in the wild anymore? Our school teachers had ferrets along with many friends of mine had them before. Ferrets aren't bad at all, unless the mongoose has been bred a couple of generations down the line they won't be nice at all to have.
 
Ferretts are awesome little critters, very fun playful things. but they stink. Most of them sold in the US have their scent glands removed to cut down on that stink but their mess still smells bad so be ready for daily cleaning. However i imagine this would be similar with a mongoose as they are pretty closely related.
As far as the mongoose as a pet goes, I couldn't say, have never heard of one being kept as a pet.

Gfxferret.com has some of the best animals and lots of nice color morphs to choose from but they are a bit more expensive than you would usually pay for one, and then the whole shipping thing... not sure how that would work.
 
packer43064;4796239; said:
Screw the mongoose. I would easily go with a ferret. Are ferrets even found in the wild anymore? Our school teachers had ferrets along with many friends of mine had them before. Ferrets aren't bad at all, unless the mongoose has been bred a couple of generations down the line they won't be nice at all to have.
Click to expand...

the domesticated ferret is not in the wild anymore, it is actually a hybrid between polecats and few other members of the weasel, they have been domesticated for hundreds of years for fur and other things so really todays ferrets have never been a wild animal
 
The mongooses introduced into the wild where I live were descended from "semi-domestic" animals used by snake charmers and also farmers as a means of catching rats.
 
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