Why you should never use a collar -- GRAPHIC!

Some people think that all ferrets should wear collars, that a collar is the best way to identify them as a pet to the outside world. (Microchips are really the best, but the allure of a collar is that it can easily be seen and read without special equipment.) They believe that if your ferret should escape, a collar would keep people from thinking that your pet is a wild animal and reacting with fear and/or force. They also think that a collar could also tell everyone whom the ferret belongs to and thus help him or her find their way home.

As a cat owner, I see their point. I have collars on both of my cats and my dog. After all, until animals can speak, it is our job to give them a voice -- and a collar is a good way to provide it.

However, I don't put collars on my ferrets (well, except for very short periods of time, such as when I am taking them for a walk or to an outdoor event). I don't, and I won't.

Why?

1. My ferrets hate collars. If my pets are any indication, they would rather spend hours figuring out how to slough off a collar like a dead snakeskin than spend the time enjoying the outdoor scenery. A collar is a challenge, not an adornment. Mine take it personally when I give them a collar or harness, and if looks could kill, I would be a very dead person a thousand times over.

2. In order for a collar to stay on a ferret, it has to be tight. Very tight. Tight enough for them to be unable to snorgle their way out of it. And that can lead to gruesome damage (see below).

3. If you buy a collar that fits, you have to be vigilant about changing it as your ferret grows and changes. And a ferret's body can change a lot from season to season. My ferrets are not shy about fattening up for the winter. They can gain or lose 6 ounces depending on when you measure them. And when you only weigh about 2 or 3 pounds, 6 ounces can make a huge difference! If you don't monitor your ferrets closely while they are wearing collars, they can grow themselves into a dangerous situation.

In the following pictures, which are gruesome, Rainer's owner did not take his body changes into account. Rainer grew up, but his collar didn't. The collar had to be removed surgically by Dr. Katrina Ramsell. Thank God that we had the facilities to remove this guy's collar before it choked him to death or caused other damage.

Let these pictures be a warning. If you choose to put a collar on your ferret, please please please keep a vigilant eye on them. Don't let this happen to your baby.