Could One Ferret Kill Another Ferret?

Q: I had two ferrets. My ferrets seemed to get on OK, but sometimes the bigger male ferret seemed to dominate the smaller one. I woke up the other day and the little ferret was dead. Judging by the marks and the way he was laying, it seemed like he was squashed, plus he had marks on his neck. Could the other ferret have killed him? The ferret that I have left seems to miss the dead one. Do you recommend that I get another ferret to keep him company?

A: I haven’t heard of one ferret killing another, although an accidental death may be possible. Since I am unsure what the “marks” looked like, I would recommend having a necroposy from your veterinarian done on your ferret to make sure nothing is contagious.

Most ferrets are fairly social and getting another ferret is never a bad idea. Consider getting another male ferret of a similar size from a shelter.