General Information:
Minks are in the same family as otters, polecats, and weasels - Mustelidae. They're semiaquatic animals that make quite uncommon pets.
Unfortunately, American minks are widely used for their fur - like polecats - even throughout Great Britain. Sadly, due to a mass release of American minks into the wild by animal rights activists, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 in the UK, any live mink caught in a trap must be killed.
To keep an American mink in the UK, you must have a license as they're considered a destructive imported animal, however, there are exceptions to this rule.
If you have any uncertainty, please speak to your local council for further clarification.
Even though Minks have incredibly challenging and hard to meet needs, they can make very lovely pets depending on how they're raised, and form strong bonds with their owners.
On average, Minks will live for around 7 years and are obligate terrestrial carnivores who spend most of their time hunting for prey. They're crepuscular mammals, meaning they're most active at dusk and dawn.
Please be mindful, the word 'domestic' when referring to American Mink does not mean they're as domestic as a ferret. Minks used in fur farms are considered to be domesticated animals, this doesn't mean they're very tame. It means NOT WILD.
Care:
Housing/Enrichment:
Housing a pet mink is incredibly difficult. Although they closely resemble ferrets, we'd house them somewhat differently.
Firstly, the cage for a mink will need to be enormous, at least a 3-4 story adventura cage (this is done by purchasing two cages and connecting them).
A cage will not be enough to keep your mink happy, we would also advise that the cage is located within a custom-built outhouse that they can free-roam. An insulated metal-framed shed or a brick outhouse should keep your mink secure.
Enrichment should always aim to allow your pet to exhibit natural behaviours. As a semi-aquatic animal with webbed feet, we would strongly consider allowing your mink to have permanent access to water so they can swim.
This can be achieved by providing your mink with a pool area that will also need to be custom-built with a suitable filtration system to keep the water clean. Ensure they can easily get in and out of the water.
We advise against allowing your mink to swim in UK waters; they're considered an invasive non-native species and a threat to our national waters.
Minks also love tubes, digging boxes, and many other play toys.
Litter Training:
Litter training minks is possible, but it's best started at an early age. Minks can be known to deposit scats for scent marking as they're very territorial.
Diet:
A minks natural diet would be near impossible to exactly replicate in captivity. Ensuring your Mink gets a high-quality proper diet takes an immense amount of research and dedication.
We would advise a raw food diet and prey items.
In the wild, Minks will eat snakes, rabbits, rats, mice, chipmunks, muskrats, frogs, waterfowl, fish - anything it is big enough to kill, it'll usually eat.
Raw food diets run a risk of being incomplete and spreading potentially fatal bacteria to both the animal and humans.
Minks have exceptionally fast metabolisms, and it's often rather surprising how much they can eat.
Similarly to ferrets, their high-calorie carnivorous diet means their diet is high in protein and fats, and low in carbohydrates.
Socialising:
Minks are mostly solitary and come together only to breed. We would advise keeping minks alone in captivity.
Most individuals who've kept minks as pets advise against letting unfamiliar people socialise with their minks. It's very important not to underestimate the risks and the damage that a mink can inflict upon a human.
A mink may not always stay as tame as they were when they were younger, and they have a lot of jaw power. A new owner must realise that mishaps can and do occur.
We must mention that a mink is more than capable of killing a cat or dog, so please do not let your mink mix with other animals within the house.
Health Care:
Vaccinations:
Canine Distemper Virus:
Canine distemper is a fast-acting, often deadly, and a very contagious virus belonging to a class of viruses known as Morbillivirus; it's relative to measles.
CDV can affect the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system of the infected individual. The disease can be transmitted via direct contact with an infected animal and can spread through the air through becoming airborne.
Symptoms include:
The prognosis for CDV is very poor, and most diagnoses are made post-mortem. Treatment is extensive and oftentimes expensive. Your mink will be admitted as an inpatient, and quarantined away from other animals. Fluids, antiviral agents, antibiotics and immunosuppressants are ordinarily used to treat CDV.
In canines, more than 50% of dogs will die within 2-12 weeks after treatment. Early treatment will promote a higher chance of recovery, but a full recovery isn't guaranteed.
Rabies:
Some Mink owners advise vaccinating against rabies. We personally do not think there is a right or wrong answer regarding vaccinations against rabies, however, if you're rescuing a Mink from unknown conditions, it's probably wise to consider doing so.
Consult with an experienced veterinarian regarding vaccinating your mink against rabies.
Please feel free to ask more questions.
Minks are in the same family as otters, polecats, and weasels - Mustelidae. They're semiaquatic animals that make quite uncommon pets.
Unfortunately, American minks are widely used for their fur - like polecats - even throughout Great Britain. Sadly, due to a mass release of American minks into the wild by animal rights activists, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 in the UK, any live mink caught in a trap must be killed.
To keep an American mink in the UK, you must have a license as they're considered a destructive imported animal, however, there are exceptions to this rule.
If you have any uncertainty, please speak to your local council for further clarification.
Even though Minks have incredibly challenging and hard to meet needs, they can make very lovely pets depending on how they're raised, and form strong bonds with their owners.
On average, Minks will live for around 7 years and are obligate terrestrial carnivores who spend most of their time hunting for prey. They're crepuscular mammals, meaning they're most active at dusk and dawn.
Please be mindful, the word 'domestic' when referring to American Mink does not mean they're as domestic as a ferret. Minks used in fur farms are considered to be domesticated animals, this doesn't mean they're very tame. It means NOT WILD.
Care:
Housing/Enrichment:
Housing a pet mink is incredibly difficult. Although they closely resemble ferrets, we'd house them somewhat differently.
Firstly, the cage for a mink will need to be enormous, at least a 3-4 story adventura cage (this is done by purchasing two cages and connecting them).
A cage will not be enough to keep your mink happy, we would also advise that the cage is located within a custom-built outhouse that they can free-roam. An insulated metal-framed shed or a brick outhouse should keep your mink secure.
Enrichment should always aim to allow your pet to exhibit natural behaviours. As a semi-aquatic animal with webbed feet, we would strongly consider allowing your mink to have permanent access to water so they can swim.
This can be achieved by providing your mink with a pool area that will also need to be custom-built with a suitable filtration system to keep the water clean. Ensure they can easily get in and out of the water.
We advise against allowing your mink to swim in UK waters; they're considered an invasive non-native species and a threat to our national waters.
Minks also love tubes, digging boxes, and many other play toys.
Litter Training:
Litter training minks is possible, but it's best started at an early age. Minks can be known to deposit scats for scent marking as they're very territorial.
Diet:
A minks natural diet would be near impossible to exactly replicate in captivity. Ensuring your Mink gets a high-quality proper diet takes an immense amount of research and dedication.
We would advise a raw food diet and prey items.
In the wild, Minks will eat snakes, rabbits, rats, mice, chipmunks, muskrats, frogs, waterfowl, fish - anything it is big enough to kill, it'll usually eat.
Raw food diets run a risk of being incomplete and spreading potentially fatal bacteria to both the animal and humans.
Minks have exceptionally fast metabolisms, and it's often rather surprising how much they can eat.
Similarly to ferrets, their high-calorie carnivorous diet means their diet is high in protein and fats, and low in carbohydrates.
Socialising:
Minks are mostly solitary and come together only to breed. We would advise keeping minks alone in captivity.
Most individuals who've kept minks as pets advise against letting unfamiliar people socialise with their minks. It's very important not to underestimate the risks and the damage that a mink can inflict upon a human.
A mink may not always stay as tame as they were when they were younger, and they have a lot of jaw power. A new owner must realise that mishaps can and do occur.
We must mention that a mink is more than capable of killing a cat or dog, so please do not let your mink mix with other animals within the house.
Health Care:
Vaccinations:
Canine Distemper Virus:
Canine distemper is a fast-acting, often deadly, and a very contagious virus belonging to a class of viruses known as Morbillivirus; it's relative to measles.
CDV can affect the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system of the infected individual. The disease can be transmitted via direct contact with an infected animal and can spread through the air through becoming airborne.
Symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Fever
- Chin and groin rash
- Reduced appetite
- Coughing
- Thick mucus and/or pus discharge from eyes and nose
- Lack of coordination
- Diarrhoea
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Hardening and swelling of the skin along the nose and footpads
- Brown crusty eyes
The prognosis for CDV is very poor, and most diagnoses are made post-mortem. Treatment is extensive and oftentimes expensive. Your mink will be admitted as an inpatient, and quarantined away from other animals. Fluids, antiviral agents, antibiotics and immunosuppressants are ordinarily used to treat CDV.
In canines, more than 50% of dogs will die within 2-12 weeks after treatment. Early treatment will promote a higher chance of recovery, but a full recovery isn't guaranteed.
Rabies:
Some Mink owners advise vaccinating against rabies. We personally do not think there is a right or wrong answer regarding vaccinations against rabies, however, if you're rescuing a Mink from unknown conditions, it's probably wise to consider doing so.
Consult with an experienced veterinarian regarding vaccinating your mink against rabies.
Please feel free to ask more questions.