|
Housing
Ferrets love to get into everything, so if you keep them loose you'll
need to make sure they can't hurt themselves or your possessions.
They love to steal small (and not so small!) objects and stash them
under chairs and behind furniture. They like to chew on spongy,
springy things, which must be kept out of reach or they'll swallow
bits. Accessible boxes, bags, and trashcans will be crawled in,
and houseplants within reach are liable to lose all their dirt to
joyful digging. Finally, ferrets may scratch and dig at the carpet.
Naturally, these traits vary from one ferret to another, but they're
all pretty common. If you're not willing to take the necessary time
to protect your property and your pet, a ferret may not be for you.
People should keep their ferrets in a cage whenever they can't be
supervised. This drastically reduces the risks of digestive tract
blockages from swallowing indigestible objects, injury, and escape.
If your Ferrets will be running around the house it is a good idea
to have a collar with a bell, preferably cow-type and uncoated.
So you can at least hear where your pet is.
A metal mesh cage is probably the best choice. Pet stores tend to
keep ferrets in aquarium enclosures, but they are not recommended
as cages. These tanks don't provide enough ventilation at the bottom,
and your ferret will feel isolated from what is going on in the
room. Most aquariums also aren't nearly big enough. Wood cages aren't
recommended because wood soaks up urine and other liquids, so getting
the cage really clean is nearly impossible.
If you plan to keep your ferret caged whenever you're not home,
and you'll be gone most of the day, a generous cage size is about
2 x 3 feet and 3 feet high with 2 to 3 levels. A second or third
ferret could share that size cage. Of course, a nice, big "condo"
is even better, especially with lots of levels and hammocks to prevent
falls from the top shelf. For trips around town, a shoulder or duffel
bag equipped with a litter pan and mesh window works well.
One option is to make the cage yourself. It may be cheaper than
a store-bought cage, and you can get exactly the size and configuration
you want. Photos and descriptions of various types of homemade cages,
as well as instructions for building one of them, are available.
Of course, pet stores and catalogs have lots of cages, too. Multi-level
"cat condos" are probably the most popular store-bought
cages. Some people like the easily cleaned medium or large size
plastic dog kennels, modified to make multiple levels, although
others think that they don't provide enough ventilation or contact
with the outside world.
In the cage, you'll want some sort of "bedroom" for your
pet. A ferret won't be very happy sleeping on the open floor of
a cage, even on (or, more likely, under) a towel or shirt, but any
small cardboard box or basket works well as a bedroom. Old T-shirts
and sweatshirts make excellent bedding, as long as they aren't too
easily chewed to bits. Old towels usually work well too, though
some ferrets tend to get their nails caught in the loops. Don't
use wood shavings. The bottom of the cage can be covered with sheet
vinyl, carpet ramps or bedding.
Other than food, water, a litter pan, bedding, and a bedroom, what
you put in your ferret's cage is largely up to you. Enough room
to stretch and move around is important, and different levels, ramps,
tunnels made from dryer hose or PVC, and so on will probably be
appreciated. Hammocks made from old jeans or shirts and a set of
metal eyelets are very popular for both napping and playing. Most
ferrets get bored easily when caged and sleep much of the time,
so they probably won't get a whole lot of use out of toys; they'd
really rather be out playing. Just be sure nothing you put in your
ferret's cage could hurt him, whether by catching a toe, being swallowed,
or some other way.
Also be sure your cage door fastens securely, perhaps even with
a alligator clips, because ferrets can be very determined and rather
intelligent escape artists. Velcro works well for fastening down
litter pans or some bowls; and clothespins and small bungee cords
can be enormously handy for holding all kinds of things down, up,
or closed.
Diet
Ferrets must eat frequently due to their unusual anatomy, therefore,
constant availability of food and water is important for ferrets,
especially in warm weather. It is particularly essential for pregnant,
old, or chronically ill pets, and for growing ferrets. Ferrets that
fast more than six hours will become irritable and much more likely
to bite.
Ferrets require a high-calorie, high-protein, low-fiber diet. These
requirements may be met by commercial ferret diets. Dog food of
any kind in inadequate for growth and good health in ferrets. Even
the best quality premium dog food will not support ferret growth
or reproduction.
Grocery store brands of dry cat food are commonly coated with animal
fat, making them more palatable to ferrets, but feeding your ferret
a steady diet of these cheaper brands can produce health hazards.
Even though the product ingredients may be listed as 30 to 35% protein,
if the main source of this protein is ground yellow corn, your ferret
will not get the nutrition he needs to stay healthy. Veterinarians
or pet shops premium brands contain 30 to 35% protein, but the primary
ingredient is usually poultry, red meat meal, or meat by-products
which meet a ferrets nutritional needs. Check the ingrediants of
the brands you buy.
Like cats, many ferrets, especially older ones, will refuse certain
diets even when nothing else is offered. They may develop a taste
for one specific flavor and may be extremely stubborn to the point
of starvation when presented with a distinctly different diet. The
more recently formulated pelleted ferret diets are well-balanced
and palatable to most pets.
Ferrets require a higher caloric diet, and their main source of
calories should be from fat. Adding fat to cheaper foods to increase
the caloric concentration will give mature animals shinier coats
temporarily. However, because ferrets eat to meet their caloric
requirement, they eat less of the higher fat diet and soon become
deficient of protein and other essential nutrients. The coat then
becomes thin and bristly. Growing kits will be stunted or die, adults
will be thin, reproduction will fail, and some animals will develop
diseases or ulcers.
Housed under natural light conditions, ferrets will eat more in
the fall and will become noticeably fatter (adding as much as 40%
or more to their weight). This is a normal, healthy response and
is not a cause for concern. They will, in turn, reduce their intake
in the spring and lose the excess weight.
Obesity is rarely a problem in ferrets unless they are fed large
quantities of high fat snack foods daily, in addition to their regular
diet. The best way to return obese pets to a more normal body weight
is to reduce their snack food consumption.
Since Ferrets tend to rest their feet on the water bowls when they
drink, a heavy crock is the ideal water container.
Behavior
Ferrets are very playful, with each other and with you, and they
don't lose much of that playfulness as they get older. A ferret
-- or better, two or more -- can be a very entertaining companion.
They are very inquisitive and remarkably determined, which is part
of their charm but can also be a bit of a bother. They are friendly,
and they do recognize their owners. Though some are slOver about
showing this than others.
Ferrets can be trained to use a litter box and to do tricks, and
most of them love to go places with you, riding on a shoulder or
in a bag. They sleep a lot, and they don't particularly mind staying
in small places (a cage, for instance, or a shoulder bag) temporarily,
although they need to run around and play for at least a couple
of hours a day. A "single" ferret won't be terribly lonely,
although the fun of watching two or three playing together is easily
worth the small extra trouble. Barring accidents, ferrets typically
live 7-12 years.
Ferrets have lots of good points as pets, but there are some negatives
as well. Like kittens and puppies, they require a lot of care and
training at first. They're "higher maintenance" than cats;
they'll take more of your time and attention. Ferrets have their
own distinct scent, which bothers some people, and many of them
aren't quite as good about litter pans as cats are. Although most
ferrets get along reasonably well with cats and dogs, it's not guaranteed,
so if you have large, aggressive pets (particularly dogs of breeds
commonly used for hunting), keep that in mind.
Health
Finding a Vet that has experience with Ferrets is recommended
Common diseases in ferrets
Intestinal blockages
Caused by eating something indigestible, such as an eraser, a rubber
band, some fabrics, or even a good-sized hairball (accumulated from
grooming), which gets stuck. Symptoms may include (one or more of)
lack of bowel movement, constipation, bloating, vomiting or heaving,
drooling, and others. Blockages may occur at any point in the digestive
tract, from the throat through the lOver intestine, even in the
stomach where the object may move around and produce only intermittent
symptoms. Blockages are serious and occasionally fatal; the most
important immediate concern is to keep your ferret hydrated, which
you can do by giving him 5 cc of water every 4 hours from a baby
feeding syringe. You can try giving your ferret large doses of hair
ball remedy every 30 minutes for an hour or two to see if the blockage
passes, but if not, take him to a vet right away for an X-ray, barium
study, and/or surgery to remove it. Laxatone or a similar hair ball
remedy/laxative can help prevent this.
Tumors or lesions of the adrenal glands
Symptoms vary, including hair loss spreading from the base of the
tail forward, lethargy, loss of appetite, and loss of coordination
in the hindquarters. In females, often the most prominent sign is
an enlarged vulva as in heat. Often, however, a tumor will be present
without showing any signs at all, so if your ferret is going in
for any surgery, the vet should take a look at the adrenal glands
as well (if time permits -- ferrets lose body heat very quickly
in surgery). The left gland seems to be affected more often than
the right.
Islet cell tumors (insulinoma)
These are tumors of insulin secreting cells in the pancreas. Their
main effect is a drop in the blood sugar level, and they are also
common enough in older ferrets, even without symptoms, that if your
pet is having surgery for something else, a quick check is worthwhile.
Symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite, wobbly gait, and pawing
at the mouth; in more severe cases attention lapses (staring into
space) or seizures may also occur. If you're more than a minute
from your vet and your ferret has a low enough blood sugar level
to be having seizures, call the vet and ask if you should rub Karo
(corn sugar) syrup or honey on your pet's gums to raise it just
enough to bring him out of the seizure.
Lymphoma or lymphosarcoma
This is a cancer of the lymphatic system. There are two main types,
"classic" and juvenile. Classic lymphoma occurs in older
ferrets and causes enlarged lymph nodes and irregularities in the
blood cell count, but often the ferret doesn't show any outward
signs until the disease has progressed pretty far, at which point
the ferret suddenly gets very sick. Conclusive diagnosis is by aspiration
or biopsy of a lymph node, and treatment is chemotherapy. Juvenile
lymphoma is completely different. It affects ferrets under 14 months,
doesn't generally cause enlarged lymph nodes, and hits very hard
and fast.
Splenomegaly [enlarged spleen, usually a swelling in the
upper abdomen]
In situations where a neoplasm is not present [this is a common
symptom of lymphosarcoma], the pros and cons of splenectomy should
be discussed with your veterinarian. If an animal simply has a large
spleen, but shows no signs of illness or discomfort, it is safer
for the animal to leave it in. However, if the animal shows signs
of discomfort, such as lethargy and a poor appetite, or a decrease
in activity, the spleen should probably be removed. These animals
also need good nursing care to get them back on their food. Often
caused by H. mustelae infection (see below). With proper care -
recovery rates are over 90%.
Helicobacter mustelae infection
A bacterial infection of the stomach lining, Helicobacter mustelae
is extremely common in ferrets. Animals with long standing infections
(generally older animals), may develop gastric problems due to the
bacteria's ability to decrease acid production in the stomach. Signs
of a problem include repetitive vomiting, lack of appetite, and
signs of gastric ulcers (see above). Helicobacter infection and
gastric ulcers often go hand in hand - the relationship between
infection and gastric ulcer formation has not been totally worked
out, although there is currently a lot of research in this area.
Cutaneous vaccine reactions
Subcutaneous vaccination with rabies or other vaccines may, over
a period of weeks, cause a hard lump at the site of vaccination.
The lump simply consists of a large area of inflammation and most
commonly is seen around the neck. The lumps can be removed, and
generally do not cause a major problem for your pet. Similar lesions
may be seen in vaccinated dogs and cats.
Urinary tract infections and prostate trouble
Signs include frequent urination, straining to urinate, and possibly
odd looking or smelly urine. Unspayed females in heat, and spayed
females with swollen vulvas due to adrenal disease, are particularly
prone to UTIs. Treatment generally consists of a course of antibiotic
(usually Amoxicillin); if the ferret doesn't respond to that, the
possibility of bladder stones should be considered.
In males, what looks like a UTI may be (or be aggravated by) an
inflamed prostate, also generally caused by adrenal disease. In
this case the prostate, which is normally tiny, can be palpated,
and a greenish goo can often be expressed from it. Taking care of
the adrenal problem should clear up the prostate trouble too
|
Ferrets
