Adrenal Disease in Ferrets

One of the most common diseases that ferret owners encounter is adrenal disease. The most common symptoms of adrenal disease in ferrets include the loss of hair, increased sleep habits, a decrease in appetite, and a decrease in the amount of coordination that the ferret has in the hindquarter region.

With a female ferret, it is also likely that genitalia region will be enlarged if the ferret is suffering from adrenal disease. The genitalia will have an appearance quite similar to a female ferret’s genitalia that is currently in heat.  It is also possible that your ferret could be suffering from adrenal disease but have absolutely no signs or symptoms present at all. For this reason, it is important that you have your pet checked out by a veterinarian on a regular basis.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a common illness among ferrets, as well. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. Lymphoma can be in two different forms. There is the classic form of lymphoma or the juvenile form of lymphoma. The classic form of lymphoma is generally more typical in older ferrets where juvenile lymphoma is more typical in young ferrets. As far as signs or symptoms are concerned, it is likely that there will be none until the condition has progressed. Once this occurs, it is likely that your ferret will suddenly become very ill.

Enlarged Spleen

An enlarged spleen is also a common ferret disease. However, there are two different cases with this illness. It is common for animals to have an enlarged spleen but show no signs of discomfort. In these cases, your veterinarian will advise you to leave the enlarged spleen alone. This is because it is less harmful to the ferret to leave the enlarged spleen in tact than to remove the spleen. If the ferret is acting normally & appears healthy, you should not have the spleen removed. You could harm the ferret more by removing it than by leaving it intact.

However, if your ferret shows signs of discomfort, then you may want to speak with your veterinarian about having your ferrets spleen removed. As far as symptoms are concerned, you should watch for a decrease in hunger, a decrease in activeness, and an increase in sleep patterns. If these signs and symptoms occur, then it may be necessary to have the spleen removed in order to alleviate any discomfort that the ferret may be encountering.

Litter Training your Ferret

Ferret litter training is just like training a cat to use a litter box. It is so similar that ferrets actually do have litter boxes that you can purchase for them.  Once you have purchased a litter box and ferret litter, you just need to place the litter in the box and then place the box into the ferret’s living quarters.

If your ferret is an adult ferret, then you can expect your ferret to begin using the litter box almost immediately. However, if your ferret is young then it may take the it a week or so to catch on. The best way to make a ferret catch on to litter training is to purchase a litter box that is at least half of the size of the living quarters. The reason for this is because ferrets do not like to use the bathroom in their eating or sleeping area. If the litter box is large, then they will practically be forced to begin using the bathroom in the litter box.

If your ferret is digging the litter out of the box, then you need to place less litter in the box. If you place too much litter in the box, your ferret will automatically begin digging in the litter. The amount of litter should not exceed one inch deep. At first, a young ferret may dig the litter out of the box, but it will out grow this habit once it catches on to the purpose.

Types of Ferret Litter

You can purchase litter for your box at department stores that offer pet supplies or you can visit your local pet store. As for the type of litter that you can purchase for your ferret, you can choose from these different types:

• clay litter
• wood litter
• clumping litter

The type of litter that you purchase for your ferret is entirely up to you and what you and your ferret prefer. There is no litter that is better than another type. The choice is entirely up to you and your ferret.  It is important to remember that ferrets use the bathroom frequently, so you will need to empty the litter box and refill the box with clean litter on a regular basis. This may help you decide what type of litter that you want to purchase.

You may have thought that there was only one type of ferret and that it came in either a male or female gender, but this is not the case. If you are looking to purchase a ferret, then you may want to meet the ferrets before you make your selection. The different ferret types are based on the appearance of the ferrets.

The White Ferret

There are two different types of white ferrets. The first type of white ferret is the albino ferret. This ferret has a white fur coat and has red eyes.

The second type of white ferret has a white fur coat and black eyes. Occasionally, you may see a white ferret with black eyes that has a small amount of black fur mixed in its white fur coat.

The Silver Ferret

A silver ferret has an undercoat that is colored either white or cream. The rest of the fur of a silver ferret is gray. The name “silver ferret” is due to the fact that the ends of the fur are silver in appearance.

The Cinnamon Ferret

A cinnamon ferret can be identified as a ferret who has an undercoat that is colored either white or a varying shade of white. The reason for the name “cinnamon ferret” is due to the fact that the guard fur is a color of deep red with a hint of brown which gives the appearance of cinnamon.

The Butterscotch Ferret

The butterscotch ferret is similar to a sable ferret since they have the same color on their undercoats. However, a butterscotch ferret has guard hairs (longer hairs) that are the color of butterscotch. Generally, the nose of a butterscotch ferret is also a butterscotch color.

The Chocolate Ferret

A chocolate ferret is a shade of brown, just like a sable ferret. However, the difference between the two is that a chocolate ferret is a lighter shade of brown. The guard hairs of chocolate ferrets are just that, chocolate colored.

The Sable Ferret

The sable ferret is the most common type of ferret. A sable ferret has an appearance that is similar to that of a raccoon. This is because a sable ferret looks as though it is wearing a mask.

The White Foot Sable Ferret

This particular ferret is almost identical to a traditional sable ferret. However, the difference between the two is the fact that this ferret has white feet. A white footed sable ferret may also have a hint of white fur around the neck region.

The Black Ferret

The black ferret is a ferret that has a fur color that is mostly black. However, the undercoat of a black ferret is commonly a white or golden color.

The Champagne Ferret

The last of the ferret types is the champagne ferret. A champagne ferret is very similar to the chocolate ferret. However, a champagne ferret has a lighter color fur appearance than a chocolate ferret. Champagne ferrets have tan guard hairs. The undercoats of champagne ferrets are either white or cream colored.

Is it a Male or Not?

In order to determine whether your ferret is in fact of the male gender, you will need to turn your ferret on to its back so that you can get a good look at the abdomen region.

If the ferret is a male ferret, then you should see the genitalia of the in the center of the abdomen. However, if the ferret’s genitalia is located between the hind legs, underneath the tail, then the ferret is of the female gender.

The Different Names for Male Ferrets

There are different types of classifications for male ferrets. If you hear an individual refer to a male ferret by a different sort of name, it is likely that the individual is referring to the type of male ferret that the ferret is.

These are the different types of name classifications for male ferrets:

• A male ferret that has not been neutered is referred to as a hob.
• A male ferret that has been neutered is referred to as a gib or a hobble.
• A male ferret that has received a vasectomy is known as a hoblet.

If you hear someone refer to a ferret as a “kit” then you should not assume that the ferret is a male ferret. A “kit” is the name classification for a young ferret. A “kit” can be either a female ferret or a male ferret.

Is your Female Ferret actually a Female?

It is important to double check the gender of your ferret to ensure that it is in fact a female. It is possible for individuals to mix up male and female ferrets if they are unfamiliar with how to differentiate between the two.

If the ferret is in fact a female, then the ferret’s genitalia will be located between the hind legs of the ferret, below the tail.

You do not need to worry about getting a male confused with a female ferret because the genitalia’s of male and female ferrets are so different. If the ferret was of the male gender, then the genitalia would be located on the center area of the ferret’s abdomen.

The Different Names for Female Ferrets

There are different names for female ferrets depending on status. Here are the names for female ferrets and the reason for these different classifications:

• A female ferret is commonly referred to as a “Jill.”
• A female ferret who has not been spayed is referred to as “Jill.”
• A female ferret who has been spayed is called a “Sprite.”
• A female ferret who has a litter of young is referred to as a “Dam.”

The Facts of Female Ferret Reproduction

If you are the owner of a “Jill”, then there are some things that you need to know concerning mating. Once a “Jill” ferret is in heat, she will remain in that state until she has mated with a male ferret. If you do not plan to let your ferret mate with a male ferret, then you can visit a veterinarian and have them inject your ferret with a hormone injection that will end the heat.

If you do decide to mate your “Jill” with a male ferret and your ferret becomes pregnant, then you can expect your ferret’s pregnancy to last over a time period of about a month. Generally, the normal time span of pregnancy in ferrets last around forty to forty four days.

You’ll have to take a few safety precautions before you allow your new ferret to run around your home.

Of course you should never allow a new animal to run loose in your home. Let it get used to its new surroundings from the protection and comfort of its cage for as long as it takes before you consider letting it roam around your home.

You will also need to litter box train your ferret as well. Depending on your ferret and how much time you devote to litter training most ferrets end up using the litter box about 75% of the time. There are ferrets that will use the litter box every time but, with most, you might find a “present” in the house from time to time.

Litter box training can take several hours a day for several months. The more attention you devote to it, the more likely you will have a litter box trained ferret.

Typically, ferrets will go shortly after after eating or waking up. So, put your ferret in the litter box when it first wakes up. Don’t let it out until it has gone to the bathroom. After it goes, give it a treat immediately. The object is to try to get it associating receiving a treat and going to the litter box.

You should never physically punish a ferret for any reason, especially if they have an accident in the house. Physical punishment will only make them fear you and will not help to correct their behavior. If you would like your ferret to be able to run around the house, you will have to be prepared to do a little cleaning up after them as well.

Something else you will need to do before your pet is allowed to run free is to “ferret proof” your home. Ferret-proofing involves removing any hazards and making your home safe for a ferret. They are small and very curious creatures. They will soon find their way into small spaces. A good rule of thumb is that if their head will fit into a space, their bodies will too.

Start to ferret-proof by first crawling around your home on your hands and knees to look for small holes, crevices, loose ventilation covers, etc. You need to check every room your ferret will soon be exploring themselves.

Don’t forget to include your appliances when you look for places that ferrets can get inside of. Because ferrets are excellent climbers and very curious, anyplace can become a “play area” for them.

Ferrets will be able to get up into some types of refrigerators and could potentially get hurt on the fan. The dryer tubing looks really interesting to them. They can rip a hole in it and get outside through the vent. Couches are also a possible danger for ferrets. They can easily get through the fabric lining and up inside some couches.

Some new ferret owners would love to have their ferrets to be able to run around their homes for exercise, but the most important thing is to give your ferret a safe place to run.

Until mid-1980’s premium cat food was the only choice for feeding pet ferrets. High-quality cat foods are still acceptable, but there are numerous brands of ferret foods that provide the higher-quality fat needed, as well as lower carbohydrate content.

To achieve a maximum life span, ferrets need a combination of fat and lower carbohydrates. It is particularly important that a kit (baby) be fed this type of diet. The correct ferret diet will have at least 35- 40% protein and 18-30% fat, 2% fiber, need to contain 21 amino acids, less than 7% ash level, and good carbohydrate ingredients such as rice flower or brewer’s yeast.

Also, some ferret foods are made with frozen fish that has been poorly processed, and your ferret will not eat it. Some are so finicky they will refuse food they don’t like to almost the point of starvation. High-quality ferret food is usually more expensive than comparable quality cat food, but ferrets eat much less food than an average cat. Ferrets do not need any dietary supplements if they are fed the right types of food.

A ferret has to eat at least twice a day in order to gain the calories needed to sustain a healthy life. Remember, they are small animals so their portions should be small too. If a ferret is fed a moist diet the food is only good for about forty five minutes & soon after that the food should be removed.

A dry pellet diet is also worth considering. A dry pellet diet can be left in the cage all day. Dry pellets also help to clean the teeth.  Ferrets on dry diets must have fresh water all the time. They prefer water from a dish rather than a bottle, but if your pet has a water dish it should be changed several times a day.

Giving your ferret treats in not a necessity, but can be useful with housebreaking. Cooked eggs and meats are the best choices for a snack. Avoid fruits because they are high in sugar as well as candy, nuts and nut products, dairy products such as ice cream and milk; these products will cause nutritional problems.

Some health problems include malnutrition, obesity, tooth decay, diarrhea, intestinal blockage, insulinoma, and hypoglycemia. Use treats sparingly because they may cause your ferret to refuse to eat its normal daily diet. Vegetables or grains should be avoided at all cost because ferrets do not digest them well. Onions are toxic to ferrets.

The proper ferret diet is essential for it to to live a healthy life. It minimizes the risk of serious illnesses and also ensure your ferret is comfortable and happy. Ferret owners have a reputation of showing an ample amount of love and affection towards these funny and frisky pets but, the best way to show love to your pet is to reward them with a good diet.

Be sure to choose a cage that has plenty of room for your ferret to run around. Make sure there are no gaps in the levels because this may catch your ferret and hurt it. The cage should have soft, comfortable bedding so that your ferret will not hurt itself.

Cages with metal bottoms will rust and look dingy after a few washings; plastic bottoms are easy to clean. It is important if you buy plastic coated metal that your ferret is not chewing the coating off because this can cause intestinal blockages.

Make sure the cage has multi layers, and large doors. Large doors ensure your ferret will not get stuck when it’s trying to get out. Also get hammocks and sleeping sacks. The more areas your pet has to sleep the more comfortable and happy they are. Remember ferrets sleep 15- 20 hours a day on average.

Your ferret should spend two hours a day outside its cage. Consider making a ferret-proof room so they do not get hurt.

Your pet will also need toys, but be careful in what you purchase; some toys can place your ferret’s life at risk. To stand up to the sharp teeth toys must be tough. Cat toys are wonderful for ferrets. Do not buy foam or plastic toys because they are easily destroyed.

If your ferret swallows a piece of a broken toy it could result in an obstruction that needs to be surgically removed, so not leave toys inside the cage if you are not supervising.

Ferrets are part of the Mustelid family so they do have an odor to them, it is best that you schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to have your pet neutered and de-scented. Often both de-scenting and neutering can be done at the same time.

When your ferret is home be sure to follow all of the veterinarian’s instructions to ensure your ferrets health. Your ferret also needs vaccinations and regular exams.

Most kits have only had their first set of shots, so you should make sure you find out when they received their shots, and then continue the series with your veterinarian. After the first series of distemper shots are finished your ferret will only need the shot annually. Ferrets also need booster vaccinations.

It is important that you feed your ferret the right type of food. Make sure it is either high quality cat food or a ferret food that is not made from frozen meat. You should find out what brand of food the ferret has been eating before you bring it home. If you plan on switching brands of food you must first wean the ferret off the old food. Help ease the transition to the new food by mixing a small amount of the new food in with the old food and gradually increase the portion of the new food each day.

Snacks for ferrets are unnecessary and they could cause many health problems later in life. If you choose to feed your ferret a snack, healthy options are cooked eggs and meat. Feeding your ferret sugary treats can be very harmful.

Bringing your ferret home takes a lot of preparation, but it will ensure the safety and health of your furry little friend.

The same is true for ferrets. Therefore, a ferret should have two bed types in their cage to choose from. This way they can sleep in the place more comfortable for them. Ferrets beds are necessary for healthy sleeping patterns. Your ferret will not live a healthy life if it is not comfortable while sleeping.

One choice for a ferret bed is a sleep sack, also called a nap sack, that provides extra warmth. Sleep sacks lie on the ground of the cage. It has an opening for the ferret to crawl into, and some sleep sacks are open at both ends. The ferret is surrounded by warmed air when it is in the sleep sack.

A hammock is another bed choice. A hammock provides a pocketed space that is suspended in mid-air which has a partially open space with walled security. Since a ferret is sensitive to heat the hammock provides an open space that can be utilized for cooling comfort. Fleece hammocks come in a variety of sizes and shapes.  Some are lined, others are not.

Ferrets love snuggling together while sleeping, so some hammocks are bigger to sleep multiple ferrets at the same time. Some hammocks are boot-shaped, some are flat-looking, and some have a zipper in front to allow adjustment of the opening. Hammocks have more room for a ferret to make use of. Hammocks can provide additional safety; they can be stepped to help the ferret access the higher levels of the cage, and prevent long falls

It is important to prevent the spread of disease by making sure that the hammock or sleep sack you buy is machine washable. Tightly woven and heavier fabrics are safer and more durable. If a hammock or sleep sock begins to fray or the seams separate, you should remove it from the cage.

Once a sleep sack or hammock is damaged it becomes a hazard to the ferret. When buying a hammock be sure the metal parts included are safe for your ferret. If the hammock comes without hardware, make sure any hardware used will not harm your ferret.

It is a great idea to purchase a hammock for your ferret, because hammocks provide a safer environment, it puts less pressure on the ferret’s body, it places them in their natural sleeping position, and it gives them a separate area to utilize for play.

You should learn about caring for kits before a litter is born. The female should not be touched while she is giving birth.  Handling a female ferret while she is giving birth is dangerous to her young, and also risky as she could become hostile.

The litter size typically is about seven or eight babies.  The kits are born blind and are practically hairless with a pink complexion. They spend the first part of their lives just eating, sleeping, and growing.

It takes about 20 days for the kits’ fur to darken and soon thereafter their eyes will begin to open. After reaching six weeks of age they are able to leave their mothers. A baby ferret should get its first series of vaccinations by seven weeks of age, and you should think about having them de-scented and fixed.

Kits must first be weaned off their old diet. Find out from the breeder which brand of food they have been eating when you get your new ferret. If you decide to use the same brand of food you should soak it in warm water for five minutes before you give it to the baby ferret. If you are switching brands of ferret food, you must purchase the old brand and gradually mix the new food into their diet.

Ferrets used to eat cat food but now there is high-quality ferret food available. Ferrets, especially during infancy, need a higher quality of protein in their diet, which cat food does not offer. You should make sure that and ferret food you buy contains at least 20% fat and 35% protein. Balanced fats like poultry fat is a better blend of essential fatty acids and  is better for baby ferrets. A ferrets’ water should be changed once a day, and they should always have water available.

To keep your kit safe and give it plenty of room to move about, it should be housed in a large, clean ferret-specific cage. A ferret cage is large because ferrets are very active and need room for safe play. Avoid metal bottom cages that corrode easily, and if you purchase plastic coated wire make sure your baby ferret is not chewing on it.

Ferrets need dark, quiet places to hide. They like to sleep and burrow in soft padding. Bedding should be checked to make sure they are not eating it, as this will cause a block in their intestinal tract.

Baby ferrets are very active and require lots of love and attention after they are born for them to live a long and healthy life.