From:
Michael F. Janke
Date: 2001-03-30 17:50:00 UTC
Subject: RE: weight loss/shedding
I will vouch for the fact that a ferret that goes from a full to a sparse
coat will definitely LOOK skinnier than he or she actually is. I weigh my
ferrets regularly with a scale that is accurate to a couple grams so any
significant change in weight alerts me to something going on. I've had a
couple ferrets go from a full coat to an adrenal induced thinning coat and
can tell that they lost no weight but looked a LOT skinnier.
That's not to say that Cisco hasn't lost an abnormal amount of weight or has
lost some of his winter weight. It's my understanding that their weight can
vary by as much as 25% from summer to winter. That seems like quite a bit
and I can't verify that number. It's just a figure I've heard.
Mike
> I have been reading the list for about a month but this is my first post.
> I have six wonderful ferrets ranging in age from 1 to 4 years old. My
> three year old Mulberry just had his left adrenal removed on
> Monday. He is
> doing good, eating and drinking on his own. He has some loose poops but
> other than that looks great. I have one ferret shedding his winter coat
> right now. Cisco is 1 1/2 years old and I noticed when he
> started shedding
> that he looked skinny and sunken in around the hips. At his last checkup
> about three weeks ago he weighed 2 lbs 10 oz which is normal. He wasn't
> shedding then though and didn't look skinny. How much weight loss is
> normal when they shed in the spring? Is it possible that he looked like
> this before but I couldn't tell because he had a full coat? Any answers
> would be helpful. Thanks! Jaki
>