Message Number: YG14033 | New FHL Archives Search
From: caitlynmaire@earthlink.net
Date: 2002-06-20 13:47:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Weight Loss in 2 Ferrets

Hi, Brenda,
>
> I'm a newbie. We currently have 2 ferrets, 2 rabbits, and a kitten.
> My fiancee and I noticed that the ferrets have lost a significant
> amount of weight. Freak was getting a bit of a belly back in
> Feb/March and Spike was chunky up until March. (I think) Spike
> started to lose some weight in March/April. We thought it was
> because he was getting more exercise. We got him from a rescue in
> November and he didn't get much playtime outside of his cage. We
> have a separate room for the ferrets and they get free run of it.

Some weight loss in the spring and weight gain in the fall is normal.
Also, an increase in activity would account for some weight loss and
better muscle tone. You also didn't say how old Freak and Spike are.
Ferrets around one year old lose all their baby fat. It scared us to
death when we were new ferret owners, and turned out to be perfectly
normal.

You also didn't say what they weighed before and what they weigh now, so
we have no way of knowing if the weight loss is excessive. Do they seem
really thin now? Do their sides look sunken in?

It could be nothing. It could be something. If in doubt, always ask
your vet. We did that with ours when they were young and were told not
to worry. With Pertwee (when he was one) the vet's reaction was
completely different, but he was having obvious tummy trouble
(turned out to be heliobacter) and later had adrenal disease (at one and
a half) with no hair loss at first. The piece of mind was worth the
cost of a vet visit and exam where nothing was wrong, and got Pertwee
proper treatment when something was.

All the best,
Caity