From:
Melissa
Date: 2003-07-30 18:37:42 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Repeated request: the health problems of rescues (Barb Clay may be able to to use this info right now.)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20030730183742.84900.qmail@web14403.mail.yahoo.com>
On the emotional issues -- I have to second the
earlier post -- the emotional issues can have physical
manifestations for a very long time. Thinking about
that may help to avoid exacerbating the emotional
problems and thus worsening the physical problems.
I have a ferret, Brenna, rescued from a backyard
breeder by a ferret group when she was approximately
10 weeks old. She is now 3, and I got her about 2
weeks after the shelter took her. The entire group of
ferrets is generally described as having "paranoid" or
fearful/suspicious tendencies, and tend to be somewhat
obsessive about their human attachments. So this
might be breeding or it might be a learned response,
or it might be the result of some type of cruel
treatment.
Although Brenna is as happy as I think she can be, she
stresses very easily in certain situations, and
develops sort of a proliferative bowel thing and loses
weight. This occurs whenever I pack to leave
overnight (leaving her home), when she is around
strange ferrets, or when she is confined with any of
the other ferrets in our home. It just seems like she
really hates/fears other ferrets, and is extremely
attached to me. Our vet says that it's just stress,
not any kind of illness. I just mention this because
it might help others to know to watch for it.
Hope this is of some help...
Melissa
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