From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2003-09-08 23:50:13 UTC
Subject: RE: senility in ferrets?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1297763.1063065013337.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Natasha, that sounds rather consistent with diminishing sensory imput such as poor eyesight, poor hearing, or both.
Get some safe essential oils from a health food store (ones of fruits, herbs, spices, or edible flowers like roses. Place these on furniture or walls into which she might bump. Map the house with them by having 2 different scents per room one for each side of the room.
If that makes a difference then use the precautions needed when approaching a ferret who feels insecure due to less input -- slow approaches, etc.
See if that helps.
Some ferrets don't mind such reductions and it is hard to even notice that they have them but others react more strongly at first.
Smell is actually their primary sense, but even that can diminish, especially with certain medications such as Lasix (which is why it is important to feed some warmed stinky food like a/d with heated water added to ferrets who are on high levels of Lasix and stop eating).