From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2004-10-22 17:29:18 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Ways to provide darkness?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20041022172918.57784.qmail@web50804.mail.yahoo.com>
--- sharonl1@frontiernet.net wrote:
> I understand that 14 hours of total darkness is one
> of the best things we can do for our ferrets,
> but.... how do people accomplish that?
We don't. I don't think it's practical. I also think
that darkness matching the natural day/night cycle
(more in winter, less in summer) is probably the
better choice.
I do view ferrets as companion animals and ours are
part of our family. When we're both working,
particularly in winter, there simply isn't enough
exercise and play time if we kept them in the dark
after sunset.
Our compromise, the best we can do, is to give them
lots of sleep sacks, nesting boxes, blankets, etc...
so they can get darkness in those places. Also, when
we got to bed we try and keep all lights off and shut
our blinds tightly.
Some people also throw a heavy blanket over the cage.
Two issues there: first, our ferrets choose when to be
in the cage or somewhere else. They *mostly* prefer
to sleep in there in hammocks or sleep sacks, but not
always. With (near) free roamers it's all the harder
to accomplish. Second, over the past year or year and
a half as our business was mainly older ferrets I do
need to be able to peak in without waking the little
weasles, so no blanket for us.
Our track record with adrenal seems to be about
average. We had one ferret make it to nine and a half
with both adrenal glands. Of the 11 ferrets we've had
over the past seven years only four never had adrenal
disease. Of the remaining seven we have or had four
that never had adrenal disease recur in the second
gland. Romana and Nyssa have gone three years since
having their left gland out. Ker Avon went nearly
four years before lymphoma took him. Also, one (Podo)
didn't have adrenal disease until he was seven and a
half. Ayeka didn't have it until she was six.
Would I like to do better for my ferrets? Always, but
I am not willing to sacrifice quality time with them
or their chance at exercise. Our vet believes
darkness is a factor in adrenal disease, but not a
very major one. He belives genetics and early
spaying/neutering are bigger parts of the equation.
All the best,
Caity and the fantastic four
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