Message Number: SG11642 | New FHL Archives Search
From: sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-11-30 18:14:33 UTC
Subject: RE: Ferret Question - Diarrhea, hind in weakness, Lethary, Not Eating
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <4817760.1101838473846.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

Author wrote:
> back in her cage sleeping which was highly unusual. We made a vet appointment
> for 2 days and the next day we went in to check on her and she was gone. This

The only way to know is to have necropsy with pathology. An unspotted blockage can kill rapidly, ditto inability to urinate, there can be sudden deaths from undiagnosed cardiovascular problems such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which can be very hard to spot, some ferrets with lymphoma/lmphosarcoma or carcinoma don't show any symptoms till their final day or days, etc.

> 4 month old sable. I never had a kit before and I was wondering if anyone has

If the ferrets are not shedding each other's blood, going for the underside of the throat, or otherwise going over board don't worry about the dominance establishment and kit rough housing.

In terms of training here is a site which actually is for problem ferrets so it is over-kill for your situation but it has a lot of info:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083/probintro.html

You will also find info in these archives:
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
and
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html

In 23 years with ferrets we find that times out in a cage or carrier and consistency work best to stop nipping and maintain trust. Avoid anything which causes pain. With kits you need to also watch their teething. These products help: Cheweasels, Foamy Fries, Marshall Chews. Unlike dog chews, some of which can cause fatal blockages in ferrets these are digestible (though they will cause runs if a ferret swallows too much at once). Even with aids to help a ferret shed baby teeth which want to remain some wind up needing vet dental care. We have had one who had to have help loosening some kit teeth and even removing two of them, one who was rescued biter who never bit again once correction was done for the abcess an unshed baby canine had caused, and one who erupted a molar from his palate and had to have it removed.