Message Number: FHL4087 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "imayuman"
Date: 2008-02-25 04:38:49 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: hairball remedy AND Pluck Your Ferret
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com

One more suggestion - this afternoon Gilbert reminded me that
*sometimes* ferrets decide to shed really heavily! Since he was
already bald in some 'patchy' places since November 07 because of
adrenal disease, then surgery, now Lupron, he decided to turn loose
of all his old fur this afternoon!! It became obvious to me that his
fur was ALL very loose and it was TIME TO PLUCK!

Not every ferret needs to be plucked every year. Gilbert is four and
this is the first year he has every shed enough to pluck. I have had
ferrets in the past who shed once yearly enough to pluck - it's just
an individual thing with ferrets, with the weather, whatever the fur
Gods decide. Who knows. But WHENEVER your ferret decides that he/she
is dumping a large portion of his/her coat, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO HELP!

You can help pluck your ferret either WET or DRY! If you do it wet,
shampoo the ferret really well, rinse really well (NO conditioner,
you NEED the 'squeak' factor). Then grasp the fur between your thumb
and index finger, gently pull against the direction the fur grows.
Have a wastebasket handy to put the wet fur in as you remove it. Wet,
freshly shampooed fur plucks really easily. Re-wet the ferret if you
need to before you finish.

To pluck a dry ferret: Just sit with the ferret on your lap and
grasp the fur between your thumb and forefinger. It's a little more
difficult to do it dry than wet, but as long as the ferret doesn't
mine, it will work. If the ferret seems to be uncomfortable this
way, just know that it IS a bit easier on them when their fur is
freshly shampooed and wet.

Also, there MAY be places that will NOT come out - that's just how
nature works. That area may or may not shed tomorrow...or this year.
I just remove what is loose and NEVER make the ferret uncomfortable
by pulling fur that is not loose. It's okay to VERY GENTLY tug on fur
to see if it's loose or not, just keep it very gentle. Since ferrets
are 'itchy' at this time, they really don't seem to mind the extra
attention to their fur/skin at all. They think the fur-pulling action
is a great way to scratch all the 'itchies' they have! My kids always
sit still for their plucking and I've done this for years. It should
be a pleasant experience for the ferret - if it's not, please don't
do it; either you're doing something wrong or your ferret just
doesn't like it. My ferrets just love it and will keep turning
wanting to make sure I get it all, then want a backrub when that's
finished! LOL

If you do a dry pluck, give the ferret a nice warm rinse afterwards
just to freshen them up a bit. Then, especially if it was a HEAVY
shedding season as this was, I always give the ferret a THREE DAY
HAIRBALL TREATMENT just to be sure IF they did ingest any fur that it
goes all the way thru their system and gets expelled before it has a
chance to get settled in.

There is just about no better feeling in the world than this.....a
well-plucked ferret who just had his bath; mommy just gave him a
hairball treatment (vetasyl & Uncle Jim's), now all Gilbert has to do
now is concentrate on getting well and growing his pretty new coat
this spring...and between the plucking (he's bald!) and the hairball
treatment, mommy doesn't have to worry even for one minute that he
will get a hairball blockage this year! Funny the kinds of things
that give ferret parents peace of mind, isn't it? Life IS good!
Hope everybody else's kids love this as much as mine do.

Jacquie Rodgers



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