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Welcome to the health page of South West Ferret Rescue.
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What should you feed a ferret? Good nutrition means good health! A dry commercial ferret
food is by far the best food to feed a pet ferret. It has the advantage
of having all the required vitamins and nutrition required by ferrets
plus it cuts down on the smell of old food and the risk of ill health.
Most ferrets will only eat when hungry, so dry food can be left out for
them during the day. Fresh water must be available for them at all times.
Treats such as ferretone, fruits and vegetables should be given sparingly.
Never feed chocolate, sweets, raw meat, cereals or dairy products.
What health care is required? Ferrets should have regular check-ups and must have their claws trimmed
at least once a month and have there ears cleaned on a regular basis.
If you intend to take your ferret for walks or allow it access to other
animals or public places then they should be vaccinated against canine
distemper and feline enteritis. Ferrets cannot tolerate temperatures above
32C (95F). Wood chips or sawdust should not be used for bedding as they
can cause respiratory problems.
Should a ferret be altered? It is strongly recommended that your ferret be altered at 9 months of age. Females (jills) may go into heat as early as 5 months and will stay
"in heat" until bred or given a hormone injection. jills that are allowed
to stay "in heat" will get "aplastic anaemia", which is a suppression of
the bone marrow and will lead to death if left. As there are enough ferrets
requiring homes breeding more ferrets is not a good idea. Male ferrets
(hobs) that are not neutered have a strong odour; this is greatly diminished
by neutering which should only be done around 9 months.
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Do they bite? A healthy well-loved ferret should not bite. Like cats
and dogs they must be taught what is acceptable behaviour. A neutered/spayed
ferret will also lose a lot of aggression.
Can ferrets get fleas? Yes they can. They will usually acquire them from other
household pets that go outdoors. Any product labelled suitable for kittens
as well as ferret specific brands are okay to use. Do not use flea collars
or canine products.
What about ferrets and children? Children and ferrets can make wonderful playmates. A
child must be taught how to hold a ferret and the ferret must be used
to being handled. Small children should never be left unsupervised with
any animal.
Do ferrets need grooming? Ferret's are naturally clean creatures but do need regular
ear and claw attention. Bathing does help to keep fleas at bay as well
as remove loose fur, ferret's change their coat twice a year.
What diseases can ferrets get? Ferrets are susceptible to canine distemper, Aleutian
disease and feline enteritis. All these can be and usually are fatal but simple precautions
will remove the possibility of contracting any of them. In addition they can catch the human common
cold and flu. Flu has been known to be fatal though the cold is generally not so serious.
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