Ferret Health Care

It is important to remember that while ferrets look cute and many people may like the idea of having them as pets, ferrets do not make for great pets for everyone.



Before you get a ferret, you need to be sure that they are suitable for you, and that you’ll enjoy keeping them for a long time. Also, be sure to know about ferret health issues and speak to a vet about ferret care.

Ferret Health Information

• Ferrets are social creatures and enjoy being interacted with. While they are small, they are not ‘hand pets.’ These little animals enjoy playing and need to be taken out of their cage every now and then.
  
  
  
  It is advisable to get another pet ferret if you don’t have the time to interact with your little pet all through the day.
• These animals can be extremely smart and can get into places they aren’t supposed to be in. When you let your ferret out of its cage, make sure that all windows and doors are locked and that one of the family members are watching the door and other possible escape routes.
• Ferrets nip and the male ferrets are especially notorious nippers. If you train a young ferret, then you might be able to cure this tendency. Females are easier to train than the male ferrets.
• Ferrets have a musky odor and the male ferrets have a stronger odor than the female ferrets.
• These animals have a lifespan of 5 to 8 years.
• Ferrets can get a host of health problems. They are susceptible to diseases like pancreatic cancer and tumors on the adrenal glands.

Ferret Health Problems

Ferrets suffer from a host of health problems. Let’s look at some of the common diseases that ferrets suffer from.

• Adrenal disease: Some of the common signs of adrenal disease in ferret include hair loss, enlarged vulva (in females), prostate enlargement (in males) and difficulty urinating, muscle wasting, thinning of skin, lethargy and weakness. Surgery is generally recommended to remove the affected gland.
• Anal gland impaction: Blockage in the anal gland or some kind of bacterial infection can cause this health problem. If the problem is in the early stages, then holding warm compresses against the glands help, and in chronic cases, surgery might be recommended by the vet.
• Aplastic anemia: This health problem can cause the death of non-breeding, unspayed females. This happens when they go into heat, when the increased level of estrogen suppresses the production of white and red blood cells in the bone marrow. Take your ferret to the vet in this case.
• Cardiomyopathy: In this condition, the walls of the heart of the ferret, thicken or thin out, and this affects the flow of blood through the heart.

There are a lot of other health problems that ferrets suffer from. We suggest, you speak with a vet regarding this.