FREQUENTLY asked questions

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De-scenting is removing the musk glands from around the tail.  This gets
rid of most of the musky smell.  They have other musk glands and will
still have a smell to them.  Some ferrets have a stronger odor than
others.   If there is a ferret smell in the home, it’s usually because
the bedding, cage, or litter boxes aren’t clean. The bedding they sleep
in and the litter boxes should be changed every week.  The litter boxes
should be scooped twice a day.

It's kind of hard to tell someone how to tell the age of a ferret. Once you've done it long enough, you have a good idea. What most of us use to tell the age is:

1. Teeth and gums- a young ferret will have white teeth and pink gums. At about 1 and a half - 2 years old, it starts getting a little darkness on the back teeth and possibly some redness in the gums. It progresses from there. If the teeth are really yellow, have a lot of tartar or black spots on the teeth, and/or the gums are really red, then we figure the ferret is at least five years old. (Bad teeth can also be from prior poor care or malnutrition!)
2. Fur - a young ferret's coat is usually very full, soft, and silky. It also has a strong color base. As the ferret ages, the ferret's coat can get more coarse and thinner. The color starts getting lighter and grey in some ferrets. (A coarse and thin coat can also be from stress or malnutrition.)
3. Toenails - as a ferret ages, some of the toenails begin to flatten from top to bottom. (Flat toenails can also be from poor care or malnutrition.)
4. Activity - a young ferret usually has a lot of energy and is extremely active. The older a ferret gets, the less active it is or the more rest it needs between activities.
5. Eyes - a young ferret's eyes are clear and bright. As the ferret ages, the ferret can get cataracts. Cataracts usually come on after four years of age, though they can come sooner.
6.  Medical issues - most ferrets don't get insulinoma until at least four years and often later. Adrenal disease (fur loss, sudden aggression, muscle wasting, weight loss, pot belly, enlarged nipples, enlarged vulva) generally shows up after four years as well, though we're seeing it in ferrets as young as eight months old now.
7.  Raised crooked bones or joints in the feet indicates arthritis, which would mean the ferret is older.
8. A ferret is considered full grown at eight months old. So, if your ferret continues to grow (besides weight), it is under eight months old.

If you want me to try and figure out the age of your ferret, I'm happy to help. Of course, it's easier in person, but I can do my best with pics and video. I will need to see a picture of the sides of the teeth from both sides, the overall body, the tail, the stomach, and the feet. I would also like to see a video of the ferret in normal motion, like super active, slo-mo, etc. You can contact me here:  kmferretrescue@comcast.net 

Expect to spend $500 or more on the ferret at any time. If you’re lucky, it will be less. If you're not, it will be a lot more. The ferret can seem fine one night. The next morning it can be sick and need hundreds of dollars in treatment. When these things come up, it is sudden and has to be paid for right then. You must be able to afford the sudden expense or this is not the pet for you!

People say all the time, I had ferrets before and didn't spend that kind of money on them or I know someone who doesn't. All I can say to that is, there is a lot we've learned about ferrets in recent years, including how to better care for them. And, just because someone didn't spend the money on the ferret, doesn't mean the money didn't need to be spent.

Below are some examples, so you have a better idea of the expense involved.

90% of ferrets will get adrenal disease. This involves three treatments over time: Melatonin implant that lasts 4-6 months $48. Deslorelin implant that lasts 12-14 months $200 + vet visit. Surgery is $600 - $1,500.

50% of ferrets will get insulinoma as they get older. This usually means several vet visits to get the ferret stabilized, medication twice a day that comes from the vet, and vet visits about once a year.

Ferrets get blockages very easily because they will eat anything off the floor. I had a ferret eat a 1/8" metal spring off the floor. There was no reason for him to eat something like that, but he did. It cost me $950. A lady's ferret was dying from a blockage. The ferret had chewed on material and swallowed a ¼” piece. She had already spent $350 at a vet close to her home. That vet quoted $3,000 to do surgery. She drove several hours to my vet and spent about $1,000. A ferret knocked over a lamp and chewed on foam under it. This happened on a Thursday. The couple ended up spending $2,500 to have blockage removal surgery because the ferret wouldn't make it until Monday and they had to use the vet that was available.

A lady’s ferret wasn’t acting right. She took the ferret to the emergency vet and then to her regular vet the next day. She spent $1,000 over two days on vet care.

A friend took her ferret to the vet for its distemper vaccination. She ended up spending $650 in one day because the vet felt something in the ferret's abdomen that had to be checked out.

I was boarding a ferret and had to rush it to the vet for emergency surgery for a hairball blockage. The bill was around $1,000. That would've been $1,500 at other vets.

A friend had a ferret get into a storage closet. Someone had not shut the door tight. The ferret got into something and spent two days at the vet on IV fluids and critical care and then had follow up care at a cost of nearly $1,000.

A ferret got a bacterial infection, which they can get from humans. It took five trips to the vet, four antibiotics, and x-rays to get him well. This cost over $600 at the rescue's cost. It would've been much higher for a non rescue.

This is a post on the rescue Facebook page about expenses. There are numerous responses from people about how much they've had to spend on their ferret.
https://www.facebook.com/kindnessmattersrescue/posts/pfbid02w1MToga9t5BsRvAfB8NUGLAvytJnAUihXSb1DSYB5q7LWcaBw5fzuUXuUF17fZQyl?comment_id=5776728589006480&notif_id=1659330912126041&notif_t=feed_comment&ref=notif 

Long story short, yes. 

Allergies to pets come from the dander the pets have. Because ferrets don't lick themselves much, they don't spread dander as much as dogs and cats.

The dander particles get in the air and can stay suspended there for hours, spreading throughout the home and into nasal passages. Then they settle on household surfaces and can be there for years, causing constant irritation.

If the pet's skin is dry or irritated, there will be more sloughing of dander. So, feed good quality foods and use shampoos that help reduce dander and dry skin (no sulphates, alcohol or soap).

If you or someone in your family is allergic to pets or has asthma, below are some things you can do to reduce the reactions:

1. Brush the pet every day, preferably outside and while using a face mask. This removes loose dander and hair.

Bathe the pet up to once a week with an anti-allergen shampoo that does not contain soap, sulfate, or alcohol. (Soap, sulfate, and alcohol dry out the skin and cause more dander.) Using a cream rinse is also helpful. Good shampoos to use Virbac Epi-Soothe, Allergroom with Glycotechnology, and Allersearch Pet Shampoo (this one also helps protect from fleas and ticks).

Between baths, rub the pet's coat with a cloth moistened with water or an allergen-neutralizing solution like Allerpet C. There are wipes made for reducing pet dander.

2. Vacuum every day and empty the vacuum canister each time. Vacuum around the edges of the carpet at least twice a week. Make sure the vacuum has a HEPA filter, otherwise you may just be putting more of the allergens into the air. Don't forget to vacuum walls, ceilings, furniture, blinds, curtains - and even your dog or cat (not a ferret though). Wash the insides of the vacuum cleaner and clean the rollers frequently. Sit the items in the sun to dry. You won’t be able to vacuum the next day because the parts will still be damp.

3. Sweep the floor twice a day if possible. Mopping helps pick up more allergens than sweeping. Dust as often as you can, using a dampened cloth or dampened feather duster to capture the dust and dander particles. 

4. Cover furniture the pets may get on with a sheet or something and remove it when you’re sitting on the furniture.

5. Wash bedding, throw rugs, furniture covers, etc. twice a week. Go outside with a mask on and shake the fur out of the items until you can’t see any more fur flying around. Wash in warm water. Rinse twice. Shake the bedding out again before drying. Dry on the highest heat. Consider using a special laundry detergent like Allersearch Anti-Allergen wash.

6. Keep the pet's cage and carrier clean, using vinegar and water to wipe it down.

7. Do not touch your face or eyes during pet play time or immediately after. After playtime, thoroughly wash your hands and any skin that may have saliva or dander on it. It also helps to wear a face mask or an apron or special "pet clothes" when playing or handling your pets.

8. Play with the pets outside as much as possible to keep dander from being released into the room during playtime.

9. Use an air purifier in any room where the pets will be. Make sure it's one that can remove pet dander from the air.You can also  use a special electrostatic furnace filter.

10. Close the air vent of the room the pets stay in so their dander doesn’t circulate through the house, also designate some pet-free rooms, so you have someplace you can go where there isn't constant dander.