Hygiene: Ferrets require routine maintenance to keep them happy and healthy

Nails:  It is best to trim their nails every 1-2 weeks.  This is important because long nails can get caught up in their bedding and carpets in your home. To clip their nails, put some Ferretone on their tummies and let them lick it off.  Meanwhile you can clip away while they are preoccupied with the Ferretone.  This works very well and is a nice way for you and your ferret to spend some quality time together.  Make sure to cut above the red vein in their nail.  To be safe, always cut conservatively. We have found that standard household fingernail clippers work best.

Bathing: We have found through our 10+ years experience that bathes every 2-3 weeks works best.  Although this may be contradictory to other sites, it has worked great for us and our fur babies.  Again, thru experience of trial and error we have found that 8in1 FerretSheen works well, more directly the 2in1 Deodorizing Shampoo Cucumber Melon Scent.  This is not the only available shampoo, just a recommendation from us to you.

Ear Cleaning: Ear cleaning is best done on the same day as bathing.  Check your ferret’s ears periodically in between bathes, as some ferrets tend to get dirtier than others.  To control them you must hold them by the scruff or back of their neck (like a mother would carry their young).  This is called "scruffing" and, unlike most adult animals, this will NOT hurt the ferret.  When "scruffing" use 3-4 fingers and the side of your thumb to spread out the pressure.  When "scruffed", most ferrets will hang their totally relaxed.  Then, place one drop of ferret ear cleaner in each ear.  Take a Q-tip and put it into their ear canal and carefully wipe it out while rotating it.  It may take a couple Q-tips to get each ear clean. 

Food and Water: Ferrets are obligate carnivores and need high quality animal protein.  At Little Hearts Ferret Rescue we feed Totally Ferret to all of our residents and rescues.  We do from time to time mix a bit of Marshals Ferret Food and Purina Kitten Chow depending on the state of our new intakes.  It is always best to slowly change your ferret when switching from one food to another.  We most often mix our new intakes food for several weeks with Totally Ferret and their previous food to make a smooth transition.  Thru veterinary recommendations and a lot of research we have found Totally Ferret to be the most well balance food on the market.

Fresh food and fresh water should be available at all times. They need eat every 3-4 hours.  They should have fresh water available to them at all times in either an untippable water dish or water bottle or preferably both.  A water dish should be refreshed twice a day.

TIP: MARSHALL’S BI-ODOR IS A GREAT ADDITIVE TO YOUR FERRETS WATER TO HELP CONTORL ODOR.  ALLOW A FEW WEEKS OF USE TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

                Treats: Small pieces of raisins, Ferretone or other commercially available ferret treats are a good way to reward your loving little babies.

Litter Boxes: Ferrets are litter box trainable just like cats.  Unlike cats, they need more than one litter box. Having multiple litter boxes in your ferret cage will help assist them in hitting it every time.  Corner litter boxes are the preferred method of your babies. 
Unlike cats, ferrets require a dust free litter.  We use “Yesterday’s News” as our preferred litter of choice.  It is low to no dust and more importantly greatly helps with odor control.

Cages: Be sure to use a wire type of cage with adequate ventilation.  Never us an aquarium.  Cages should be located indoors.  Ferrets cannot tolerate temperatures over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They will suffer, become ill and will die if housed in a hot room or outdoors in the sun.
At Little Hearts Ferret Rescue, we prefer the Ferret Nation 142 series of cages.  It provides 2 large doors that open up the entire width of the cage.  A removable plastic floor tray for easy cleaning in the bathtub/shower.  Plenty of ventilation and can be easily divided to make two cages (upper and lower) if you need to isolate a sick ferret.

All of our cages include the following:  2 litter boxes per section, 1 large hammock, 1 small hammock or corner bed, food and water dishes that attached to the bars of the cage and a water bottle placed above water bowl in case of leaks.  DO NOT USE WOOD CHIPS as they can cause permanent respiratory damage. 

Ferret’s need at least 1-2 hours of daily play time outside their cage.  Be sure that ferret play rooms are thoroughly ferret proofed before allowing your fur baby to play outside their cage.

TOYS: Soft rubber or chewable toys are an absolute no-no since ferrets can inadvertently ingest pieces of them and get an intestinal blockage that can easily kill them.  Safer toys include paper bags, hard rubber kongs, stuffed animals, tubing, etc.  Ferrets love tunnels!   Plastic draing pipe, dryer hose, cardboard carpet tubes, etc.   The Marshal Thru-Way is a clear, vinyl tube that stretches to 20 feet. 

FERRET PROOFING: Ferrets love to investigate nooks and crannies.  Climbing and investigating ferrets can get to places you never imagined!  They can fit into an area as small as 2 x 2 inches, so gaps in your woodwork, crevices under refrigerators, cabinets, dishwashers, stoves  and other household appliances are common places for ferrets to get into.  Many times, the areas your ferret will fit into are places that you can't get into to retrieve them.  Dryer vents lead to the outdoors, and the hoses that connect your dryer to the outdoors attract ferrets.  They can, and will, dig into and climb through these hoses and become lost outside.  Replace your vinyl dryer vent hose with one made of aluminum that they can't dig into.  Household plants, cleaners and other poisons, and things made of plastic, rubber, and foam are favorite no-no’s that ferrets will get into and eat.   Beware of those little paper packets containing a couple of Tylenol tablets or other medicines. They are a prize for a ferret and when chewed will kill.  They are strictly forbidden.

Ferrets can open cabinet doors, dresser drawers and can climb into toilets. Many ferrets have tragically drowned in the toilet bowl.  When you do laundry, be sure to shake out each piece of clothing before it goes into the washing machine.  If you pick up an armful of laundry and put it in to be washed, you could be giving a horrible death to a snoozing ferret.  Also, get into the habit of checking inside of your dishwasher, garbage compactor, and refrigerator before you close the doors.  It only takes a moment for your ferret to get into them.  Watch out for recliners, rocking style chairs, hide-away beds and pull-out couches!  Many ferrets have been crushed or mangled to death by these pieces of furniture.  Remove them from your home or at least disable the mechanism.  It is just a matter of time until you, or a guest in your home operates one and kills an innocent fuzzy. 

Finally, the best method of ferret proofing is to watch your ferret closely when he/she is out of the cage. You will learn the places that your ferret is likely to get into trouble, and you will find places that need to be ferret proofed that you hadn't previously considered.
While not strictly considered ferret proofing, shoes present a serious danger to ferrets.  We don't wear shoes around any ferrets. Many ferrets have been seriously injured or killed by a simple misstep by a family member.  Stocking feet and careful, sliding/shuffling types of steps will help avoid a tragedy as well as significant veterinary expense.

FLEAS and TICKS:  Fleas seem to be very common in Kentucky.  A flea infestation can, if left untreated, lead to anemia in a ferret, besides being incredibly uncomfortable to the average fuzzy.  Treatment and prevention is very simple. Avoid all flea sprays and shampoos as they contain ingredients which can be harmful and even toxic to your ferret.  Contact your local vet to determine the best prevention for you and your fur babies. 

HEARTWORM PREVENTION:  Ferrets are very susceptible to heartworm. The heartworm larva is transmitted by a mosquito to the ferret.  Once inside the ferret it migrates to the heart where it grows to the point that it interferes with the functioning of the heart. Treatment is very difficult, usually involving drug treatment over at least a six-month period.  Survival from heartworm is about 50/50.  If your ferret is kept indoors or in a well-screened porch, he will be ok.  If left exposed at all, they should receive a monthly dose of a heartworm preventative, which is available through your veterinarian.  As with any medication, if you mash up the pill and mix it with Ferretone, your fuzzy will gobble it down with glee.  Heartworm is much more easily prevented than cured.

VACCINATIONS:  The State of Kentucky requires that all pets be vaccinated against the rabies virus by the time they are four months of age. The only exception would be if a veterinarian has certified that the vaccination would endanger the health of the ferret due to its age or other medical consideration.  Imrab-3 rabies vaccine is the only vaccine approved by the USDA for use in ferrets. Your vet will have this vaccine, as it is the same one used for dogs and cats.  Rabies vaccine should be first administered at 12 weeks and then once every three years thereafter.

Canine distemper is 100% fatal in ferrets and the disease is widespread.  You can bring the disease home to your ferrets on your clothing or shoes.  Fervac-D, Galaxy-D or Merial Purevax are acceptable for ferrets.  We prefer the Merial vaccine as we believe it causes fewer vaccine reactions.  The recommended distemper vaccination schedule is shots at 8 weeks, 11 weeks, 14 weeks and then yearly thereafter.  The breeder of the ferret usually administers the first shot of this series.  Since it takes three consecutive vaccinations to provide adequate immunity to this horrible disease, if the vaccination history of a ferret is not known, it should receive two distemper vaccinations administered at least three weeks apart.

Caution:  It is very important to remain in the vet's office for at least 30 minutes after the vaccination in case of a potentially fatal vaccine reaction.   Be sure to discuss this with your veterinarian prior to inoculation. 

OTHER HEALTH ISSUES: It's common for a ferret to catch a bug and have a minor bout of vomiting and/or diarrhea, loss of appetite and become severely dehydrated and malnourished in a very short period of time. Some ferrets will become seriously ill and, without supportive care, will die unnecessarily. 
Check his temperature.  This is easily done using a digital thermometer preferably with a flexible tip.  Put some Ferretone on his tummy to distract him and use it to lubricate the thermometer.  Normal temperature range for a ferret is 100-103 degrees, although anytime you see a temperature close to 102.5 degrees, I recommend close observation and a follow-up reading.  Any time a ferret has an elevated temperature, it's time to see the veterinarian for an exam and possibly antibiotics.  Often veterinarians will prescribe antibiotics even if a virus is suspected to preclude a serious secondary infections.

It's smart to weigh your ferret about every 1-2 weeks when you do the nail trimming.  By tracking your ferret’s weight you can better monitor its overall health pattern.  A digital fish scale, a plastic grocery bag and a bit of Ferretone on the tummy make the weighing task simple.  If you see a sudden weight loss of more than 3-4 ounces, supplement your ferret with some "duck soup".  Bear in mind that a significant weight loss normally occurs seasonally usually in late spring.  However this weight loss is gradual over several weeks.

Anytime a young ferret has serious vomiting, be concerned about a life threatening blockage or a poisonous substance.  Isolate them, check their food intake, poop and pee output and administer a petromalt laxative. If they are not eating, see if they will accept some "duck soup" and offer fluids including Pedialyte.   Any ferret with persistent vomiting, refusal to eat, or no poop output needs to see the veterinarian NOW!

Older ferrets with a vomiting spell often have just picked up a virus or ate something that didn't agree with them. It is common to see diarrhea along with the vomiting.  Give them .8ml of Emetrol (available over the counter) to settle their stomach and follow-up with supportive care with fluids and "chicken gravy" and consider antibiotics (vet visit) if things don't quickly improve.

No matter the cause of the problem, any ferrets that are not eating kibble or are losing weight need to be fed some "duck soup". It's also important to ensure that they are keeping well hydrated.  Diarrhea more than a day or so may need antibiotics to improve.  If the diarrhea is very severe then the oral fluids won't be effective since they will just pass through and are not absorbed by the body.  If so, see your veterinarian for some subcutaneous fluids which will be absorbed directly into the ferret's body..

When ferrets reach three years and older, most develop serious but treatable diseases. A good symptom chart for ferret health problems is located at http://www.ferret-fact.org/SymptomChart.htm.  Here are a few common ailments:

Hair loss starting at the base of the tail or across the shoulders and/or a swollen vulva in females, aggressive behavior towards other ferrets, especially in males - Suspect adrenal disease. Prompt surgery will add years and quality to a ferret's life.  If left untreated, adrenal disease commonly results in a horrible, painful death due to urinary blockage in males or death due to anemia/infection in females.  For older ferrets (5+) who are not surgery candidates, Lupron injections will reverse symptoms and greatly improve quality of life but will not correct the underlying disorder.  My vet and I believe that more than 90% of all ferrets will show symptoms of adrenal disease by the time they are five years old with some showing symptoms as early as three years old.

Unconsciousness, drooling, spaced-out behavior, wobbly legs - Suspect hypoglycemiaaka low blood sugar. This is usually caused by tumors on the pancreas (insulinoma). Use Karo Syrup on a Q-tip to bring the fuzzy out of the coma. This ferret needs several small, high protein meals “duck soup” if not eating on own) throughout the day. See your veterinarian for some helpful medications. Surgery may help or may make the situation worse.

Persistent diarrhea - Suspect Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The ferret may be allergic to the kibble you are feeding it. Ask your vet about antibiotic treatment for gastric helicobacteriosis and diet change. “Duck Soup”, Pepto Bismol and Kaopectate will be helpful too.

There are several other diseases common in older ferrets. Anytime your ferret seems to be unusually lethargic, in pain or is not eating, take him to your vet for an exam. Try to catch the problem early.  This will prevent lots of ferret pain and suffering and will save you serious $$ in the long run.  Unfortunately, many veterinarians just haven't got a clue when it comes to ferrets but will charge exotic fees while doing little to help the poor fuzzy. That's why we think it's smart to locate a ferret-wise veterinarian who thoroughly understands ferret pathology and has performed many successful ferret surgeries.