Hey! So I got a ferret a couple weeks ago from a family who got him from a petco and had him for a little over a month before rehoming him. This family had two young boys who I was told bonded closely with him, and I'm guessing that and the shock of being rehomed is the cause of his depression. He is very clearly depressed, he doesn't want to play, he'd rather explore to make sure everything is the way it was yesterday, then lay in the middle of the floor and do nothing. I don't really know how to help him, as he isn't interested in playing and he isn't I interested in me.

He is eating and drinking plenty still, and moving about and breathing absolutely fine.

How can I help bring him out of this depression when he doesn't want to play and doesn't want to cuddle?

Sokka is recovering nicely from DIM.

I’ve had 5 ferrets the last 6.5 years. They are all gone now. It’s a crime to how short lived they are. I will no longer get Marshall ferrets. If I keep ferrets again it has to be from a Private Breeder. The statistics of their lifespans are incredibly different. Also I would no longer do kibble feeding, even though the kibble my crew was on was of the highest quality I could find.. also $$. This is the only way I’ll do ferrets as it is so heartbreaking losing all of my crew within 2 years.

Hello! We have 3 ferrets, 2 of them tend to bite and the 3rd one never does. The odd thing is that the 2 biters seem to ONLY bite specific spots on me. They both will only bite the inside of my wrist, the back of my hands and knuckles, or the back of my arms/elbows if I am laying down. One of them does also have an obsession with ankles. They will never bite my palms or fingers, they seem to specifically avoid that to bite my knuckles or wrist. I am curious if there might be a reason why they target those spots.

If I am holding them or petting them they are usually pretty good about not biting, but if I lay on the floor with them or am sitting still and just let them investigate me they will go straight for those spots and start to bite until I grab them or move them away. Thanks in advance!

Her name is Peanut

photogenic icon if I do say so myself

My ferret refuses to use his box. I have tried pelleted litter, did not seem to like it, and switched to chickfeed for only a few days), too dusty, now I use a mix of pelleted and loose paper litter. I started out with a corner box, learned that wasn't the best option and he wasn't really using it. I now have a rectangle box (I'm thinking maybe the lip is too high?), and he uses it once in a blue moon if at all. He will pick a corner, and the minute I move his box there, he will go somewhere else. I've tried putting him in his box, but he will often run out of it. If I catch him right when he's about to go, then I will put him in his box (and he will usually use it), but sometimes just runs out over and over again refusing to even go. I don't want the litter box to be viewed negatively, but I don't know what else to do. He just won't use it. He mostly only uses the one level of his cage to go, but what if I want to let him out? I'm 15, and my house has hardwood floors (brand new), and my parents really don't want them damaged/smelly. Understandably so. I also don't want to be constantly cleaning. I have really bad eczema and having to constantly expose my hands to soap and water is causing them to crack and bleed. He's only four months old, and I love him to death, but I don't want to have to clean this much for 5+ years. I will if I have to, but I would rather suffer now with training than have him unwilling to learn when he's older. He started off pretty promising, he went from using his box on his own at night (but outside of it as well), to not using it at all. I just don't know what to do 😭 I would like to be able to have him out more without the constant worry of accidents. I knew this would be hard, and I felt pretty comfortable in my research, but what I didn't account for is how stubborn he is lol

I would like to add that I love my ferret, I was aware of the possibility that he may not ever be 100% litter-trained before I got him, but I don't want to give up on it yet. He's super smart, maybe I just have not found the right fit for him yet.

Just curious on everyone's input. We recently switched our ferrets vet to the one we take our dogs to as they just got a exotic doctor to join their practice. Took him for his first appointment today and to update his rabies vaccine. She had mentioned to me that more so the distemper vaccine is the one that can have a bad reaction on them and I didn't need to wait around after the rabies vaccine to see. I knew from the last vet I'm better off being safe than sorry and waited as well as drove around the town it's in shortly just to be extra safe. I then drove home and when I got home and let him out of his bag he began vomiting in his cage and all over the room I called the vet and rushed him back. Thank god I acted when I did because any longer and I'm afraid I would've lost him. My question is, he got the same brand and dosage as last year can the ferrets have a reaction randomly to the vaccine? Last year with our other vet he had no issues came home ate his dinner and went to bed. Thanks in advance

is it safe to use a wax warmer or any type of related things (candles, diffuser, etc) in a room with my ferrets? i know they have small lungs so dont want to irritate them

For Slim Shady, no amount of freedom will ever be enough.

What weird things have your ferrets picked up?

As spring is coming in, I've been looking into better pest prevention for my house. I'm in a semi rural area and mice getting in occasionally is just a part of it. I've been looking into some of the newer electronic repellent products but am thinking they may bother my ferrets. I can't find any solid info on it, but was looking at this product and similar.

Does anyone have any idea about these around ferrets?

Edit: fixed link

My little lady is 7 and even with they typical senior ferret issues she's a spunky old lady. Recently we've packed our entire house and have downsized her space from a spare room to a play pen, with ample free roam time. However she's having so many more senior moments and I feel so so bad. I can't do anything more to make the move more comfortable for her, we're almost through it. We'll be in our new place on the 11th. I just feel terrible. Right now she's snuggled on the couch with me watching TV. 😩 my poor girl.

Hello I have a pair of ferrets that are about 2 to 2 1/2 years old and my male ferret started drooling late last night we called an emergency vet near us but they don't see exotics and we live really far from any vet currently that does problem is I don't have a license and my bf is trying to get his sorted out after a ticket so he doesn't have a license either we can't afford vet care right now either so I called a ferret shelter to surrender my little guys because I can't take care of them anymore (when we first got them circumstances were different) I guess my question is they are going to be here to pick him up Saturday so about 4 days and when he had this weird fit I gave him a tiny bit of honey and he perked up right away and has been fine since so will he hold out till the shelter can come get him? I've been monitoring him closely and the rescue said they are able to help him with the vet stuff I just want to make sure he will be fine till then

Pickles had her first bath this evening. She wasn’t too happy but hopefully with time she’ll learn to love bath time 😂

So i have to older ferrets one about 4 years and another about 5. I have never had issues introducing new ferrets to our little business since both ferret mentioned above came to our family at different times during which some of their brothers have passed on at his point. Point it both of them have experienced the introduction of new cage mates. I always try to keep 3 ferrets at a time so that IF/WHEN one of them passes on no one is left alone in he cage. After the passing of my oldest ferret the wo mention above have been on their own, i noticed some changes in behavior during he grieving time but shortly after they where back to causing trouble.

Forward a few months.

We took on a new baby wozzal. Charming "little" guy, i say this since he is quite larger then my fully grown ones at a vary young age, he is playfully was raised with other ferrets and is very social with others and people. As per usual i took the intro quite slow. Showed both parties their scents via their blankets. A few days later physical intro via separate cages. No one showed any form of hostility until they were fully introduced as in walking in the same room(Supervised of coarse) the baby was immediately excited and so seemed the other 2. Then suddenly the 2 older once stared chasing the baby latching onto neck and shaking back and forth. I immediately broke up their fight(which i had thought was the typical dominance game) he baby started pooping and peeing during the tussle.

both parties have been in separate cages next to each other for about 4 weeks now hopping they will get used to each other. Play time has been on separate schedules. And Outside time had been the baby and one older guy out at a time since(Always supervised). But every physical encounter ends the same. except the baby doesn't poop himself anymore but defends himself quite well but still runs off. He doesn't wanna fight them but they do.

the 4 year old seems to seek and stalk him the entire time they are out together vocalizing very rapid dooking(which i was under the impression as friendly and excitement vocals)but when they meet its a fight. and always the older ones starting it.

I am sorry this has been a long read but i am at a loss. I don't want any of them in a cage by them self but the way this is going it seems ill have to separate them for good

Any advice would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you

My vet highly advises against raw diet because my ferrets are domesticated compared to their ancestors. On the other hand a lot of ferret owners feed a raw diet. Anyone can offer some advice? My ferrets are 3 and 2 and i have been feeding them Purina pro plan gastroenteric wet food due to their diagnoses of helicobacter and diarrhea symptoms that come with it. This has been prescribed by their vet. Let me know your thoughts.

My ferrets are usually very good about using the litter boxes, however, as most free roaming ferrets do, they sometimes miss the box if they’re not close enough. this has lead to some poops being hardened on my baseboards, and as i’m in an apartment, i really need some advice on how to clean it. TIA