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I’ve listed the poisons and toxins harmful to ferrets below for your information.
Xylitol Toxicity
Xylitol is a sugar-free additive found to be toxic to dogs for a while but now it’s been found that ferrets which have ingested products with Xylitol have the same bad reactions to it as dogs.
Some products which contain Xylitol are …
- sugar-free chewing gum
- sugar-free baked goods
- sugar-free candy, eg Tic Tacs
- oral hygiene products, including toothpaste, mouthwashes and mints
- chewable vitamins
- throat lozenges
- throat sprays
Symptoms can include:
Vomiting- Weakness
- Depression
- Ataxia (uncoordinated movements)
- Hypokalemia (decreased potassium)
- Seizures
- Coma
- Liver dysfunction and/or failure
These signs can be seen as soon as half-an-hour after a product containing Xylitol has been eaten by your ferret (or dog), so it’s absolutely essential that if you suspect your ferret of having eaten any of the above items that you get it to the vet as quickly as possible.
NEVER use human toothpaste to brush your ferret’s teeth! Only use toothpaste suitable for pets and make sure you keep any of the above products out of your ferret’s reach.
Sugar-free chewing gum and candy are normally the most common item which get chewed up by ferrets so if you have them, please make doubly sure that these items are kept somewhere safe and out of reach of ferrets or any other pet in your house.
You can read more about Xylitol Toxicity & Ferrets on the following sites…
The Danger of Xylitol to Your Dog and Ferret (Animal Medical Center)
Did You Know That Xylitol Sweetener Can Be Very Dangerous To Your Pet? by Ron Hines DVM PhD
Common Sugar Substitute Xylitol Can Be Deadly for Pets by Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM (The Spruce Pets)
Food around your house
Raisins & Grapes
Who’d have thought! Raisins have been touted as treats for ferrets in the past and now they find out they could cause kidney problems if given to them regularly! They’re full of sugar, high in fiber and could even get stuck in a ferret’s gut if not digested properly ?
Grapes can also cause kidney problems if given regularly so please don’t give them to your ferrets as treats ?
Although this pdf is about dogs, you can see how dangerous raisins are, and what doses could kill a dog.
You can download the pdf HERE.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to most animals. Please don’t give your ferret any chocolate or leave it anywhere where it can be stolen by your ferret.
Why Is Chocolate Poisonous to Ferrets by Gary Brummett, DVM
Avocado
Did you know that avocados have a substance called persin which was considered to be toxic to most animals?
HOWEVER … a vet, Dr Jean Dodds, DVM, says that “persin does not adversely affect dogs and cats” and, I assume, ferrets too? Another vet, Dr Tina Wismer, the ASPCA Senior Director of Veterinary Outreach and Education, says, “In dogs, cats and ferrets there are no reliable reports of [avocado] poisoning.”
You can read more about avocados and pets in this article.
The ads in Oz say “‘Ave an avo” and I know they’re great for humans but I personally would be wary about giving it to my ferrets to chow down on so would suggest you don’t either, just in case …!
Aspirin Toxicity
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If your ferret should accidentally get into a packet of aspirin and actually chews up and swallows some of the pills then there is a real danger it could develop aspirin toxicity, which could cause gastrointestinal problems, as well as bleeding disorders, kidney failure, respiratory difficulties or neurological problems.
Some symptoms to watch out for are:
- Depression
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Lethargy
- Abdominal pain
- Black poop
- Extreme thirst
- Panting
- Spontaneous bleeding
- Pinpoint bruises in the skin and on the gums
If you think that your ferret has accidentally eaten some aspirins, try to work out how many pills it might have eaten and get it to the vet as soon as possible for treatment.
You can read more about Aspirin Toxicity & Ferrets on the following site …
Aspirin Toxicity in Ferrets (PetPlace)
Ibuprofen / Naproxen Toxicity
Like with the aspirin, it is possible that your ferret might accidentally get into a box of anti-inflammatories and chew up some pills. That could cause bleeding stomach ulcers and even kidney failure, if the dose is high enough. This can be fatal if not treated.
Symptoms can include:
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Poor appetite
- Black tarry stools
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
- Vomiting (including vomiting blood)
If you see that your ferret has been chewing on anti-inflammatory pills, take it to the vet immediately for treatment.
You can read more about Ibuprofen Toxicity & Ferrets on the following sites …
Toxciology Brief: Ibuprofen toxicosis in dogs, cats, and ferrets by Eric K Dunayer, MS, VMD, DABT, DABVT
Some Plants Toxic to Pets
| Amaryllis | Azalea |
| Broom (Cytisis) | Caladium |
| Crown of Thorns | Daffodils |
| Dracaena | Dumb Cane |
| English Holly | English Ivy |
| Euonymus | Foxglove |
| Geranium | Honeysuckle |
| Hyacinth | Hydrangea |
| Iris | Jonquil |
| Larkspur | Laurel |
| Lily of the Valley | Mistletoe |
| Narcissus | Philodendron |
| Poinsettia | Skunk Cabbage |
| Wisteria | Yew |
You can download a list of poisonous plants to animals prepared by the Humane Society of the US HERE.
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Toxic Items Found In The House
| Antifreeze | Bait (Snail / Roach) |
| Bathroom Cleaners | Chocolate |
| Detergents | Drain Cleaners |
| Fuel (Gas / Oil / Kerosene) | Furniture Polish |
| Garden Fertilizers | Laundry Bleach |
| Mineral Spirits | Mothballs |
| Oven Cleaners | Rust Remover |
| Transmission Fluid | Varnish / Paint Removers |
**N.B.** Please ask your vet to give you guidelines to follow if your ferret ingests a poisonous plant or has managed to swallow one of the items listed above because you need to know when to induce vomiting, and when not to.
You can read more about things around the house which are toxic to ferrets and what to look out for on the following sites…
Common Household Items that are Hazardous to Ferrets (Pets4Homes)
You can download a pdf written by Sharon Vanderlip, DVM, called “How To Prevent Poisoning In Ferrets” HERE.
There’s another pdf – produced by the American Ferret Association – called “Common Household Poisons & Dangers for Ferrets“, which you can download HERE.
Christmas is a great time for all but do be careful with tinsel and your ferret. Although the page about tinsel refers to dogs and cats, I’m sure it would be really dangerous for a ferret if it were to chew and swallow some!
Tinsel is dangerous to cats and dogs (Pet Poison Helpline)
(Last updated November 2019)
DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this page is not meant to replace seeing a veterinarian if you think your ferret is ill. It’s only meant to supply general information on a particular illness which was obtained either from personal experience with my sick ferrets, or from books and/or the Internet.
I sprayed bifenthrin in my house to help with fleas. How safe is it for my ferret to run around the house after it dries?
When we had a massive flea outbreak in our house, I put flea bombs in several rooms but before I let all our animals back in the house, I vacuumed the floor so that there wouldn’t be any residue which might affect the ferrets.
You might want to do the same as a precaution before letting your ferret run around the house 🙂
.
I am watching my sisters ferrets for a while and know nothing about them. If they get into any of the things that were posted how long do I have before they die so I know to get them to a vet right away. They are her babies want to do a good job of watching them. Need all indo I can get
Hi Trena
Hopefully all the poisons and pills and other harmful items are out of the way of your sister’s ferrets.
Make sure you put kitchen or laundry stuff in a cupboard which the ferrets can’t open, and don’t leave any sugar-free food, pills or other things which could hurt ferrets in their easy reach. Same with plants … never mind if the plant might be dangerous to them but I promise you that you wouldn’t want them to go anywhere near ANY plant as the mess could be awful!!!
Just use your common sense and I’m sure your sister’s ferrets will be fine!
Please feel free to ask any more questions if you’re worried about things as I’d be very happy to help if I can 😀
Hugs to the babies your babysitting from their new friends down under!
Cheers
~Nona
I cleaned my bathroom 3 days ago and mopped the floors and behind the toilet , My ferret was in there tonight playing while I was taking a bath and I have no idea if he might have ate something or I didn’t get all the cleaner up when I was mopping and he somehow induced some .. 30 mins later he is vomiting and crying out and I have no idea what to do someone please give me some advice .
Morgan … You need to take your ferret to a ferret vet ASAP! If you don’t know of one, please check my ferret vets page and get him to someone as soon as possible!
Please don’t wait, as if he swallowed something dangerous, the vet will need to get your boy to expel whatever he ate/swallowed/licked, so make sure you can tell the vet exactly what the cleaner was!
How is Ferret doing Morgan?
My husband sprayed spider and roach killer around the house a few days ago and now my ferret is very weak and has completely watered down stool. When he walks he kind of falls over. All that I have read is that bug spray can be very toxic to ferrets but I have also read that he would have passed by now. Do you think he could have been poisoned?
Oh Brittany, I honestly don’t know what to say except that you should take your ferret to the vet to be checked out!
I don’t have any experience with ferrets being poisoned but I’m sure your vet will be able to offer you help and tell you whether it has affected your ferret or not.
I hope you find answers quickly and that your ferret gets back to feeling 100% asap.
So sorry I can’t give you any answers 🙁
~Nona
Are lady bugs poisones to ferrets
I certainly wouldn’t feed any ladybugs to ferrets but I think if your ferret happened to eat one, then it wouldn’t hurt it.
I caught one of my ferrets eating a huntsman spider many years ago and apart from her breath being a little bit smelly for a few hours, she was fine! 😀
My ferret just got into a bag of epson salt. I got it out quick, and it was like blehing it out. i washed it out of it’s fur, but i’m not sure how much it got in it’s mouth. should i be worried?
Hi Ben
I googled to see if Epsom Salts could be a problem and the only animal I found which actually ate some was a cat. It gave the cat diarrhea and the concern was dehydration if the diarrhea was bad.
The last comment was from the owner of the cat who said she called the vet and he said it wasn’t anything serious.
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/201735/cat-got-into-epsom-salt-help
So, I’d suggest you keep an eye on your ferret and if you see it has diarrhea, make sure it has a lot of water to keep it hydrated. And, of course, if you are in any way concerned about your little friend, please take it to your vet to be checked over.
Hugs to your little one from its new buddies down under 😀
Cheers
~Nona
I have an ant problem in my house . Can I use cinnamon in my mixture . Does it harm ferrets
Hi Tabatha
I found this article bout ants/ferrets on the internet which you might find helpful …
https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/comments/1erwyd/when_ants_attack_please_help/?st=j2pnzr4x&sh=df2fba20
As for wondering if cinnamon is safe for ferrets, I couldn’t find anything ferret-specific but found these which were about dogs …
Cinnamon is non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, according to the ASPCA. “Cinnamon isn’t toxic for dogs, but nutmeg can be if consumed in large amounts,” says Dr. Ashley Hughes, DVM, at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, DC.
http://www.petmd.com/cinnamon-safe-dogs
Pets can be exposed to cinnamon by; chewing on the tree (which is sometimes kept as an indoor ornamental), being fed human food seasoned with the spice, cinnamon sticks left in cider cups, eating the spice directly or consuming the essential oil being used for cooking or aromatherapy. It takes a larger amount of ingested cinnamon powder to cause problems in our pets (greater than 1 teaspoon of powder for most pets) but only a small amount of the essential oil. Large overdoses of the powder or exposure to the essential oil can lead to low blood sugar, liver disease, vomiting, diarrhea and changes in heart rate. Some dogs who are ingesting the powdered spice directly can inhale the spice. This is very irritating to the lungs and can cause coughing, choking, difficulty breathing and bronchospasm.
If you believe your pet has consumed a large amount of cinnamon, inhaled cinnamon powder or had access to the essential oil, please call your local veterinarian or call us here at Pet Poison Helpline to determine if care is needed.
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-safety-tips/nutmeg-cinnamon-toxicity/
Perhaps if you check out those two articles, you’ll get a better idea of how much cinnamon you can put down which is safe for ferrets if you still want to use it 😀
Hope that’s been of some help!
Cheers
~Nona
My ferret bit into my Differin (adapalene) 0.1% skin cream. Is that toxic to ferrets?
Hi Kate
You say your ferret bit into your cream but did it swallow a lot or did you get it off it immediately?
I’d imagine it would depend on how much it ingested as to whether it’d be toxic to your ferret.
I had a look on the internet and found this about a dog which bit into a tube of Differin …
http://www.justanswer.com/dog-health/6ln7y-dog-bite-acne-medicine-called-differin.html
And there’s also this site which talks about different products …
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/03/11/harmful-topical-products.aspx
I found a pdf about Differin which says “DIFFERIN topical cream is not to be taken orally. The oral route toxicity for DIFFERIN
Topical cream in mice is greater than 10 mL/kg. Unless the amount accidentally ingested is small, an appropriate method of gastric emptying should be considered.”
If you see your ferret isn’t itself then please take it to your vet immediately.
I hope it didn’t ingest enough to make it sick but I hope the links I’ve given you will be of some help to decide whether you should take it to the vet or not.
Cheers
~Nona
Im trying to rid my apartment of roaches and am going to use citronella oil sprayed along walls and base boards. Will the off gas be harmful to my ferret pepper?
Robert, I’m sorry but I honestly don’t know if it would be harmful or not to Pepper.
I suggest you ring a ferret vet’s office and ask as I’m sure they’d know and I would hate to give you the wrong answer 🙁
Hugs to Pepper 😀
Cheers
~Nona
Apparently roaches don’t like fabric softener sheets. I keep these under the sink to keep them away. Cotton balls with eucalyptus & mint essential oil somewhere the ferrets won’t get into. Bugs not particularly fond of it. It’s very strong though so I’d not put it near their cage. Back of a cabinet usually works.
When I was adding some sugar sprinkles to my ice cram, I accidentally spilled some. My ferret happened to find some of the sprinkles that I didn’t find the next day. I’m not sure how much he ingested, but it wasn’t too much. He is wheezing every now and then but he usually does that, but not as much as now. Advice?
Alex, I don’t think you need to worry about your ferret eating some of your sprinkles but if you want to make sure your little guy is 100% fine, please take him to a (ferret) vet to get checked over 🙂
A small amount of sprinklers just eaten once shouldn’t hurt your baby; however make sure it doesn’t happen again as too much sugar *might* cause insulinoma 🙁
I don’t think the wheezing is connected to the sprinkles but I’m not a vet. Perhaps the wheezing is due to something else which is troubling him so I will say it again — if you are concerned, please take him to a vet to have a check up!
Hugs to your little man from his new buddies down under 😀
Cheers
~Nona
My ferret ate a little bit of hair dye out of the tube and I don’t know what to do
Hi Jayden
Is your ferret showing any signs of illness? Throwing up? Diarrhea? Lethargy?
If you think your ferret isn’t itself, please take it to the vet immediately, as there is really nothing I can suggest for you to do 🙁
You said your ferret ate “a little bit” but how much is a little bit? Only a vet will be able to put your mind at rest after he examines your baby.
So sorry I couldn’t be of more help and I hope your ferret is back to normal when you get this!
~Nona
My ferret lives in my room and is 10x11ft I have a oil diffuser, my oils have peppermint and eucalyptus in them but they arent separate they are mix with other oils. Can i still use my diffuser and if so how long/how much
peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary but all mixed with other oils.can i still use my diffuser
Jewel, ferrets can get breathing problems but I don’t know if your oil diffuser would cause a problem, never having had one with my guys 🙁
Do you have good ventilation in your room? I guess if your window was open and there was a breeze coming through then it might be okay but if the room was stuffy, then no!
Do you have a ferret vet you could ask? I would prefer you to get a vet’s opinion because, as I said, I have no clue if oil diffusers are dangerous to ferrets or not 🙁
Apologies for not being able to give you an informed answer.
~Nona
My ferrets were exposed to chocolate and had no reaction to it. But yesterday one got out of the house and may have been exposed to befrenthrin and possibly bromadiolone and I have not seen him since. He came in very scared drank some water and gave me some kisses after that but I have not heard from him since, I can tell he’s eating through the night at least once maybe more than that but I have not seen him since he went to bed and in the morning he’s always been there to wake me up. I’m kinda scared of what may happen to him as he’s my baby boy and best friend and he’s got a companion too and she would miss him so much as I would if there’s anything wrong with him. Please help me I don’t have any ferret Dr’s near me.
Oh Elizabeth – I honestly don’t know what to suggest 🙁
Read through this article and see if it helps …
https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/782
I googled if bifenthrin is dangerous to mammals and found this …
Can bifenthrin affect birds, fish, or other wildlife?
Bifenthrin is low in toxicity to birds. There are potential risks for birds and mammals that eat aquatic organisms because bifenthrin can last a long time in the environment and it may accumulate in fish.
Bifenthrin is highly toxic to fish and small aquatic organisms. It’s also very highly toxic to bees.
However if he’s eaten bromadiolone, then you need to get him to a vet as that definitely will kill him 🙁 I think the vet will have something they can give him to counter the bromadiolone but if you leave it too late, then nothing will help!
Maybe he’s been sleeping more because he was tired from going walkabout outside?
I hope you’ve seen him since you posted your comment.
Good luck!
Hugs to both your babies and I hope your boy hasn’t ingested anything dangerous ❤️
All the best
~Nona
My ferret bit into a very small tube of paint and may have ingested a bit of it. Do you think this could cause sickness or even death? Thank you for your help.
Ruby, keep an eye on your ferret and if it looks like it’s not feeling well then take it to the vet ASAP. Check your ferret’s poop too to see if the paint has been pooped out ?
If it was a very small tube and your ferret didn’t swallow much then I think it’ll be okay, but I’ve never experience this so can’t speak from experience 🙁
You might also want to give your ferret pure pumpkin to clean out its insides?!
https://www.all-about-ferrets.com/the-wonders-of-canned-pure-pumpkin.html
Hope all goes well with your baby!
Cheers
~Nona
i did not know my ferrets was rummaging around and they found a bottle of eye drops..i found the bottle with puncture holes all in it and the liquid gone…if they happend to ingest any will they be ok?
Hi Chrissie
I’m sorry but I honestly have no idea if the eye drops will affect your ferrets or not, not having had this experience with any of my guys ?
I *think* they will be okay but would suggest you keep an eye on them to make sure they act normally, and also see that their poop and piddle is normal too. However, if in doubt, please take them to be checked out by a ferret vet as it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Hugs to your furbabies from their new friends down under and very best wishes to you and yours for a great Christmas and New Year ❤️
Cheers
~Nona
Can I use polysporin on my ferret
I think it would be best for you to check with a ferret vet about that, Leann!
I know vets aren’t happy about us using human ointments for animals in case they lick it and it makes them sick or even kills them 🙁 I knew of a teenager who put human wart ointment on his ferret’s wart and it killed her 😮
So I would say no, you shouldn’t use it but please check with a ferret-savvy vet as I might be wrong!
Cheers
~Nona
Hello, I am soon to be getting my second ferret, how my current setup is too small, I’m looking to build my own, but I’ve seen that alot of the common building lumber (pine and such) are not good due to the oils they produce, I was curious if polyurethane or a similar product could be used to coat the wood to block the oils from escaping?
Hi Anthony
Oh my – I honestly don’t know how to answer your question as I’ve never been a woodworker or DIYer 😮
I will ask another ferret owner I know to see if she can give me an answer so I can reply to your question!
I’ll get back to you when I hear from her – hopefully it won’t take long 🙂
Cheers
~Nona
Hi again Anthony!
Just got a reply from my friend on FB and this is what she said …
Now I’d have to double check this info as it’s been a while since I looked into this but I was under the impression that solid pine isn’t an issue… it is pine bedding / shavings that can cause problems due to the oils.
But even then from the research I’ve done I have found that kiln dried pine shavings are safe. I use kiln dried, dust extracted wood shavings in my ferrets enclosures and have had no problems with it!
I personally wouldn’t worry too much about solid pine near my ferrets… but if they are concerned perhaps they might be best to ask their vet’s opinion on this ?
As I said earlier, I have no idea about these things and my ferrets have always been free-roam in the house, so thinking about a cage made of wood was never in my mind, but I hope the information will help you 😀
Best wishes
~Nona
Hi! I have two ferrets that I adore!! But this summer they catched fleas! I thought I got rid of them but today I noticed they got fleas again… I heard something about tobacco plant kills fleas and about eucalyptus too, but I don’t know if that would be the best option for ferrets… Please, please I need advice!!!! I feel I’m failing them and I want them to be happy and healthy!!
Hi Damaris
I’ve looked to see what natural remedies there are for ridding pets with fleas. Here is one for you to check out …
https://earthclinic.com/pets/flea-control-natural-remedies/
You could also go to this page and scroll down to “Fleas/Ticks” …
https://www.all-about-ferrets.com/ferret-health.html
I hope those pages will give you some ideas on how to remove your ferrets’ fleas!
Big hugs to your babies from their new friends down under 😀
Cheers
~Nona
Thank you so much!!! I found something there that I am going to try today!!! And thanks for the quick response, I truly appreciated!!?
https://tenor.com/view/youre-welcome-gif-10323583
So happy to have been able to help you 😀
~Nona
I recently moved to a new house and liquid and bait was put down. I found my ferret with the package of liquid ant bait, I’m not sure if she ingested any of it but I am worried , I ran her moth under the water right after to get it out of her mouth if there was any in there, if liquid ant bait poisonous to ferrets?
Lilli – did you notice if there were any marks on the package to show that she’d managed to bite through it and get to the liquid? If she did, then I would strongly suggest you take her to a ferret vet to be checked over!
I honestly can’t tell you if she’s ingested any of the liquid so if you are worried, please get professional advice. And yes, I would assume that liquid ant bait would be poisonous to a ferret if ingested 🙁
A friend didn’t realise her ferret was licking a square of rat bait when a technician removed her dishwasher to repair. The ferret didn’t show any signs of discomfort for a week, then she found her girl running around in panic while bleeding 😮
She rushed the ferret to her vet but she died from loss of blood 🙁
Please get a vet’s advice – don’t waste time if the package was damaged by your ferret’s teeth! God forbid the same thing happens to your girl as happened to my friend’s ferret!!!
It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Good luck ❤️
~Nona
Nona that story was so sad. Sorry for her loss :-:
i just got done shampooing my carpet, it’s basically bleach my ferret got down by the bleach and was sniffing it and may have licked it does he need to be taken to a vet
Hi Sara
Obviously if you’re worried then please take your ferret to the vet to be checked over.
If you’re not sure that he’s licked the bleach, then keep an eye on him to see if he acts strangely or is coughing or hacking at all. I would think that bleach would burn going down his throat so he might have a reaction if he licked enough to hurt himself.
Hopefully he just smelled the bleach and that was enough to put him off trying to lick it. HOWEVER, and I will repeat myself, if you are at all worried about that, then you have to take him to the vet to be checked out ?♀️
Hugs to your little guy from his new friends down under ❤
Cheers
~Nona
I’m not sure what’s wrong with my ferret. I woke up to him vomiting under my bed. He’s been vomiting for about 2 hours but he’s seems to be fine otherwise. I’ve been giving him water everytime he does to make sure he doesn’t get dehydrated. But everytime he’s done throwing up, he starts playing and running around like normal. I’m really worried and I’m not sure what to do. I can’t take him to a vet right now because it’s late
Hi Makayla
I’m sorry but I have no idea what could be wrong with your little guy!
I would suggest you get some electrolytes to add to his water just to make sure he stays rehydrated. Did you change his food recently? You didn’t mention anything about his eating habits so could the food be the cause of his throwing up?
Read this article about pure pumpkin and try it out to see if you can stop him from throwing up with that …
https://www.all-about-ferrets.com/the-wonders-of-canned-pure-pumpkin.html
Try that and if it seems to settle him, great, but if you think his condition is deterorating in any way, please get him to a (ferret) vet asap to be checked out. Ferrets can hide their illnesses remarkably well so that the owner doesn’t realise something is very wrong until their ferret collapses or worse!
Good luck!
Hugs to your little man from his new buddies down under ❤
Cheers
~Nona
Nothing had changed with his diet, which is why I was panicking. I took him to the vet the next morning because he became really lethargic and they said he had some blockage in his stomach. He was able to pass whatever it was without any damage being done. He’s doing well now, back to stealing my socks and beating up the cat lol thank you so much for helping me, I appreciate it more than anything ?
I’m so happy to know that he’s recovered from his partial blockage! Excellent news ?
Big hugs to your little fellow ??
I am SO HAPPY to hear that he’s recovered from his partial blockage!! That really is excellent news, Makayla! ?
Big hugs to your little trouper! ???
So my ferret loves watermelon, and my vet said it’s okay to give it to him. He gets it once a day when it’s medicine time. He has insulinoma and gets a steroid dose daily. He was diagnosed with the condition last year. I’ve had him for a little over 4 years. He is roughly 5 to 5 1/2(he was a rescue and thought to be 1 or 1 1/2 at the time) anyway, tonight he was licking an avocado skin that fell on the floor. I did a lot of research tonight and I found nothing conclusive about avocados and ferrets. Some sites say they’re poisonous but don’t explain why and others say they just shouldn’t eat them. But considering that he has in Sonoma and that means that he has a lack of things like glucos I did a lot of research tonight and I found nothing conclusive about avocados and ferrets. Some sites say they’re poisonous but don’t explain why and others say they just shouldn’t eat them. Obviously I took the right away immediately when I discovered he was eating it but considering his condition is it truly poisonous to him or would it potentially help him? Or maybe not help him but would it really be that bad for him in small doses like maybe once a week I read all about complex carbohydrates and sugars and all that stuff but being that his condition is a lack of glucose amongst many other things that come with insulinoma wouldn’t something like avocado help him? I’m going to bring it up with my vet in the morning or whenever they have the time to talk to me but I’m looking for the advice from other favorite owners and people that may know way more than I do. I absolutely love and worship this little guy, he is my world and I want to make sure he is healthy and happy. And if there is anything outside of medication that will help or make him feel better with his condition I want to know. If anyone has any advice or information please feel free to look me up on Facebook Heidi Winchenbach from Maine. Thank you
Hello I also have another question I’ve been considering getting another ferret but my little guy has never met another ferret and he’s only known his cat friends and my dogs before they passed away I’m not sure how he would react and also I wouldn’t know whether I should get another male or potentially a female I don’t know what would be the best way to go about any of this. He is not aggressive at least not any more than most any animal he’s not dominant he’s just a unique little bugger that doesn’t even know that he’s a ferret.any advice is appreciated thank you very much
Hi Heidi
From what I’ve read, avocados contain persin, a fungicidal toxin, which can cause serious health problems — even death — in many animals. This website seems to confirm the fact ?
https://www.pfma.org.uk/ferrets-nutritional-requirements#:~:text=It's%20also%20important%20to%20only,to%20many%20other%20health%20problems.&text=There%20are%20a%20numbeYor%20of,ferret%20raisins%2C%20avocado%20and%20chocolate.
Ages ago, when I first got ferrets (1994) it was said that raisins were good to give ferrets for a treat. Then they found that raisins probably caused insulinoma in ferrets so people were told not to give them to their ferrets!
You asked if there was anything else that you could give your little man to make him feel better. If you read through this page, you’ll see the supplements which are supposed to help ferrets with insulinoma. I have a Facebook friend who asked me about supplements and I suggested DMG. She’s been giving it to her ferret and said he seems to be doing really well on it. And as pred is hard on a ferret’s liver, it’s a good idea to give your guy milk thistle to help his liver.
https://www.all-about-ferrets.com/insulinoma-in-ferrets.html
I would also suggest giving him astaxanthin to help his immune system. You can download the pdf about astaxanthin from this page …
https://www.all-about-ferrets.com/natural-remedies-for-ferrets.html
I have two boys at the moment and have been giving them a daily smoothie which consists of 200ml no lactose milk, one whole astaxanthin softgel (I poke a hole in it and squeeze the whole softgel into the jug), and one egg yolk and mix it all together as a preventative measure and (touch wood), the boys and our dog love their smoothie and have stayed healthy so far!!
Hope that’s of some help to you ?
Hugs to your little guy from his new buddies down under ???
Cheers
~Nona
Hi again Heidi
It’s really hard to know how your ferret would react if you got him a playmate! Some ferrets are very friendly and welcome a newcomer with open arms while others hate newbies and attack them.
I suppose if you got another rescue with the opinion of returning the ferret if your boy reacts badly then you could see how he reacts. Or do you have a friend who has a ferret? If you do, then have a playdate to see how he gets on with another ferret before you bring a new one into your home.
It really would be great for your little guy if he did take to getting a friend, as it’s always nice to see them cuddling up to each other and playing.
Hope that’s been of some help to you! ?
Cheers
~Nona
Is baby oil poisonous to ferrets my ferret got into a bottle he injested some of it
Hi Lilli
I don’t think baby oil will hurt your ferret – it will probably just make its poop rather slippery for a while ?
Cheers
~Nona
Can I use boric acid on my carpets for fleas and will it harm my ferret?
Hi Janeen
I hope this article will help you decide whether boric acid is dangerous to your ferret or not! ?♀️
https://petcareadvisors.com/cats/is-boric-acid-safe-for-cats-or-harmful/
Wishing you all the best and a big hug to your furry friend from its new furry friends down under! ?
Cheers
Nona
My ferret was accidentally sprayed with a light bathroom cleaner. (Not enough time soak them but just one spot was wet at the top of their fur) I dried them real well as soon as it happened and will be bathing them today anyway.. I just need to know if they will be okay..
Hi Alyc
I’m pretty sure they’ll be fine as you seemed to have dried them quickly so that they didn’t have time to lick the liquid off their fur!
Keep an eye on them and if you notice them not behaving as they should, then please take them to a ferret vet to be checked over.
Hugs to your little ones from their new furry friends down under ❤
Cheers
~Nona
My ferret Ezra got into a little bit of shampoo. He licked it for about 15 seconds. I didn’t know until I could smell it on his breath and then I found the spilled shampoo. Will he be okay? He seems to be fine as he’s drinking water and running around normally
Hi Gabi
Apologies for the long time before replying but we had a winter storm last week and our modem got fried, so we had no internet for a while ?
I’m pretty sure Ezra will be fine – just keep an eye on him and if he suddenly looks off-colour, then take him to the vet for a check up. However I’m sure the shampoo probably just cleaned his guts before passing through! LOL!
Hugs to your little guy from his new furry friends down under ❤️
Cheers
~Nona
Hi Nona! I have 2 ferrets and I usually let them out 2 times a day. Morning and evening. Well, we just found out we actually have a pretty bad roach problem in our room. The ferrets live in my room.(They are not allowed outside the room because there are cats outside the room that do not get along with them.)I was reading that boric acid is actually pretty safe for most animals (unless ingested huge amounts). However, I know ferrets are a little more sensitive and was wondering if you have any recommendations or some insight on what would be the best thing to do! Is it safe for them to have their same play time schedule of morning and evening when applying the boric acid?
Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Kaylee
I’m sorry but I have no idea about boric acid and pets so I had to google the question! This is what popped up …
In animals, boric acid toxicity is connected to blood conditions and problems with the endocrine system. Toxicity in pets tends to be more severe based on the animal’s size. Smaller pets, such as dogs, cats and hamsters, are more likely to experience dangerous symptoms.
That makes me think that perhaps you should keep the ferrets caged and perhaps in another room while the boric acid is used in your room and once everything has settled then you could bring them back into your room? ?♀️
How would the boric acid be applied? Would it be sprinkled on your floor? If that was the case, I have no idea how long the boric acid would last on the floor! Obviously if it was put down and the ferrets are in the room, they’d breathe it and maybe get it on their fur and lick it. Sounds rather dangerous to me but as I said, I have no experience in this ?
I found this site with information about boric acid – you might find it of interest and it hopefully might help you with your planning …
https://petcareadvisors.com/cats/is-boric-acid-safe-for-cats-or-harmful/
Unfortunately it’s about cats but I’m sure it could easily be applied to ferrets.
This is another article which talks about boric acid and pets …
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/boric-acid-safe-use-pest-control.htm
I hope that’s of some help to you and am sorry I couldn’t speak from experience ?
Hugs to your two sweeties from their furry friends down under ❤
Cheers
~Nona
Recently, my ferret has been either coughing or sneezing very frequently but my other ferret is completely fine and idk what to do or what is causing it
Hi Alexis
Oh wah … I’m so sorry but I honestly cannot say what I think is wrong with your sneezing ferret ?
I’ve read that ferrets can’t get a cold but they can get the flu! Is that something you think your little one has?
Check out the symptoms to influenza and see if your baby has those symptoms ..,
https://www.all-about-ferrets.com/influenza-in-ferrets.html
HOWEVER! If your sneezing ferret has the flu, then your 2nd fine ferret should also catch it, no? ?♀️
Now maybe your ferret has allergies and the dust and your other ferret doesn’t? ?
About 3 years ago I took on two brothers from my rescue friends and they were gorgeous, but one of them had a really scary sounding cough, which I could only compare to the honking of geese ?
I took them to my vet for a check up and she listened to their breathing and their lungs and said there was nothing bad that she could find in either! She told me to keep giving them the supplements which I gave to my former babies to keep their immune system strong.
I have been giving them the supplements but just the other week, I heard that awful goose-sounding honk from one of them again (first time since I took the boys to my vet)!
I found out which brother was doing this and after stressing the whole day (it was a weekend, of course!) I was going to take him to my vet to be checked out and – guess what! Just like he started to honk, he suddenly stopped making that noise!! ?
So all I can suggest is for you to take your ferret to a (ferret) vet to be checked over to see if there is a problem or not!
It really is difficult to figure out what is causing the problem but I’m sure an experienced vet will be able to help you!
Good luck ??
Big hugs to your two from their new fuzzy buddies down under ?
Cheers
~Nona
Cheers
~Nona
My ferret got into his shampoo and probably licked a little of it. will he be ok?
Hi Aniya
I’m sure your ferret will be fine if he just licked a little bit of the shampoo!
Keep an eye on his poop and his behaviour and if you notice anything odd, then I’d suggest you take him to a ferret vet for a check up ?
Hugs to your little man from his new furry friends down under ❤
Cheers
~Nona
My ferret has been sneezing ever since we got our Christmas tree. He’s even drank some of the water. I looked it up & it says pine is damaging to their livers & respiratory system. We are going to take him to the vet soon. But I just need some more information in the mean time.
Hi Katelyn
I must say that I only know that pine shavings – to put into a ferret’s litter tray – will cause problems because the shavings would be easy for the little ones to inhale!
I’m so glad you’re taking your little man to the vet to be checked out -ONYA!! However I can’t give you any information about having a live Christmas tree and how it might affect your little man ❤
I hope the vet will give your litte guy a clean bill of health!!!
Hope you and all your loved ones will enjoy a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and I hope to hell that the NEW YEAR will be better than this one!!!
Cheers
Nona
Hey, I found my ferret chewing on some old gum that was on the ground. I was wondering if he will be ok since I have read that if the gum is sugar free it could hurt him and also that it can cause intestinal blockages. What should I look for to see if he is sick? I’m just really stressing out about it.
Hi Michael
If it was just a bit of old gum, you probably don’t have to worry too much but if you are worried, please take him to the vet to be checked over!
I haven’t had that problem so can’t tell you what you should look for. Just keep a close eye on him and if you see him acting or behaving differently, again, please take him to the vet to be checked out!?
Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Hugs to your little guy from his new furry friends down under ❤
Cheers
~Nona
hello i’m a nail tech and i’m working from home and i have to room to put my ferret in and i’m scared that if i take any clients then it might be bad for him
Hi Yogi
Do you mean that you have to shut your ferret up in a room when you have clients having their nails done?
I would imagine that if that room has good ventilation (fresh air from an opened window) then the products you use won’t smell in that room but – to be honest – I don’t know if that is true or not. I think that if there are strong chemical smells that go into the room it wouldn’t be very good for his health.
I’m guess that good ventilation would help but obviously you would have to make sure that the room you put your ferret in doesn’t get filled with any smells during your client’s time getting their nails done.
Is there a ferret shelter nearby where you could speak to the owner and get their opinion? That would be better than asking me, I think.
Sorry that I can’t give you a definite answer!
Hugs to your ferret from their new fuzzy friends down under ?
Cheers
~Nona
Are fumes from moth balls harm full to ferrets?
Hi Ron
If the ferret is in a room with good ventilation then I think the fumes wouldn’t harm it. However if in a closed environment, then it could make it feel sick. However I honestly don’t know how badly it would affect the ferret ?♀️
If worried, please speak to a vet to ensure that your ferret won’t be harmed by the fumes.
Cheers
~Nona
Mothballs gone. Not taking any chances. Thanks.
?
Hello,
my sweet ferret seems to be having anxiety from the farm sounds outside. It was suggested to me to give it ss all amounts of cbd oil. Before I do that I want to know the product is safe for her. The two ingredients I have questions about are.. Camphene and citronellol. Amyone with knowledge about these ingredients in relation to ferrets please advise. I would be very grateful.
Thank you
Hi Brian
I couldn’t find anything specifically for ferrets but there’s this de-stresser for dogs and both the ingredients you mention are used in it under “Sweet Basil” (scroll down).
To be honest, I don’t know if it will work safely for ferrets ?♀️
https://www.dogtrainingproducts.com.au/dog-behaviour-modification/597-pet-remedy-atomiser.html
I would recommend you find a holistic vet that you could ask as they would surely know the answer!
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
Hugs to your sweetie pie from her new buddies down under ?
Cheers
~Nona
PS : I found this site and it says not to use Basil essential oil for ferrets. I don’t know if that’s the same as the Sweet Basil mentioned above or not ?♀️
https://www.themiracleofessentialoils.com/essential-oils-for-ferrets/