Kit questions!

[Deleted]

Hey everyone, I recently got a Kit, she's about 2 months now and I just have some questions since all of my ferrets have been at least 1.5 years when I got them.

Question 1- she likes to destroy everythkng, and i know it's normal for them to do so however I am worried about her swallowing pieces of her bedding and blankets in her cage while I am at work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can prevent a possible blockage situation? Or how I should have her cage set up right now? What should and should not be in it? Any kind of beddin I can buy her that cannot be destroyed as easily?

Question 2- litter training. She uses it some times but not always. she will poop right next to it when it is in her cage, not even in any kind of corner. I read about givin her a treat when she uses it but she has no interest in treats. And of course pick her up when she's about to go and set her on there. Are there anymore tips you guys can give me?

Question 3 - biting. I am also aware most kits bite because they have not learned we are not as tough skinned as they are. For the most part I have broke her of biting my hands and fingers and when she occasionally does she is much much more gentle. but she has now discovered my feet lol. Aside from the scruff and no, and time outs are there any other ways I should know about?

And is there anything else I should know about them?

[Desiree]

Hello and welcome! When you can post pictures, we love pictures.

As for your questions

1 - I have a fabric chewer, she's older but chews up certain things. I use "unsoft" fabric, I have a couple of thick pillow cases in her cage, a pair of old cut jeans and a polo t-shirt (one of those thick heavy ones) so far she hasn't chewed on any of those. Blankets are just not an option for her. There is also rip-stop fabric out there but I haven't been able to find it to try it out.

2 - If she isn't deaf, praise her. Use that baby voice. Ferrets always love attention and they react to it very well. Have you tired ferret litter box bootcamp? Its the only way my elder will use the box. holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/108/litter-box-boot-camp Check it out here.

3 - Just be consistent, it'll pay off. Those tiny teeth hurt. Slippers are a wonderful way to keep her from biting your feet while training her.

[Deleted]

Manda my baby is going after my feet sock or no socks---give her a piece of chicken wing--this will deter her, and when she gets full,her bite will be less severe---well that has worked with mine-----have plenty meaty bones on hand. Haha

And, she will love you for it.

[Deleted]

My 9 week old fuzzie was my first ever ferret, so I literally threw myself into the deep end She'll be a year old in July!

Time outs stopped the biting and the nipping. Pretty fast actually! That was (for me) the easiest thing to correct. And for feet, I wore slippers and if she bit them I would ignore her (it doesn't hurt through slippers) and now she's learnt it gets no reaction and is pretty pointless. Bare feet is fine now

The hardest thing for me...potty training! I have never been able to get her to poop in litter. Even using the same stuff from when she was with her mum and dad. She would use the box perfectly...if there was nothing in it! But as soon as I put litter back in she would not use it. So it took a few different methods to see what worked for her. (just pooping and peeing in a box didn't seem sanitary as nothing soaked it up and she would step in her pee etc) Newspaper would get shredded so that wasn't an option either. I then noticed she started to poop on a flat piece of fleece consistantly. I didn't want her to think pooping on fleece was ok though as that's what most of her bedding is made from, so I made some washable potty pads that are a different texture. This finally worked and is what she uses to this day with almost 0 accidents. Maybe she just has a sensitive bum Blocking corners helped her to stick to one corner as well.

She used to destroy her cage, or rearrange everything to her liking. There are a couple holes in two of her blankets from her first month or so being with us. This has stopped now though. No more chewing! I didnt really have to do anything here, she just stopped or grew out of it. (I get no credit haha).

She had sooooo much energy as a baby, but I found that super active play and chasing games tired her out so fast that all she would do in her cage was sleep. Even if only for a couple hours Once she knows she will be let out often, shell learn to relax in her cage instead of trying to imitate a tornado. Now she's almost a year old, she still chooses to relax in the cage sometimes even though she has the option to run around and play.

Have fun with your baby pictures pleeease!

[Deleted]

Thanks everyone! just a little update

I'm happy to say she has been using the letterbox 100% of the time in her cage now, and has only had a couple accidents outside of it.

Her biting is almost non existent shell occasionally bite my foot but it's very light.

She's also stopped destroyer all of her bedding, most of it was taken out since it was all ripped up. I'm really excited to get her all new stuff, I just want to make sure she won't destroy that too.

I do have another question tho, since I got her she has not had a normal poop. It's always just diarrhea. It's really starting to worry me. I'm planning to take her to the vet next week. But does anyone know what could be causing it? Change in food maybe?

Over all she is absolutely perfect, And she loves cuddles which makes it that much better

[raynebc]

Changes in food and even just stress (ie. from changing environments) can cause poop issues. Persisting diarrhea is a concern if the ferret is eating dry food like kibble, since it wouldn't take much water loss for them to become dehydrated. The sooner you can get her to the vet for a solution, the better. If you plan on switching to a raw diet, the sooner you can start, the better. The older they are the more stubborn they are about dietary change. Plus having a diet with wet, raw meat will keep them much better hydrated to the point where diarrhea won't immediately be a life-threatening problem.

[Deleted]

Raynbec is spot on.
Once the vet checks her out, u might would like to get her some frozen whole prey it makes nice stool


keep us updated on ur baby.

[Heather]

I would be vetting. There is no way that a baby ferret should be having consistently loose stools. There is a problem here. Vetting sooner than later
ciao

[Deleted]

Well I called the vet and they have no opening this week so next week it is. She eats normal and isn't lethargic at all she doesn't "appear" sickly in anyway, aside from odd stool. so idk what it might be. She is from a pet store unfortunately, so who know what she could have ended up with :/

However on a positive side note I am happy to say she willing ate some chicken. So a raw diet will be well on its way ?

[Deleted]

As well as going to vet , try some boney meals--like quail or cornish game hen. U can get quail from Asian store --watch out for boxed quail at grocery store. The ones i saw had a bunch of added ingredients.

 ou can try mice also. To make my baby eat mice --I had to cut it up and add cut pieces of chicken thigh. The mid section of chicken wing is good and the tip section.
You can get cornish hen rather cheap from walmart or grocery store. However, Cornish gives my older ferrets diarrhea as well as chicken, although baby can tolerate chicken so far.


Of course if you r going to start feeding raw, it will help to start an unofficial switching thread, and get feedback from people .  

[Deleted]

Diarrhea for that long is not good, as everyone has mentioned. Can you post a picture of it?
How do her paws, nose and ears look? Are they nice and pink?

What are you currently feeding her?

Also how goes the chewing? Has she stopped? Denim is a strong fabric and would be good for a chewer.

If that vet can't take her any sooner, look for another one. Preferably an exotic vet specialist who regularly sees ferrets, not just cats and dogs.

Bones/dried eggshell powder and bonemeal will help firm up stools, but she should be vetted first. She might simply have an intolerance to what she is eating, or have picked up something that a course of antibiotics will help. It's important that this doesn't go on too long.