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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 8:29:38 GMT -5
Hi all, My first thread!! I'm a new ferret owner and I need some advice on long-term safe flea treatments for ferrets. I live in UK so needs to be something i can source here. Are there any specific ingredients to avoid that can damage their health? Which are most effective and safest? Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 8:39:10 GMT -5
Hi and Welcome to the HFF You want to visit a Vet and get a flea med from them. The over the counter medicines have had some bad side effects. If you are having trouble with fleas, then give them a warm water only bath and use a small animal flea comb to dislodge any fleas. Then wash all the bedding and vacuum everything throughly to pick up any dormant eggs. I've read that putting Moth Balls in your vacuum cleaner bag will then kill any eggs. I have done this and had no issues with the Mothballs. We lived in Florida where fleas are very common and I rarely ran across one by doing this. I'll tag @frolickingferrets who lives in the UK also. It's nice to have you onboard and I hope to see you around. Have fun and I think you will like it here. We have lovely Ferrents and there is ton's of information and experience to learn from. (dance)
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Post by linsul on Feb 2, 2016 9:23:28 GMT -5
What Poncesmom said for sure! If you're having a really hard time of it diatomaceous earth can help with prevention in conjunction with vet meds and a thorough cleaning. You can find it at garden centers and online. It's not a chemical killer that will harm mammals, it's a physical one. It's powdery to mammals but microscopically sharp and will cut up and dehydrate ants, fleas, and any other insect pests. It's a preventative more than a treatment though, you still need to go through the other steps but it helps keep things clear of them. Indoors it's great around baseboards, in dog crates, across door thresholds and I put it in the carpet too after vacuuming and leave it for a day in the spring and summer months occasionally. You can also use it outdoors in flower beds and the yard. We get fire ants badly here (Texas) but tilling in DE regularly has improved things a ton keeping them away from the house. Thankfully it's not expensive.
Edit: Food Grade DE specifically is what I use.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 9:34:17 GMT -5
I go to vet as well. I do not like sprays, as I do not like the idea of ferret inhaling aerosol particles. I would get the spot treatment between shoulder blade. It will be probably be the lowest dose like for kittens.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 9:43:19 GMT -5
Do you have any thoughts on ferrets inhaling this product?
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Post by linsul on Feb 2, 2016 10:10:34 GMT -5
Do you have any thoughts on ferrets inhaling this product? Yes: don't! You'll notice I didn't advise putting it in the ferret cage or bedding or on their bodies. Like any preventative common sense goes a long way. Some people here use it and others don't, a quick search of the forums tells that story. The most "at risk" my ferrets are is when I use it on the carpet, but they're put away when that happens and it's seasonal (spring and summer) only. Vacuum it up later and yay. Most people use it around molding (baseboards) where creepie crawlies think they're unseen. You don't have to lay down a thick powdery line and I've never read about ferrets seeking it out, lurking near to it, or being drawn to it specifically in any way.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 10:19:41 GMT -5
Hi and Welcome to the HFF You want to visit a Vet and get a flea med from them. The over the counter medicines have had some bad side effects. If you are having trouble with fleas, then give them a warm water only bath and use a small animal flea comb to dislodge any fleas. Then wash all the bedding and vacuum everything throughly to pick up any dormant eggs. I've read that putting Moth Balls in your vacuum cleaner bag will then kill any eggs. I have done this and had no issues with the Mothballs. We lived in Florida where fleas are very common and I rarely ran across one by doing this. I'll tag @frolickingferrets who lives in the UK also. It's nice to have you onboard and I hope to see you around. Have fun and I think you will like it here. We have lovely Ferrents and there is ton's of information and experience to learn from. (dance) Thanks for tagging in this @poncesmom Luckily fleas over here aren't very common, in fact I've never had an issue with fleas with my ferret however I still give them treatment for fleas every 6 months though, early November and early April before the breeding season starts. The there are two treatments, spot on for rodents and small pets made by beaphar, however I have found this comes in very small amounts and is expensive for what it is. And then there is ivomec which is used by farmers in sheep dips, it's about the same price as beaphar spot on, comes in a larger amount and is completely safe for ferrets, not only does it kill fleas and prevents them but it also kills all other parasites that ferrets can get including heart worm
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 8:27:14 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for your responses, this is so helpful. There is so much contradicting information all over the internet that I don't know what to trust!
I've only had my two girls for about two months now but it caught me off guard when my hubby found a couple in one of my girls coats the other day. Luckily, I think we caught it early as her skin didn't look too irritated and we only found four or five. We did give them a bath and flea combed them, and then cleaned their hutch and blankets... it seems to be sorted after checking - just need to think about prevention for the future. Maybe its because they're outside? We live in town so lots of cats about!!
I need to pay a visit to the vet, I think, to make sure that I'm doing everything right!
Thanks again for all your advice.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 8:32:19 GMT -5
Hi and Welcome to the HFF You want to visit a Vet and get a flea med from them. The over the counter medicines have had some bad side effects. If you are having trouble with fleas, then give them a warm water only bath and use a small animal flea comb to dislodge any fleas. Then wash all the bedding and vacuum everything throughly to pick up any dormant eggs. I've read that putting Moth Balls in your vacuum cleaner bag will then kill any eggs. I have done this and had no issues with the Mothballs. We lived in Florida where fleas are very common and I rarely ran across one by doing this. I'll tag @frolickingferrets who lives in the UK also. It's nice to have you onboard and I hope to see you around. Have fun and I think you will like it here. We have lovely Ferrents and there is ton's of information and experience to learn from. (dance) Thanks for tagging in this @poncesmom Luckily fleas over here aren't very common, in fact I've never had an issue with fleas with my ferret however I still give them treatment for fleas every 6 months though, early November and early April before the breeding season starts. The there are two treatments, spot on for rodents and small pets made by beaphar, however I have found this comes in very small amounts and is expensive for what it is. And then there is ivomec which is used by farmers in sheep dips, it's about the same price as beaphar spot on, comes in a larger amount and is completely safe for ferrets, not only does it kill fleas and prevents them but it also kills all other parasites that ferrets can get including heart worm @frolickingferrets - you mention Ivomec above. I have been researching this online and i have seen suggestions that this needs to be administered by subcutaneous injection only to cattle and sheep, is this the same for ferrets? Also, do you know of any reliable sources for suggested dosage for ferrets?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 8:49:53 GMT -5
Thanks for tagging in this @poncesmom Luckily fleas over here aren't very common, in fact I've never had an issue with fleas with my ferret however I still give them treatment for fleas every 6 months though, early November and early April before the breeding season starts. The there are two treatments, spot on for rodents and small pets made by beaphar, however I have found this comes in very small amounts and is expensive for what it is. And then there is ivomec which is used by farmers in sheep dips, it's about the same price as beaphar spot on, comes in a larger amount and is completely safe for ferrets, not only does it kill fleas and prevents them but it also kills all other parasites that ferrets can get including heart worm @frolickingferrets - you mention Ivomec above. I have been researching this online and i have seen suggestions that this needs to be administered by subcutaneous injection only to cattle and sheep, is this the same for ferrets? Also, do you know of any reliable sources for suggested dosage for ferrets? Your veterinary is the best and most reliable source for dosage. Always seek professional advice before administrating any drug to an animal. They can show you how much and how to do it at home. Edit: I also wanted to add, if you're interested in revolution, which is the most commonly used flea prevention treatment, they go by Strong Hold in the UK from what I gather.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 9:38:39 GMT -5
Thanks for tagging in this @poncesmom Luckily fleas over here aren't very common, in fact I've never had an issue with fleas with my ferret however I still give them treatment for fleas every 6 months though, early November and early April before the breeding season starts. The there are two treatments, spot on for rodents and small pets made by beaphar, however I have found this comes in very small amounts and is expensive for what it is. And then there is ivomec which is used by farmers in sheep dips, it's about the same price as beaphar spot on, comes in a larger amount and is completely safe for ferrets, not only does it kill fleas and prevents them but it also kills all other parasites that ferrets can get including heart worm @frolickingferrets - you mention Ivomec above. I have been researching this online and i have seen suggestions that this needs to be administered by subcutaneous injection only to cattle and sheep, is this the same for ferrets? Also, do you know of any reliable sources for suggested dosage for ferrets? It isn't administered the same way for ferrets, you can buy it in drop form, I've had a bottle of this stuff for 2 years and I'm only 1/3 the way through it www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222009481082?rmvSB=trueTwo drops on the ferrets skin at the base of the neck just before the shoulder blades twice a year, once around late March and again in August. I find it's very effective and I've never had fleas with my furbabies and they've not had any reactions to it either, I also don't know anyone that has ferrets that have had problems with it
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 9:55:51 GMT -5
Stronghold and advocate are fine for ferrets. Frontline spray is also very good (but spray it onto some disposable gloves and rub it over the body, don't spray directly onto the ferret). I have found mixed results with ivermectin personally. I find it better for mites and lice than fleas, but each area has their own flea population and resistance will be different in different areas.
I would definitely recommend seeing your vet to get safest and most effective treatment. In ferrets, due to the oils in their skin and coat, it is not necessary to treat them every month as it is with dogs and cats, every 4-6 months is usually more than enough.
Remember to treat the environment also. I use Indorex spray yearly on all of my sheds and in the house, as it has action for up to 12 months. It's quite a harsh chemical spray so I tend to use it on a nice day, clear all the animals out, open all doors and windows and leave the area to ventilate for 3-4 hours.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 15:12:02 GMT -5
A deterrent for the future that I've found to work well is vinegar. This works for most insects, and if you hate the smell you can mix it with a 1:1 ratio to water. It won't hurt the fuzzbutts either (in small doses of course), and is great for cleaning!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 15:15:17 GMT -5
A deterrent for the future that I've found to work well is vinegar. This works for most insects, and if you hate the smell you can mix it with a 1:1 ratio to water. It won't hurt the fuzzbutts either (in small doses of course), and is great for cleaning! I use this on their housing every 3 weeks to keep flies away, it makes the garden smell funny for a while but it works
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 21:20:58 GMT -5
I know ferrets have itchy skin and scratch here and there, but what if they scratch a little more than frequently? Every time she scratches, I look in her fur to see if I see any but never? So I am not sure what this means or what to do.
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