Best way to Quarantine?

[LindaM]

Okay, so I've been thinking about getting an adoption pair of ferrets, there are two 7 month old brothers available with a FN Double (and I already have a spare of those too). I know you need to quarantine newcomers for at least 2 weeks to make sure scary crap like ECE and the like doesn't pop up. I'd also take them for their vet visit first thing, of course, but we know that even when a vet says they're healthy, something yucky can pop up in your existing ferrets.

Both my current ferrets are fully free-roam in our home from morning till midnight. My little girl, Athena, is a tiny little mite, and she easily fits under doors and climbs any and everything that will get here to the location she desires (yeah, sometimes she's a ferret-proofing test monster). My cat also has full access to everywhere he wants to go. I don't have the option of a basement or garage to put them in either.

What would be the best way for me to try and quarantine these new babies? What should I do if they accidentally come into contact with one another? I just want to hear some advice and opinions before deciding on getting them.

[Heather]

I quarantine to a separate room. At the moment, I use the nursery. It is blocked off from the ferret room by a door. This door has been adjusted to allow for no under the door escapees, but all my other doors now have secondary pieces fitted to the bottom of the door so that no one can wiggle under the doors. If the nursery is occupied, then my studio becomes the quarantine room. There is always a bottle of hand sanitizer to be used both coming in and going out. I also have an old cast off shirt (one of hubbies dress shirts) to put on and take off when coming and going. It hangs inside the quarantine room. I have a pair of shoes specific for that room. Sound extreme...it's not. I've dealt with ECE. The short term effects are brutal and can kill the very young and very old but it's treatable. The long term effects are much worse.
What happens if you get an invasion or an escapee....shite happens, nothing. Cross your fingers and hope nothing goes south. 90% of the time there will be no repercussion. Maybe you will have to treat for mites or fleas, usually not that big a deal. I push for quarantines, I'm one of the few. Many don't bother. Two years ago, I made the mistake of doing a soft quarantine because the ferrets I rescued had seen a vet already. Unfortunately, the loose stools that were passed off as dietary issues were ECE. This infected all of my business, some became deathly ill. I just lost a boy to the long term repercussions this past week. ECE destroyed his heart and broke mine.
ciao

[LindaM]

Thank you for the input Heather . I saw the boys yesterday, poor buggers, they've only just been put on Wysong Anergen kibbles (I believe they said before they switched to that they did Canidae Limited Ingredient Salmon), and I saw their poops, oh my gosh.. they seem to poop in one single day as much as my two do in a week! Big, curly poop piles all over! I was horrified and I would really like to take these babies in, I just wanted to double check on the whole quarantine process and figure out the best way for it.

I'm gonna see if hubby and I can lock off a room and prep it to use for quarantine and see if we can take in the wee boys. They appeared to be healthy, and had had a recent-ish vet check, but I'd still get them rechecked if we get them, that's for sure.

[Lily]

Just wanted to include my personal experience with ECE.

A few years ago, when Lexy was younger, a friend of mine introduced a new ferret of hers to Lexy. They literally just sniffed each other through the cage, and never played or interacted outside of it. I noticed a day or two later, that her stool was green and diarrhea everywhere, she was lethargic, etc...

After 3 days, I took her in to see the vet and she was treated for ECE. Had 2 antibiotics (Don't remember the specific meds, but I can go through her history for you if you'd like) and she literally lost half her weight during those 3 days. The 2 weeks of antibiotics were killer for her, but ECE really does have a heavy impact on poor ferrets.

I was told from my vet even a simple interaction from a different ferret, ECE can spread. Weirdly, 2 of my ferrets during that time were affected by ECE (Had no contact with Lexy and the kit) but one didn't get it. It is highly contagious, that's for sure. I believe ECE is also a carried virus that many can go unnoticed with.

[Heather]

You are correct. ECE can and does create carriers and sometimes younger ferrets are apparently immune or not seriously affected while others, kits and older ferrets have to fight for their lives. It also causes sterility in breed stock and can cause IBD and heart conditions as well
ciao

[LindaM]

Thanks guys! I'm having hubby prep a room where we can keep only them in and keep Athena, my little door slider, out. I'll let her test the proofing before bringing new babies home. Right now, I'm still the only offer the couple has to take in their wee ones, so I have a bit of time to get things properly in order.

[Sherry]

Not a bad idea to have a room prepped, even if you don't take these two in. It will be used for possible future ferrets.

[natalieoh]

Wow, really interesting information on ECE. I knew it was bad, but didn't even realize the long term effects. If I get other ferts in the future I will definitely do a more intense quarantine than I've done in the past.
Heather I'm very sorry for your recent loss 😢