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Post by ferretsgoboom on Oct 29, 2011 15:31:11 GMT -5
i picked up max today to take a pic of him, i noticed that he has a pot belly! his belly isnt hard at all, he has been eating allot but it doesnt really look all that healthy.... help?   Uploaded with ImageShack.us |
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Post by Heather on Oct 29, 2011 15:38:19 GMT -5
Ok, first don't panic unless....he's not pooping  If, he's not pooping then you know you've got problems. You mentioned that he's just done the switch, when was he last fed, before the photo? You have to remember if he's at the gorging stage of his switch, he will bloat up a bit...then he will start making more muscle around the upper half but the first stage is this almost malnourished belly look, it shouldn't last for very long. Are his back legs swollen? His feet? How old is he? ciao |
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Post by Sherry on Oct 29, 2011 15:40:03 GMT -5
It could be an enlarged spleen. That happens sometimes for no reason at all. It could also be winter weight. It's been so long since I've dealt with kibble fed ferrets, I honestly can't remember if they put the weight on around the middle.
Is everything else normal? Activity, no signs of pain, pooping, etc?
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Post by ferretsgoboom on Oct 29, 2011 15:51:14 GMT -5
Ok, first don't panic unless....he's not pooping If, he's not pooping then you know you've got problems. You mentioned that he's just done the switch, when was he last fed, before the photo? You have to remember if he's at the gorging stage of his switch, he will bloat up a bit...then he will start making more muscle around the upper half but the first stage is this almost malnourished belly look, it shouldn't last for very long. Are his back legs swollen? His feet? How old is he? ciao umm he was few about 20 mins before the photo. he did gain some muscle in his top half but i havent seen him poop yet. i have seen some poop but i dont know if its his or princess' so im ganna watch him to see if he poo's or not his back legs and feet are not swollen and he is 3. he has been acting like hes really hungry though. right after he eats a good amount of his soup he goes looking for something else to eat. |
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Post by ferretsgoboom on Oct 29, 2011 15:53:36 GMT -5
It could be an enlarged spleen. That happens sometimes for no reason at all. It could also be winter weight. It's been so long since I've dealt with kibble fed ferrets, I honestly can't remember if they put the weight on around the middle. Is everything else normal? Activity, no signs of pain, pooping, etc? he doesnt show any signs of pain, but he does sleep alot. he doesnt even play anymore, he's too busy lookin for something to eat :/ |
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Post by Sherry on Oct 29, 2011 15:54:03 GMT -5
If he's still looking for more, let him have it. They will frequently gorge as Heather mentioned. It's almost like their bodies are trying to make up for lack of nutrition. Our original 4 used to go through almost a pound of meat a day at first  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2011 17:51:03 GMT -5
The spleen would be on the ferret's left side - so looking at that picture i would expect to see a larger bulge on the right-hand side in the picture. It's possible that bloating can cause some temporary enlargement of the lower belly. I would expect to see some poop issues - or a least a LOT of poop if this is related to eating/diet.
If this is persistent, it could be adrenal related. Adrenal disease does lead to a pot-bellied appearance in some ferrets.
-jennifer
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Post by ferretsgoboom on Oct 29, 2011 19:44:15 GMT -5
HE POOPED!!!! YAY!!!! i gave him some liver and it can right out! <3
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Post by Heather on Oct 29, 2011 20:52:21 GMT -5
That will do it ciao |
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Post by Heather on Oct 29, 2011 20:56:38 GMT -5
Just a thought but with the raw food he's eating and his age...I would have thought that his activity level should be just about driving you insane. I would increase the amount of food that you're feeding. Is he still eating kibbles?
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 0:29:49 GMT -5
NOT TO TROLL OR ANYTHING
Does every ferret that is being switched look like that?? i mean in the begining? i am about to switch my ferrets soon...
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Post by Heather on Oct 30, 2011 1:17:57 GMT -5
Here is a pic of Minion just after his switch. He had been eating kibble and kibble mush for 4 months. He put on huge amounts of weight when he switched over weighing in at 4.02 lbs. If you note the pear shape similar to the above photo. He was tucking in major amounts of food, eating 2 whole rats in a sitting.  I will have to get an updated photo to show you. He's leaned out, still a heavier kit but weighing in at a comfortable 3.10. He now has muscle definition and his shape is slimmer, less of that pear shape He also now eats half a large rat in a sitting ciao |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 9:52:15 GMT -5
Wow! that's interesting....looks more like weight loss/leaning up in the middle when you see Minion's picture....My kids never did a big/obvious weight change, although they were very kits when switched. Also, I switched them to the Archetypal 1 (dry) first and then to the fresh raw. !0-12 week old kits may not show the dramatic change since everything a baby eats turns into "bigger ferret" rather than fat pads.
-jennifer
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Post by miamiferret2 on Oct 30, 2011 14:45:45 GMT -5
He looks fine to me . If its not hard & if he's pooping he should be fine. Had he just eaten when you took that pic? Let him eat as much as he wants. He'll gain weight & beef up.with raw diet. Give him chicken skins. he'll beef up now for winter.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Oct 30, 2011 14:51:52 GMT -5
Heather Minion looks OVERJOYED in that picture. LOL
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