Type of picture for new switches

[Sherry]

Since you will be required to post a picture of your ferret at the beginning of the switch, this is the type you want, so we can see the actual body shape.
These are Boris, before and after his IBD started, which is why he became so thin. This will also give you and your mentor a better idea of just what is happening with your ferret, and how to help them have an idea of whether your ferret is losing too much weight.

Before his IBD:


If you see your ferret losing weight like this, you likely only have to worry about hand feeding more

After IBD started:

[Deleted]

Oh the poor baby!! That after pic is what my flower looks like

[Sherry]

His is from uncontrolled IBD. We just got him stabilized, when he decided to start refusing any of the food he could actually handle.
If you apply for a mentor, your's will look like the reverse by the time you're finished

[Deleted]

The bottom one is what my luna looks like right now

[Deleted]

I'm glad that they're already used to being weighed each month. When I truly start making the switch I'll just weigh them more frequently!

[Deleted]

Sherry,
That's kind of the difference between many of my guy's seasonal weights. You may want to clarify that if you see a weight change like that combined with other indicators - like loose stools, consistent color change in stools, refusal of food, lethargy etc - would indicate a health issue beyond normal seasonal changes.

[Sherry]

The only reason for these pics Kim are during a transition process in case the little one isn't eating enough. And in that last pic Boris was only 600 grams

[Deleted]

They will change like that based on season too?? I read a warning that ferrets will drastically change the amount they eat too based on season. That's going to worry me lol I'm a fusser

[Deleted]

Feb 9, 2016 10:05:14 GMT -5 @funkelt said:

They will change like that based on season too?? I read a warning that ferrets will drastically change the amount they eat too based on season. That's going to worry me lol I'm a fusser

There are big changes during the seasons.
Female ferrets eat 2-3 ounces a day and can scare you with how little they eat.
Male ferrets eat 3-4 ounces a day.
Babies or Tummie with Teeth simply eat and eat and eat.

Winter finds them with a bigger appetite and their coats get floofier.
Their color will appear different because their undercoat is white or creamy and as it fills out and they put on their winter coat, their top guard hairs are hidden by the undercoat and so you see a pattern change.
My Roamy for example loses most of his mask and it goes from a full mask to a V shaped mask. 
Some Ferrets may have their seasons reversed and wear their winter coats in the spring. Juliet went through this but seems to have reversed back to the proper season. This is common in mill ferrets.

Spring finds them eating less and thinning down. 
When a switch is started as spring comes along, ferrents often worry about their ferrets not eating and getting skinny but that's all normal and nothing to worry about.

(dance)

[Deleted]

Good to know! I think mine are reversed or just grew out of the tummy with teeth phase because they went from eating 10 oz between the two of them to 5 @.@ It really worried me but they are very alert and active.

[Deleted]

Sherry , So my mimi looks like the second picture. She is very small last weight being 1 lbs., 11 oz. on 04/20/17....once in awhile she has a loose stool but nothing discolored or like water, no lethargy and as for refusing food the little piggy never denies food from the day I brought her home first thing she found was spazz' food bowl (previous owners fed her some crap cat food from walmart)also when comes to raw freeze dry treats she loves them where spazz turns her nose up at them

[Sherry]

You have to remember- both those pics are the same ferret.