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Post by Feeeerreeets on Aug 10, 2013 15:12:23 GMT -5
My little guy keeps itching himself and it's getting a lot more violent and frequently. I think it might have been his hammock, cause I had bought it without washing it. Which, speaking off how DO I wash it? Is using normal soap fine and then letting it dry? I'm just worried about his skin getting irritated.
What other things could it be though of why he's itching so much?
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Post by Sherry on Aug 10, 2013 17:40:33 GMT -5
It's possible it's the hammock. Try switching it out for others while washing it. Also- ferrets are naturally very itchy critters. Mine will jump straight up out of a sound sleep and literally fall off the shelf itching madly. Something that can help is a proper diet to keep their skin hydrated, as well as giving some oil like salmon or fish oil, or even extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp every third day.
Something else that can and does cause extreme itchiness is adrenal disease. You don't say how old your little one is?
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Post by Feeeerreeets on Aug 10, 2013 22:29:54 GMT -5
What exactly IS adrenal disease? I really hope it's not. He's three months old.
It makes me feel a little better that your come out of sleep to itch because that's most def what he does. I'm just a worry wart though, and it scares me with how often and hard he itches himself.
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Post by Thérèse on Aug 11, 2013 5:22:06 GMT -5
For washing avoid anything that's got fragrances or essential oils added. I just wash the ferrets bedding like I do mine but I don't get fragranced detergents etc cause Idon't like them. If worried just make sure you do a thorough rinse and then let it dry and back in.
Adrenal disease is a very common ferret illness that is likely to develop later in life if the ferret has been desexed really young (almost all those in the US or Canada fall into this category) or subjected to unnatural lighting conditions regularly. While many are seeing it younger and younger it would be unusual in a 3 month old ferret. I would suggest you read up on it though because if you are in the US or Canada it is likely the question is not if but when. It is also common elsewhere but just not as common.
If you are somewhere where the seasons are changing and he is shedding that also could explain extra itchys, but as Sherry said ferrets are itchy critters to begin with
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Post by Sherry on Aug 11, 2013 9:19:25 GMT -5
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It's likely just a combination of the new hammock as well as the innate itchiness of ferrets. My husband has often said they'd likely have already taken over the world if it wasn't for those constant sudden itches 