captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 13, 2018 18:23:39 GMT -5
My youngest ferret Aurora, woke me up in the middle of the night last night with loud and aggressive gagging. She was freaking out, running around her cage and stopping at each corner to gag uncontrollably. There wasn't much coughing and she wasn't sneezing at all. This went on for about 20 minutes. She just went to the vet last week and she was in perfect health. Could this just be a hair in her throat or something worse?
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Post by LindaM on Apr 13, 2018 21:44:04 GMT -5
It could be hair, yes. If your somewhere like the USA, our ferrets are going through their shed from winter to summer coats right now. Using something like a hairball preventative could be helpful right now. You can do 1 raw egg per ferret, per week (double this during the shedding season). Just take a fork and whisk the entire egg together, which is preferred, or offer only the yolk. Never, ever give just the egg whites as over time they can lead to a biotin deficiency.
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captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 14, 2018 10:48:12 GMT -5
Thank you. She hasn't done it since that night. I have dealt with this problem with my other ferret many times, he has a lot more hair than Aurora and he started to shed a lot earlier than her, but his little hacking episodes were never as bad as what Aurora's was. It was like nothing I've ever heard before.
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Post by LindaM on Apr 14, 2018 23:44:16 GMT -5
I've also heard that a little bit of salmon oil offered as a treat can also help lubricate a bit if there's a hair stuck in their throat that is making them hack.
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captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 17, 2018 16:14:05 GMT -5
I've also heard that a little bit of salmon oil offered as a treat can also help lubricate a bit if there's a hair stuck in their throat that is making them hack. Do you know where I could purchase Salmon Oil? |
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Post by LindaM on Apr 17, 2018 18:04:57 GMT -5
I buy from a local holistic pet supply store, but most pet stores should have some. Though the absolute easiest would be to just order off of Amazon, that way you can get a good brand easily. Grizzly or Alaskan Naturals work great.
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captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 20, 2018 16:04:14 GMT -5
I buy from a local holistic pet supply store, but most pet stores should have some. Though the absolute easiest would be to just order off of Amazon, that way you can get a good brand easily. Grizzly or Alaskan Naturals work great. We only have one pet store where I live and it doesn't have ferret supplies other than different kinds of food and vitamin supplements. Speaking of vitamin supplements, what would you recommend? I use Ferretvite which I know isn't the best but it's all the store has. I usually get most of my supplies when I go to Vegas to see family but sometimes I run out before I can make the trip. |
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Post by Blue on Apr 20, 2018 16:46:03 GMT -5
Absolutely don't get Ferrevite! It's sugar in a tube, which will cause insulinoma. If you're feeding raw, your ferrets are getting everything they need. If you're feeding kibble, I think the good ones try to provide the necessary supplements, although it wont be as good as a natural diet (raw meat). But Ferrevite will actively damage your fuzzies' health. Don't feel bad, I started out with Ferrevite too. That's why we're here, to learn! BTW welcome to the forum, I'm glad you're here. Maisie has gagged on fur too, I know how scary it sounds! Sometimes I think they live to freak us out  |
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captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 20, 2018 17:33:16 GMT -5
Absolutely don't get Ferrevite! It's sugar in a tube, which will cause insulinoma. If you're feeding raw, your ferrets are getting everything they need. If you're feeding kibble, I think the good ones try to provide the necessary supplements, although it wont be as good as a natural diet (raw meat). But Ferrevite will actively damage your fuzzies' health. Don't feel bad, I started out with Ferrevite too. That's why we're here, to learn! BTW welcome to the forum, I'm glad you're here. Maisie has gagged on fur too, I know how scary it sounds! Sometimes I think they live to freak us out I knew that it had a lot of sugar so I limit their intake. There really isn't a lot of options where I live. I currently feed them Marshalls Ferret Food but I want to start feeding them a raw diet but have no idea how to start or even what to get them. I have only been a ferret mom for 8 months and I want to do right by them. I have been doing a lot of research but most of the sites I visit don't provide a lot of information. |
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Post by Blue on Apr 20, 2018 22:05:15 GMT -5
That's great that you're doing lots of research and that you want to do what's best for them! The easiest place for you to start is probably with the soupie. You can find the recipe here: holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/raw-soup-recipe/Do you know where to find heart and liver? A good place to find them is at an international market, or an Asian market. Hopefully you'll find somewhere nearby. Another option is to talk to a butcher. A third option is to order online through Hare Today or My Pet Carnivore. You can sign up for a mentor and they will be able to walk you through the transition step by step. Your fuzzies will thank you! |
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captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 21, 2018 10:05:47 GMT -5
That's great that you're doing lots of research and that you want to do what's best for them! The easiest place for you to start is probably with the soupie. You can find the recipe here: holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/raw-soup-recipe/Do you know where to find heart and liver? A good place to find them is at an international market, or an Asian market. Hopefully you'll find somewhere nearby. Another option is to talk to a butcher. A third option is to order online through Hare Today or My Pet Carnivore. You can sign up for a mentor and they will be able to walk you through the transition step by step. Your fuzzies will thank you! How do I go about signing up for a mentor? |
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Post by Sherry on Apr 21, 2018 10:08:09 GMT -5
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captaincrose
New member
My two carpet sharks are Koda (Sable) and Aurora (Cinnamon)
Posts: 9
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Post by captaincrose on Apr 21, 2018 11:19:12 GMT -5
It seems I don't qualify for a mentor.  |
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Post by LindaM on Apr 21, 2018 11:19:18 GMT -5
Also, salmon oil isn't a ferret specific product. In a pet store you'll find it in the cat or dog aisle. I don't usually recommend looking for some at the human vitamin shop, because the ones for human use sometimes have flavoring or other stuff added that ferrets shouldn't get. And as mentioned, if you're in the US, Amazon.com sells online and delivers.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 23, 2018 9:52:01 GMT -5
It seems I don't qualify for a mentor. If it is because of the posting requirements, fill out the app and just keep commenting. |
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