Change in eating habits

[Telle]

We have 4 ferrets, all of which seem to get along fine (no aggressiveness towards each other, they sleep curled up, etc.). Recently, one of our ferrets has lost some weight (a male, not sure how much weight because we don't have a scale at home) and at first we thought it was due to him shedding his winter coat but we're starting to see his hip bones which is worrisome. Because of this we've been watching his eating habits and we noticed that he is rather timid around the food bowl and will carry a mouthful of kibble off to eat in a hiding place. Usually, after 3-4 trips like this he's confident enough to sit at the food bowl and eat. He just had a checkup about two months ago and was given an all clear and has been back from a boarding facility (we left them there for 7 days to visit family for Christmas) for well over a month.

We're not entirely sure what's the matter and would love some suggestions on things we could do to help him feel more comfortable. We're planning on getting some duck soup tomorrow and he was happy to eat a little bit of egg yolk today. Me and my wife could totally be overreacting and just need to let him do his thing but it never hurts to check.

[Telle]

Forgot to mention, we feed them the Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 Digestive Support kibble.

[okojosan]

I would worry about any weight loss in a ferret... I'd take him back to the vet for bloodwork and possibly x-rays. My male ferret was losing weight slowly but steadily, and an x-ray revealed a mass in his chest (thymoma).

[Heather]

How old is this ferret? Fearful behaviour when previously there was none is a sign of a sick ferret
ciao

[Telle]

He's about to be a year old, so still very young.

[abbeytheferret6]

Do you have an exotic vet in the area?


My Abbey did not do well on Wysong. She was very itchy and skinny not saying that is it though.I had another ferret who had coccidia(lost weight)revealed by fecal test.

[Heather]

This ferret requires vetting to find out what is wrong.
ciao

[Sherry]

Agreed. He needs to be vetted. My first two thoughts are adrenal and lymphoma.