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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 1:27:54 GMT -5
Ahhhhhhh!  Now that that's out ;D Tonight I discovered Bo and Nova, the little monsters, are fabric chewers [img src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ ![]() i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/0_o.gif"].gif[/IMG] I had my suspicions they might be because their bedding at Petland had giant holes in it but I also thought it might just be old wrecked bedding because they hadn't done it here at all... until today.  I found 3 giant holes in one of their fleece blankets with chunks missing, not just torn. They also tore apart their alligator bed and got fluff everywhere.  It must have happened today because I do check the bedding every day, though I've been pretty tired and distracted lately with midterms, bad ferret mommy  They've been stuffed full of vaseline and pumpkin (syringed into them because they wont touch the stuff otherwise... Bo and I are now orange ;D) and they've been separated so hopefully they poop soon.  Do I just remove all bedding now? Can I trust them with their hammocks in their cage since they've only chewed blankets so far...or do I not even risk it? I can't leave the poor things sleeping on hard plastic..can I? Or is there anyway to stop them? And I have a feeling this is more of a psychological issue than it is a boredom issue becuse they get 6-12 hours outside of their cage per day, have tons of toys and human interaction and have never chewed their bedding inside the cage. Maybe kind of like they are nursing on the blankies or something? Either way they sure know how to stress me out |
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Post by Heather on Feb 9, 2012 1:44:44 GMT -5
You have to remember...these wee ones are just babies and they were taken away from momma way to young. They're suckling the blankets. Cats...or I should say kittens do this all the time if they're weaned prematurely. Even adult cats who have been orphaned at a young age continue this particular habit. I know that reasoning doesn't help with the present problem but that's what it's all about. They might grow out of it. What type of blankies do they have, you might try changing them up for a tougher, stronger material...denim, tough cotton. I know not pleasant to touch but I've found that it works better for fabric chewers than a lot of the soft, fleecy materials. I've found that most fabric chewers don't consume their regular hammies. Those that have tops, or snuggle blankets are more vulnerable. Hammies are usually pulled tight so they can't or don't find them as comfortable to chew. It's the ability to scrunch up and suckle the blankies that is presenting the problem.
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 2:23:10 GMT -5
Thanks Heather, that makes sense. I will remove all fleecey blankies for now. They can survive with hammocks and beds. On a not-so-good note... neither has pooped yet. It's been 2 hours since I found the blankies like that and I'm fairly sure both pooped before then so maybe I just have to be patient. Both have had 2 doses of pumpkin and some vaseline (Nova more than Bo). And both have gone into the litter box a few times with no poops  So I'm starting to get a little worried. They are both eating though (freeze-dried soup, so as not to block them up), and no super alarming behaviour, other than rubbing their faces in the litter box, but hard to tell if that's nausea or to get the vaseline off their whiskers...I suspect the vaseline because they stop once it's off. So maybe I just need to be a little patient for the pumpkin to pass through. I just wish one of them would poop at least... two blockage surgeries at once...that's too much to handle  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 4:36:43 GMT -5
And we're at the vet. Bo pooped the tiniest poop and Nova had a good looking one. They had Started biting at their bums, pawing at their faces, rubbing everywhere and both felt pretty bloated too though so I figured it was better to be here than at home!
Nova has been checked out and the vet can't feel anything. She's acting normal again too and because she had a normal poop we're not worried.
Bo is getting x-rayed though. He has a very full bladder, is covered in pee, and won't pee. So it hard to feel if he's blocked and it might be a different issue all together now.
Will update when I know more!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 5:11:47 GMT -5
Bo's X-ray looked okay, minus some weird stuff below his heart. She's hoping it's just baby fat but is sending it off to be safe. Thankfully no obvious blockage, no bladder stones and he did pee on the X-ray table but now I have to keep an extra close eye on them and keep pushing pumpkin and Vaseline AND make sure Bo isn't having urinary problems. These poor poor babies, so many problems at such a young age  Poor mommy's bank account too but what can you do, they're worth it. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 5:43:57 GMT -5
I feel for you. I was given a baby for xmas (long time ago). He ate his stuffy. My friend worked at a vets office and told me he was to little for surgery - catlax was my only hope. Every 2-3 hours catlax and some babyfood - finally poop with stuffing - I felt so horrible.
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Post by Thérèse on Feb 9, 2012 6:09:47 GMT -5
Oh the poor bubbies, sending positive vibes that everything is ok
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Post by Sherry on Feb 9, 2012 10:12:43 GMT -5
Was just reading this on fb- so glad they've pooped, and hope little Bo is going to be ok! Not sure what would cause bladder issues at his age  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 10:40:21 GMT -5
Been there with Meeko... She only chews loose blankets though... Hammocks and the rest are ok for her... Good luck with your babies! So sorry they've causing so much trouble! The joys of loving ferrets Glad to know there's no blockage though!  That's scary and expensive!! |
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Post by rebel135 on Feb 9, 2012 10:42:30 GMT -5
All paws and fingers crossed for your fur babies. Good luck
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 10:49:55 GMT -5
Thanks everyone  They pooped and peed overnight. I didn't have an extra cage set up to separate them but there's enough poop and pee that it can't have been just one ferret. Bo's bladder no longer feels like a rock so I think he's managed to void it too I have no idea what could cause bladder issues in a ferret his age either :S he let it get so full to the point where the vet said it felt like a rock and on the X-ray it was so huge looking, plus he was leaking pee all over his belly yet wouldn't pee it out. then when he did pee he only peed about half. But now he's empty again so who knows?! No stones on the X-ray, no blood in the urine and he just finished a round of antibiotics for the coughing that is a drug that would have treated a bladder infection too so the whole thing is a little perplexing. I will definitely be keeping an eye on his peeing habits now. I actually picked up a 3 level FN 142 last weekend for $200 (pretty good deal  ) so I'm gonna set it up today and the babies are going to have to be separated at least at night so I can monitor Bo's peeing habits more closely. |
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Post by Sherry on Feb 9, 2012 11:26:43 GMT -5
I don't know how well this would apply to ferrets, especially babies, but our one cat, if he's feeling nervous, or stressed, has in the past refused to potty. To the extent that we thought he had a bladder blockage and rushed him to the vet on more than one occasion. When the vet sedated him for a catheter, his bladder would be so full it would empty as soon as his body was relaxed from the sedation. No physical reason for him not to pee, it was psychological.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 11:45:23 GMT -5
I don't know how well this would apply to ferrets, especially babies, but our one cat, if he's feeling nervous, or stressed, has in the past refused to potty. To the extent that we thought he had a bladder blockage and rushed him to the vet on more than one occasion. When the vet sedated him for a catheter, his bladder would be so full it would empty as soon as his body was relaxed from the sedation. No physical reason for him not to pee, it was psychological. that's really interesting... I kind of almost think that may have been it. Like he was tensing up his bladder muscles of something from stress and just couldn't relax them enough to pee. I honestly wouldn't be surprised. He was probably super stressed after me force-feeding him pumpkin for the past 4 hours before the vet trip. Here's hoping it was psychological and that it doesn't happen again. I feel like these babies need to live in a stress-free bubble or something ;D Their medicine is done now though and I'll give a few more doses of pumpkin and then that's done. So hopefully the poor things can finally de-stress and just relax |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2012 12:09:23 GMT -5
Im glad the possible blockage came out ok! So scary already these poor babies. Thats awesome about the new cage!
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Post by miamiferret2 on Feb 9, 2012 12:34:41 GMT -5
Lemmy was a chronic blanket eater. CHRONIC. i posted on fb but he had to sleep on HARD denim for months. and I could not use the soft used jeans. I had to use stiff newer jeans. he was chewing on the soft jeans!
Sonny ate blankets but not as bad as Lemmy. later on tonight I will photograph the huge hole that I found in his blanket one day. i thought "for sure this ferret is going to be blocked up from this." but he wasn't! he pooped it all out.
if they are awake and they are QUIET go check on them. it means they are chewing on something and are up to no good.
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