|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2012 13:40:30 GMT -5
I imagine there's already a thread for this somewhere, but I can't find one for the life of me, so apologies is this is repeating what someone else has already said.
My 3 (hopefully soon to be 4) fur babies lives outside, they have a large run with toys, hammocks and tubes, as well as a dark box lined with towels and stuff for the during the day, and at night in the winter I put them to bed in a hutch. It's absoultely ancient, being my mother's old rabbit hutch that was second hand when she got it, but is super thick, and my dad actually lined it with insulation and then put board over the top of it. Only problem is, it's quite small for the 3 of them, and while it's fine over night, I don't like to leave them in it for much longer.
The last few days have been really cold here, -10 and -12, which is unusual for the UK, and we've had snow too. I've let them out to play for an hours or two at a time, but Tiny (who is, as you can guess, tiny), always starts shivering after 5 minutes, but won't go to her sleep box by herself to get dry and warm. Spike, who is bigger but very stupid, also stays out for ages, and yesterday I even came out and found him rolling around, soaking wet in the snow still, after two hours (thought he'd gone for a nap, but apparently not).
I feel really mean keeping them cooped up for so long, but if I'm at work all day, they can only have an hour or so morning and evening out supervised. I'm reluctant to let them out all day because they just behave like children, who don't know their limits. I'm moving in 3 months to another rental. but this time I'm insisting on having them live indoors, but until then, what can I do? Any suggestions? Am I molly-coddling them too much?
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Feb 12, 2012 19:07:20 GMT -5
Is there a way to block off your play area, say a wall or roof to keep most of the worst of the weather out. Even if it's just temp. Just to keep the worst of the weather off your wee ones. My guys have always come inside when they've got cold. Do your guys have access to their sleep space or a warm space when they're out in their play area? Bev mentioned that the weather over there has been brutally cold, with very strong winds. ciao
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 16:01:24 GMT -5
I can pop a sheet of thin plywood over 1/3 of their run, but this will mean that they don't get any sun. Their run is up against the wall of the house, but it's cold as it's the bathroom on the the side of the wall, and then the garden wall/bushes on two other sides. Unfortunately most of the garden is in shadow of a neighbours house most of the day. They have a little wooden "dark" box, but it's not water tight, and they walk their wet feet in their anyway, and their blankets freeze then. Would it be better to get a bigger dark box, (the one I have now fits the 3 of them in, in theory you could squeeze another ferret in their, but none of them would be able to move)? If it's bigger then there would be more room for dryer bedding BUT it won't be so cosy. Worried because it's going to freeze hard (weather forecast says -14c) and probably snow again at the end of this week.
|
|
|
Post by crazylady on Feb 13, 2012 16:37:12 GMT -5
Hi being out in the run during the day wont harm them ( I am in the uk so I know what the weather is like lol) when you lock them up for the night in the hutch place a thick piece of old carpet over the top and the front then place a piece of thick plastic on the top of the hutch ( the carpet prevents wind and snow blowing in through the mesh it also helps stop water bottles freezing cover these with old socks prevents ice build up too) I use medow hay or shreaded paper (available from most good horse feed stores in bales ) as bedding they can burrow into it and keep warm they form a nest in it an its easy to change keep clean and stays dry longer you will find they will get a super thick coat also to help keep warm its surprising just how well they can cope with low temps take care bye for now Bev
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Feb 13, 2012 16:41:29 GMT -5
Thanks Bev. I knew that you and others were coping with the cold weather and the stresses it was putting on the little ones....the coldest my guys get right now was last week when the power was out. I think I suffered more than they did...they just burrowed deeper into the blankets ;D ciao
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 17:06:17 GMT -5
Bev, the hay idea was superb , we used to use it when we lived in our trailer home in Wyoming (cold, snowy and windy there too). Try some clear plastic sheeting on the roof during the day. Also, put the sheeting around the walls (or some of the walls) to cut down wind chill. Moist cold wind is vicious stuff. Put the plywood on the roof when there's precip. and put some of the hay on the ground to keep them from getting too wet and muddy.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 19:07:33 GMT -5
Unfortunately I can't use hay or straw because my littlest one is allergic, makes her really sneezy and runny/red eyed, and wheezy, and my lad eats newspaper (pillock) which causes tummy upsets which is why I go with the clothing as bedding. I have enough spare bedding for them to get clean and dry stuff every day, just with it being so cold it means if it gets wet at 8am when they get put out and freezes within an hour then they have frozen bedding until I get home at 7pm. I'll try getting some carpet offcuts for their hutch, they have a bit of tarp and a sheet of plywood which I put over the mesh to keep the wind and rain out but the carpet sounds like it might be a good options to keep the heat in too. Like the idea of getting some clear plastic to put over the roof of their run, then that'll keep the rain off and still let some sun and warmth in, will pop down to B&Q tomorrow and get some. Thanks guys!
How does everyone feel about heating pads/hot water bottles etc? I've heard they do more harm than good, as when they lose their heat the ferrets body temperature plummets, making things worse.
Which part of UK are you in Bev? I'm stuck in Northants- between Bucks and Oxon, so it's literally the coldest part of England!
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Feb 13, 2012 20:21:24 GMT -5
Heating pads mean electrical cords that they can chew. Not a good scenario. Hot water bottles are rubber- again, not a good outcome if they chew it.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Feb 13, 2012 23:09:58 GMT -5
What about rice or grain bags? The ones that you heat up ciao
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2012 0:07:15 GMT -5
Would aspen bedding be ok for your little girl. I use it for my gerbils and sometimes the ferrets when I run out of newspaper. Maybe you could get lucky and find a newer hutch on craigslist or somplace similar for a low cost.
Sent from my SCH-M828C using ProBoards
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2012 4:35:54 GMT -5
What about rice or grain bags? The ones that you heat up ciao I have a "kitten bed" that has a heatable grain bag thing that you put in the microwave, and it's fairly securely sealed inside several layers, so I guess that would be okay for them, and you don't think it'd harm them when it cools down? I've read the sudden drop in temperature is more harmful than the cold originally, or is this not true? On a side-note- I'm going to look at a little rescue boy in a few hours!!! Hopefully he'll be friendly and healthy so I can offer him a home (don't think I can handle another biter at the moment unless Spike has a sudden change of heart, or afford an adrenal ferret as it'd drain my savings and there would be nothing left for blockage emergencies etc)
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Feb 14, 2012 9:46:31 GMT -5
I believe a sudden drop like you are talking about could well be dangerous, yes. But the grain bag shouldn't get any colder than their body temperature as they are laying on it, unlike a hot water bottle. And if you take in this new little one, we need PICTURES!!! ;D
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2012 11:42:18 GMT -5
I went today to look at the little one that the local animal rescue had had handed in, and I contacted them before I went so they asked their only ferrety volunteer to come in today. They had told me he was about 6-9 months old, and the girl who was showing me them hadn't actually seen him before I had as she'd been away on holiday. He was very placid when I was handling him, and I asked the girl again if she knew how old he was- again she said she'd been told that he was about 6-9 months, but we opened him mouth up- and low and behold, a mouth full of yellowy-translucent teeth, guessing about 4 or 5 years old. He'd also obviously been in rut, and was very aggressive towards his cage-mate They also had a pair of bad biters that had to go together (but I don't really have space or time for another 2 biters), another older hob, and a beautiful little girl. She is what I think you call a chocolate/sable blaze in America, and she was so quiet, friendly and placid, though terribly underweight as she was handed in as a stray. She trotted right up to me and demanded cuddles, and gave me kisses. Apparently she's really craving human attention, and because the rescue is overrun they just don't have anough time to spend with all of them, and as there's only one part-time person who has her own ferrets, she's showing signs of depression She's being housed with the 2 older hobs who have just been castrated and are being very rough with her, which she's not very happy about. I couldn't bear to leave her beautiful little face there on her lonesome, so I've applied to adopt her hopefully I'll get a phone call tonight to arrange a home visit tomorrow so everything can be approved This is her pretty face, not a good picture, but if she comes here then there'll be loads more soon I'm sure:
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2012 13:15:17 GMT -5
Are you sure that's the right picture? It kinda looks like a boy with a belly button :s
|
|
|
Post by nancyl on Feb 14, 2012 13:26:31 GMT -5
I think that's a newish spay incision.
|
|