Aging your ferret by their teeth

[trippyferret]

Feb 9, 2011 20:56:13 GMT -5 jackie said:

Wow, nice pics! Must have been a struggle to snap them

You have NO idea. ;D

[goingpostal]

This really makes me wonder if Craven is a few years older than we had initially thought. Unfortunately with my crew, I only know the age of one for sure, the rest have been rehomed too much with no records.

[Sherry]

That's how I figured out Sinnead was more likely 4 years old when we got her, rather than two And now, her teeth fit exactly with a 7 year old's. Zeus and Athena actually do fit the age we were told when we got them.

[thelittleladybug]

Wow...this helped me out ALOT. Thanks for posting this. My baby is only 5-6ish then! I was thinking much older...

[Sherry]

Always a pleasant surprise

[Deleted]

wow that is surprising now that i see these pics my storms teth are like that now and i was tod he was 1 1/2 when i got him and that would put him at 3 now , but after seeing these pics im not so sure now , maybe 6 - 7 ,

[Sherry]

It's unfortunately very common for people to lie about the ages of their ferrets when they rehome them

[Deleted]

oopps but my polly is 6 or very close and her teeth arent like that at all still nice , but when i got storm his one tooth was discolored on the tip thinking it got knocked or something not sure didnt get alot of info when i got him

[albionlass]

I needed to take some pics of the ferts teeth for another forum so I though I'd add them here as they might help someone ageing their fuzzy.

Freca's teeth, he's just 3 years old, raw fed since a kit.


Penda my Eu polecat's teeth. He's just 13-14 weeks old.

[Sherry]

Thanks, AlbionLass! Great pics I have to admit- I'm a bit surprised Freca's translucency on his canine surprises me. I had originally thought this only occurred with ferrets who have been kibble fed for part of their lives!

[albionlass]

As far as I know he's always been raw fed, I believe his previous owner fed him on birds and rabbits that he'd shot or caught, he may have fed some additional kibble I suppose but he never mentioned it. I think his teeth are pretty good though especially considering his previous owner worked him and Freca used to be a manic wire biter. Thankfully he hardly ever does it now, combination of better housing, having a buddy and the Deslorelin implant I guess.
The chap I got him from hadn't bred his so he could have been fed kibble for a while at his birth home.
Either way at least he's on a great diet now.

[Heather]

The teeth are gorgeous but there's that translucency that supposedly your not supposed to get with raw fed fuzz. You couldn't age Napoleon by his teeth. When he passed on at 6, there was a light translucency at the very tip if you really looked. If aging him you would think him by his teeth you would think under 2 instead of 6/7. I will have to keep a close track on Minion's as he was kibble fed when I got him. If his tracks as it should then we will know that feeding a kit kibble in those first few weeks sets the standard.
ciao

[albionlass]

You don't seem to see the translucency with Freca's teeth with the naked eye, I think it shows up more because I used a powerful flash on my camera and it was close up.
It will be interesting to keep an eye on Penda's teeth as he grows as I know for sure he hasn't had kibble.
He's also a lump, 13-14 weeks old and 1.3kg! Physically larger than Freca already but not quite as heavy, soon will be though.

[Heather]

Now that's a big fuzz...you have pictures?? ;D
ciao

[albionlass]

I'll get a new picture in the next couple of days and post in the photo section