New to Ferrets and Paw Talk - Paw Talk

gto_cowgirl · #1 06-07-2004, 08:21 AM

Hello! I just got 2 cute little kit ferrets about a week and a half ago. I had always wanted one and decided to finally get some. I have read so much about ferrets that i'm even having dreams about them. I bought the Ferrets for Dummies book which is really great, seems like the biggest and most informative ferret book so far. I also been reading on as much ferret forums as possible including this one and it never ceases to amaze me how nice you people are on this forum.

I also own about 4 tanks of fish which my favorites are my angelfish in a 20 gallon and my boyfriend's favorites are the tiger barbs in his 29 gallon. I have tried cats and dogs before but i mostly fell in love with their kitten/puppy likeness that once they grew up i really couldn't have as much fun with them as i wanted.

I think i did everything right. I feed my ferrets 8 in 1 Ultimate and Canine (can't think of the name) kitten food growth 34, oh and also Marshall Ferret food. Right now i'm weening the ferrets off of the Marshall's because it doesn't seem that great to me. I also checked that food chart many of you have posted and both of those get a 6 rating and seem really great. At first i bought a small cage for the ferrets as i figure i would only have one but i read so much about getting two and their behavior that i had to get another. So i upgraded to this cage:
Petsmart Cage Link.

I'm using Tidy Cats Cat Litter (99 percent dust free) because i really can't afford to much as i just moved out on my own. My vet told me to watch their noses for mucas and so far i haven't seen any.

I think i hit all the important stuff. My kits are learning to potty train. Actually they pretty much are potty trained except a few accidents here and there which is expected. Sometimes i dont understand like this morning i checked the litter box and it only had a little bit of afterwaste from the night and they still pooped beside the litter box. I clean the litter every morning i leave for work and every night before i go to bed so that they won't feel the need to use the restroom beside instead of in the litterbox.

Anyway just wanted to say hey and tell ya my situation. Let me know if there is any problems or hints as i'm a first time ferret owner.

gto_cowgirl · #2 06-07-2004, 08:39 AM

Oh yeah, i just had my hand at ear cleaning yesterday. I had already clipped their nails before the vet visit and she showed me how to clip the nails on my own but not the ears (just told me there was wax there). So i got some of that Marshall Ear Cleaner and warmed it up. It was so hard cleaning their ears because of the squirming but plus the fact i had to go inside the ear. I was really scared i would hurt them as i went by the instructions in the Ferret Book. This is the first pet i ever had to worry about their ears but let me tell you. Once i was finished, they smelled soo good!

*fstybrat* · #3 06-07-2004, 09:37 AM

gto... first of all... WELCOME TO PT!!

It sounds to me like you are doing a PERFECT job with your babies! It's great to see someone do all the research & line up a vet before diving in to them! Kudos to you!! As for the ear cleaning Marshalls now makes a qtip filled with Liquid... makes it 10 times easier.I usually sit my ferrets in my lap & scruff them while cleaning the ears so the don't wiggle as much. (or have someone else hold them)
That cage is almost exactly what I have (I have 4 ferrets) except I don't have the wheeled base on it.
If you are able to get some pictures of your babies to post... I'd love to see them!!

Can't wait to get to know you better & hear more about your fuzz butts, btw.. what are their names?!?

gto_cowgirl · #4 06-07-2004, 09:49 AM

Yeah the ear cleaning took about 5 million qtips because i read once you get a little wax on the qtip that you shouldn't put it back in the ferrets ear so thats why i didn't buy those yet. But i probably will try them since you mentioned it.

Oh, i forgot the most important part.. describing my ferrets (well mine and my boyfriends). Their names are Saber and Frenzy, they are both males. Saber is a Black Sable and Frenzy is a Sable Mitt. Which helps out a lot on telling the difference between those little guys. I bought them both from Petco. Frenzy was the first ferret i bought and then i bought saber about a few days later. Frenzy was a little underweight (I figured but the vet confirmed it) but i believe with all the nutrious and plenty supply of food that he is getting fatter. Which is good, i was worried about that little guy.

They are both from Marshall farms. I been reading a little about ADV or ADC? testing. The vet didn't do any bloodwork with the ferrets. She just touched all over him and told me most of the parts were okay (was more specific but i don't remember). Should I get her to do that test?

I tell you what though, i love these guys. They get so hyper and i really think Frenzy is glad i bought Saber because he is having a ball with him. I have a good digital camera but i been so excited about the ferrets and playing with them that i haven't had time to catch any pictures yet but i will!

gto_cowgirl · #5 06-07-2004, 09:53 AM

Oh and one more thing. I got the wheels that came with the cage but i didn't put the cage on it because i like the cage near the floor for the ferrets to go in at any time and get food/water, litterbox or rest. That cage is tall enough without the wheels! It looks so huge now with 2 little kits in there. And also forgot to mention, they are about 3 and 1/2 months old.

gto_cowgirl · #6 06-07-2004, 10:48 AM

Oh, i have a question. Especially since you got a cage that is like mine. How many litter boxes did you put in your cage? The only compliant about this cage is that its got small doors and i can only fit that small 1 corner only litter box in the middle. I can fit a big litter box at the top and i have a big litter box at the bottom. I didn't know how many to put in there because 1 - its new (cage) and they didn't seem to move around much. It was like, hey if a litter box is not on this floor i'm using it in that corner over there. and 2 - they are kits which are still a little in the potty training business.

The ferrets also seem to hit that small corner litter box which fills up so fast that before i know it they are using the restroom beside it.

I guess i never thought about making the whole bottom of the cage just litter. Do you think its better to do that instead of putting a litter box down there? They barely ever go down there except when they are out of the cage.

Nancy · #7 06-07-2004, 03:56 PM

yes, I would recommend ADV testing

But not until they're at least 14-16 weeks of age. Test results before then are usually iffy and unreliable. You may have to print off some info on ADV and testing for it for your vet, as many vets are pretty clueless about it. Many will claim it's "not a problem, so there's no need to test for it". Which is untrue...I mean how will you know if it does or doesn't exist if you don't test for it? It's also recommended to test any new ferrets you bring into your home before integrating them with your existing ferrets (and quarantine them away from your ferrets as well as practicing proper sanitation until you get the test results back, which usually takes about a week, sometimes less)
Here's some links to ADV info, and a pictorial "how to" on doing the tests yourself. IMO, the best test to go with is United's CEP (Counterelectrophoresis) test. Even though nothing is 100% reliable, it has been around a lot longer and has proven to be more reliable than some of the other tests available. I'd also avoid the POCT test (Quick test)...it has been known to throw false results.

http://www.pooflinger.com/advtest.html
http://www.ferrethaven.org/advtest.html
http://ferretadv.com/
http://www.metroferret.com/ADV_Resources.htm
http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/adv.html

Also, make sure your new babies get started on their vaccination series as well

gto_cowgirl · #8 06-09-2004, 07:57 AM

Yeah, i forgot to mention that Frenzy already got his first distemper and will be getting his next distemper shot next week, i decided i was going to take in saber at that same time to get his first distemper.

Thanks for the links. I don't think they are that old yet but i will get those tests probably after they get their last shot which will be the rabies shot.

capnsweets · #9 06-09-2004, 12:01 PM

to the forum! I don't have any ferrets, just 2 kitties!

gto_cowgirl · #10 06-09-2004, 01:22 PM

Thanks!

I read so much about ferrets and i guess it didn't kick in how much work these little guys are until i got them. Its like having a baby when you clean up after their treasures and a 2-year old when they are playing around and getting into EVERYTHING!

I never had a pet that you had to do all these things together such as: clip nails, clean ears, brush their teeth, clean litter boxes everyday, watch them constantly so they don't get in trouble, try to get them NOT to dig into everything, feed the best of foods, read up on diseases that may occur and so forth. Sometimes i've gotton annoyed but then they have those moments like when they are sleeping that are so so cute. Or when they are playing around and they make those cute dooking noises.

I don't have kids yet but now with ferrets it has really waken me up how much work a little baby/kid could be! And i know kids are much worse!! I think a ferret for a week instead of a plastic baby would really wake some youngins up.