Yarm Ferret Rescue - Jan 2010
by Sue LLoyd
Happy New Year ferrets and ferreters. Snowed up and froze up best describes us at the moment and we have been for quite a fews weeks now.
Keeping the ferrets' water bowls thawed has been a challenge as without water to drink their food intake drops. Condensation has been another problem and a big one at that, especially in some of the cages that have flaps which have been dropped down to keep the snow out. However the worst affected was a cage inside a building; this cage's nest box partition is tight up to the roof and the pophole only small, so there's very little air circulation, especially when the occupant has filled the space with bedding! Drilling air holes through the top of the partition has helped as has leaving the nest box door open to air it out when the ferret goes out for some exercise. Otherwise I think the ferrets are probably a lot more comfortable than when faced with hot weather.
Just before Christmas a hob belonging to a friend - their many ferrets have the run of the house - swallowed an earplug which lodged in it's intestines making said hob very uncomfortable. The removal of the plug involved near-on micro surgery; however, the vet's bill was far from micro! With good aftercare he seems to have made a good recovery.
Moral of the story. Beware of ferrets in houses. Even under supervision they can soon chew and swallow all manor of objects, especially if they have access to childrens' toys!