Sterilisation or implant?
Frettig Gestoord sees many problems with the use of the implant and therefore opts for surgical sterilisation or castration of ferrets.
The advice to choose an implant often comes from vets with too little ferret experience: placing an implant is a simple procedure for the vet, but the follow-up is complex. Owners often do not know which implant has been placed — the 4.2 or the 9.4 (twice as expensive, four-year duration). We regularly hear from people who postpone repeating the implant because they cannot afford it financially, while the ferret is unnecessarily in season for too long.
Sterilisation by a good vet is a 20-minute operation. Castration takes 10 minutes. An hour after the operation the ferret is up and about again.
Giving an implant is not bad, but be aware that you will have the cost of repeating this every two years until their death. Keep careful track of when the implant is still effective and ensure you have a financial buffer.
Sterilisation also prevents an escaped female ferret from being mated by a polecat, which leads to unmanageable 'fretteret' hybrid pups.
Lifelong medication
With serious diagnoses, gastroprotectants, prednisolone or antibiotics may be prescribed for an extended period. Bear the following in mind:
- Antibiotics are intended as a course of treatment to suppress infections and serve no purpose if continued indefinitely without monitoring.
- Prednisolone may seem like a wonder drug, but in ferrets tolerance develops through suppression of the immune system.
- Omeprazole with long-term use causes a deficiency of vitamin B12 and magnesium and an increased risk of bone loss.
Our experience: young ferrets should not take medication for longer than necessary. In the shelter we always discontinue medication and start from the basics. In most cases the ferret does better afterwards.
Nutrition
Ferrets are predators and therefore carnivores. Their diet must be tailored accordingly. Most ferrets are fed kibble with a high meat and protein content; some enjoy raw meat or whole prey. Always provide at least two brands of mixed ferret food, so that if there is a supply problem you can fall back on the other brand.
Raw meat is nowadays supplied as a ready-made product in sausage form with sufficient minerals and calcium. Make sure the meat does not sit out too long and is kept well refrigerated until you offer it at room temperature.
Reproduction
A female ferret comes into season once a year for several months (usually in spring). The vulva swells and will discharge fluid. If she is not mated or treated, prolonged being in season can lead to bone marrow depression, which is fatal.
If you are considering a litter: a litter consists of 2 to 12 young. After 8–10 weeks the kits may be rehomed. Bear in mind that 10 kits you cannot place cause more problems than the pleasure is worth.
Ear mites and fleas
Safe products are Stronghold or Advocate — available exclusively from the vet, applied to the scruff of the neck once every three months. These work against both fleas and ear mites.
Do not use powders or flea treatments from the pet shop: these are usually too strong for ferrets and can lead to serious health problems.
Do not underestimate ear mites: ferrets often show no signs of them at all. Untreated ear mites can lead to middle ear infection and permanent damage to the vestibular organ.
Ticks
After a walk along bushes, always check the ferret for ticks. Remove a tick with a tick remover tool. If necessary, treat the ferret with Frontline (works against ticks and fleas, not against ear mites). A single tick is enough to transmit diseases; with many ticks at once there is a risk of anaemia.