by debferret

I stole Mommy’s Desert!

Curled up on the couch watching TV. The different groups of ferrets had just been put back to bed and I let out Jocko for his Mommy time. This wild little boy bounced from one end of the living room to the other. Little fart makes me laugh sooo much!

I decided to have my strawberry yogurt for desert. I peeled off the lid and stirred my yogurt. Vroom, Jocko was standing at my feet begging to be picked up. Such a sweet boy!

Next thing I know he has turned himself around and he has his nose in my yogurt. Now, yogurt is actually good for ferrets. When they have diarrhea you can add yogurt to their duck soup to help put the good bacteria back in their gut.

I’m eating Mommy’s yogurt! Yummy

Had to take the picture! Well he went to town on the yogurt, not even coming up for air! After a few minutes I put him down, but he jumped back at my legs wanting more. Little piggy had slurped enough down for now, so it was bedtime for him!

Jocko polished off some of Mommy’s yogurt!

You know you are a crazy ferret mom when you share your yogurt with your ferret and then eat the rest, ferret spit be damned!

11.17.14

by debferret

You’re trying to poison me!!!

As a long term shelter mom I have given more different types of medications over the years than I can count! There is a medication prescribed to treat diarrhea that is very effective. In fact it is the only antibiotic that will treat gut issues. This medication is Metronidazole.

I must admit that when I take a shelter ferret to the vet for diarrhea I am praying that I will be prescribed something NEW. It never happens. Ferrets HATE Metronidazole with a passion.

What is my complaint with Metronidazole? Well, this medication is very, very bitter. It is also prescribed to us humans and if you have ever had the displeasure of taking it; it is like licking a sour piece of metal – horrible bitter taste! Our ferrets feel the same way.

The vet will tell you to camouflage the crushed pill in honey or jam (never peanut butter). You may get the first dose in your ferret but trust me, you will wear the second dose, and the third and the fourth……………..

Ivan before his tummy issue

Well, I had to take Ivan to the vet for diarrhea and came home with the Metronidazole! Here we go! After years of crushing pills between spoons and using dollar store crushers, I finally went out and bought myself a pestle and mortar this summer (best 10.00 investment ever). I crushed the med. and went to the fridge for some “jam”. Bridget had made some delicious Plum jam and had gifted me a small jar. When you select your masking agent you need to make sure that it will slide down the ferret’s throat safely and most importantly; QUICKLY! Peanut butter and honey coat the mouth and it takes too many licks to make it slide down the throat. Ferretone (discontinued 2020, using Salmon Oil) goes NOT mask the taste well enough. So that is why we are back to jam. You should never use a jam that can cause other issues. An example would be using Raspberry jam. Never use raspberry jam because the seeds can cause complications.

Ok, back to giving poor Ivan his meds. I have my pestle and mortar to grind the pill into FINE POWDER. I have my jam and spoon for mixing.

bitter medicine

pestle and mortar, 2 sizes

smooth sweet jam to mask the bitter taste of crushed meds

Well, so far, most of you are probably thinking, yeah I know this! Well I discovered something this time around. The first couple of times, I had taken the jam out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature (I have done this for years). Once the chill was off the jam, I mixed everything up and scruffed Ivan. I put the blob of jam in his mouth and then held him in a cuddle fashion. Let’s face it, we feel so guilty giving yucky medicine we have to cuddle them to say sorry!

Ivan fought me as I expected. He bubbled and frothed and we both wore the med but at least “some” got in him! On the morning of day three I took out the jam, but because of sleeping in and being in a hurry for an appointment; I immediately mixed the jam with the crushed med and gave it to Ivan keeping him in the scruff mode as I did it. Two things happened. The cold jam slid down his throat and didn’t “melt” on Ivan’s tongue. Also keeping Ivan in the scruff mode meant he couldn’t shake his head to spray his med flecked spit all over. The med went down in 2 seconds flat and Ivan didn’t froth at the mouth. Wow, that was easy! I gave Ivan a quick lick of Ferretone discontinued 2020 – now using Salmon Oil) as a reward and he did not shy away from me. He did not seem stressed this time. well, well, well.

I tried the same thing (cold jam) for the evening dose and again it went off like a charm.

I have since tried it with my IBS ferret JJ and he is not spitting up the Metronidazole. In fact in 5 seconds it’s all over with and he goes about playing. Man, I wish I had known this years ago. I had always warmed the jam up to make it easier! Now, I am no scientist so I can’t explain why the meds go down easier and quicker cold, but I tell you, I won’t do it any other way from now on!

10.29.14

by debferret

Molly update

Molly is my 6 year old surrender who has very much bonded with me. Two recent changes in his place at the shelter sent him into a tail spin. I not only changed his cage, I also moved him out of the shelter room. His reaction was a complete depression – he stopped eating!

I moved him into his familiar cage and moved the cage beside my bed; adding my used nightgown to his hammock so he knew his new Mommy was still with him.

Molly’s cage

I then started him on duck soup as he was rapidly loosing weight! Molly had not eaten for 48 hours and it showed! Molly had never had duck soup and oh boy oh boy, what a fight I had with him. The first few feedings saw me covered in the stuff as he gagged, shook his head, wiped himself all over my face and hair and fought me tooth and nail. I had to resort to syringe feeding him and he thanked me by peeing on me! Molly slowly accepted the duck soup. We graduated from syringe, to finger to baby spoon and last night when I offered him the dish of duck soup he stuck him tongue in and went to town! My little man had come around.

The weight loss is gone, the diarrhea is gone and he is once again doing his walkabouts! Yes he is still beside my bed! I can’t help it; I have to spoil him a little.

Molly loves his Mom

10.28.14

by debferret

Another use for Duck Tape……………

As a shelter mom for over 15 years, I sometimes puff out my chest and brag to my ferrets that I have outsmarted them and everything is ferret proofed! Ha Ha I snort at them.

God has a way of taking you down a peg even if it is only ferrets you are being smug with!

In my defense, I have a sinus headache today, but, really, that is no excuse for letting my guard down.

My mornings start with letting certain ferrets out to play. The old ones come out first as they do a couple of tours and then find the most comfy spot to curl up and go to sleep. Everyone joins me in the kitchen for some Ferretone. *Ferretone discontinued in 2020, shelter is now using Salmon Oil cut with canola Oil.

The Ferretone bottle always leaks at little after you puncture that titsy bitsy tiny pin hole in the cap. Ferretone does a lovely job of staining your clothes, so I have taken to wrapping a folded paper towel around the bottle; securing the paper towel with an elastic. I have done so for years.

New Ferretone Bottle

drip containment tools!

Ferretone bottle ready for use

so, as I was saying, I have my seniors group out playing. Molly, Weasel, Finny, Mariko, Star, Rosie, Jnyx, JJ, and Bee or 9 fuzzbutts crowding around to have some Ferretone. After an hour, everyone got put back to bed and I let out Dwight and his harem. They came bouncing into the kitchen and I reached for the Ferretone bottle to give them all a treat.

The paper towel slid down the bottle; elastic gone!!! No,no, no elastic causes blockages! Oh my God, 9 ferrets, which one ate it. Calm down, don’t panic!!! Scoop Dwight and his women and put them in the bedroom for now.

I am now back in the kitchen on hands and knees inspecting the floor. Please God, let me find the elastic, all of it or I will be dosing 9 ferrets with hairball laxative and praying over litter boxes.

Far corner, under the cabinet, eureka! The elastic and it’s all there; the broken ends match up! Deep breath, a few tears of relief and one heart attack avoided!

heart attack avoided, elastic is all there

I use the Ferretone bottle 10 times a day at least. How am I doing to handle the bottle without getting Ferretone all over me and my clothes? Light bulb comes on, secure the paper towel with something safer!!

Ferretone bottle duct taped up the wazoo

The duct tape worked for a short while and then one day, slowly slid down! Damn, the oil loosened the tape.

Plan B, paper towel, elastic and then duct tape the bottle. The whole thing will stay on longer and when it does start to let go, the elastic is inside and can’t drop off without me knowing.

paper towel, elastic and duct tape over it all. Take that you drippy bottle

So, yes, I used duct tape. I wonder if the company would like to know about my latest use of their product!

I went and kissed all my seniors and thanked them for not eating the elastic. Mommy owes them big time!

10.28.14

by debferret

The Long Way Home

As a shelter mom, I hope that every adoption is perfect and that the ferret(s) are going into their forever home.

In reality, life can throw us curve balls and the adoption breaks down. The MFA has a clause in the adoption form which states in part that the ferret(s) must be returned to the shelter if the person can no longer look after them. I check out Kijiji regularly for ferrets up for sale, I am checking to see if one of my adopted ferrets has shown up on Kijiji.

Approximately 2 years ago, two very special girls that I had adopted to a good home showed up on Kijiji.

Numerous attempts were made to the ferret owner to get him to comply with the legal adoption form he had signed. I was finally told the ferrets were going to a family member. Even my offer of a full refund fell on deaf ears. I was heartbroken and dearly hoped that they were in fact going to a family member and would be well cared for. I confess that it ate at me and I kept my eye open for them on Kijiji but I am not on the site every day.

About two weeks ago I was on Kijiji and I noticed two ferrets for sale. The ad caught my attention because these two girls were described as spayed but not descented! The pictures took my breath away. They were my two special girls and they were back on Kijiji again! My heart broke to think how many times they had been passed from hand to hand.

To make a long story short, I contacted the ad and through e-mails I was able to prove that these special girls had come from my shelter and that I in fact had their mothers, these two girls were replicas of their mothers. The couple had acquired them off of Kijiji but the girls had not settled in as they had hoped and they were looking to re-home them. This wonderful couple was gracious enough to give them back to me. I made a donation in their name and purchased them to show that I would never re-home them. These special girls were going to live out their lives with me and their mothers. This couple was rewarded with two year free membership for their kindness, for being true ferret people and saying what was best for the girls was the most important thing!

There seemed to be some recognition when the mothers and daughters met. However, one of the daughter’s Rico was not in good health. I suspected Cardiomyopathy and started her on Lasix. The other ferret Yippy was a plump girl, bright eyes, good coat but she would come out and do the “flat” ferret. Clearly all this re-homing over the last month had taken it’s toll on her.

Today Yippy is back to being a normal ferret in that she will run through the tubes and hide the stuffies. She will not go far from Rico and when Rico puts herself to bed, Yippy will drop everything to go and cuddle up next to her. Because of Rico’s heart issue I could not follow through with my plan to have the mothers and daughters in the same cage. That is my long range plan once I have Rico stable. I do let them all out together for short periods of time to interact. I am very worried that should I loose Rico to heart failure, Yippy may follow with a broken heart! I really want her to have a strong connection with her Mom and Aunty.

As of today Rico is holding her own. The fluid is gone from her abdomen but she is not eating much. I have started her on duck soup and that is not going well. I have to balance forcing the duck soup with her heart issue! Fortunately Rico loves Ferretvite and I am hoping the Ferretvite will stimulate her appetite. Rico is really not doing well so folks, please send your prayers her way.

Sadly, my Rico lost her battle before I could finish this post, rest in peace sweet baby. I got to hold you and love you – you came home.