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Alright, a short bit about my ferret. Number one: He's awesome. I love having him, he's one of the coolest pets ever. He explores and comes over to say "Hey play with me" then gets done and goes off to explore some more. He's very well litter trained, no accidents as yet. The only thing I'm having trouble with right now is his diet, he's on a decent but not really all that good diet of kibble (Marshall's Premium and Chicken Soup For the Soul-Kitten mix). He doesn't have any interest in the treats I've offered him so far, I tried some ferret treats from Marshall's that I wasn't too happy with the ingredients of, so I'm not too hurt he won't eat those. He ignores cooked chicken and beef, as well as raw chicken (haven't tried raw beef). I tried putting some cooked chicken in his food bowl and getting it covered in the kibble dust and he ate around it. Ferrative? Nope! not interested! "What is this sticky stuff?" is the look he gives me. I tried putting some on his nose to lick off and he ignored it, on his belly and he let it dry. I had to rinse it out of his fur by hand after some time. I also tried giving him cooked chicken with Ferrative on it and he ignored that too.
I want to get him on a raw foods and whole prey diet but he seems to be resisting rather firmly. I'm going to try and get some feeders and see how he reacts to that after not having his food bowl for half a day.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
I'm gonna try and do some Duck Soup this week, too.Current Mood:  contemplative |
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My poor Baisley ferret hasn't been doing very well since her vet visit 2 weeks ago. She had her first Lupron shot and was put on a few heart medications for her enlarged heart. Before the vet visit she was a plump 2 pounder and ate like a horse. Well since then she has had awful diarrhea but luckily she is drinking a ton and staying hydrated but my issue is she isn't eating a lot. She is still eating because she is producing stool but in the 2 weeks she hasn't emptied her food dish once. I tried hand feeding her with no success so I picked up some chicken baby food to syringe feed her but every time I attempt to do this she bites her cheeks and starts bleeding. I have tried using a very small 1cc syringe and a slightly larger 3ml syringe with no luck, she still fights me like crazy and bites her cheeks. She has lost weight, I can now see her ribs so that is why I am trying to force feed her. I have tried leaving some of the food in her cage, putting it on her lips, etc... nothing is working.
What are some tips on syringe feeding, I dont want her to bite her cheeks and bleed like she does everytime I feed her. I have tried wrapping her in a towel and scruffing her when I feed her but she fights me no matter what.
Please share with me your syringe feeding tricks. |
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Hi everyone,
I've got a two year old ferret and recently she has developed a very annoying behavior.....scratching! I know they're called carpet sharks but it's not the carpet she bothers it's plastic, lol. She's got a ferret nation cage which has the plastic trays in the bottom and for some reason she has started to scratch the plastic like crazy at random times, the most frustrating time is in the early am hours when everyone at home is sleeping and gets woken up. :-) Does anyone know why she might have started this sudden behavior and have a suggestion to get here to stop? It's been going on a few months, we keep her nails trim, give her plenty of play time, there are soft blankets on top of the plastic in the cage and a few toys. It's just odd because I've never had a ferret that did this and I'd love to be able to get a full night's sleep. :-)
Thanks. |
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Jul. 11th, 2009 @ 06:56 am
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Yesterday my BF was letting the ferrets run around while I was at work. I get a text saying he can't find Rikki, a few minutes later I get one saying "Boo found him" and this picture.
He said that Rikki climbed in her cage and took a nap, she climbed in her cage and snuggled up with him for a nap. Then she woke up, got some food (that white line ont he side is the food bowl), climbed back in and started chewing on him. Rikki got up, raced downt eh ramp, and pooped as soon as he got down. BF says he didn't even bother to back into a corner, jsut landed, pooped, adn ran.
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( cut for x-posting )Current Mood:  pleased |
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So, did anyone watch Warehouse 13 on Sci Fi last night?
One of the artifacts is a dangerous teakettle that not only grants wishes, but insidiously places itself into the hands of the unsuspecting to try to get them to make a wish it can grant. Against the caretaker's warning, the female lead snatches it up and says she has a wish (to be reassigned to her old job, away from this nuthouse!)
The lid pops off, and out comes a FERRET! And for once, they dubbed in more appropriate sounding ferret noises!
But story wise, it is explained that whenever a wish is made that the thing cannot fulfill, it produces a ferret. That would be one cool artifact to have, I think!
She did take the ferret in, btw, and it was explained that the caretaker agent did the same in the past when the artifact left him with one too.
Jul. 8th, 2009 @ 07:52 am
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| » (No Subject) |
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Cross Posted from ... well i can't remember how to link comm names atm, so maybe it's ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) ferretattitude.
Howdy! I'm Evan, your newest member. I Was approved.... 72 seconds ago now. I thought I'd share with you all my story. i'm not a first time owner, I had a beautiful DEW some years back who we adopted from the animal rescue. She had been abandoned in an empty apartment for weeks and was picked up when the neighbors called in sighting "some big rat or something" in the place. She later died with insulinoma, adrenal, and had a horrid tumor of her pancreas that kept coming back. very sad, but she was a great girl and lived a full life when she was with us. On to more current events!
This is Doctor Cruces, my new ferret. No, that is not me holding him that way. I found this guy a few hours ago on craigslist. Cruces was purchased by a silly woman for her young child as a first pet, and upon owning it, the child (of course) is not being responsible for it's care, and she "doesn't want to" so she put up an add... the add read as follows.
"3-story Ferret Cage with accessories $100. Young sable ferret included in the purchase.
Please contact me @ ******"
... I was so very very angry that I called immediately to tell her to remove the add, that I'd be there as soon as I could (which turns out to be tomorrow around 7 o'clock). I Mean really? Cage and Accessories? Ferret included in purchase? GAH! so. pissed. off. right. now. I want to slap her in the head for being a SPO, but instead I'm going to give her my money and get that guy outa there. Gotta finish the ferret proofing that was already started on my house, cause I'm adopting an abused little girl from the local shelter as soon as they think she's ready to get out.
It's a pleasure to be here, btw. Thanks for having me in the business.
Jul. 6th, 2009 @ 02:59 pm
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| » Ferret smell |
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Hello! I don't own a ferret myself but have been considering one. I've read a lot about proper ferret care and have just one problem. I live in an apartment and my landlord is very strict. I have 3 cats and she told me that if they smell too bad, I'll have to give them away. I clean their litter box each day so I'm hoping that won't be a problem.(Not that I'd ever give them away, anyways) So the ferret's smell is what I'm worried about. I heard even if they're neutered, they'll still smell, but if you clean their cage and your house regularly, it should be okay.
How much do your ferrets smell? How often do you clean? Should I not get a ferret under these conditions?
Jul. 6th, 2009 @ 02:35 pm
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| » fighting |
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Found out to day that the new girl is either a bitch or teritorial. Rikki was asleep in a hammack in her cage and she started hissing at him and headbutting him. He just ggave me a pathetic look and did nothing. Then she started fighting with him. He's being a gentle sweetheart...shels being mean...how do I fix this?
Jul. 6th, 2009 @ 01:06 pm
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| » Second ferret |
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Ok, got a second ferret yesterday...Lady said she's two years old...Rikki's not even two yet...
Somehow I think the girl is alot younger then two...unless females are super petite.
Also, I didn't know about ADV..vet never told me about it at Rikki's check up, no one around here ever spoke of it...and when the girl was dropped off her cage and toys were soaked so she had to be put with Rikki while I went to work. (Prior owner thought it was a good idea to spray everything down with a hose before dropping it off) They weren't acting skiddish around each other, and it was either put her with him or let her run the house and I didn't trust the cat alone around her. So, now I know my mistake, and I was given two replies in caps and a dozen links about ADV when I posted about her yesterday...so...I GET IT NOW!
Jul. 4th, 2009 @ 10:59 am
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| » Baisley's trip to the vet |
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So I took Baisley in to have her eye checked out and it turns out it isn't a cataract like I had originally thought but the vet said it is probably a scratch on the cornea somewhere but he looked at the eye, stained it, etc and couldn't really see the scratch or abrasion exactly but we are treating it like it is a scratch for 1 week with Neo-poly-bac ophthalmic ointment and Atropine ophthalmic ointment and she will be re-checked in 1 week to see if it is working. He wants me to apply it 3x a day because the eye is pretty cloudy.
He also noticed a grade 4 heart murmur which wasn't heard at her check up 6 months ago. He took a chest x-ray and her heart is enlarged and looks like she has early stages of heart disease :( It was weird because when he put her under gas anesthesia to really check her eye he couldn't hear the murmur, only when she was awake was when he could seriously hear it. He even brought in the other ferret vet to hear it and it was there. So now she is on Furosemide syrup and enalapril to treat her heart condition.
She also got her Lupron shot because she has adrenal disease. So she had a big day today.
Baisley is only 5 years old and the vet said with the severity of her heart condition he is giving her anywhere from 6 months - 2 years to live, it all depends on how she responds to the medication.
He said since she is still active, eating, drinking, and all in all not in any pain that it is worth it to keep her alive and not put her to sleep. I will keep her as comfortable as possible but if she is ever in pain or in any sort of discomfort from her condition I will help her cross the rainbow bridge.
I am pretty concerned. I had no idea about her heart and he also said she has some sort of tumor in her neck area but she really is to ill to operate on at this point.
Well please send good vibes Baisleys way. I am hoping my little fuzzbutt will be around for a good few more years.
Jun. 20th, 2009 @ 07:27 pm
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| » Ferret Portraits |
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This had been something I've been wanting to start for a long while. Its been on the agenda, but I just hadn't gotten to it. The recent passing of my ferret Tangy inspired me to start. I made my first portrait in memory of her. It didn't feel right to just leave it to old photographs on my computer and the memories in my mind. I wanted to make a tribute to her. I think its a fine way to introduce the work I had hoped to offer.
I'm a freelance artist, my focus had primarily shifted to digital, but I missed the traditional mediums I use to work with. Nothing tops the beauty of a painting made of real life mediums. In time I had hoped to make a small site to show my works. All earnings I made I was going to put into my pet fund aka Ferret fund! and I had also hoped it be a good means of earning where I could put a percent aside for donating to my local ferret shelters.
I know many of you have lost your dear carpet sharks in the past as I have. And many of you just in love with anything ferret, as I am - have my ferret calendar!
So I am offering custom ferret portraits!
This size available is 9x12 inches on watercolor paper
The medium is mixed. I use watercolor, colored pencil, acrylic and ink.
( Large pictures under Cut! )
Jun. 17th, 2009 @ 08:00 pm
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| » New Guy |
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This is Stash. I got him friday from the humane society here. He's four years old chunky and quite the noisy man. With exception of some arguements between them, the boys seem to be doing fine. due to cole's illness I do keep them separated right now, Stash has the ottom half of the condo Damien and Cole have the top.
Jun. 16th, 2009 @ 03:49 am
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| » Carpet sharks ahoy |
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Hello there
As a new ferret owner thought I would introduce my new boys to the world.
Moriarty and Megellan.
2 sable rescues ferrets who have stolen my heart 
Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
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| » Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
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My 5 year old ferret was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease a few years ago. His latest flare started three months ago and he doesn't seem to be getting better. The vet thought it was due to a food allergy. He's been on antibiotics, which helped, but didn't cure. He's been on prednisone, which made him sicker. He was on Totally Ferret for a year or so before I switched him to Innova Evo Ferret. I thought grain free would help him, but it made him worse (possibly causing this latest, most severe flare up). My vet told me to feed him Uncle Jim's Duck Soup, so that's all he's been eating for the past 3 months. My vet seems like he doesn't know what else to do for him.
My poor little guy has chronic diarrhea and is pooping all over cage. He still has energy and acts fine, but he is skinny. I'm so worried this will eventually be fatal. I'm looking for any advice any other ferret parents could give me. Are there any successful treatments for IBD? Which foods should I try feeding him?
Thank you for any help.
Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 03:15 am
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| » Saying Hello |
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Hello, just joined this community and thought I'd introduce myself. The name's Adriana and I adopted a ferret about three weeks ago; his name's Pan, he's five months old and he comes from an abusive home.
I don't really know much about ferrets so if you guys could give me some advice I'd very much appreciate it. I've done the basics like ferret proofing the house, getting him a nice cage - the cage where his previous owners kept him was an tiny parrot cage, he could barely move around - some toys and old clothes and making him some tunnels out of card boxes.
He's out of his cage most of the time, I take him outside in the morning to play for at least an hour everyday, he runs freely around the house when I'm around and I leave him on my room when I have to go to work. Is this enough exercise for him?
Also, are dogs good playing parters for ferrets? I got a chihuahua puppy and I've introduced them, they seemed to like each other from what I saw but I was wondering if there's any danger for either of them if I let them play together.
One last thing, when I play with him he starts jumping around like crazy, I know there's this thing they do called the weasel war dance where they arch their backs and dook but Pan only opens his jaws and starts panting and jumping at me, I don't know if it's because he's angry or just wants to play, I usually leave him alone when this happens.
( Anyways, here are some pictures of the fuzzball, he is so much happier now than when he first came home. )
Jun. 10th, 2009 @ 12:59 am
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| » New Home |
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Two beautiful carpet sharks have joined my home - Lumwana & Anahuac - 3 year old males from a shelter in Oregon City.
I pretty much leave them loose about the house unless I am doing something dangerous or need to sleep clear through the night. They are very happy and are dooking constantly, which warms my heart! I'm glad I can provide a good home for them.
However, they seem to be getting a little cocky about the bathroom issue. I set newspapers covered in litter in the most probable-looking corners, and smeared some of their waste on it to identify with smell. Still, they disregard these makeshift litterboxes and have not only started going to the bathroom just outside of them, but now in every single corner of the house.
How can I start training them to go in those specific corners? There are plenty of them around the house. The challenge here is that since I am not "with" them all the time, I don't always catch them in the act.
Any help appreciated!
Jun. 6th, 2009 @ 05:28 pm
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| » Buddy Ferret |
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Our Ferret, Buddy, recently (yesterday) had surgery to remove a Hairball.
I could tell you about the e-collar (which is the most amusing thing to see on a ferret) and/or tell you about the Bruising around the incision -
but decided that pictures speak louder than words.
Jun. 3rd, 2009 @ 06:18 pm
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| » It's been a while |
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Sorry for not posting in so long, the job has kept me busy and some of my friends have dumped myspace for facebook so I now have yet one more site I added to my check for e-mails thing. Cole is still on his meds and From what I can see neither cole or damien's poo has changed. And I have not seen anything else like hair loss or appetite change to suggest anything weird. Maybe my friend's tarot reading was right, maybe cole is bound to have bowel issues forever...
I recently rescued a squirrel this past saturday. My friend and I were walking near my house and on the way back we saw him lying in the road. At first we thought he was gone and started trying to figure out how to move him off the road, but my friend saw him take a breath. We secured him in my friend's shirt and after finding the number raced him to the nearest animal wildlife rescue ( only two here both in winchster nh, a fifteen minute drive from keene). I got a call today from the rehab lady, he didn't make it. But while we looked for the phone number my friend took a couple pics of him so here is one....
My friend and I called him Foamy Squirrel after the character fom the illwill press.com cartoons.
Jun. 3rd, 2009 @ 03:29 am
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| » fourth prospective surgery since mid april!! |
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Buddy Ferret is sick now. He's stopped eating and apparently pooping, which means one thing-obstructed bowel, just like Biggs. We can't even make a full month without yet another ferret emergency. Will be calling to make appointments in about ten minutes.
At this rate, I'll never get caught up on the bills.
I'll be listing stuff for sale here on my LJ soon, for all the SW and Trek geeks out there. I have on hand a Galoob Tasha Yar figure-one of the rarest of the first-run Next Gen figures, and a Playmates Dr. Crusher that was very limited and hard to get. I'd let both go for fifty, or thirty apiece if separate.
If you're a comics fan, I have the entire Supergirl run of superman-batman signed by artist Michael Turner a few years before his untimely death on 08. Those are $120 firm for the set, each one signed and witnessed by myself at Pittsburgh Comic Con. I also have the rare Dark Knight Joker figure-the one that looks spot on like Ledger, with the mask and crime scene evidence pack, and ultra-rare Batman Animated Harley Quinn. Same deal as the Trek figs-fifty bucks, or 30 ea. if not interested in both.
(If advertising stuff to sell for bill paying isn't kosher, I'll cut those bits. Sorry, just trying to spread the word around is all.)
Jun. 2nd, 2009 @ 07:50 am
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