ferret swollen all over

Question
i accidentally left the cage unlocked and the ferret was loose in my garage all night.  because he was hungry i found him searching for food, sniffing around the ground.  I put him in cage ans it looks like he's trembling...as if he's cold and his feet, face, and body are swollen.  he is eating his food as if he hadn't had food in a while, meaning he's vigorously feeding and eating pretty normally... what is wrong ans will he die, i cannot afford a vet.

please help!!!

if he dies, my daughter will be devastated.

marie
(281) 704-3303

Answer
Hello Marie,

It is good that you found him!  They cannot last very long without nutrients and water and can loose body weight rapidly.  I am sure he is very hungry, since ferrets usually eat every 4-6 hours due to their high metabolism.  Offer him plenty of water and food, and let him rest.  He has had a tough night.  

It concerns me that his feet/body appear swollen.  There are all sorts of things he could have gotten into/ingested and it can be anything from a mild allergic reaction to something more serious.  I cannot tell you if this is something life threatening or not.  A veterinarian would need to do a physical and try to determine what might cause the swelling.

-Cindy P.