FAT FERRETS!

Question
Hi I have 4 ferrets, and about 2 months ago, I noticed one of my girls, Wolverina, becoming hugely fat! There had been no change in the diet, (they eat zupreem, as recommended by a ferret specialist to me) they have a huge cage and get more than enough play time out of the cage. They rarely get treats and I haven't been doing anything differently. I also noticed that Wolverina's coat looked like the colour was slightly different than normal, so I brought her to the vet. The vet's main concern was lymph nodes, which she couldn't feel because there was so much fat covering them, so she took an xray and everything looked normal, and the ferret, although huge, seems in perfectly good health. Well within the last couple of weeks, one of my male ferrets, Ursus, has now become even fatter than Wolverina, and his coat (which is white with grey) has become almost all white! All 4 of my ferrets are young (about 1 and a half to 2 years old). When it was just Wolverina I was worried but now I'm wondering if it's normal for ferrets to get a winter coat and gain weight when it gets colder? Or do you think I need to make an appointment again with a different vet? They are eating and drinking normally and extremely active and playful. They weight doesn't seem to slow them down at all. No behavior changes, just the blubber all over and thicker coats.

Answer
Hi Lisa!

Wow, four ferrets?  Your place must be a fun place!  They are great pets aren't they? One is never enough!

There are a few things about ferrets and weight.  Some can fluctuate greatly with the change in seasons.  For example, my male looses about a half of a pound in the spring and fattens up again in the winter. This is perfectly normal.  Another factor may be that your kids have finally reached adulthood.  All of that energy that was previously used for growing could be turned into some extra fat instead!  Last, males tend to be chunkier than females.  This is not true in every case, but it is a genetic advantage in the wild.

Color is another thing that can vary greatly with the seasons.  Looking back at pictures of my kid's previous coats, I cannot believe it is the same ferret!  My girl tends to go whiter at times (she is a silver mitt), and my boy's mask changes dramatically.  Color will also change as your ferret ages.  Silver types become increasingly lighter with age, and he will eventually be mostly white.    

Nutrition is one of the most important factors for a long healthy life.  Zupreem is a decent ferret diet, but not the best.  it does have some good qualities.  The first two ingredients are meat-based and it is high in protein and fat.  I try to ensure the brand(s) I use are meat based for at least the first three ingredients.  This is because ferrets are obligate carnivores and cannot digest carbohydrates.  Please refer to the following link.  It is an old question pertaining to good nutrition.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ferrets-2277/2008/11/Ferrets-9833.htm        

It is great that they are all eating and drinking normally.  Watch out for any strange behavior such as vomiting, lethargy, and anorexia. Remember, it is always a good idea to have your ferrets checked by a vet to make sure there is not an underlying health problem!

If you have any other questions or concerns do not hesitate to ask.  

-Cindy P.