ferrets stool...

Question
I adopted a ferret 2 years ago and he was said to be 2 then, anyway he has the best of everything, his own bedroom, eats all the right items, but ever since i got him, he does not have the same type of poop as my other ferret. it has ALWAYS been "diahrea" type. my other ferret has always had solid, but not this guy, he has been to the vet, but i have never had them check their stool, do you think this would be a good idea?  especially because every once in a while it will be green slime. and i just read some information on this, and i hope it is not a disease..i know your not a vet, but i just needed to ask.

Answer
Hi Kasey,

When you say green poop, that could really mean any number of things. It is an extremely general sign and it could mean nothing or it could mean something really bad. If it looks like mucous, then it could mean that there is mucous in his digestive tract which could mean that he has a blockage in his system, which is an extremely serious problem.

He has always acted normal, right? Like I said, it could be nothing and the fact that he has always acted normal could mean that he is okay but with ferrets, you won't really know anything is wrong with them until they are literally on their deathbed about to take their last breaths. The reason for that is, back in their "wilder days'' they didn't show their illnesses to predators so they would appear less vulnerable. Like I said, you can never really be too careful with these little critters, so it is very wise of you to notice something like this and have a flag go up in your head about it. Congratulations on being a good ferret mommy! Your kids are lucky to have you!

Like I said, anytime you are suspecting something about your ferret, I think it is a good idea to have the vet check them over just in case, just to be on the safe side since they do tend to hide it when they aren't feeling well. I think it is a great idea to have the vet check his stool over, also just in case. A ferret's digestive tract is very short so checking their stool is always a good idea because things run through them so fast! I think, just in case, it would be a great idea to have him checked over.

Also, as I'm sure you probably already know, with owning ferrets, it as an amazing idea to set aside a little money here and there for an emergency vet visit fund because, like I said, problems and illnesses in ferrets can come up in a flash and it might not always be at the most opportune time. I mean, it is never a good time for you ferrets to get sick, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

I hope I answered your question, and if I didn't I would be happy to clarify anything! Good luck and feel free to let me know how everything works out!

Sincerely,
Emilee Andrews