2 ferrets dead is the other 1 next??

Question
About a week a go I found Fiona my albino ferret dead but i got her from my step daughter about 4 years ago so we figured it was her age because she was full grown when i got her, but today we found our other female dead in the cage.. i have no clue what is going on or why they died is my male next the kids and i couldn't stand losing him too.. he is eating and drinking fine and hasn't lost any weight .. the females had lost weight before they died but every once in a while there weight would go up and down everytime the seasons changed.. so when they lost alittle bit of weight i figured it was due to the change in the seasons.. he has had a play mate since a week after we got him when he was a baby .. other then showing him more attention what do i do ????

Answer
Hello Amanda,

I am very sorry for your loss.  It is difficult to say what may have caused the death of two of your fuzzies.  Fiona's death might have been due to natural reasons, as she was middle-old age.  Assuming there is not possibility of toxins involved, it is NOT unheard of for a second ferret to die because of heart-break for the the loss of a friend.  Were Fiona and the other female very attached to each other?  This could explain the sudden death of your second ferret.  Also, how attached to the other two is your male?  Did you have your vet perform a necropsy on either to determine the cause of death?

I would bring the remaining male in to your vet for a checkup.  This could help determine if the cause is disease-related or natural.  Also, it will let you rest more easily knowing your male has a clean bill of health!  Please look around your home for any possible causes.  Did they get into anything?  Were they acting oddly before the first one died?  Seasonal weight loss is common, but anything extreme is abnormal.  Were they eating/drinking/playing normally?  These are some examples to keep in mind.

As far as what to do at home, pay LOTS of attention to your male.  This way, he is not too lonesome and knows he has companionship.  From his perspective, it is difficult to suddenly loose two of your two closest friends.  Watch out for any odd behavior.  Vomiting, anorexia, and lethargy are all symptoms of depression in animals.  Closely monitor his appetite, since a healthy ferret will need to eat every 4-6 hours.  An anorexic ferret can become a serious situation very quickly and needs to be syringe-fed often.  Such a situation could end up with a visit to the animal ER. As mentioned before, it is NOT unheard of for a ferret to die due to loss of a companion, although this is certainly NOT the case for every ferret.

I really hope this information has helped, and I sympathize deeply to your loss. If you do plan on getting another fuzzy as a companion for your male, I would recommend adoption from a local ferret shelter.  These can be found all over the USA, and there are literally thousands of wonderful ferrets just waiting for a home.  This would also allow the opportunity for your male to pick out his own friend, which is a big bonus.

If you need help finding a local shelter or have any other questions please just ask.  

My best regards and deepest condolences,

-Cindy P.