New 2 Ferrets; Basic Care, Bump on Leg

Question
Hello,
First off, thank you so much for offering your time and knowledge to people like me.  You are so very much appreciated!  Here's my situation: Yesterday, I bought 2 ferrets (both boys, not sure the ages, but they appear full grown).  I didn't know until I met the person that one ferret has a growth on his front arm.  The girl said she had him checked out at a vet, and the vet said it would do more harm than good to remove the growth and that it wasn't hurting the ferret, but I find this hard to believe.  The growth is approx. the size of a grape (maybe just a tad smaller), and it bleeds/gets things stuck to it.  My husband and I just don't have the money right now to pay for a surgery, but ARE taking both ferrets in for a check up.  I don't know what to do, and it's driving me crazy.  I have the growth wrapped up with gauze and soem neosporin for now...thought it couldn't hurt...But I know the growth is giving the ferret problems walking, etc.  It doesn't appear to be itchy or have discharge, and is not hot to the touch (was thinking infection?)  Also, Both ferrets are extremely skinny and not very playful.  I'm giving the playfulness a while to set in.   Maybe they are getting used to their new home...I'm feeding them Purina cat food, and added Vita-Sol to their water.  I've heard of using "duck soup mix," is that good/worht it?  Also replaced cedar chips with the absorbent eco-friendly stuff, scrubbed the cage, gave them baths w/ ferret shampoo...I just want them to be very happy and healthy.  My heart aches when I look at them and I just need some direction...Thanks for your time, and sorry this was so long.  I await your reply.

Answer
Hi Stephanie:

Congratulations on your new little boys! I think you are right - especially not knowing what kind of situation they have come from, they are at the very least very timid and waiting to see what is going to happen next. Good OR bad, their previous life is all they have known. And, unfortunately, it's not unusual for ferrets to have had 3,4, or even 5 homes - so you very well may not be their second home.After a while they learn not to get too excited because it just means that will have new people and a new routine to get used to - and more often than not - even a new name they are expected to learn. They can't even imagine what a 'forever home' that they will live in and be loved by the same mommy and/or daddy for years and years means. It's so very sad that too many people get ferrets not understanding how much work they are. Let me assure you tho, ESPECIALLY in ferrets who have been moved from home to home - NOBODY appreciates a good loving stable home more than these ferrets! They never had it before, so when that 'forever home' does happen and they feel they can finally relax and stay, they will go out of their way to be good little boys. The best ferrets are 'rescues'.

Now, about those questions you asked....it's hard to know what could have caused the bump on the little guy's leg. Ferrets are prone to several types of lumps and bumps that are generally harmless, BUT if this is seeping and catching on things and is seeping enough that things are sticking on it - no doubt it should be removed.  HOWEVER - IF it is fluid filled and not rock solid, I think it probably can be aspirated with a needle...i.e., no surgery cost. IF there's any chance of it being an abcess, the sooner it is removed, the quicker that little guy is going to feel better.  DEFINITELY this needs to be taken up with your ferret vet AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The real tumors we worry most about in ferrets are the internal ones - adrenal tumors, insulinoma, and lymphatic being the most common ones.  I'm not sure how long he will leave the gauze and neosporin on, but it's probably a good idea to try to at least keep it clean (TO CLEAN THE WOUND: just a gentle soap and warm water wash; rinse well, pat dry and leave open to air at least once a day) to prevent potential infection.  Just a note here: Unless these ferrets are elderly or ill, I am a bit concerned that he his leaving it on. A *normal, healthy* ferret would have that off in less than 30-seconds. On the other hand, some ferrets who are so very starved for love and attention will tolerate all kinds of things a well-loved ferret will....ANYTHING to get just a bit of attention.  At the very least, I would guess your little guys desperately need lots and lots of playtime.  I hope you won't wait to get them in for their exam - IF the bump IS fluid, surely the vet will aspirate it.   Here are some websites that describe some lumps, bumps, tumors and cysts common to ferrets. I hope you'll have a look at the 'skin' lesions and see which sounds most like what your baby has. Hopefully that will help - I think the not-knowing is scarier than anything. This will give you some background so you don't have to go into the vet's appointment without enough information to be able to ask pertinent questions:

http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/mast.html
http://www.2ndchance.info/ferretskinlumps.htm
http://www.mdferretpaws.org/health/cancer.html  (bottom of page)

Sadly, no doubt these precious little ones are so very skinny and have no energy because ferrets absolutely cannot survive on cat food. The ferrets are malnourished at the very least (and who knows what other problems could be going on underneath as a result of the long term malnutrition. I'm sure you're just feeding what the previous owner did, but cat food does NOT have high enough protein, high enough fat and too high ash content for ferrets....and unfortunately Purina is one of the worst for ferrets. ANY grocery store pet food is just not high enough quality for ferrets, who require a MINIMUM 0f 38% to 45% protein FROM ANIMAL SOURCES. I would STRONGLY encourage you to change their food to Totally Ferret. They should have a big bowl of dry food at all times and a bowl of fresh water AND a water bottle (drip) in addition, as a back-up in case they spill or get food in the bowl of water. PLEASE, PLEASE no additives to their water...they will LOVE you if you just throw that stuff in the trash. EVERY living creature deserves access to pure fresh drinking water with no additives. The bowl MUST be changed at least once a day; the bottle twice a week. Use a weak bleach/water solution to wash water bottle, then rinse, rinse rinse really well before refilling and placing back in the cage.

Another thing you can do IMMEDIATELY to help get these poor little ones on the track to better health. Call around and find a vet's office that has "Hill's A/D Feline canned prescription diet". Take a couple tablespoons of it (cover & refrigerate leftovers for later use) and a few tablespoons water; microwave for 10-20 seconds depending on your microwave, then stir until it's a nice gravy thickness and smooth. Stir the final product with your finger to be SURE there are no hot spots. A ferret's normal body temperature is 103 degrees, so serve warmer than lukewarm, but not so hot to burn their little mouths.  Put one ferret on your lap with bowl and some paper towels within reach; DIP YOUR FINGER into the gravy, then hold the ferret's head while you touch a bit in his mouth just behind his canine teeth (the long ones). After tasting this way a few times, most ferrets will take to it and either lick it from your finger OR from a spoon, or the bowl. The ferret MAY go thru all kinds of contortions before he accepts it, spitting, gagging, etc - this is NORMAL. Ferrets don't like new tastes and no matter how bad for them the old one was, they don't like new foods. It takes time and persistence. EVERY ferret loves A/D as long as you are consistent - offer as much as they will eat at LEAST one to four times a day. This will put HEALTHY weight on them. They WILL get energy and hopefully will start to help their little bodies mend inside and outside.  A/D is made especially for sick, injured or post-surgical cats and/or carnivores (ferrets are carnivores, and should eat MEAT and meat products ONLY..no fruits, veggies,junk food, etc) Especially these babies - they need serious and immediate 'dietary first aid'.

They will quickly get into the routine and will soon be standing by the refrigerator door anytime they think you *might* open it :-) Making warm soup for them will also give you a great time to bond with them. Unlike some animals, ferrets love to be held while they eat, and best of all, they love to lick it from your fingers. It really doesn't take that long once they get the hang of it. I've had ferrets with health problems that I've handfed A/D four times a day for two or three years. When your ferrets eat the proper nutrition, there is NO need for extra vitamins...A/D has all the nutrition in it your ferrets need to gain strength, weight, and energy. Hill's A/D IS the easiest "duck soup" recipe there is. There are lots others all over the internet, but most have sugars in them (which WILL cause insulinoma as ferrets age) and other not-as-nutritious as A/D ingredients. Especially for your kids, being malnourished for probably most of their lives so far - they NEED to best nutrition from here on, or they will have horrible health problems later.

I'm not sure where they were using cedar chips. Unfortunately ANY wood chips (but cedar are the worst) emit oils that are terrible for ferret eyes. NO wood products should be in the ferret cage. For the litterbox, you can use pelleted newspaper (like Yesterday's News, except it's sooo expensive!) OR (what I use) NON-CLUMPING clay litter. Just be SURE you don't get the clumping kind. It sticks in their feet, they lick it off and ingest it and it can cause intestinal blockages.  Best litterboxes are rectangle with high backs.  Each time you scoop the litterboxes, remove all poops (easily found), and to get the urine is tricky and THAT's where the odor comes from.....so, locate what looks like a wet spot on top of the litter about a penny in size; with a large serving spoon (that's what I use anyway), gently pull the very surface litter that's dry back and away, UNDER THE LITTLE DOT OF WET, YOU WILL FIND A LARGE WET AREA.  Be sure to remove ALL wet litter.  Refill with a scoop of fresh, dry litter. Since I do the litterbox morning and evening for two ferrets, I only have to dump the whole box and scrub with Lysol water once a month, rinse well, DRY, then refill and put back in cage.  Daily maintenance is SO much easier than trying to keep up with it once a week or a couple times a month. Daily means it's never much of a mess, so never much smell either.

ALSO to keep smells down, launder their bedding at LEAST once a week - sleep sacks, hammocks, blankies (to snuggle in - I'm hoping this isn't what you were talking about them having used the cedar chips for). I have a huge bunch of very nice baby blankets, everything from lightweight flannel receiving blankets to heavy fleece blankies for wintertime...but all ferrets do enjoy sleeping in blankies.

Be sure the boys aren't having to walk on metal cage bars on the floor of their cage. You can put linoleum, carpet, cardboard, plexiglas, thick blankies - anything to keep their little toes from having to walk on the wires. ***ALSO: One more very important warning with summer almost upon us: Ferrets CANNOT tolerate temperatures over about 80 degrees. Fans do not cool unless the bedding or the ferret is wet; fans cool by evaporation, so there MUST be wetness to evaporate before cooling can happen. HOPEFULLY you can keep them in air conditioning; if not, then in the coolest part of the house - NEVER in the sun - and if a ferret ever pants, it means he is overheated almost to the point of death - unlike dogs, they cannot pant to cool themselves.A ferret who is panting probably has less than 10 minutes to live unless he is cooled immediately (lukewarm water on feet, then very very slowly up the legs, belly, etc ---careful not to cause shock by cooling too fast).

There are just SO MANY things that new ferret owners MUST know to keep their kids safe - I hope you will do a LOT of reading about the dangers to ferrets of very simple household items you would never suspect. Unfortunately I just can't cover everything here, but my heart is with you and I do hope you will go that extra mile and become an 'expert' - your babes depend on you to protect them :-) from things they don't even know are dangerous.

Another thing that is going to be very very important for these guys - I will bet they haven't had much out-of-the-cage playtime. This in itself can cause them to have a lack of energy because they become depressed - yes, just like people do!  So, if you can get some cardboard boxes, scissors and tape, sit down in the middle of the floor (make sure you have 3 or 4 litterboxes handy just in case they have to potty, cuz once they do start playing, they may well forget their manners! LOL)  Build a 'castle' for them; a 'fort', a tunnel, whatever you can.  Be SURE there is no styrofoam or other item they can ingest (rubberbands, ear plugs, pencil erasers, etc - will put a link to "FERRETPROOFING" below) and make lots of noise by crumbling up newspapers and putting them in a big box and put the ferrets in with them! Most ferrets love this! Again, IF they don't feel like it, try another time. Maybe now is the time to just sit with him, talk to them, hold them and cuddle them. They DO understand that universal language of a kind touch, a soft voice and kisses.

Here's a few links about ferretproofing so you can be sure whatever room you let them out to play in is safe:

* http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/part2.html#ferretproofing
* http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/yourwebpage10.msnw
* http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/ferretproofing2.msnw

There's a great ferret 'owner's manual' called FERRETS FOR DUMMIES by Kim Schilling. You can usually get a good deal on it at http://www.half.com   AND you can also get lots of information online :

http://www.ferretcentral.org
http://www.maimiferret.org
http://www.ferretuniverse.com

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH - from the bottom of my heart for taking in these precious little ones. It sounds like it is certainly their turn to have a good home, someone to love them and watch out for them for the rest of their lives.  Ferret's lives are SO SHORT!! It makes me so sad that they have already missed out on so much of the fun part of their lives.  I just know that you will make sure the rest of their lives is good enough that they forget there even was anyplace else OR anyone else.

God bless for all you are doing - and please give me an update when they have names, are eating healthier and when you see there really ARE little ferrets underneath all that sadness and neglect. My thoughts and prayers with you and with them and the great adventure you are embarking upon. Trust me on this one thing, they WILL pay back every single thing you do for them ten times over....there just ARE no ferrets like rescued ferrets. PLEASE do update me in a week or so? I think you'll see a huge difference by then.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers