Sick and worried...

Question
Hi there,
My bestfriend/roomate and I have a three year old ferret, Isabelle, she's en exceptionally well behaved ferret and we love her to death. We've reccently gotten busy and are unable to give her the usual half day play time with her and so we decided that perhaps a playmate would be good for her. About 2 and a half weeks ago we introduced her to Theodora (8 weeks old) who is super hyper and and just a hardcore bundle of joy. Unfortunately when we introduced them they showed very little intreset in one another, we figured that it just might take time and that theodora was just too young and too curious about her surroundings to pay attention to any one thing for too long...
Now the problem, Isabelle was always thin for a ferret, but she was always happy and playful...but ever since theodora came home, she barely eats, she's puked up a few times, and shes thinner. We figured that she's depressed about the new ferret and thinks we dont love her anymore so we make sure to fuss her and hold her even when we are multi-tasking (on the phone, the computer, office work..etc) but she just becomes limp and slinks away and curls up into her futon cushion in their ferret room...
What can you suggest is wrong and what we can do? We would love to hear from you, thanks in advance!
K.A.I.T.
(kaye, andrada, isabelle, & theodora)

Answer
Hi Kaye, Andrada, Isabelle & Theodora:

I'm so sorry to hear that Isabelle is not taking too well to her new playmate.  You didn't say if they play together or if they are actively rejecting each other (i.e. biting until the other poops or bleeds - our motto is: "no poop, no blood, no foul" when introducing new ferrets to one another. As long as no one is pooping or bleeding when they get together, it's probably just realy rough ferret play, which is very normal, especially in the beginning when they are deciding who is the "alpha" (boss).

In addition to the emotional part of having a new little sister, you must consider that Theodora MAY have brought an intestinal parasite with her - is there diarrhea from either or both ferrets?  Usually if there is diarrhea consistently or even off and on, it means there could be a parasite or other problem that Theodora brought with her....they are very common in pet stores, unfortunately.

So, first off I would strongly suggest vet exams for BOTH ferrets.  It's time for Theodora's second distemper booster shot anyway, so take Isabelle along and have your vet give her a check, including a stool sample, where the vet can see on a slide if your ferret has parasites in her intestines. This would make her lose weight even if she is eating well.

If Isabella is not eating well, you may want to get some chicken meat baby food OR some Hill's A/D Feline (canned) from your vet and warm it, add a bit of water to make it a gravy consistency and just above lukewarm; offer her some from your finger to start - touch a bit on her gums or her nose to get her started.   Usually after a couple 'offers', the ferret will recognize this new stuff as 'food', as ferrets imprint on their food - it just might take a while for her to know this is good stuff. It will help her put some weight on also. I feed my kids four times a day - as much as they will eat, when trying to put weight on. That should help Isabella with her weight loss, whatever the problem - parasites or not - she can have this either while being treated or if she is perfectly well, and it will help her gain weight. Hill's A/D (which you get from your vet's office, as it is a prescription) is very high quality protein, easily digested, and high in fat....great for putting weight on sick ferrets or any ferret who is losing weight - it helps them keep enough weight on to give your vet time to figure out what is making the ferret sick.

Something else that is a good idea when you bring a new ferret into the home, be sure to take special "one on one" time for just a few minutes each and every day so that ferret knows that mommy and daddy still love her just as much as before the newbie came to the home. Some ferrets do "pout" when a new ferret comes in, but when they start losing weight or stop eating, I do get concerned. Ferrets just don't have all that much extra weight to lose, so you need to monitor her very closely and make sure she doesn't get dehydrated (to check for dehydration, "scruff" Isabelle by grabbing her by the skin on the back of her neck and pinching it up for a few inches; then let go and the skin *should* snap right back down in place. If the skin stays "tented", sticking up in the air, she is dehydrated and there is really no amount of fluids that you can give her by mouth that will help - she needs sub-Q (under the skin) fluids administered by a vet. This can often make the difference between life and death, as ferrets are really susceptible to dehydration and dehydration kills quickly and often.  If in doubt, get her to a vet and have him assess her condition, run a few tests on her stool samples (he will get fresh ones when he takes her temperature - something about the thermometer going into the anus causes the ferret to push, which most often ends up in a nice fresh stool sample right there on the exam table).

If the vet says that Isabella is well and there is no physical reason for her weight loss and lethargy, then you need to be sure she is getting one-on-one attention in addition to her playtime with  Theodora.  Maybe you can carry her around with you a bit when you are doing household chores or take her out for a short outing - one-on-one, where SHE is the star and total focus of your attention.  Eventually she will learn to love Theodora and they will become good playmates, most likely. It can take time though. It is problems like this that makes us recommend that folks take the existing pet with them when they choose the new ferret - just like people, there are some they love and get along with fine; others they just never will get along with.  Some folks even have two separate playtimes for two ferrets who do not get along.  I hope that doesn't happen, but be aware that it is ai possibility (remember: "no poop, no blood, no foul" when they are playing together - that's how you decide if they should be separated or continue to play together.

Best of luck to you and your little ones. Unfortunately (but also fortunately in some wonderful ways) ferrets ARE very emotional little critters who get their feelings hurt, they feel neglected when they don't get enough attention, and they do have very sensitive feelings - the very thing that makes them so incredibly wonderful can also cause problems.

Please let me know how this comes out..if the girls are healthy and don't have any parasites; and if they finally do take to each other. Be patient and know that each of them needs to be loved for who they are - and separately from one another.  They will take care of the "us" part themselves if you give them time, toys and maybe a little Ferretone or some warm soup (chicken baby food is great) to share as a snack before bed :-)

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers