Ferrets Wont Eat New Food - PLUS How About P-Nut Butter?

Question
sorry I'm getting kind of excited here just learning about all this, now for the ear cleaner, and nose drops I got, how would you recommend I use it and how often. and I don't know if you used that TIME OUT stuff, but it doesn't do a thing for me. Now my ferrets have been scratching themselves alot, I think they might have flees, how I'm not sure, but I think they might, what would you recommend I do about it?

Thank you so much for all your help, you ahve no idea how much I appreciate it.

Scott
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Thank you very much, to begin with, still a new ferret owner and learning as I go along. Well the male has eaten a bit, I didn't crush the old food I had left over into it, but I did mix it in, and I always add furo-tone to their food, they love it, hahaha, I use a tupper wear container to swirl it around and let them lick the lid, they love it. I also have a quick question, how are apples for ferrets? Also I know that people say to use words like yumm or no, but do they really understand it? Now being that I don't have any more of their food, and don't know if the pet store I usually get it from will even have any more, what would help them eat the new food? and they are drinking, pretty normally, granted not as much as usual because they're not eating the food, but I hoped that the old food mixed with the fura-tone would help them want to eat the new food.

again thank you very much I really appreciate your help, it's definitely hard to see them do something negative to their health cause, every day that goes buy I love the little devils even more, and to not be able to do anything just makes it heart breaking, so again, thank you.
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HI
I have 2 ferrets with more than healthy appetites, and have had them on the same food since we got them, then a week ago I saw some new food that looked healthier and looked like it would taste better for them, the food is "Totally Ferret Premium food with real chunks of chicken". I have never gone a day without having to refill their bowl, however I in 2 days the bowl has been barely touched, if at all. I am trying mixing in some of the remaining food of old with the new stuff to try and ween them to this stuff. Now I didn't plan on making it permanent, it's just that the pet store I get their normal food from was out and the PetSmart didn't have any other type. So I was wondering if it was a bad choice to try and change their food, and what should I do to get them eating again? Now I haven't noticed any health related problems, they seem to be doing just fine, playing alot, duking even more, and well...just being them. Also is giving peanut butter to a ferret a bad thing or does it matter?

Thank you
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Hi Scott:

Your choice of food for your ferrets is an excellent one - however, the problem you are having is very common.  Ferrets "imprint" on their food at a very young age and if a new food is introduced (or sometimes even the same food and the company has changed the formula even slightly), ferrets just don't recognize it as food.

The best way to introduce a new food that I've found is to grind up some of the old food into a powder, then mix this powder into the new food, so it gives the new food the smell of the old food, basically. A little encouragement, such as offering a piece of the new food as a treat with lots of "Umm! Yummy -come get a treat!" type comments can also help.

If you happen to think of it far enough ahead of time, you can start slowly, putting just a little of the new food in with the old, and slowly increasing the amount of new and decreasing the amount of old.  Pour the new in with the old (into the bag or container you keep it stored in) to help blend the flavors/smells.

It's really important that you get those little guys to eat something soon.  Typical ferrets, they will bounce around and dook until they are literally dying or starving to death (ferrets hide their hunger and/or pain very well so they won't look vulnerable to their predators - a trick they have retained from their wilder days).  So, don't take their appearance too seriously. It's really important that they not go more than 24 hours without food and/or water.  

You may want to start them with some water, maybe mix in a little grape or bubblegum flavored Pedialyte to encourage them to drink it (or a little apple juice) and let them lick it from your finger or from a spoon.  Once you get them drinking, they should start eating a little easier - and if they don't, at least you've gotten some fluids down them, which is very important.

Some folks say "if they get hungry enough, they will eat" - well, not necessarily so with ferrets.  You *may* have to "jumpstart" them back to eating again. You may have to get some chicken or turkey baby food meat, warm it, offer it on your finger. You may need to touch your finger into the baby food, then onto their gums to *make* them taste it several times before they get the idea that it IS food.

The important thing is that you get *something* down them TODAY.  You may moisten the new food till it's soft, then put it into the ferret's mouth (he will spit it out over and over, but will eventually give in and eat it if you continually put it back into his mouth).  Try to be calm and loving while doing this so he doesn't see it as punishment, but as you encouraging him to try a new 'treat'.

This is a very common problem experienced by nearly every ferret owner who tries to change ferret foods, no matter how good or bad the food is.  They always want whatever it was they were used to from when they were kits.   One way to avoid this problem is to get your ferrets used to a variety of foods very early in life - I've actually heard of ferrets starving themselves to death rather than take a new food (because the ferret parent just wouldn't continue to try different things to get them to eat and drink during the changeover), so it's really important that you not give up.  I would strongly suggest that even when you get their usual food, that you continue to purchase the Totally Ferret Premium with chicken chunks and begin to make what we call a "food MIX" - several ferret foods that are all blended together and stored in one container so their flavors blend - that way when this happens again, or when you can't get one food, there are always at least one, two or three other foods they will eat.  My kids actually have four foods in their mixture - all premium brands: Totally Ferret, Path Valley Foods, 8 in 1 Ultimate and Iams Kitten (in the purple bag)...the ONLY kitten or cat chow that meets ferret's nutritional needs.  I mix all four, a little at a time into a large plastic container, shake it up good to blend the flavors and smells. So, each time I feed them, they get *some* blend of the four foods.  I recommend that other ferret owners do this to avoid the problems you are having right now.

Just remember that you really MUST get something in them TODAY.  Even if you have to resort to baby food, possibly dribbling a little Ferretone on their food (if they are used to that, it can help them adjust too), or just wetting the food and keep putting ONE PIECE in their mouth over and over until they eventually bite it, get a good taste of it, then start over with another dampened piece until they bite into it and eat it - eventually they should start eating it on their own.......if not, resort to the baby food and/or pedialyte so they don't go any longer without food and/or extra fluids.  If a perfectly healthy ferret stops eating for more than 24 hours, within the next 24 hours you could lose him - yes, that fast. So, it's really important that you stay the course, even if you don't get anything else done today.

I hope that helps.  Please don't hesitate to write again if you can't get any of the above down him.  I can give you directions on how to *force* (but not really forced) feed them with a syringe.  They really MUST have something in them today.  

FEEDING PEANUT BUTTER TO FERRETS:  Chunky  peanut butter is a definite "no no" because they will not digest the chunks and they could cause an intestinal blockage.  Giving your ferret just a lick or two of regular peanut butter will not *hurt* them as such, but it has no nutritional value to a ferret, as ferrets are 'obligate carnivores' and cannot digest vegetable proteins, only meat proteins.  A better choice for a treat would be a piece of chicken or turkey, or a few drops of Ferretone (a fatty acid supplement liquid). Also, I use FerretLax as a treat - that way they get their intestines cleared of any potential blockage materials (fur, etc) at the same time they are having their 'treat'. Ferret laxative (or cat laxative - same stuff basically) should be given at least WEEKLY during non-shedding season, and DAILY during shedding season (as soon as you start seeing loose fur in their bedding) to prevent hairballs....a very expensive surgery for intestinal blockage if you don't keep up with this one!  So, personally, I'd opt for a treat that helps the ferret rather than just tasting good, but a lick or two now and then won't hurt him.

Please let me know how it goes, okay?  I will be looking for a message from you to let me know they are eating and okay.  Best of luck!

sincerely,
Jacquie Rodgers

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Hi again Scott!

The learning curve with ferrets is certainly steep, that's for sure! :-)  There is just so much to learn so fast - so many things that affect their health that we MUST learn about right away before it affects them negatively.

One of those things is the Furotone (or Ferretone) that you're using.  I'm glad you mentioned it because there are some dangers there - two of them.  The first is that you should never put it on their food because it causes the food to go rancid and spoil; their food should be kept in a Tupperware (or similar) container to keep it dry and fresh.   The second important thing is that ferrets can actually overdose on the Vitamin A in Ferretone.  The best thing you can do when your purchase a bottle of it is to pour it over into a dispenser...fill it halfway with ferretone and halfway with light,virgin olive oil. This dilutes the vitamins in the Ferretone (same as Furotone) so they can't overdose in the vitamins that are not water soluble, specifically Vitamin A which can actually be toxic (deadly).

I mentioned before that ferrets are "obligate carnivores", which means their digestive system is made so that it can ONLY digest meats and meat byproducts (organ meats such as liver, heart, kidney, etc).  Ferrets LOVE to have sweets and they love apples, and all kinds of things that aren't good for them - just like little kids, we must be the parents and keep these things away from them.  If they are allowed to have these things, one of two things will happen - they will either get a blockage because they didn't properly digest the item; OR they will end up with too much sugar and sugary items (apples, raisins, etc) in their diet and develop insulinoma, which eventually makes a serious surgery necessary and ultimately kills them. :-(

I know you want the best for your ferrets, so I hope you will take it very seriously that they need MEAT and MEAT ITEMS ONLY.   The ONLY treat a ferret needs FERRETLAX (or any kitten laxative for hairballs) a one-inch ribbon weekly in non-shedding season, but as soon as you start seeing loose fur in their bedding, increase the lax to at least one inch ribbon DAILY. You also need to do a "plucking bath" when they start shedding to help get the majority of the loose fur out, so they don't end up licking it and swallowing it.  Ferrets are VERY prone to intestinal blockages from licking loose fur.

Also, you should be very careful that your house is ferretproofed - everything that your ferrets can reach is not something that can hurt them.  Here's a great link on ferretproofing (since you're a fairly new ferret parent; these are things we all had to learn when we were new ferret owners):  

http://www.everythingferret.com/ferret_proofing.htm

I also suggest for ALL ferret owners, both old and new, the book FERRETS FOR DUMMIES by Kim Schilling. You can get it really reasonably on http://www.half.com .  EVERYONE who has a ferret should read this book cover to cover. Reading it will help you *AVOID* a LOT of problems, illnesses and things that will shorten your ferrets life.

So, hopefully I've answered your questions......what to feed your ferrets.....MEAT.  If you can't get them to eat the kibble you got (which is a very very good brand, by the way, but you really should NOT put ferretone on it, as it will cause it to spoil), try wetting some of the kibble down and feeding it to them with your finger; if that doesn't work - go to baby food - either chicken (meat only) or turkey.  Warm it a little and feed with your finger - initially you may have to put a little in their mouth to make them taste it several times before they will take it on their own.  Eventually they will recognize it as food and enjoy it.   Most ferret owners who like to spoil their kids make them "soup" at bedtime so they go to bed with their tummies full.  You can make this soup (usually referred to as 'duck soup' although it has NO duck in it, but the owner who originated the recipe had a ferret named "Duck", therefore it was called "Duck's soup" and then "duck soup".  Anyway, there are recipes galore, but just warm baby food chicken or turkey is just fine; or you can get something called Hill's I/D (canned meat food) at your vet's office. Warm it up, thin it with some water; double check for hot spots by stirring it with your finger before giving it to the ferrets.  P.S...they won't eat it unless it is warmed and thinned. Some ferrets, again, have to get 'primed' with your finger, then they will eat it on their own.  I have one ferret that I have to start him eating his soup with my finger each and every time and he's over 3 years old and gets it every single night at bedtime!  He will stand and wait for me to finger feed him tho - methinks maybe he's a bit spoiled LOL.

Yes, ferrets DO learn their names - they learn each other's names too! I can tell one of my ferrets to find the other and they will do it.  I can ask them if they want to take a bath with mommy (they love to do that) and they will both run to the bathroom door and wait for me to open it; they understand "cookies" (warm soup at night) and "juice" (ferretone mixed 50/50 with olive oil and put into a dropper they lap it from); they know 'go bye bye' and they definitely know when I get out their new stroller..and they just got it for Christmas (yes, there really IS a stroller for ferrets!) - they both jump in and wait for me to take them out for a walk. Ferrets are just like little kids - if you spend a LOT of time with them, talk to them a LOT and treat them with love and kindness, they will grow intellectually just as far as you can teach them. My kids are incredibly smart - much smarter than some people's kids (I have a bumper sticker that says "My ferret is smarter than your honor student" :-)  <grin>  

All in all, ferrets are a blast!  But they DO require some special care and there are SO many things you have to watch out for with ferrets. They NEED human interraction or they become destructive little morons (just like children who don't get enough attention).  They really do reflect exactly what you put into them...put in love and lots of attention, good foods and healthy treats and you will get a healthy, smart and well adjusted ferret in return who will be the best little buddy you will ever have!  <Naw, I'm not prejudiced>  

sincerely,
Jacquie Rodgers


Answer
I'm not sure what ear cleaner you got, but you can follow the directions on the bottle if it's specifically for ferrets.  To clean ferret ears, I simply dip a Q-tip into baby oil and get it really soaked well, then wipe the outer folds of the ear, then gently  work your way in and STRAIGHT DOWN just inside the ear canal. A ferret's ear is in a "L" shape, so you will only reach the upright part of the L if you go straight down - and you will not damage anything inside his ears.  Keep using clean ends of Q-tips and dipping them into baby oil before putting into the ear - keep it very oily so the Q-tip moves smoothly and kind of scoop out the gunk.  

If the stuff that comes out is a nice honey brown, you have healthy ferret ears. If it looks like dark brown coffee grounds, your ferret has ear mites (most pet store ferrets come with ear mites)  If your ferret has ear mites, you need to get them to the vet as soon as possible for a shot, wait two weeks, then go back for another shot. Also, be aware that ear mites can be passed along to other pets in the house, cats, dogs, etc  - so probably everyone will need to be treated at once if they are scratching.

Ear mites are a common cause of scratching.  Notice if most of their scratching is around their ears or neck - often just the aggravation of earmites (imagine feeling little things crawling around in your ears!! they are actually little bugs - ask your vet to let you see them under the microscope! They are SOOo gross!!)  Anyway, ferrets can just drive themselves crazy trying to scratch the mites away. There is NO over the counter medication you can buy that will work - ear mites MUST be treated by a vet - SAME WITH FLEAS....IF they have them. No shortcuts here. They can get checked for ear mites when they go to get their shots, if they are going soon.

IMMUNIZATIONS NOTE: When you get their distemper and/or rabies shot.....Distemper shots should be given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks;if you got your ferrets at the pet store, they have already had their 8-week distemper shot and are probably due for the next in the series (if you get them out of series, it's really bad for the ferret, especially these first three that are given the first few months..... rabies shot is given approximately three weeks later.  NEVER get rabies AND distemper shots at the same time or same day, make sure they are 2 to 3 weeks apart.  ALWAYS have the vet pre-treat the ferret with a shot of benadryl, which will lessen the reaction IF they happen to have one; it's not uncommon for them to have reactions and if they do have them, they are often fatal if the ferret didn't have benadryl before receiving the shot.  WAIT at the vet's office at least 15 to 30 minutes after the distemper or rabies shot to be sure they aren't going to have a reaction. IF they have one, you don't want to be driving a car or any place other than the vet's waiting room, or help will be too far away and your ferret will likely die before you can even get back to the vet's office.

Fleas aren't nearly as common as ear mites as a cause of itching in ferrets, although it is possible - your vet would be the one to tell you whether it's fleas or ear mites, but if they are scratching, it means they are miserable :-( .  

My recommendation would be to give your ferrets a nice warm (remember, their body temperature is warmer than ours, so make it like a nice very warm bath would be for you) bath in the kitchen sink, (with the water running constantly so it doesn't change temperature and you have it right there to rinse them really well with) - wet the ferret, lather them up, rinse really really well or they will itch afterwards, then have a nice big towel handy to dry them and turn them loose to go crazy in the towel. They will probably run all over the room, so you may want to put them in a small room such as the bathroom (if the floor is nice and clean) until they are dry. They are a riot to watch while drying themselves off.  Be SURE to have lots of extra blankies, sweats, towels or soft clothing for them to snuggle down into after their bath.

I usually clip their nails - use a man's nail clipper and be careful just to clip off the hook part and not to get near the red vein in the nail......How to get them to hold still while you do this??? Turn the ferret over onto his back, dribble about a teaspoon of furotone on his tummy and smear it around in about a 2" circle, then touch his nose to it; while he's busy licking it, you gently take one paw at a time, one nail at a time (IN GOOD LIGHT) and gently clip the hooked part, being very very careful not to clip the pink vein, which is the nerve in the nail and would be very painful, in addition to bleeding - IF you should happen to accidentally nip it and the ferret starts bleeding, you can touch the bleeding area to a wet styptic pencil, OR wet the whole foot and dip it into CORNSTARCH and the blood will clot. Be sure to watch the ferret until you are sure the blood is clotted well. You may have to treat more than once for it to clot.  Better yet, don't nipt him :-)  be very very careful with the clippers. Nails should be clipped about every week or so to keep the pointy ends off, otherwise they can get caught in bedding and rip a toe off (ouch!).

Then I clean their ears with baby oil and q-tips, using the last Q-tips dry and gently wiping the outer folds of their ears to remove the extra oil that remains after you have their ears all clean. I usually go thru about 6 or 8 Q-tips (using both ends, dipping only the end you are currently using in th oil) per ferret.....

Then, last but not least, I use Johnson and Johnson's baby shampoo to bathe them.  Dry well, give them some warm 'soup' (that I discussed above - the "duck soup") and put them into a nice warm bed of lots of blankies and soft cloth so they don't get chilled overnight.

Hope that helps.  It would be a great idea for you to join an online ferret group.  One that I especially like is called Ferret Village - REALLY NICE PEOPLE and everyone helps each other as we all learn.  Here's the link to that:

http://www.ferretvillage.org/

About the ferretone - I don't think they mean specific feeding times. What they are saying is not to exceed that amount daily.  It's okay if you put it on their food everyday, as long as AT LEAST ONCE A DAY you completely throw away all food in their bowl, wash it out, and make a fresh bowl of food with furotone in it.  That seems wasteful to me - they really enjoy licking it from the palm of your hand and it saves from wasting all that food that gets moistened from the oil and it does make it spoil. So, you can give their daily amount from your hand if you wish; it would be better than if you put it in their food.

I need to get my ferrets out to play before bedtime, so I am logging off for the night.  Hope I've been of some help to you. It has been great getting to know you and hopefully I will see you on Ferret Village!   

You can read a LOT of stuff all about ferrets here:

http://www.ferretcentral.org  

and click on "FAQ's"; also this website:

http://www.everythingferret.org

If there's anything I've missed, I know you'll find the answers there, or you can write me again.  Much of this you really need to dig in and read about so you will understand the 'why's' of things.  

Sincerely,
Jacquie Rodgers