ferret chewing

Question
i have owned ferrets for 10 years now and have just gotten 2 new baby ferrets.  They are about 10 weeks old.  My little boy is chewing and swalling what he chews from his blankets and newspapers.  How can I stop this or when will he stop.  He still has a couple of baby teeth and is losing them.  Could this be the problem or because he thinks he needs to nurse or something else.  He is passing everything, not vomitting, and eating, drinking, voiding and playing as all baby ferrets do.  Please any advice would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Naomi Simmons
Pensacola, FL

Answer
Hi Naomi:

Baby ferrets do sometimes do that, especially if they were removed from their mothers too soon, which most pet store ferrets are :-(     

It's REALLY important that until your baby outgrows this that you remove newspapers and fabrics from where he can get to them.  He can still get an intestinal blockage, even tho he's a baby and seems to be passing it - it would only take a very small piece not to pass and he could have a real problem.

If he stops eating, starts pawing at the roof of his mouth, drooling and/or his poops get smaller or he stops pooping, get him to the vet immediately - it means he has a blockage.  Sometimes small (partial) blockages can sit and fester for a while, then finally become fully blocked, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to remove all fabric and newspapers, then take him in for a barium xray just to be sure he has passed anything that might be in there.  The vet would mix a little  Barium with some Hills A/D canned food and feed it to the ferret, then xray as it travels the length of his digestive system. The good thing about Barium is that it often cleans it's path as it goes, so it's a good way to be sure the intestines are clean - then you won't have to worry about that...because it is a real concern if he has be eating fabric OR paper items.

Intestinal blockages are often fatal, so it's really important that you do follow thru on this one.  I'm so glad you noticed that he's doing it so you can remove the items and watch him carefully for a while.   

Hopefully his love for fabric and paper will pass in a few weeks - sometimes they continue to be paper and/or cloth chewers for a  lifetime.  :-(

Instead of bedding, my suggestion would be to put a little dark colored (rubbermaid type) box in their cage, cut holes for a door and windows on all sides for ventilation. You can leave the lid on the top so you can get to them whenever you want to.  As long as it's fairly dark in there, they will be happy to crawl in there to snuggle down to sleep together and won't even miss the blankies.  

Also, if you are using Yesterday's News or other newspaper litter, change over to a NON-CLUMPING type clay litter.  It's really important that it's the non-clumping type. Clumping litter will cause intestinal blockages if they eat even a little of it, lick it off their feet, etc.

Also, I'm wondering if you have put the babies in with your 10 yr old ferret,or if they are in their own cage?  Just concerned about how a ferret who I assume is an only ferret (?) would feel about having energetic babies crawling around and pestering her...she *might* not appreciate it - I'm sure you're sensitive to that, tho, and hopefully won't put her in distress with babies if she's used to being alone. She *may* prefer to have her own separate sleeping place at the very least - someplace she can get away from them if she wants to.  On the other hand, she may enjoy the company of new babies - just a 'heads up' to be aware of her feelings :-)

Best of luck to you and your new babies, Naomi.   You have a 10 year old ferret - you must be doing a LOT of somethings right :-) That's really pretty old for a ferret!  Average age is usually 6-8 years old!  Congratulations!!   I hope this helps. Don't hesitate to write back anytime I can be of assistance!!

sincerely,
jacquie