Ferrets eat the darnedest things…
Ever wonder what you should put up and away from your pet Ferret so that they don’t ingest something that will make them sick? Ferrets take a liking to many different things, some every day household items are too tempting for them to pass up. One of those items is rubber, I was reading an article the other day on Ferrets & rubber, where one Ferret owner told her story of how her Ferrets had eaten almost all of the items in her house made of rubber. Imagine grabbing your remote to change the channel to your favorite TV show, only to find out that the rubber buttons were gone, or try making a phone call when there are nothing left on your phone except nubs, funny how without the letters and numbers written on the buttons for you, you become incapable of making a quick call which is something we do every day. But there are other objects as well that are made of rubber that you might not even think about like the rubber bands that are used in some areas to wrap around your newspaper or maybe just the eraser on the end of a pencil. All of these items, if ingested by your Ferret can cause serious blockages, since they are not digestible. Some vets will suggest doses of cat laxatives but if your Ferret is unable to pass the foreign object on into the stool, then surgery will most likely be required. Keep a close eye on your pet if you are suspicious that he may have swallowed a foreign object.
X-Ray of a Ferret
If your Ferret has either diarrhea, difficulty pooping, is lethargic or has been trying to vomit it may be due to a blockage in the intestinal track. You can give your pet cat laxatives but if they don’t correct the problem within a couple of hours, you should call your vet immediately to have x-rays taken. Ferrets can and do die from intestinal blockages. The foreign object could also cause a tear in the stomach lining leading to a gastric ulcer.
Ferrets eat all kinds of things, one owner told of how his Ferret had to be taken in for surgery which revealed a shirt sleeve that had been consumed, another told of a pair of ladies nylons being ingested. Ferrets also like to eat the peanuts that are used for packing material, which is also a favorite toy for them to play in. It is okay to let them enjoy a little romp through a box of peanuts, but keep a watchful eye that they don’t stop for a snack, or carry some off for later on to munch on. Not to get off topic, but I had a friend who had a pitbull that had eaten so many different items that when they took her in and x-rayed her stomach, they found a small rug, a small strand of lights from the Christmas tree, a couple of hooks to hang the ornaments on the tree with and a few other unidentifiable objects, so never underestimate the ability of your pet ferret to do the same and keep a close eye on the things they do try to gather for hiding in their various hiding spots.
