>From:    Elisa Mohn <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Depressed Ferrets?  Digging?  New apartment.
>... However, they still seem really abnormal compared to the stories that
>I am used to here on the FML.  They are not very vocal at all, they do not
>play with their toys all that much (except when I do the ball on a string
>activity with them), they still seem rather lethargic and disinterest in
>anything but destroying my carpets and underneath my sofa.  They are very
>attentive to me (they follow me around, come when they are called, seek my
>attention, show curiousity).
 
All ferrets are pretty individualistic.  Hershey was never very vocal, and
Nestle' would only dook when I was playing with her with a crinkly plastic
bag.  My personal suggestions would be to trim their claws more often
(which may minimize the digging, and will at least reduce the damage from
it), and try some larger toys they can get fully inside (pillowcases, dryer
hose, and maybe a crinkly sack which is, I think, made by SuperPet; I never
let mine play with an actual crinkly plastic grocery bag unless I was
directly supervising, although I've never known a ferret who couldn't shred
his or her way out of one long before suffocation would be a danger).  It
seems from the tendency to hide under furniture, to dig, and to mark their
territory all over instead of in the litterboxes that they may be feeling a
bit overly exposed in their new, larger environment, and are looking for a
little burrow to feel secure in.
 
>From:    Jaime Wolf <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: do ferrets dream?/Benedryl
>Um, I may be ignorant here, so excuse me if I am, but why on earth would
>you give a ferret Benedryl??  I have known of a friend's dog who had some
>skin allergies, and our ferrets have little sneezing fits every once in
>awhile (I don't think they're allergies), but it just doesn't sound healthy
>to give them a human allergy medication.  Did someone recommend this to
>you?  Anyone who knows anything about this, please clue me in.  This kind
>of worries me...
 
Benadryl is pretty standard in veterinary use too.  I've never used it on
a ferret myself, but it's pretty standard for alergic reactions in all
sorts of animals.  I've had to give it to dogs and cats who've had vaccine
reactions.
 
You're right to be cautious though.  A lot of human medications (and even
a lot of common foods, like chocolate) are lethal poisons to a lot of
animals.  If I knew the proper dosage for a ferret I wouldn't be worried
about Benadryl, although it would have to be quite a sneezing fit before
I'd consider using it for that without a specific veterinary
recommendation.
 
Dr. Eric A. Schwartz
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[Posted in FML issue 3155]