Hello, all.  Sorry this took so long.  Times have been rough around here.
pretty damn bad, to be honest, but stabilizing now.  More will come.   Please,
treat the following as an unfinished piece of work rather than as the final
word.  Comments, suggestions, and criticisms are desired.   Show it to your vet
for comments, too, please.   When those are incorporated it can go into the
FAQs.
 
Ferret Behavior
 
    Welcome to ferret ownership/owneeship.   Many of us on the Ferret List have
had ferrets for over a decade and have had experience with a number of
individuals.  That doesn't mean we know all there is to know on behavior and
training, of course.   Of the many orders of mammals I've worked with over the
years ferrets have one of the widest ranges of personalities so it is much
harder to find pat answers with them than it is with other critters, such as
cats, which have also been domesticated for thousands of years.  Use the tips
you find here as guides and adjust them to your ferret's personality.
    To begin, ferrets are Mustelids.   This is a family in the Order Carnivora,
and contains such characters as skunks, otters, weasels, and mink.   For a
reasonable overview look in references such as Walker's Mammals of the World,
vol II.
    Like many of their relatives ferrets do mark their home turf, including you.
They also have the capacity to spray if frightened, but that odor does not
linger so unless your individual is a rare problem sprayer or has a medical
disorder of the anal musk glands descenting is usually not recommended because
it often has serious complications which can damage the ferret's quality of
life.  Behind the ears is another set of musk glands.  Sometimes ferrets will
force extra scent through these by sneezing, especially by sneezing while
holding the nose with "hands", or by tooth grinding, though tooth grinding is
more commonly associated in most individuals with dental problems or abdominal
pain.   You will then receive a thorough head rubbing just to make sure the
world knows who you belong to.   Unfortunately, many ferrets also mark
territories with waste products as do cats and dogs, but most can be taught to
usually or always use the litter box with consistent training.  In fact, some
become so consistent about using their pots that a miss, especially one in a
treasured part of the house is used to signal the owner that something (such as
a urinary or fecal disease) is wrong.
    Ferrets have a wide range of vocalizations, especially while kits.  Some
remain strong vocalizers throughout life.   When upset a ferret may hiss,
chitter, sound as if it cursing under its breath, or scream.   The cursing sound
also tends to happen when an individual is determined, curious, or on patrol.
A few kits yip for good food.   Playing ferrets beep and laugh; the latter
sounds a great deal like soft, breathy human laughter.   Notice that higher
placed individuals in the group tend to use lower pitched voices, and that the
voices become lower pitched still in disciplinary situations.  (This is also
often true among humans and a number of other mammals.)   Use the observation as
a guide when you speak to your ferrets; after all, "Bad, bad, bad"  said in a
high, cheerful voice just does not get the message across.   Exception:  some
individual ferrets are deaf or partially deaf; if one of your ferrets can not
hear low sounds use higher pitched sounds with that individual.
    Don't be surprised that ferrets understand speech better than most other pet
canines.   After all, for a few million years they evolved to find and corner
prey in burrows (being poor hunters even the wild relatives of our pet stock
need a large number of potential prey individuals and places to corner them or
they go hungry, unlike animals which are more adept at hunting freely moving
creatures).   That means that they have to be able to make sense of the
vocalizations and motion sounds of their own kind and their prey species, as
well as those of possible predators which can endanger them.  Do expect them to
learn many words and relationships between those words in simple sentences; but
don't expect them to always listen.  When a ferret decides to concentrate on
something else it will just ignore you.   For proof of how well a ferret can
listen and behave all you need to do is undergo major surgery with a large
incision; for 4 to 6 weeks your ferrets will be perfect for the pickiest human
desires.   It's easier, however, to accept that ferrets are ferrets and our
chaos is often their idea of perfection.
    Once you get used to your new house mates you will notice that they have a
number of facial expressions.   The first one you recognize will either be
"Aren't I cute?"or "Feel guilty."   Both incorporate wide eyes, but while the
first has a relaxed face the second is downright sad.   Expressions are seen in
how tensely the face is held, whether the ears are happily forward or pulled
back, the mouth position (yes, they do smile), and how wide the eyes are.   Many
expressions use the same fundamentals used by most mammals -- such as extremely
wide eyes with terror.
    The body language is another matter.  You can often read ferret faces from
understanding human faces, but you often can not do that with their postures.
You can surprise your ferret by knowing when it will soon have to go to the
bathroom, usually before it knows the impending need.  Just watch the base of
the tail.  When it gets stiff the critter will soon have to pass its bowels.  Up
raised tails can have several meanings, from "Aren't I a hot shot.", to I am
about to go to the bathroom.   Piloerection of the tail often occurs with
excitement, but once the fur is up elsewhere the emotion has greatly escalated.
Yes, many ferrets wag their tails when happy such as in tickle games (Always let
the animal decide when to stop this game or it can become uncomfortable.), hide
and seek, dancing, and running through tubes.  Some ferrets think they are well
hidden if their heads are under cover, but the rear will be sticking out and the
tail wagging a mile a minute which you "search".  Kits and low ranking
individuals often keep lowered tails in their group.
    A playful ferret commonly has an arched back, while a determined one may (or
may not) hold the back straighter.   If a ferret's back is almost always
straight, or if it twitches, or is poorly supported it should be examined by a
vet.
    When first seeing a ferret dance folks often wonder it they are seeing some
type of convulsion.   The animal will arch,  hop, fling its body back and forth,
and even slam into walls.  Be calm and have a good belly laugh.  You are just
being treated to an expression of unbridled joy.
    Many ferrets also shiver or tremble with joy, with tension, or to pull up
the body temperature after sleeping.
    Ferrets love to sneak and dash into whereever they are not supposed to go.
Around here we have a name for this benevolent behavior; we call it snerching.
Be careful because there have been ferrets lost to motors, recliner mechanisms,
refrigerators, stoves, furnaces, dishwashers, driers, electrocution, intestinal
blockage, poisoning, etc. when this behavior was not taken into account or when
an accident happened despite precautions being taken.   Safety is why most long
term ferret owners have ferret-proof areas for their furries or use a large
(often multi-tier ) cage for them when they can't be supervised.
    Ferrets stash things, and their sense of order is not likely to match
your's.  Once you have to search an hour for keys, wallet, or purse you will
learn to keep such items out of reach, learn where to find others, and will give
the critters some toys of their own, such as mice made of old socks stuffed into
each other and knotted, or jingle bells in a childproof bottle, or crinkle sacks
(also called racket sacks), tubes, and light weight plastic basins they can
crawl under to play "daleks", i.e. dashing around blindly like an outer space
partly automated invader  (a game also cherished by human children, chimps, and
BBC intellectuals).
    What is all that talk you have heard from nay-sayers about biting?  Look
into the figures.   Those I have seen show a much lower rate of serious biting
than is found among cats and dogs while the historical world-wide death rate
remains at fewer than five -- compare that to cat or dog caused deaths in just
one year, plus ferret teeth are dramatically smaller than in those animals.  As
with cats or dogs the young have to be taught to not bite.  We all take that for
granted, don't we?  In the past, there was more of a problem with some
unscrupulous individuals selling fur fitch (a related stock, as dogs are related
to wild dogs, dingoes, wolves, and coyotes, and cats to some forms of wild cats)
as pet stock but that is something we have rarely heard about recently, and even
fitch will tame reasonably.   More commonly when biting is encountered the
animals have been mishandled, just as is found with dogs and cats which bite.
Kits will nip, just like kittens and puppies do but consistent training will
stop the behavior in any of the three.  Ferrets respond very well to praise and
some ferrets train best by being praised when they behave well and put into a
cage then ignored for a while when bad.  Others do better when there is also
some negative reinforcement used, such as a finger flick to the nose, pressing
the teeth against gums firmly (but not so tightly as to injure in any way), or
using disliked tastes and/or smells such as toothpaste, or foul training aids
(some names on the market are Bitter Apple, Sour Grapes, and Bitter Lime).  As
we know from personal experience even clinically retarded ferrets can be trained
to behave.
    There are times when your ferret will think that nibbling on you is an
expression of love.  For some reason they object to bumps on ankles and feet and
regularly try to groom these off.   You will find that wearing a pair of socks
or socks and slippers will help a lot.
    At times we hear of (and once experienced) an adult male or neutered male
ferret which decides to flirt with a human female.  Unfortunately a serious
ferret pass involves putting teeth into a cylindrical object.   Our Hjalmar only
tried it once, and behaved like he was horrified by my negative reaction.
Although he never tried it again I did put Bitter Apple on my leg.  Since this
happens so very rarely (except when humans get the odor of a female in season on
an arm while cage cleaning or handling and then work with a whole male) it
probably pays to recognize that the ferret may have a tumor (as Hjalmar, who was
neutered, was found to have) which  causes the production of an  unusual amount
of testosterone.  As such it may be a useful disease warning.
    When you train your ferrets to perform as you want always remember praise
and consistency.   This is true whether you are training them not to nip, to use
their litter pots consistently, or to do tricks (especially useful when you need
to exercise an ill animal).  When possible build the behavior from what you have
learned of your animal's natural behavior.  Use words such as "No!". Don't
forget little aids such as bad smells, plastic rug runners for diggers, Clorox
or other smell reducers for stopping "accidents" in a given spot, etc.   If your
ferret is deaf  floor pounding to get attention can help.  If your ferret is
blind don't worry since sight isn't used too much.   At least one ferret on this
List is both blind and deaf, but is a loving, cuddling, well behaved, happy
critter.
    Even abused ferrets can be rehabilitated.   We worked only one and had great
success.  For information on this topic check with a ferret shelter where the
individuals have a large amount of rehab experience.
    Keep your ferret's area as safe as you can.  Recently we read of a ferret
which had chewed electric cords and caused a house fire.   Every year someone on
the net has or knows of a ferret which ate the wrong house plant, got into the
neighbor's poison, fell from a height, was crushed, got stuck in a wall, ate a
rubber stopper and developed an intestinal blockage, suffocated with it's head
stuck in something, got into a drainage pipe or furnace duct, was given the
wrong type of toy and died, developed lung problems after being in wood chips,
got its penile bone caught in rough cage wire, etc.
    Love your ferret and you will be richly loved in return.
 
Medical Concerns and Your Ferret
 
    Treat this as a work-in-progress, not a resource.  This is NOT a final draft
(nor is it complete -- it's just the beginning of this section).   PLEASE, send
comments and get your vets' comments for me.  Corrections are greatly
appreciated, especially from vets and those with intense or long term experience
on these items.
 
 
    Because health care changes so very rapidly it is especially important that
this section remain malleable, with addenda regularly attached and rewrites done
every 2 to 5 years depending on progress.
 
Introduction
    NO MATTER WHICH SECTIONS INTEREST YOU THE MOST READ THIS INTRODUCTION
FIRST, BEFORE YOU READ ABOUT ANY SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERN.  Why?  Because  the
progress in ferret health care is shockingly rapid, and with so much still to be
learned changes will probably continue to occur at a startling rate.  Here is
just one example.  About five and a half years ago (It is now 1993.) we lost a
ferret to lymphosarcoma.  She was being treated at the Animal Medical Center
(AMC) in NYC, one of the nation's top veterinary health research clinics.  When
we agreed to try chemotherapy there were no guidelines; in fact, the vets had
never heard of this being yet tried with a ferret.  Two years later another of
our ferrets had lympho (along with insulinoma).  Because of advances she lived
an extra eight, mostly happy months.  Not long after her death another net
member's ferret developed lympho.  Using a newly applied chemo protocol by Ann
Jeglum that individual not only survived but has now been living in remission
for over a year.
    Since the changes in ferret veterinary care are so rapid, and increasingly
complex, and because so much of prevention and treatment are still largely
guesswork -- albeit educated guesswork when possible, it is ESSENTIAL that your
veterinarian(s) be well read, experienced, up-to-date, and willing to
consistently and often interact with ferret veterinary experts.   If that is not
the case, dump that individual just as you would a bad human physician.  Your
other main responsibilities will be:  1.  Providing nursing care, and 2.
recognizing  when a health problem is occurring and jumping as fast as you need
to.  Ferrets are amazingly robust and can survive many serious illnesses better
than cats do, but some things such as electrolyte imbalances and dehydration
move so rapidly in them that you simply can not wait a day without the risk of
losing your pet.
 
Danger Signs (This list is by no means complete.  Depending on your ferret's
specific case there can be other signs, and depending on your ferret's situation
some of these signs may be more dangerous than they would be for others.)
1.  If your ferret shows the loose, inelastic skin and dull eyes found with
dehyration get it to the vet immediately.
2.  If your ferret has severe diarrhea, green diarrhea, or severe vomiting get
it to the vet immediately.
3.  If your ferret has been injured get it to the vet immediatly or consult with
that individual on the telephone depending on the injury and symptoms.
4.  If your ferret may have an intestinal blockage:  gagging, constipation,
known or suspected ingestion of items which don't dissolve such as rubber ,
plastic, and some fabrics (even items which do dissolve such as fur or cotton
have caused fatal blockages when they have failed to do so or to pass) get it to
the vet immediately.
5.  If your ferret has signs of respitory stress such as wheezing, persistent
cough, gasping, or colored discharge get it to the vet right away.  The problem
may range from an infection such as pneumonia or influenza, to fluid accumulated
around the heart and lungs, to asthma, to lung tumors, or a number of other
diseases/disorders.
6.  If your ferret has an infection check with the vet and come in as rapidly as
the vet suggests.   This rule carries when you find your ferret's rectal
temperature is over 102'F or other signs of possible infection such as enlarged
nodes, foul smell, etc. are present.
7.  Get any ferret to the vet immediately if it collapses or goes into shock or
displays severe lethargy.  Call the vet to consult and come in as soon as
recommended if there is unusual exhaustion.
8.  Get the critter to the vet right away in cases of extreme exposure to heat
or cold.
9.  Any ferret in seizures must go to the vet immediately, and if the vet is a
long distance away call to see if you should carry a sweet such as Nutrical or
corn syrup to rub on the ferret's gums in case the seizure has been caused by a
drop in blood sugar.
10.  If a ferret starts tooth grinding call the vet and be prepared to go in to
the office right away since some ferrets tooth grind in response to abdominal
pain.
11.  If your ferret suddenly becomes pale, especially at gums or starts
unexplained bleeding get it to the vet right away.
12.  Like people ferrets can have severe reactions, including to medication
which must be treated before they go too deeply into shock.  Some are adverse
reactions and some are caused by allergies.
13.  If your ferret has a vulval swelling but has been spayed, or if she has
such a heat swelling and you do not intend to breed her call the vet to consult
and get her in as soon as vet suggests.  An unbred female will develope severe
anemia and die unless you take action.  A spayed female with such signs may have
had an unsuccessful spaying or may have a tumor.
14.  Don't wait if your ferret has sudden or serious weight loss.
15.  If your ferret loses a large amount of hair, especially if the loss extends
beyond the tail your ferret could have a tumor and you should come in as your
vet suggests.
16.  If you find a tumor on or in your vet call to consult and set an
appointment.
17.  Rotten teeth can be painful and dangerous.  If your ferret needs dental
care set an appointment.
18.  Unusual behavior can be an animal's way to signal that it is ill.  If it
goes to the bathroom in a treasured spot, suddenly adopts infantile behaviors
inappropriate for its age, becomes disagreeable or unusually angry or sad, it
may be trying to let you know that something is wrong.  Call your vet and follow
the advice you receive.
19.  If your ferret has gotten into poison, or if you even suspect the ferret
may have done so get it to the vet immediately.  Learn about household poisons
and which common houseplants are poisonous.
20.  Ferrets which have not had previous care, or whose health history is not
known should see a vet and be care for as the vet suggests.
21.  If you have not kept up with your ferret's yearly exams and vaccinations
call and set up an appointment.
 
 
I plan to do a thorough section on diet, prevention, and nursing and more of an
overview on the actual medical treatments themselves inless Bruce would like to
do that part in more detail since he is a vet.   How does this look to folks so
far?   Again, this has not yet been reviewed and should NOT be treated as if it
is the final word.  It's here specifically so that readers and their vets can
read it and help me get to a final version.
 
Sorry it was so delayed.  Most of you know me well, and realize that I would not
do so without good reason.
 
Love, Sukie, Steve, Meltdown, Ruffle, 'Chopper the ferret helicopter, Spot,
&Meeteetse
 
[Posted in FML issue 0620]