Vaseline will dissolve pine pitch from fur and hair. Which begs
the question - exactly how "SAFE" is it to let them ingest it as
a laxative? Keep in mind that vaseline is a petroleum product.
"Petrolatum". Usually "White Petrolatum Jelly" is commonly offered as
a "safe" product to use for hair ball and minor blockage troubles for
ferrets. Mineral oil and Vaseline both will wipe out the gut bacteria
and cause digestive troubles due to a radical change and or
obliteration of gut flora. So keep that in mind. While it may not be
immediately toxic to your ferret. It isn't necessarily "harmless".

I'd rub the pine pitch free using vaseline, then bathe the vaseline
from the ferret and condition the fur afterward. If they are just
small spots of pitch a quick pluck of the fur will suffice.

Alternatives for hair ball laxatives and minor blockage issues are
plain salt free lard, and unspiced mashed pumpkin either canned or
fresh. Both are usually received well by ferrets.

Cheers, Kim

[Posted in FML 7542]