It looks like the summer is going to be a scorcher.  The weather maps show
the middle sections of the US at 100+ degrees, and the east is going to be
hit with a major heat wave this week.  For the new ferret owners who have
recently joined the FML, I'd like to post a reminder that ferrets do not do
well in the heat.  Temperatures above 85 degrees can seriously stress a
ferret, especially on older or sick one.  Temperatures above 90 degrees for
prolonged periods can sicken and kill.
 
It's important to realize that fans DO NOT cool a ferret.  Fans simply move
air.  If the air temperature is 90 degrees, the fan will blow 90 degree air.
The moving air feels cool to a human because humans perspire.  Evaporating
moisture cools, and the fan aids evaporation of the perspiration.  Ferrets
don't perspire.  The moving air will not cool them.  More over, ferrets
don't have a good way of cooling them selves.  Dogs pant to move air over
the moisture in their mouths and cool them selves.  By the time you see a
ferret pant, the ferret is already in extreme danger of heat stroke.
 
If you don't have an air conditioner and the temperature is expected to rise
over 85 degrees in the area where your ferret is kept, there are some steps
you can take.  If you are present, you can occasionally spritz your ferret
with water.  Moving air (fan) over a damp ferret will cool it.  You can put
your ferret in it's cage and drape a towel over the cage with one end of the
towel in a pan of water and blow air over the damp towel.  Depending on the
humidity, that will provide some cooling.  You can freeze some nearly full
two liter bottles of water; wrap the frozen bottles in a thin towel; place
the bottles in the bottom of the ferret's cage (cool air is heavy and sinks
if left undisturbed, so don't use a fan too).  If the temperatures are
expected to be over 100 degrees, try to move the ferrets to another location
where there is air conditioning.
 
If you see your ferret panting, dip the ferret in very slightly cool water
(not cold or you risk putting it into shock) then get it to drink as much
cool pedialyte as possible; even if you have to syringe feed.  Then get it
to a vet as quickly as possible to check for dehydration and heat stroke.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 2370]