Cinda B. Beach asked:
>My ferret food is naturally preserved, but has only 16% fat.  [...]  Is it
>worth putting her back on preservatives to get her a higher fat content?
 
It's a matter of personal opinion, but I'd say yes.  16% fat just isn't
enough.  You can also supplement the fat with Ferretone.
 
"UNCLE SHAWN" asked:
>Will hotter summer temps. harm my ferret if I keep her in the garage?
>If I keep her inside, do ferrets have any reaction to air conditioning.
 
Ferrets don't deal with heat well at all.  If it gets up into the low 80s
in your garage, your ferret will not be at all happy.  It it gets much
hotter than that, she may suffer heatstroke.  In my experience, ferrets'
reaction to air conditioning is, "Whee!  This is so much better than that
hot place we were before!" :) See the FAQ for a little more information on
ferrets and heat.
 
Joyce Meadows wrote:
>Seth and Emma both have really dry feet pads [...]
>Is Vaseline bad for ferrets if they eat it?
 
In small amounts, Vaseline won't hurt your ferrets, though too much can
give them loose stools.  All those cat hairball remedies are essentially
just flavored Vaseline.  If Seth licks it off his feet, though, it won't do
much good keeping them from getting dry.  Try to find another moisturizer
he doesn't like to eat, or one which soaks in faster.
 
Tom Landry asked:
>I have noticed that during the winter Kramer seems to gain weight. [...]
>When the summer comes around he loses the weight along with the winter
>coat.  Do all ferrets do this?  I also wonder why the winter coat comes
>in each year when his climate never really changes?
 
Most male ferrets lose weight in the summer (or gain it in the winter).
Some vary by as much as 40% of their winter weight.  The coat change, like
the weight variation, is triggered by day length more than temperature,
which is why indoor ferrets and those in semi-tropical climates still
experience them, but sometimes at odd times of year (due to indoor
lighting).
 
--
- Pam Greene
Ferret Central <http://www.optics.rochester.edu:8080/users/pgreene/>
[Posted in FML issue 1462]