Life Cycle Care of Small Mammals: Please turn on your clickers Ferrets are in the weasel family (Mustelids)

Domesticated (Mustela putorious furo)- European polecat No longer exist in wild (Mustela putorious)

Black-footed ferret Ermine (Mustela erminea) (Mustela nigripes) (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sevice) Natural History Notebooks- Canadian Museum of Nature Ferrets have been domesticated for thousands of years

Domesticated ~1500 BC by Egyptians Rabbit hunting and rodent control- especially on ships Ferrets are illegal in some areas due to concerns with Rabies, Attack, and Predation

California New York City Basic Data Life Span –5‐9 years Average weight‐ Males (Hobs)‐ up to 6 lbs Females (Jills)‐ 2‐3 lbs Babies (Kits) At least 10 distinct coat color types exist

Albino

Sable- most common Others Include: Silver Mitt Sterling Silver Silver White footed Sable DEW Butterscotch Ferrets are quick moving, curious, and intelligent

Ferret dancing for pit bull Ferrets “cache” food (also owner’s keys, cell phones, wires, etc.) Seasonal Weight Variations are Normal in Intact Animals (especially males) Increasing light (spring)- Eat less- Weight loss

Shorter day length (fall)- eat more- Weight gain Up to 40% weight change is common (e.g. 6 pound male may lose 2.4 pounds) Wash hands before handling ferrets

Limits disease spread (colds and flu) and makes the ferret less likely to bite Support the ferret under the chest and under the rump when held “Scruffing” will cause a ferret to relax, often yawn

Can also feed sweet substance (e.g. Nutri-cal, Ferretone) Sebaceous glands in the anal area and in the skin produce a musky odor under the influence of hormones

Remove anal glands by 6 months (usually done at breeders)

Bathing may help, but will dry out the skin if too frequent If not mating, ferrets should be spayed/neutered by 6 months Unmated - life threatening problems (more later) Both intact males and females may “mark” house with urine

Most ferrets are neutered and de-scented at breeders Vaccinations are Important

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) (8 weeks, 11-12 weeks, 14- 16 weeks, booster yearly)

Rabies- killed vaccine (12-13 weeks, booster yearly) Vaccine reactions are common

Do not use combination vaccines

Split vaccines into separate visits Claws can and should be trimmed as needed Please turn on your clickers Ferrets are ______

A. Herbivores B. Omnivores C. Carnivores Which vaccine(s) is/are commonly given to ferrets (in addition to Rabies)?

A. Canine Distemper B. Feline Distemper C. Feline Leukemia D. None of the above If you buy a ferret from a pet store it will likely already be: • A. Neutered • B. Descented • C. Both of the above • D. None of the above Ferrets-Housing Wire cage / solid floor- multiple levels 14x24x10-two adults Small box within cage Easily housebroken (like ) -still need a cage with interior Ferrets-Housing

•Water bottle and Litter tray •Rabbit-type pellet hopper or heavy bowl

• Ferrets can be housed outside if slowly acclimated to the cold Ferrets- Nutrition

Ferrets are CARNIVORES (they eat meat) Emphasis on high quality animal food sources •The instinct to hunt is present in domestic ferrets Ferrets- Nutrition • Very short GI tract (like cats)- no cecum • 3 hour Rate Of Passage • Ideal- 6 to 8 small meals per day- ad lib good, but watch total amount fed

Compare to Guinea Pig Tract: Large intestine Cecum Guinea Pig Tract

Small intestine Nutrient Requirements Nutrient Requirements – NRC specific to ferrets not available‐ Nutrient Requirements of Mink and Foxes, Second Edition, 1982 – Commercial ferret food available and recommended – Can use kitten food but not as well‐balanced

Meat‐based‐ If diet too high in plant protein‐ urinary pH and urolithiasis increase.

Limit Fruits (they like sweets) Nutrient Requirements

Crude Protein 30‐35% for adults (upper end for kits) Crude Fat 15‐20% (upper level for kits, lactating females) Adult maintenance • Naturally lean but can become obese • Limit sweets • Teeth problems ‐ moisten dry food for aged ferrets Breeding/Reproduction • Males – hobs (neutered- gibs) • Females -jills (neutered- sprites) • Newborns - kits • Birth process – whelping • Puberty at 6-8 months • Seasonal Breeders- Breeding season typically March-August Breeding Reproduction • Male ferret- Penis located on ventral abdomen • Os Penis • External testes (but usually neutered) Breeding/Reproduction External Genitalia of Female Ferret

This female is in estrus This female is anestrus or immature Female Reproduction • Induced ovulators; like • BUT>> When in heat they must mate to go out of heat (about 50%) • If not mated ‐ continuous high estrogen levels –estrogen toxicosis • May develop ‐ die from bone marrow depression (few RBC, WBC, platelets) Breeding / Reproduction- Pregnancy

• Provide nesting box • Gestation‐ 38‐44 days • Litter size –2‐15 kits per litter (avg. 8)‐ umbilical cords can become tangled

http://www.thewebferrets.nl/ferrets.html Ferrets are born blind and hairless (altricial) • Eyes open at 32‐ 34 days • Which species’ eyes open earlier? – A. CATS – B. FERRETS Reproduction Feeding • Pregnant females‐ avoid obesity‐ feed good quality • Pregnancy toxemia can occur‐ negative energy balance in late gestation (accidental fast) • Lactating –higher fat (20%)‐ 2X calories of maintenance

http://www.craftycreatures.com/forferretsonly /ferret_school/ferretschool_breeding.html Ferrets‐ Orphans • Feline milk replacer works well • 20% Fat • Feedings should be every 2 hrs first week. • Feed every 4 hrs next 3‐4 weeks Ferrets‐ Orphans

Stimulate orphan after each feeding‐massage genitals with warm cotton ball Ferrets‐Growth • Start to wean at 6 wks‐ one‐ half ferret food + one‐half cat milk substitute • Expect a kit at 8‐12 wks to eat as much as an adult female • Restrict treats‐ ensure good diet • Moisten feed for kits until eating well How old are these ferrets?

• A. Newborn • B. Less than 1 month old • C. At least 1 month old

http://babyanimalz.com/2010/03/cup-of-baby-ferrets/ Ferret Health For more information on ferret health and disease‐ Tufts open courseware: http://ocw.tufts.edu/Content/60/lecturenotes/ 807949 CASE STUDIES – HERE IS A SAMPLING OF COMMON PROBLEMS FACED BY OWNERS AND VET PRACTICES….. 1 Signs: Sneezing, mucopurulent nasal discharge Watery eyes Anorexic Fever Owner reports that they aren’t feeling well either 1 Possible causes? Canine Distemper

Influenza virus Influenza Virus 1 (Different from “common cold”)

• Can spread from ferret to ferret, ferret to human, human to ferret • Low mortality rate • Treat symptomatically‐ chicken soup 2 7‐year‐old Ferret‐ lethargy, collapse, very low blood , drooling Exploratory abdominal surgery found this mass

PANCREAS - (What hormone could be affected ??) 2 Insulinoma

• Growth on the – Hyperinsulinemia leads to hypoglycemia (“low blood sugar”) and explains the weakness noted • Most common neoplasia in ferrets Alopecia + Swollen Vulva 3a Lethargic, Alopecia Ferret 3a

2-year-old ferret jill is dull, lethargic, and has a generalized alopecia 3 Typical Endocrine Alopecia

• Bilateraly symmetrical • Non‐pruritic • May come and go (depending on cause) 3a What’s going on ?? • Estrogen toxicity: • Unbred intact female in prolonged heat OR • Spayed female with ovarian remnant • Estrogen remains very high causing hair loss, eventual bone marrow depression and anemia. Alopecia- neutered ferret (not 3b related to ovaries)?? 3b Adrenal Neoplasia

• Increased estrogens, androgens (cortisol often normal) • Females could also have swollen vulva‐if neutered can be reasonably certain it’s hyper‐ adrenal vs elevated ovarian estrogen ! (unless ovarian remnant remains) • May require removal 4

Housed indoors, decreased appetite, and intermittent diarrhea‐abnormal mass in GI tract

1‐year‐old spayed female Ferret 4 Foreign body in GI tract !

• A rubber band was surgically removed ! • Ferrets usually do not vomit unless near‐ complete obstruction so don’t “wait” for vomiting as a symptom of trouble ! Young Ferret with lethargy, diarrhea, and 5 anorexia 5 More bad eating habits !

• Foreign body (small toy) in the small intestine • Surgical removal 4 Month Old Ferret Found Outside 6

Weak Sneezing, mucoid nasal discharge Crusted and thickened foot pads

Despite care it became ataxic and comatose Most Likely Cause ? 6

Influenza?

Canine Distemper Virus? Both respiratory and neurologic symptoms (if only respiratory symptoms probably flu or pneumonia) 4 Year Old Castrated Male Ferret 7

Progressive urinary incontinence and a large, painful bladder 7 Urinary tract calculi

• Pass catheter to relieve pressure • May need to surgically remove “stone” • Struvite calculi most common‐ high pH due to high plant protein 8 5 year old female ferret

• Enlarged lymph nodes • Inappetance • Weight loss 8 Lymphoma

• Adult onset (2‐9 years) and juvenile (less than 2 years) • Variety of signs, depending on organ involvement (young ferrets‐ difficulty breathing due to enlarged ) 9

4‐year‐old Ferret, hair thinning on tail; raised and ulcerated lesion at midpoint Possible causes 9 • Lesion‐ – Neoplasm –many types of skin tumors are common in ferrets (in this case‐ Mast Cell tumor) – Possibly an abscess, wound • Tail hair thinning may be unrelated – Occurs often in ferrets, usually regrows in 1‐3 mos. Cause unknown – Suspect adrenal or hormonal disease if lasts longer or progresses above tail head – Ferrets can also get fleas, scabies, other parasites What does the term “idiopathic” mean? • A. Below normal intelligence • B. Of unknown cause • C. Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease • D. Crystals in the urine Clicker Question

Neonatal ferrets are: A. Altricial B. Precocial