37_139431 bindex.qxp 8/29/07 11:55 PM Page 373 Index anaphylaxis, 199, 201–202 • A • anemia, 51–52, 341 AA (arachidonic acid), 140 animal shelters AAFCO (Association of American Feed adopting from, 59–61 Control Officials), 130 boarding ferrets at, 190 acetaminophen, 204, 215, 262 ferret populations at, 336 acupuncture, 215 aplastic anemia, 51–52, 341 AD (Aleutian Disease), 266–268 arachidonic acid (AA), 140 adenoma, 285 Archetype freeze-dried diet (Wysong), adopting ferrets. See choosing a ferret 251, 362 adrenal gland disease, 275–280 Aristophanes, 24, 311 ADV (Aleutian Disease Virus), 178, 266–268 Aristotle, 24 Advantage (Bayer), 237, 259 Arizona, 37 Africa, 360 artificial insemination, 36 aggression Assist Feed Recipe, 217–220, 246 during breeding season, 52 assist feeding, 219–220 from eating live prey, 134 Association of American Feed Control in new pets, 56 Officials (AAFCO), 130 during play, 306 atrophic gastritis, 249 reason behind, 319–323 Audubon, John James, 35 warning signs, 55 Augustus, Caesar, 24 air returns, ferret-proofing, 92 automobile, traveling by, 183–185 airplane, traveling by, 185–186 Avecon Diagnostics, 268 ALA (alpha-linoleic acid), 139 albino color, 30 • B • Albon, 242 alcohol, 142 baby ferrets (kits) Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV), 178, 266–268 adolescence (10-15 weeks), 353–354 allergic reactions of ferrets, birth–3 weeks, 349–351 199, 201–202, 251 birthing problems, 346–348 alligator roll, 306 COPYRIGHTEDchoosing, MATERIAL 49, 56–57 alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), 139 delivering, 344–346 altering ferrets. See neutering; spaying hand-rearing, 348 alternative diets introducing to other ferrets, 109 BARF, 125–128 litter box considerations, 79 commercial raw diets, 128–130 nipping behavior in, 320–321 evolutionary diets, 130–135 survival boot camp, 36 exploring, 135–139 terrible twos (6–10 weeks), 352–353 freeze-dried raw diets, 128–130 toddlerhood (3–6 weeks), 351–352 natural diet, 123–125, 128, 135–139 vaccinations, 49, 199–200 American Ferret Association, 29, 32, 176, 261 vet office visit, 200 Amforol, 245 baby food, 136, 141, 203 Amoxicillin, 245, 249, 274 Bachman, John, 35 37_139431 bindex.qxp 8/29/07 11:55 PM Page 374 374 Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition backyard burials, 291–293 Benadryl, 204 bad breath, 159 Bene-Bac, 204 Balearic Islands, 24 Bennett, Christopher, 180 BARF diet, 125–128, 130, 371 Betadine solution, 204 barking, 303 Biaxin, 249, 274 basal cell tumors, 286 birthing process, 344–346 baseboards, ferret-proofing, 91 biting bathing ferrets from hybrids, 27 controlling odor, 16 myths about, 359 frequency of, 147 nip-training, 313–314 introducing to other ferrets by, 110 from other animals, 231 location, selecting, 148 reasons for, 14, 320–323 process for, 149–152 socializing ferrets, 323–328 shampoo, selecting, 147–148 Bitter Apple spray, 327 bathrooms, ferret-proofing, 94 black color, 30 Baytril, 245 black sable color, 30 Bear’s Jerky, 367 black-footed ferret, 32–38 bedding Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Plan, 35–38 cleaning, 145 blackheads, 148 controlling ferret odor, 16, 66, 71, 110 bladder problems, 263 fleas in, 236 blaze pattern, 31 food caching considerations, 139 bleeding, 222–223, 340 nest boxes, 72–73 blockages during pregnancy, 343–344 bladder, 264 safety considerations, 71, 85 diagnosis and treatment, 247–248 for traveling, 183 possible malady, 225 beeswax, 156, 223 remedies for, 203–204 behaviors. See also aggression; biting from toys, 85 boundary patrols, 312 from vegetables, 142 burrowing, 67 Bluto’s BARF, 371 butt dragging, 212–213, 311–312 boarding ferrets, 190 caching, 307, 310 Bob’s Bone Broth, 127 from cage stress, 69 Bob’s Chicken Ferretisee, 366 chasing, 307 Bob’s Chicken Gravy, 364–365 curbing through enrichment, 164 body language, 305–308 digging, 66, 308–309 bonding, 101, 163, 169–170 fixations, 309 bones in diet, 125–128 hidey-holes, 312 boundary patrols, 312 hissing, 109, 303 breeders/breeding neutering for, 51 altering practices of, 52 normal, 210–213 delivering kits, 344–346 socializing ferrets, 323–328 emotional commitment, 333 suckling, 212 financial commitment, 332–333 tuck-and-scoot moving, 310 handling pregnancy, 341–344 tunneling, 83 hybrids, 29 zig-zag, 311 mating habits of ferrets, 338–341 Belair, Randy, 179 problems after birth, 346–348 37_139431 bindex.qxp 8/29/07 11:55 PM Page 375 Index 375 selecting, 58–59 lymphosarcoma, 282–283 time commitment, 334–335 malignant tumors, 285 Brewer’s yeast, 282 canine distemper broth, 127 in black-footed ferrets, 35, 37 Broth, Bob’s Bone, 127 vaccinations for, 199, 269 Brown, Susan, 126, 217–218, 267 canned food, 121–122, 136, 203 brushing, 159–160 captive breeding, 36 bubonic plague, 35, 37 car, traveling by, 183–185 bupivicaine, 215 Carafate, 274 burns, 232 carcinoma, 285 burrowing behavior, 67 cardiomyopathy, dilated, 256–258 butt dragging, 212–213, 311–312 cardiovascular fitness, 165 buying ferrets Carnivore Care, 203, 217–218 age considerations, 49–50 Carnivore Stew, 369 altered versus whole, 51–53 carnivores, 118, 125, 129 gender considerations, 51 carpeting in cages, 66 list of basic tips, 48 carriers, pet, 87–88, 183 number of ferrets, 53–55 cat food, 119, 136 potential sources, 56–62 cataracts, 265 cats bites from, 231 • C • introducing ferrets to, 103–104 cabinets, ferret-proofing, 91, 94–95 Cefa drops, 245 cache behavior, 307, 310 cereals, as treats, 142 caffeine, 142 cervical chordoma, 284 cage stress, 69 champagne color, 30 cages. See also bedding chasing behavior, 307 carpeting in, 66 checkerboard wall, 175 cleaning, 65–66, 68, 110, 143–147 children design considerations, 64–67 bonding enrichments, 163 fleas in, 236 considerations when selecting food caching considerations, 138–139 ferrets, 49 introducing, 100–101 permit stipulations regarding, 40 materials for, 66 preparing for ferrets, 101, 106–108 multilevel, 66–67 supervising with ferrets, 19, 106 nest boxes, 72–73, 83, 343–344 chiropractic care, 215 placement indoors, 68–69 chocolate, 142 placement outdoors, 69–71 chocolate color, 30 size considerations, 64 choosing a ferret travel, 87–88, 183, 186 age considerations, 49–50 ventilation in, 64, 68 altered versus whole, 51–53 water bottles, attaching, 77 gender considerations, 51 California, 40–41 list of basic tips, 48 Californians for Ferret Legalization, 41 number of ferrets, 53–55 cancer potential sources, 56–62 adrenal gland disease, 275–280 chordomas, 283–284 insulinoma, 159, 229, 280–282 chronic atrophic gastritis, 248–249 37_139431 bindex.qxp 8/29/07 11:55 PM Page 376 376 Ferrets For Dummies, 2nd Edition Church, Bob, 133, 137, 254–255, 311, grief in surviving companions, 55, 288, 361–372 296–297 cinnamon color, 30 grieving process, 293–296 classified ads, 61 knowing when to let go, 288 Clavamox drops, 245 pet cemeteries, 290, 292 claws, 13, 154–157 postmortems, 289–290 clay litter, 81–82 debulking tissue, 278 cleaning. See also bathing ferrets declawing, 13 cages, 65–66, 68, 143–147 dehydration, 221–222 importance with raw food diet, 135 dental calculus, 253 teeth, 131 dental care. See teeth clipping nails, 154–157 descenting ferrets, 16 Clyde’s Seaside Chunks, 370 DEW (dark-eyed white) color, 30–31 coat and skin DGLA (dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid), 140 color categories, 29–31 DHA (docosahhexoenoic acid), 139 color patterns, 31–32 diarrhea, 204, 224–226 showing ferrets, 177 digging behavior, 66, 308–309 skin tumors, 284–286 dilated cardiomyopathy, 256–258 coccidia (coccidiosis), 242 DIM (disseminated idiopathic Coenzyme Q10, 257 myofasciitis), 261 coffee products, 142 diseases and illnesses collars, 86 adrenal gland disease, 275–280 Colorado, 37 Aleutian’s Disease, 178, 266–268 colors aplastic anemia, 51–52, 341 categories, 29–31 from cage stress, 69 distinguishing, 14 canine distemper, 35, 37, 199, 269 commercial diets, 119–123, 128–130, 136 chordomas, 283–284 common cold, 263, 360 dental problems, 252–256 corncob litter, 82 enlarged spleen, 270 Corner Creek Acres, 65 expectant/new mothers, 344 corticosteroids, 251, 281 eye problems, 229, 264–266 costume contest, 179 gastrointestinal, 244–252 coughing, 212 hairballs, 203, 271, 273 cremation, 290–292 heart disease, 256–260 crepuscular nature, 15 heartworm, 201 crinkle tub, 174 hypoglycemia, 229, 280 cuterebra flies, 238–239 influenza, 260–263 insulinoma, 159, 229, 280–282 lymphosarcoma, 282–283 • D • polymyositis, 261 da Vinci, Leonardo, 24 sylvatic plague, 35, 37 dairy products, 142 ulcers, 272–274 dance of joy, 303–305 urinary tract problems, 263–264 dark-eyed white (DEW) color, 30–31 disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis deafness in ferrets, 30, 266 (DIM), 261 death of a ferret distemper vaccine, 199 backyard burials, 291–293 distilled water, 118 cremating remains, 290–292 diving for treasures trick, 173–174 37_139431 bindex.qxp 8/29/07 11:55 PM Page 377 Index 377 docosahhexoenoic acid (DHA), 139 shock, 220–221 dog food, 119 spinal injuries, 230 dogs vomiting, 224 ferrets chasing, 307 Endangered Species List, 35, 38 introducing ferrets to, 104–106 enrichment activities domesticated pets, ferrets as, 21–23, benefits of, 162–165 360–361 need for, 162 dooking, 302, 305 recommended, 167–175 doors, ferret-proofing, 91–92 eosinophilic gastroenteritis, 250–251 dry commercial food, 120–121, 123, 141 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), 139 Essentials of Ferrets (Brown), 217, 267 estrus, 339, 341 • E • evacuating ferrets, 205–208 E. coli bacteria, 129, 144 evolutionary diet, 130–135 ear care, 152–154, 177, 204 exercise(s) ear mites, 239–240 physical enrichment, 164–165, 169 ECE (Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis), 244–246 time available for, 14–15 eclampsia,