Precautions:
Ferrets have typical symmetrical anal glands and secrete musk of Mustelidae, which is a potential defense organ of ferrets. When ferrets are frightened, they can empty these glands. When female animals are in estrus, the active secretion of musk deer glands increases. These glands can be removed by surgery, and the best time for removal is when ferrets are 6-8 months old. Therefore, when buying, it is best to find a seller who has had two operations of deodorizing glands and birth control. Some places even provide quarantine certificates and birth certificates of importing countries.
Ferrets have no sweat glands. Therefore, when the temperature exceeds 32℃(90F), there is a possibility of thermal collapse, and its heat dissipation will spread through the lungs. Therefore, special attention should be paid to air convection and cooling measures in the feeding room. Usually, the breeding period of ferrets is 5 to 6 years, and the whole life span is about 14 years. The weight of ferrets varies considerably.
The weight difference between the sexes is almost two, and the male mink is twice that of the female mink. Because seasonal weight fluctuation accounts for 30 ~ 40% of the total weight, this is because ferrets accumulate a lot of fat under the skin in autumn, but the fat is gradually consumed in spring.
Unlike wild ferrets, ferrets need neither outdoor buildings nor running. They are gregarious animals who like to play. When you are young, you can be kept in a cage. When you grow up, you can raise them separately or separately. The suitable temperature for raising ferrets is 18 ~ 22℃ and the humidity is 40 ~ 60%. When the temperature is higher than 30℃, adult ferrets will show nervousness.
There are many physiological characteristics of ferret reproduction: both male and female ferrets have seasonal reproduction, and sexual activity lasts for 5 ~ 6 months from spring; Female ferrets stimulate ovulation, ovarian activity depends on reflection, and vulva increases and degenerates through estrogen stimulation; If the female mink does not reproduce, it can stay in estrus for 4 months or longer; Abnormal prolonged estrus (1.5 ~ 9 months) can lead to fatal aplastic anemia in female ferrets without laboratory feeding conditions. This is due to high blood estrogen. The gestation period is 4 1 ~ 43 days, and the fake pregnancy can last for so many days, and two cubs can be obtained every season, with an average of 8 (2 ~ 65438+).
When ferrets are excited or play hard, they make a small evaluation sound.
When frightened, like a cat, it will make a sound.
It can be said that it is a very quiet and playful animal! Basically, they are animals that can't bark loudly.
* Food *
Ferrets need to eat whole meat. It doesn't need too much carbohydrate and can't digest too much cellulose. So, if you want to give only one teaspoon of fruit every day, as for dessert candy, it is not necessary. O In general, it is recommended to give food to commercial ferrets. If it has been given to cat eaters, it is necessary to use a small amount of ferret food, gradually increase the mixing with cat food, and even switch to ferret food within 2~3 weeks.
* How to tell the sex *
The male ferret's external genitalia is located on the abdominal wall like a dog, which is very easy to distinguish. O The ferrets that are generally sold have been sterilized, which can not only make ferrets more suitable for keeping as pets, but also avoid reproductive system diseases. O In addition, male anal glands should be removed at an early age, so as to avoid emitting special body odor, and it is not suitable as a pet.
* Regular inspection *
Ferrets over three years old should have a health examination every six months to one year. O- examination includes visual inspection, palpation, blood test, urine test, cardiopulmonary auscultation, X-ray examination, etc.
* How to judge a healthy ferret *
Clean, discerning eyes and teeth
Always keep a playful and curious personality.
This coat is very bright.
Anal dryness
A thin abdomen.
Nail length is moderate
A dry or slightly wet nose
* Daily care *
Brush your coat regularly, take a bath regularly, cut your nails, brush your teeth and clean your ears.
Give a toy to avoid being bored while you are away, but the toy should not be easily broken or swallowed.
Check items in the environment that may cause harm.
Check intestinal parasites and teeth regularly every year.
Regular injections of canine distemper and rabies vaccine every year.
Take a medicine to prevent filariasis every month.
When the owner has the flu, he should avoid touching ferrets, because ferrets can transmit the flu to people.
Wood chips/old newspapers/rags should be used as fillers in cages.
Prepare a cat-like urinal for ferrets to use as toilets.
Suitable room temperature, humidity should not exceed 55%
Regular supply of fresh drinking water
Foods that should not be given to people, especially foods high in fiber or salt.
* Common diseases *
baldy
The common cause of baldness in ferrets is cortical hyperfunction (also called Cushing's syndrome) caused by benign or malignant tumor of accessory kidney. Because of obvious pathological changes and symptoms, type O can be diagnosed according to symptoms without detailed examination of accessory renal function. The disease can occur in ferrets from 1 year to 6 or 7 years old, with an average onset age of 3.5 years, and 70% of cases are found in female ferrets.
Baldness spread from the tail to the whole body until the whole body was completely bald, leaving only the hair on the head and limbs. O In addition, the vulva of the contraceptive female mink will swell and have sticky secretions, which will make the owner think it is estrus. O Systemic symptoms include aggravated itching, polydipsia, anemia, weight loss, weakness of hindquarters, etc. O Different from other animals, the concentration of cortisol in mink blood is not as high as other animals, but the pus of estrogen is increased. The treatment is surgical removal of the diseased accessory kidney.
Cardiomyopathy
If the mink has cardiomyopathy, it means it is old. O The heart muscle becomes fragile with age, which prevents the heart from squeezing enough blood from the heart. In order to squeeze blood out of the heart as much as possible, the heart makes it as round as a balloon, which leads to the situation that blood flows back to the heart. The influence of cardiovascular countercurrent makes the liquid stay in the lungs, around the lungs or in the abdominal cavity, thus causing cough symptoms.
Cardiomyopathy may be related to heredity or taurine deficiency, so mink food must contain enough taurine component O.
Generally speaking, myocardial disease is a disease that can only be controlled by drug treatment and cannot be cured.
Regional catarrhal enteritis (epidemic catarrhal enteritis)
Minks have symptoms of sudden green diarrhea. At present, it is considered that the pathogen may be a virus, and the emergency phenomenon may induce the disease. O symptomatic treatment is a good choice for treatment.
Malignant lymphoid tumor
Malignant lymphoid tumor can invade thymus, liver and spleen, which is a common tumor in mink. O-type diagnosis requires puncture of lymph nodes, and doctors can diagnose O-type.
The symptoms of malignant lymphoma have various characteristics, depending on the organ invaded by the tumor. O Generally speaking, splenomegaly, peripheral lymphadenopathy, emaciation, weakness and changes in eating habits are common symptoms. O If the tumor invades the chest cavity, it will lead to dyspnea, tachycardia and exercise intolerance. O In addition, fever and syncope can be seen. O malignant lymphoma can be controlled by anticancer drugs and immunosuppressants, but it may recur repeatedly and cannot be cured.
Other common skin tumors
The common skin tumors of the aged mink should be removed immediately, because the tumors will irritate the mink and often turn into malignant tumors.
Mastocytoma: a round button-shaped protrusion that usually itches, making minks itchy and bald.
Sebaceous adenoma or adenocarcinoma: irregular wart, easy to bleed, easy to turn into malignant tumor O.
gastric ulcer
Minks and people are prone to stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori. O Minks will have symptoms such as loss of appetite, soft stool, persistent vomiting, weight loss, grinding teeth and black stool. O in addition to treating common gastric ulcers, antibiotics are also needed.
* * Frequently Asked Questions * *
What animal is a ferret?
Pet ferrets have been domesticated for more than 2000 years. Ferrets are distant relatives of otters, ferrets and ferrets. Ferrets have been used as hunting AIDS for hundreds of years, and have become very popular family pets in the past 100 years.
Can ferrets bite?
Ferrets, like puppies and kittens, have to go through a period of grinding when their primary teeth are replaced by teeth. In the meantime, ferrets will want to chew something. Ferrets are also very active and can play with their mouths. These behaviors are not because ferrets are aggressive, but if they bite too hard, their owners need to be trained to prevent biting. Owners can use the same method as training puppies and kittens, which is usually very effective, and ferrets learn quickly. Remember, a well-eaten ferret is a happy ferret.
What should I feed ferrets?
The ferret's digestive system is very short, so it needs ferret's special feed. Do not feed dog food or cat food, because it will cause long-term malnutrition. Ferrets are purely carnivorous animals, which need to eat protein with high animality. The short digestive tract of ferrets can be digested in two to three hours. We strongly recommend that you feed Michelle's top ferret feed, which is the best feed for ferrets of any age.
Can ferrets get sick?
All living things can get sick. Ferrets may be infected with the flu by humans. Older ferrets may also develop certain tumors and cancers.
How long can ferrets live?
The average life span of ferrets is 5 to 8 years, and the maximum life span is 10 years. Proper veterinary medical care and nutrition is an indispensable part of ferret health.
Do ferrets need vaccination?
We strongly recommend that your ferrets be vaccinated against canine distemper and rabies. Canine distemper can be prevented by proper vaccination, and rabies is a necessary vaccination in most countries. The mortality rate of ferrets suffering from canine distemper is 100%. I suggest you get a canine distemper vaccine once a year.
Can ferrets get along with my other pets?
Ferrets are easy to get along with other pets, especially cats and dogs. We suggest that you let ferrets get along with your other pets slowly at first, and it is best not to leave ferrets alone with your other pets until you are 100% sure that they can get along well.
How to set a ferret nest?
Ferrets should live in strong wire cages, which are large enough to fit into stuffing boxes, kettles, feed plates and sleeping areas. I suggest you set up a multi-layer cage, because ferrets like to climb up and down and explore everywhere. Hammocks (like Marshall's lounge) are a good place for ferrets to rest. Ferrets need a lot of time to move outside the cage, so we suggest that your ferrets can move outside the cage at other times except when they are out or sleeping.
Can ferrets be trained to use dunnage boxes
Yes, ferrets can be trained to use dunnage boxes. It is very important that when ferrets go to the toilet outside the box, they need to pick up the feces immediately and put them in a padded box so that ferrets can know where to go to the toilet next time. As long as you are persistent and patient, they can learn. Of course, some ferrets learn faster, but all ferrets can learn after all.
How many different colors do ferrets have?
Ferrets are bred to have many different fur colors and patterns. The most popular ones are dark brown, Siam, silver gloves and Bai Zi. Every color has many different colors.
Does ferret like hot environment or cold environment?
Ferrets are very sensitive to very hot places and may die of heatstroke. We suggest that you let ferrets live in a place where the room temperature does not exceed 23 degrees Celsius. If you are in a hot country, I suggest you put ferrets in an air-conditioned room.
I heard ferrets have body odor?
Like other pets, ferrets have a natural body odor. If we can properly bathe ferrets and clean cages, the taste will be greatly reduced. To completely eliminate the odor, please add Marshall double odor to ferret drinking water, which can eliminate the odor of feces and urine in the body.
How often should I bathe ferrets?
Most ferrets are very hydrophilic, so you can help them take a bath once a week with the appropriate ferret bath lotion, plus spray fog once a day.
I have young children at home. Can I keep ferrets?
Just like keeping cats and dogs, when you start to keep ferrets, you'd better make sure that your children have enough sense of responsibility to keep pets. Children over 5 years old can usually treat ferrets well and get along well.
What snacks can I feed ferrets?
Ferrets are pure carnivores, so they need meat snacks, such as Marshall's bandit ferret snacks. Please don't feed vegetables or fruits to ferrets, because it is difficult for ferrets to digest monosaccharides in vegetables and fruits in their digestive tract.
Can ferrets get digestive tract hairball disease like cats?
Like cats, ferrets have hairball disease, which can also lead to death. We suggest that you take Michele Hairball Therapy for ferrets several times a week to prevent the formation of large hairballs in their digestive tract.