Weasel Log

[Clove]

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/features/Pets-Ferret-can-be-.6251306.jp

Published Date: 24 April 2010
By Judy Vickers
WHY is it that some animals are seen as cute while others seem to suffer a bit of an image problem? For instance, rabbits and hamsters are seen as appealing, while ferrets, which share both the fluffy fur and the sharp teeth, just aren't.
The reason is probably that for many years ferrets were kept to hunt rabbits and so weren't regarded as affectionately as cats or guinea pigs. That, however, is changing.

Kevin Eatwell, lecturer in zoo and wildlife medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, explains: "Historically, ferrets have very much been a working animal, but now more and more people are keeping them as pets.

"They are now family members rather than something that lives in a hutch at the bottom of the garden."

Natural predators and related to the polecat, ferrets have been domesticated by man for around 2,500 years for hunting, although in more recent years they have been kept mainly as pets. "And they do make very, very good pets," says Kevin.

To mark National Ferret Day on 5 May, the Exotic Animal and Wildlife Service of the Royal Dick is holding a week of events, starting on 3 May for ferrets and their owners.

Free ferret health checks will be available throughout the week, which is being promoted by the Ferret Research and Education Trust, conducted by exotic animal veterinarians.

The week will include a free evening meeting on 5 May at the Hospital for Small Animals. Lectures will be given by Kevin, who also acts as an advisor to the ferret trust covering reproduction in ferrets and methods of control. New evidence has come to light, that all ferret owners need to be aware of regarding surgical neutering.

And Joanna Hedley, resident in zoological medicine, will be covering preventative medicine in ferrets and detail how best to keep them long-lived and healthy.

Free advice and care sheets will be available during the week and the evening meeting.

Kevin says it is important that ferret owners are aware of how to keep their pets healthy. "They are relatively simple to care for – for instance you can now get food formulated for their diets. But they do need to be vaccinated as they are susceptible to some of the same diseases we see in cats and dogs, such as distemper – we recommend annual vaccinations for distemper."

Ferrets should either be bought, through a reputable dealer, when young – around 16 weeks or less, after they have been weaned – so that they can get used to being handled before they get too old, or already domesticated animals can be acquired from animal rescue centres.

Kevin says they are probably not suitable for those with young children but are ideal for people who are out at work.

"They spend a lot of time asleep during the day but when they are awake they are extremely interactive with their owners – they run around the house, they will chase and play, you can pick them up and cuddle them, they are completely different to other small mammals."

Ferrets do need a cage or suitable place to sleep – and they will enjoy going through tunnels as that is part of their natural behaviour. "You can set up quite varied areas for them to play," says Kevin.

And while numbers of ferrets being kept by people is static – there are believed to be between 1.5 million and two million in Britain – because fewer of them are being used as working animals, more are being welcomed into homes as pets. "I think people's perception of these animals is changing," says Kevin.

To book a free appointment for a health check or a place at the evening meeting call 0131 650 7650. For more information, visit www.dickvetexotics.com. For more information on the Ferret Research and Education Trust visit www.ferrettrust.org

[Clove]

The late Phil Drabble, the “One Man and His Dog” star, knew a lot about ferrets, and he said “If a ferret bites you it is nearly always your own fault.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterwedderburn/100037908/ferrets-the-new-celebrity-handbag-pets/

[Clove]

Introducing Luna circa 6 months old black roan mitt jill.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2748/lunapu.jpg

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4554/luna2q.jpg

[Cephalopod]

Aww. Ferret math strikes again.

[Beguiler]

Ferret hoarder! She's a pretty little girl, hope her new brothers treat her well..

[Clove]

They love her. She's 2lbs and not quite 5 months.

[Clove]

I got this of Luna a little over a week ago before I left work. She was asleep in her cage and curled up so that she looked like a little heart. Lucky shot.

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9527/lunaheart.jpg

[Clove]

A little girl plays with the weasels at dinner out tonight.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1015/jun0420101.jpg

[4a6c1]

Your animals are so cute. Do you train them?

[Clove]

Yup.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

So cute!

Luna looks like she can get feisty!

[Clove]

She's a bit of a nipper at this point. She was in a cage by herself for too long and she hasn't been taught not to bite.

[Clove]

Time to do the Revolution dose. Luna complicates the situation. A 6 mo. supply of 5-15lb cat Revolution is enough to protect 5.5 "ferret-lbs" for 6 mo. Tornado+Cricket+Luna=7 "ferret-lbs". So it looks like I'm going to have to buy 12 months worth and end up throwing out about a 1/3 of it.

Next year I'm either switching to a home-formulated oral Ivermectin heartwormer (fuck the vet I can get what I need at an Agway) or getting the 60lb dog Revolution which should do 7.5 "ferret-lbs".

I obsess way too much about the care of weasels; but on the flip side each time someone comments on how healthy and good-natured they seem, I feel good.

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/8215/luna060910.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3583/cricket060910.jpg

[4a6c1]

Time to do the Revolution dose. Luna complicates the situation. A 6 mo. supply of 5-15lb cat Revolution is enough to protect 5.5 "ferret-lbs" for 6 mo. Tornado+Cricket+Luna=7 "ferret-lbs". So it looks like I'm going to have to buy 12 months worth and end up throwing out about a 1/3 of it.

Next year I'm either switching to a home-formulated oral Ivermectin heartwormer (fuck the vet I can get what I need at an Agway) or getting the 60lb dog Revolution which should do 7.5 "ferret-lbs".


I'm borrowing these numbers to pass on.

And as usual, your babies are adorable.

[Clove]

I'm borrowing these numbers to pass on.

And as usual, your babies are adorable.If you PM me an email address I can provide you with a dose chart or you can do the math. The cat Revolution formula is sold at 60mg/ml concentration. The dog Revolution formula is sold at 120mg/ml concentration. A ferret dose is 18mg/kg weight. Cat formula contains 1mg/.01667ml. Dog formula contains 1mg/.00833ml.

Cricket learned how to climb to a new windowsill today:

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6062/cricketwindow061310.jpg

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7397/cricketwindow2061310.jpg

I know that to some they look like long rats, but I do like taking pictures of 'em.

[Clove]

Luna climbs the stairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uHovcq3d_0

[Clove]

Spent 1/2 the day (and 1/2 my pay) at Ikea. Tornado, Cricket and Luna got the packaging. Everybody wins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2bhWd39d6k

[Clove]

OMG Baby Ferrets!!!

Thalia the black-footed ferret gave birth to a litter of kits at the National Zoo recently. They can be seen on the ferret cam here:

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/NorthAmerica/default.cfm

Black-footed ferrets (m. nigripes) are the only indigenous ferrets in North America and have been endangered since the late 60's. By the mid 70's they were thought to be entirely extinct. However, in 1981 over a 100 BFF's were found in Wyoming, 18 of which were taken into captivity in an effort to restore the species with a captive breeding program. There are currently 5 captive breeding facilities, of which the National Zoo is one. The program has been fairly successful and by the end of this year biologists hope to a wild population of 1,500 BFF's with at least 30 active breeding pairs. If this is achieved they will be downgraded from endangered to threatened.

[4a6c1]

Awesome link Clove!

[Clove]

With Luna, I had to upgrade their transport. The sack is fine for a couple but not three. I found this small-animal tote online. It's very well designed but it still needed modifications to transport weasels in style. All it took were some powder-coated D-rings bolted to the deck and a few custom-made nylon leads to make a weasel-mobile. They seem to dig it, I took them out to the coffee shop tonight for a test run:

http://a.imageshack.us/img199/5849/1003871z.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img697/9643/1003875y.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img695/3047/1003860m.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img683/4862/1003869t.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img213/6458/1003868u.jpg

[Cephalopod]

You need to convince these women that you're making a Naked Women + Ferrets calendar.

[Clove]

Babysteps Nachos. First I get them hooked on the wuv weasel.

[Clove]

Some Luna pictures. She's lost a lot of her baby fat since she came home and now weighs in at 1.75lbs. She can literally squeeze through 2" diameter holes. It's amazing.

http://a.imageshack.us/img28/2061/1003926.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img196/2796/1003938s.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img265/4629/1003940l.jpg

Tornado doing his otter impersonation...
http://a.imageshack.us/img716/9005/1003935r.jpg

[Proxy]

you know I can honestly say this is the best thread the PC has ever spawned and probably the only one really worth following. :nod:

[Clove]

you know I can honestly say this is the best thread the PC has ever spawned and probably the only one really worth following. :nod:http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/18124.jpg.jpeg
Heart ferrets <3 you.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/18124.jpg.jpeg
Heart ferrets <3 you.

omfg adorable

[Beguiler]

http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/18124.jpg.jpeg
Heart ferrets <3 you.

::squint: How'd you do that? Cutie-Ferret knockout drops?

[Clove]

::squint: How'd you do that? Cutie-Ferret knockout drops?That'd be the easiest method. Ferrets can be pretty deep sleepers (like toddlers) so with a little patience and planning you can get drug-free cuteness.

[Clove]

http://www.trethullan.com/smallim/A_stoat_ended_up_in_our_barn_gutter.jpg

[Clove]

Luna being handled without trying to gnaw on the handler (for once):
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5240/1004084.jpg

Cricket finds a perch on a new friend:
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2922/1004085.jpg

[Clove]

Luna defends a 5 gallon bucket from her brothers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dunB4XbxsA4

[Clove]

My mom left her purse on the floor while the ferrets were out. This was the result:

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5375/1004107o.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/4723/1004108.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5109/1004111j.jpg

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7262/1004112.jpg

[Proxy]

http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/18124.jpg.jpeg
Heart ferrets <3 you.

logging back in one last time just to say Awesome

[Clove]

Luna repurposes a box.

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/1985/img0114b.jpg

[Clove]

Almost lost Luna over the weekend. She started acting lethargic last Thursday and by Friday afternoon was vomiting and refusing food. Saturday at 3am she was vomiting and dehydrated so she went to an animal hospital. 2 days in ICU and 2 days in the exotic ward and she finally recovered. Couldn't find a blockage and couldn't get enough blood to do a CBC or GI screen but she responded well to ulcer treatment and fluid therapy and finally stopped vomiting early Monday morning.

She's finally home in her little quarantine cage, eating and acting like a normal baby ferret.

[Cephalopod]

She's finally home in her little quarantine cage, eating and acting like a normal baby ferret.

Scary stuff. Good to hear she's back at home and doing okay.

[Clove]

Yeah, unforntunately ferrets can take turns for the worse very quickly, often in a matter of hours. Luna declined quickly and I was very concerned about an intestinal blockage and so was the vet team, but she was x-rayed and ultrasounded and the results were reviewed by a radiologist and nothing was apparent. I couldn't feel anything by palpitating and neither could the vets and she was still passing stool, albeit poorly digested.

The vets next concern was ECE (a common bowel inflammatory disease that popped up in the mid 90's) but vomiting isn't a common symptom and it has a very high morbidity and very low mortality (incredibly contagious but rarely fatal) and neither of my other ferrets were symptomatic and Luna was well on her way to critical condition. It is possible (though unlikely) that my boys had it earlier, recovered and carried it to Luna.

Currently she's being treated for ulcers which seems to be having effective results. She's on a 14 day course of metronidazole, amoxicillin and lansoprazole (Prevacid). I plan on letting her out for a romp today.

Vomiting is a really bad sign in ferrets; the standard suggestion is to get your ferret to vet if she vomits for more than a few consecutive days, but realistically they can end up severely dehydrated well before that. If your ferret is vomiting for more than 12 hours, get him to a vet.

[Clove]

First walk on the beach. They loved all the sand but weren't too keen about surf!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0YeDpy5Pd0

[Dugoar]

Loved reading through this thread :)

The wife and I are ferret owners as well...or maybe they own us.

We have two 5 year olds and a 1 year old right now.

[Clove]

New camera arrived today and it is fantastic. I see a ferret-flood building. Here are the first two pet pix I took with it:

Tornado being chill:
http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/7288/42810219.jpg

Luna and Cricket investigate a Rubbermaid cup:
http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1227/67866798.jpg

[Clove]

Loved reading through this thread :)

The wife and I are ferret owners as well...or maybe they own us.

We have two 5 year olds and a 1 year old right now.I hope you'll post some pictures of them here if you get the chance!

[Clove]

Saw this on Cafe Press. Available in a tee or decorative tile. Absolutely true.



Ferret Philosphy

1. Hoarding is a form of art.
2. Life is short. Take what you can as quickly as possible.
3. If you get caught stealing, divert attention and dance a jig.
4. Happiness is a great hidey-hole and a soft sleeping bag.
5. Know no fear.
6. Your socks are my socks.
7. Upon entering a room, walk the perimeter.
8. Hands off the stash.
9. Dance like no one is watching.
10. Play like there is no tomorrow.
11. For all around good health, poop often.
12. Rear-end. Corner. Reverse. Poop.

[Clove]

Luna strikes her action pose:
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/9592/imgp0078u.jpg

Cricket investigates my camera lens:
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2590/imgp0079n.jpg

Luna and Cricket battle:
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8554/imgp0094n.jpg
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2419/imgp0101z.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/9646/imgp0104m.jpg

[Clove]

Tornado plays the "I'm not touching you..." game with Mouser:
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5182/imgp0557gb.jpg

Cricket vs. snow:
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8335/imgp0572p.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6981/imgp0573uk.jpg

[Gsgeek]

Heh Clove, appreciate the pics and videos you post of your ferrets. Always look like they're a handful to manage, though lots of fun.

[Clove]

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3316/imgp0940c.jpg

[NocturnalRob]

Tornado plays the "I'm not touching you..." game with Mouser:
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5182/imgp0557gb.jpg
This is a fucking fantastic photo.

[Clove]

This is a fucking fantastic photo.Tornado does this all the time with my cat but I don't usually have my camera handy. In ferret behavior it means "let's play" but Mouser would rather just ignore them.

[NocturnalRob]

Had to.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/nocturnalrob/cat.jpg

[Clove]

Had to.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/nocturnalrob/cat.jpgLOL. Wouldn't be the first time a weasel tried to hypnotize some pussy...

[Clove]

Dog helps save ferret friend from house fire
Thursday, October 14, 2010

Authorities said a dog kept running into a burning house in Kettering in order to save a pet ferret named Tiffy. The fire happened on Monday afternoon on Malcom Drive. The house was heavily damaged in the fire. Amy McGee said she just saved the house from foreclosure and does not know how to feel now that it was damaged by fire. She said her pets were saved, but the house was saturated with smoke and gutted by flames.

Fire officials said a neighbour called for help after smelling smoke just after 12 p.m. on Monday. Firefighters managed to contain the flames quickly. “We had heavy fire volume. It took a lot of water and manpower to take it out,” said Kettering Fire Chief Bob Myles. A black Labrador named Sissy also caused some problems for firefighters. Myles said, "We had gotten the dog out once and put it in the back yard. It escaped and got back in again. We had to bring it back out."

Neighbours said they tried to get Sissy out before firefighters arrived at the scene. Helen Jennings said, “We got her out of the house before the fire department got here, but she ran right back in.” No one could figure out why Sissy would not stop running back into the house until crews found what she was looking for. Her friend, a ferret named Tiffy.

McGee said, “I guess she was trying to let them know that there was something else in there. She’s done that before.” According to McGee another dog made it out safely too because of her neighbours. She thanks them and a higher power because in the end, what really matters, made it through the day. “I am just glad everybody’s OK. All this stuff can be replaced,” McGee said.

http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2010/10/dog-helps-save-ferret-friend-from-house.html
This was in our Ferret Assoc. newsletter this month. Apparently even dogs think weasels are cool!

[Clove]

No good weasel shots lately, but here are a couple of Mouser, my 16 year-old cat. I'm lucky to have her company still:

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1038/imgp1029j.jpg

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/8620/imgp1044.jpg

[NocturnalRob]

Your cat is 16 fucking years old?

[Clove]

Closer to 17 now...

[Clove]

Tornado napping on the couch:

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8307/imgp1070t.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5059/imgp1087.jpg

[Proxy]

weasels rule and your cat is awesome :D

[Clove]

Twins

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/7894/weaseltwins.jpg

[Clove]

We got Jenga, the weasels got a tube.

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/453/imgp1353.jpg

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7817/imgp1317i.jpg

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/5993/imgp1332.jpg

[Beguiler]

Such cutie-pies!

[Clove]

Cricket and a bell on a string...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGB6kgrBgC4

[Clove]

Luna is intrigued.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34qI7ki6wLc

[Dugoar]

Heh remembered a while back you said I should post some photos of my ferrets. Here are a few I uploaded recently. We have 3 right now with a 4th on the way.

Lu is 6 years old, this photo is from a few years ago:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/lu.jpg

Bean is also 6, photo is at a park a couple years ago:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/bean2.jpg

Dot is 3, photo was on a hike last year:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/dot3.jpg

This little guy(Charlie) comes home in a couple weeks. He was born on March 4th and this photo was taken on Easter:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/charlie.jpg

[Clove]

Heh remembered a while back you said I should post some photos of my ferrets. Here are a few I uploaded recently. We have 3 right now with a 4th on the way.

Lu is 6 years old, this photo is from a few years ago:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/lu.jpg

Bean is also 6, photo is at a park a couple years ago:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/bean2.jpg

Dot is 3, photo was on a hike last year:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/dot3.jpg

This little guy(Charlie) comes home in a couple weeks. He was born on March 4th and this photo was taken on Easter:
http://www.dagoat.com/shared/charlie.jpgFine looking weasels! Lu reminds me very much of my Chaplin that passed in Nov. 2008.

[Clove]

Got my Ferret Assoc. of CT (FACT) newsletter and read it this morning. Please help or circulate if you have a heart to:

We received word that a fellow ferret shelter, the Washington Ferret Rescue in Washington state, is battling a far worse nightmare. Without their awareness, a ferret whose companion had just died of distemper was brought into their facility. As I write, over 25 ferrets are dead and an unknown number more are sick and could also die.

Along with their caretakers, we grieve for this loss. FACT has already donated $250. And we are asking every one of you to help. If you have a paypal account, you can make a donation here (http://washingtonferret.org/support.htm). If you don’t, go to your checkbook or wallet RIGHT NOW, then make out an envelope addressed to: Washington Ferret Rescue, 12514 128th Lane NE, Kirkland, WA 98038. Wrap a note around your donation that says, “FACT asked me to send this” and mail it. Please don’t wait; the need is immediate.

FACT Paw Print - Issue #12 - May 2011Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral infection transmitted by exposure to infected bodily fluids that effects dogs and ferrets (among many other animals). It is almost always (if not 100%) fatal for ferrets. Unfortunately for this shelter once their animals started showing symptoms almost every animal that could be infected would have been. A bad, bad scene, especially when many were probably good, adoptable and otherwise healthy animals. :(

[Clove]

http://elrellano.com/videos_online/4624/circo-roncalli.html

[Beguiler]

How did I see that coming? Cute!

[Asha]

At first I was like ''GRRR That fucking bitch cunt!''
Then I was all ''Awww yey!!!''
Then I was like ''Grrr that fucking bitch cunt!''

[Asha]

Oh and Dugoar those pictures are so cute and awesome it's untrue!

[Dugoar]

Heh... thanks :)

[Clove]

At first I was like ''GRRR That fucking bitch cunt!''
Then I was all ''Awww yey!!!''
Then I was like ''Grrr that fucking bitch cunt!''


Oh and Dugoar those pictures are so cute and awesome it's untrue!Did Stanley hijack your login?

[Gsgeek]

That coat was awesome, didnt think a fox and ferrets would have been that trainable to keep that still.

[Clove]

Luna sleeping:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/imgp1521hv.jpg/