Keeping Ferrets Cool In Hot Weather
Ways to Help Ferrets Beat the Heat
When hot weather arrives, it is very important to make sure your pets do not overheat. Ferrets are prone to heat stress, and temperatures over 85-90 F (29-32 C) are too hot, and overheating and heatstroke are a serious risk. Every effort should be made to keep your ferrets cage at a safe and comfortable temperature (low 70s F or low 20s C).
Cooling the Room
If you live in a climate where heat (or humidity) is a problem,
consider air conditioning. If central air conditioning isn't feasible,
invest in a room-sized air conditioner (if window mounted, make sure
there is no room to escape). Make sure the cool air is not directed
right onto your ferret cage, though. Also, keep in mind that power
outages are also common during heat waves, so have a backup in place
(see some ideas below).
Fans and ceiling fans can help circulate the air. Just be careful that they are out of reach of curious ferrets, and also make sure they are not directed right at the ferret cage.
Other Cooling Methods
Wash empty plastic bottles (inside and out) and remove labels. Fill nearly to the top with water (leave room for expansion) and freeze. Wrap frozen bottles in a towel and place in the cage. As the water thaws the condensation on the bottle will make the towel cool and damp so your ferret can lay on it if he or she wishes. If your ferret chews on plastic, you can freeze a block of ice and just wrap the ice in an extra absorbent towel.
Let your ferrets splash in cool shallow water the tub or a small pool.
If you have room and don't mind a bit of a mess while you are gone, place a frozen bottle of water with the cap of in a clean shallow pan and leave it in with your ferrets. Put a couple of thick towels around to contain the splashes.
A gentle misting with water can cool down your ferrets (only if they don't detest water, though).
Put some ice cubes in a dish; your ferrets can play and keep cool too.
Tips
Power failures are common during heat waves, so if you will be away from home for a while, use a back-up in case the power failures. The frozen water bottle method works well for this; simply put one in the cage before you leave when the temperature or humidity is dangerous.
Make sure your ferrets' cage is not placed in direct sunlight from windows or skylights.
Make sure windows have secure screens. As mentioned previously, if you have window-mounted air conditioners (or fans) make sure there is no way to escape around them. However in my experience ferrets are best kept outdoors in a shady area of the garden in a large hutch or ferret court, with plenty of shade and plenty of fresh air, make sure the hutch or court is draught proof and water proof with a nice dry sleeping area where the ferret can sleep but all so get out the mid days sun or heat, never place a ferret hutch in direct sunlight as this will quickly heat up and kill the ferret or ferrets.
- THE FERRET DAYS OF SUMMER
- It’s summertime! Your ferret may need special care and attention during the warmest season of the year. This article will help to point out special care issues and heat management for ferrets. Hopefully you and your furry friends can stay cool and healthy all summer long.
- FOOD
- Your ferret may seem to have a smaller appetite in the summer months. Although ferrets may eat less when they are hot, your ferret may dislike the food because it is rancid. A good ferret food should have a high fat content – about 20%. In warmer weather, fat gets rancid quickly, giving food a bitter, unpleasant taste. During summer, completely change the food more often (throw away those extra crumbs!), and wash the food bowls frequently to get rid of fat residue. Consider storing extra food that will not be consumed within two weeks in your freezer. Never store ferret food outside or where it is exposed to sunlight or heat.
- PHYSICAL CHANGES
- WEIGHT LOSS. Ferrets commonly lose weight to get ready for summer. Male ferrets in particular can lose 30-40% of their body weight; weight loss in females will be somewhat less noticeable. Your ferret may or may not experience seasonal weight changes depending on the amount of natural and artificial light it is exposed to. In any case, do not be too alarmed by summer weight loss (and winter weight gain) unless your ferret is showing other symptoms of ill health.
- COAT CHANGES. Ferrets typically shed their coats twice a year (spring and fall). The summer coat is sleeker because much of the fluffy undercoat is shed. With the summer coat change, you may also notice changes in fur colour, mask shape and mask size. Many ferrets appear to be darker because there is less light coloured undercoat and more dark coloured guard hairs.
- MATURITY. Although time and light levels are most responsible for influencing when a ferret reaches sexual maturity, scientific experiments have shown that higher temperatures can change when a ferret hits puberty. The hotter the temperatures, the earlier the onset of puberty. If you are waiting to spay or neuter your ferret at the recommended six months of age, note that higher temperatures may require an earlier surgery date, sometimes as early as 3 or 4 months of age. If you live in a warmer climate, consider an earlier date than six months, because it is important to spay female ferrets before they reach their first heat.
- INSECTS
- Summer is usually accompanied by an increase in insect populations. A single mosquito bite can transmit heart worms to your ferret; if mosquitoes are a problem in your area, you must put your ferret on monthly heart worm preventive medication during mosquito season (typically late spring, all summer, and early fall, or year around in southern climates). Once your ferret has heart worms, a cure is unlikely. Prevention is the key.
- Ticks are a summer hazard for those of you who live in wooded areas. Ticks can also cause skin infections and anaemia. Ticks are also a potential transmitter of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease.
- Fleas are another unwelcome summer pest. Flea bites can cause skin infections, anaemia, and intestinal parasites. To prevent fleas, ferrets can be treated with a once-a-month application of Front-line or Advantage. Farnam Pet Products has just introduced the first flea control product labelled specifically for ferrets. The product is called Flea Halt! and is a towelette that you wipe on your ferret once a week. Do not use flea collars on ferrets. For an existing flea infestation, there are various sprays and household treatments that can be used; look for those labelled as safe for kittens.
- WINDOWS
- During the winter, your ferret might have enjoyed basking in a sunbeam. However, your ferret’s cage should never be placed in front of a window or in any area where it can receive direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can sharply elevate temperature levels of a metal cage because metal conducts and retains heat. Your ferret must be able to escape the effects of direct sunlight to avoid heat-related problems.
- Summer is often the time to open windows. Ferrets are fascinated by open windows and the wonderful outdoor smells and sounds. If you open a window, make sure your ferret does not have access to it. Ferrets can be quite persistent in their desire to explore an open window, so keep your ferrets caged or supervised if windows are open. Ferrets are also quite adept at pushing screens out of the frames and escaping. Other ferrets will claw at a screen until a hole is formed. Because ferrets have poor eyesight and depth perception, they may walk right off the sill. With an upper-story window, your ferret may fall to his death. With a lower-story window, your ferret may escape, and domestic ferrets are poorly prepared to survive on their own outside.
- HEAT
- TEMPERATURES FOR FERRETS. Ferrets do not tolerate heat. They seem to be most comfortable at about 65EF, but do fine in summer temperatures comfortable to humans (about 75ºF). However, temperatures above 80 degrees (27ºC) are uncomfortable for ferret, temperatures above 85 degrees can cause medical problems within hours, and temperatures above 90ºF can cause fatalities within a few hours. Older ferrets are even more sensitive to heat than younger ferrets. Although ferrets can survive prolonged periods of uncomfortable temperatures, heat distress causes severe strain to the ferret’s system. In cases of repeated heat stress, the immune system can be compromised, making your ferret more susceptible to diseases. Repeated heat stress has also been linked to shorter lifespans in ferrets. For this reason, it is recommended that ferrets are kept indoors in a temperature-controlled environment if the outdoor climate has the potential to have sustained temperatures above 80 degrees.
- IT’S NOT THE HEAT IT’S THE HUMIDITY. To make things worse, the recommended temperatures assume low humidity levels (less than 40%). If you live in a humid climate, you should worry about the heat index rather than the thermometer reading. The heat index is a combination of temperature and relative humidity to give a reading of what it feels like to the human body on a hot, muggy day. As you can see by the heat index table, the thermometer might read 85 degrees, but with 75% humidity, it feels like 95 degrees to a human. This is because higher humidity levels don’t allow for evaporation of moisture and heat dissipation from the skin. We don’t have a heat index for exactly how a ferret feels, but we might assume they actually feel worse than humans, given their fur coats and dependence on heat dissipation from the skin for cooling.
Bird Songs In Summer.mp3
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