Itchy ferret / Starting out raw

[delilafuz08]

Ok I'm posting about 2 things I didn't know where to put them so I decided to put them in the same post here. Ok first of all I've noticed this but I haven't really been paying as much attention to it as much as I should. Deli is not constantly but seems to be scratching a lot and biting herself to scratch. She had a couple fleas a month ago but I don't see any on her now and haven't seen any in the house or on the cats. So I know it's not that. And I'm glad she's not scratching herself to death but she's still I guess you can say "uncomfortable". She doesn't scratch when she's out of the cage except for maybe a really tiny bit. She does it a lot when she's in the cage. She went for 5 - 10 minutes straight last night and I don't know what it is. Could it be a food allergy? I mean I feed her EVO cat food. Which is of course VERY closely related to the EVO ferret food. Could that be what it is? I'm thinking about going all raw soon anyway so it doesn't matter if it's the food I can take her off. But I don't like to see her constantly scratching. What do I do? I need a natural remedy to get her to stop scratching. Please help!!

Like I said I want to start to go with raw food. I heard chicken is a good start but I totally have no idea what to do first. I need to know everything!! Does anyone know a site to go to about all information on raw food? Or a book or something?

[suds]

ok first welcome to the forum
as for itching it could just be normal ferrets are always a little itchy, 1 thing to check is the bedding , what kind of detergent do you use ? fabric softener should never be used. there mite be something in the cage that could be irritating her skin . another thing can be dry skin do you give her any suplements ? I am sure a few mentors will be in here to help with the that part.

for raw feeding I sujest you read some of the threads already in the mentor program here holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=newbie
to get a feel for it and see the differnt methods that can be used
Then you can copy and fill out this questionair and paste in your own thread
holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=newbie&action=display&thread=822

and for more questions you have about feeding and nutrition its best you ask them here so the mentors and others will see them faster
holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=newbquest

hope this helps and hope to see you around

[Heather]

You might also take a look at what you're supplementing oil wise. You will find that your ferret is a lot less itchy once you get her onto raw. Ferrets are naturally itchy little creatures but I found that once I get them onto a good raw diet and supplementing with a marine fish oil (not a veggie based oil) a lot of the itchies disappear. The problem is that Kibbles keep ferrets and a lot of the other furbabies they're supposed to be feeding on the edge of dehydration. So think about it, if you're suffering from horribly dry skin you itch too They will never go entirely....I swear that Ghenghis sometimes tries to turn himself inside out but usually it's the more excited he gets the itchier he gets...he's just silly He likes you to tickle him.
Just an idea Good luck with your newest adventure, switching to raw....it's so much fun watching the transition (it's frustrating too) but so rewarding
ciao

[pear2apple]

Like Heather says a supplement you could try now would be a fish oil. I use Salmon oil, it really helps keep the coat soft and full. Thats what I've noticed since starting to use it anyway.

I bought 1000mg Salmon Oil gel caps. I feed about 1 gel caps (puncture with a needle and squeeze out) on top of the raw every few days. I give that for 2 ferrets, so you might want to only give 1/2 a gel cap at once, every few days.

I would also check what you are washing the bedding with! Its not something many people think of if it doesn't bother us, but that extra good smell to us could really irritate their skin. Otherwise, its probably just a fish oil supplement needed here. And of course switching to raw will help as well.

As for learning about it, you've come to the right forum! Read everything you can in the diet section and in natural care and soon you will know so much and have more questions!

[fortheloveofferret]

I was going to mention the detergent as well. You could try washing their bedding with white vinegar (wash with warm water and about a cup of vinegar) - it won't irritate your ferret's skin like a detergent would, plus it works great at getting out that ferrety smell.

Diet is another thing that can play a role. You have to be careful about which kind and how much of the fish oil you use though - I've read that too much of certain marine fish can cause "yellow fat disease." Heather mentioned something about kibbles leaving a ferret almost dehydrated, which made me wonder if you're using water bottles or bowls for your ferret? I know a lot of people use bottles, but I think bowls are much better - they can get more water at a faster rate than they would from a bottle.

Also, I notice mine tend to itch a lot more during the cold months. The last house I lived in had really dry heat, which made their skin that much drier and itchier. So, if you're noticing her itching more now than in the past, it could be weather related.

One thing that I find really helpful for their itchy skin is to give them a warm bath with 100% natural colloidal oatmeal (I buy Aveeno). It works great for my ferrets and I've read about a lot of people using it to relieve the extra itchy skin of their adrenal ferrets. It's also a natural cleanser - it's all I've been "washing" my ferrets with for the last year now and it doesn't dry or irritate their skin like regular soaps and shampoos. Another plus - it makes my ferrets' fur super soft!

[amymelissa]

When I first got Taz she was one itchy little girl. Then I started washing her bedding in apple cider vinegar and use the oatmeal baths. I also switched all of the fuzz butts to a raw diet.

I've noticed when we run the furnace more Taz seems to be more itchy.

Taz still is itchy but not anywhere near how itchy she used to be!