We have regressed

[vkoslin]

Over Xmas time, we had no choice but to board our babies with our ferret vet for 2.5 weeks. We prepped their meals, organizing them by freezer bags, with meat kind and date and morning/night on each bag. We had a huge duffle full of meals, frozen, and they were all things they ate. It took a long time to plan out days of bone, days of meat, organ, liver, etc.

Anyways, I wasn't happy when I picked them up. They had said they were eating when I called, and of course, they were, as they weren't low in weight. But I guess they bathed them. Their fur had some kind of weird waxy feeling to it. I guess a flea bath? I'm not sure, but not happy. My guys DON'T stink, and never need a bath unless filthy for some disgusting reason. Ugh mad about that.

But I feel like their eating habits have changed. They loved pork before. I'd feed them pork chops, chopped up, and they loved it, cleaned the bowl. They won't touch pork at all recently. The dates seem good, it's the same as before. I don't know what's wrong.

Also, in general, I feel they aren't eating as much as they used to. It's not really a problem, but more of an annoyance. I know enough to get them back on track, and they will be. They haven't lost any weight, though, but have been ignoring whole meals.

I've started to put a dash of ferretone (for the first time) in their food. After their bath or whatever at the vets, their fur is waxy and coarse. I'm upset that their silky smooth coats aren't back completely. But the ferretone is helping them eat...because I was tired of seeing them ignore foods they once loved.

Guess I'm just venting... I know things can change, but all 6? stopped eating their favorite food? Just kind of....sad!

[Heather]

Stress will also cause changes in both coat and eating habits. They may not have bathed them. I noticed that two little ones that were turned in to me who were raw fed before I got them had coat changes and they also cut back on their food (their hoomans dropped off these nice prepackaged meals for them). Once they got used to playing here, they packed on the pounds and their coats have become so long and soft. Stress does horrible things to our little ones. Of course I can't be sure that your little ones weren't bathed, they could very well have been, but you may find that after they get over their adventure that their silky soft coats come back and they will once again have happy healthy appetites.
ciao

[sherrylynne]

As far as the pork goes, for instance, it's also possible they've simply decided they no longer like it. Mine seem to go through phases like that once in a while. I just lay off the meat they've decided they no longer like, and offer it again in a month or two.
Also, since they were at the vet's, they likely didn't get the playtime they are accustomed to, and their appetites will cut back accordingly. After all- if you suddenly stop exercising, you're not going to eat nearly as much until you start again!

[vkoslin]

Ah, very good points! Both of you guys made me feel better. I do know they were bathed in soemthing, as they had a shampoo smell to them, not their usual musk. And it kind of bothered me that they didn't ask if they could or maybe they thought they were so filthy somehow that they needed it? How did they get that filthy? Idk. Not pleased, but for 20 dollars a day, with play time in a cat room, at a ferret vet, I couldnt ask for more. We paid 400 for the whole thing which is a LOT but we didn't have so much of a choice. We only leave them once a year. it was sad.

I feel kind of disheartened that I dont know what their favorite is anymore. Since its obviously not pork. Kind of sad!

[sherrylynne]

It happens! Don't feel bad. I never go anywhere, and somedays I'm really hard put to list their favourite food

[b2dg3r]

Have you simply asked if they were bathed and why?

It could be that the vets has a policy about bathing; ie: any pet boarded for x days automatically gets a bath.

Or maybe your guys got dirty playing in their litter box or something.

Hope their coats soften up soon!