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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 7:54:54 GMT -5
Alright, so as the title states, I have no idea what noise my ferret Booth has been making lately.
Imagine a cat with a hairball trying to hack it up...that's how he has been sounding lately. I first heard this roughly a month ago just once. Now it's at LEAST once a day, and seemingly more so at night while he is in his cage with the other ferrets.
I've given him lax to help whatever it is go down, but his "weird noise" still goes on. He is still very active and does not act different at all, and it doesn't seem to be bothering him.
But I am worried. Is this something I should be worried about or do I need to relax? I haven't been sleeping but a few hours at night because I hear him doing this, so I jump up and check to make sure he is okay.
The noises only last a couple seconds normally.
I'm wondering if it could be that I've been buying smelly detergents lately. Do those smells affect ferrets?
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Post by Kerit on Jan 21, 2011 9:53:26 GMT -5
They can definitely be allergic to soaps, cleaners, detergents, etc... My Trouble was very allergic to dryer sheets, and they'd make her itch and sneeze.
Could you possibly get a video of the noise? Hocus does this... thing... about once a week where he coughs (?) continuously for several seconds. It sounds like series of dry goose honks, really. It's loud and sounds terrible enough that the first few times I went frantically running for him, but it'll be over by the time I get there and then he gives me the blank "what" stare when I fuss. Since I can almost never catch him in the act, I'm not even positive it's always him... maybe they both do it, occasionally. (I *feel* like it's probably always Hocus, though... my problem child.)
Since nobody's actually thrown up from it, and their poop is fine, I usually just take it as a reminder to give them a dollop of lax.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jan 21, 2011 9:55:13 GMT -5
We'll need more information on your ferret and his environment to get and understanding of what might be going on.
Please let us know the following? Your ferret's age Input /output (eating and drinking fine?, pooping/peeping normally, diarrhea?) Litter used in the litter box? Detergents/cleaners used int the cage/living area? Does it get worse with exercise? Do you live in a humid environment where mold may be present? mildew? Anything unusual you can think of???
-jennifer
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 21, 2011 10:59:01 GMT -5
Also, are your ferrets shedding right now? Lucrezia does this like clockwork every single shedding season. Vet figures she gets fur caught in her throat/airways, and has more trouble than most dislodging it.
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 11:43:16 GMT -5
Kerit - That's pretty much how Booth is too and I don't have a videocamera either. Your ferret's age: 1 1/2 Input /output: Perfect. Nothing different. Everything is healthy. Litter used in the litter box? Newspaper (changed daily) Detergents/cleaners used int the cage/living area? We use Lysol then rinse with water, then let it air dry for a few hours when we clean the cage. Their hammocks are washed with Tide (always used the general, but around Oct or Nov last year we began using some smelly ones. Like April Fresh). Bounce dryer sheet for the dryer. Does it get worse with exercise? No. Do you live in a humid environment where mold may be present? mildew? No, thankfully. Anything unusual you can think of? Not particuliarly. -jennifer I'll wash their hammock again but without the Tide fragrance or Bounce sheet. I guess it didn't dawn on me that it could affect them. Although, if anyone has any other ideas on what it might be, let me know. Sherrylynne, they aren't shedding.
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Post by Heather on Jan 21, 2011 12:13:39 GMT -5
The shedding you might not even see. I was amazed because I was talking with my mentor and she mentioned that her guys were coming into season early this year, so she warned me to watch that my guys would probably be coming into their shed. Sure enough the weight loss has started (down a couple of oz's unless you're Napoleon...he's down 9....yay Took the brushes out because they don't appear to be shedding and I was getting a good amount out of them. So, we're back to the daily brushing again to prevent that horrible hairball hacking. Both Lady "B" and Fun-Go are hacking occasionally so they got an extra dose of pumpkin and if they continue to have problems a shot of ferretlax will be the order of the day. ciao
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taratee
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 255
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Post by taratee on Jan 21, 2011 12:15:14 GMT -5
mine just started shedding and im giving them a little ferret lax daily mostly because they think its candy and they will run towards me with the tube between their teeth then scratch my feet. but my ferrets seem to hack and cough and do this noise that sounds like the word "scat" a lot
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 12:17:44 GMT -5
Well, I shall prepare my brush. Hopefully that will help.
Thank you guys!
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Post by Heather on Jan 21, 2011 12:18:44 GMT -5
I only use ferretlax as a last resort, it coats their bowels and they have enough problems with absorbing their diets without me making it more difficult. ciao
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Post by dreamsome on Jan 21, 2011 13:38:38 GMT -5
it really would not hurt to start washing their bedding with a scent-free detergent. i never use softener or the sheets either after i learned it could make them even itchier! it was pretty much after i stopped using scents that i stopped seeing vienna scratch because she was itchy. it used to be so bad, she'd wake herself up frequently to a scratching frenzy! i could only imagine it wouldn't be good for them internally, either.
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 13:45:09 GMT -5
Lincoln wakes up scratching like crazy too, despite not having fleas or ear mites. I had no idea it could be because of me. My poor babies!
I'm glad I know now. No more scented items.
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 21, 2011 15:20:32 GMT -5
Yes, definitely brush them, give them a bit of pumpkin, and give them a little lax if it's not calming down. I find that sometimes pumpkin with a little ferretone, or even some fish for their meal that day helps them because of the oil. Make sure your ferret is drinking plenty.
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 16:16:20 GMT -5
How much pumpkin should I give? And my ferrets can't have ferretone, but I'll try the pumpkin and lax if they need it.
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Post by Kerit on Jan 21, 2011 17:49:09 GMT -5
this noise that sounds like the word "scat" a lot I always thought of it as "KACK"
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 18:02:50 GMT -5
Hey, so Booth just tried to poop but only a small runny dot came out. If this happens is it serious immediately or should I just keep an eye on him? Along with the tiny blob of poop was a yellow slimy glob attached to it.
When I looked up ECE stuff, they said the poop would look similar to "fish glue", but then they say the poop is "green", but fish glue is yellow. Either way, the stuff he pooped out does look like fish glue but it's too small to really smell.
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