# Balding on stomach?



## shezzy

Hey everyone. I recently rescued a ferret about 2-3 weeks ago. 
The rescue said when she came in she was in heat and they gave her the jill jab. When I got her she did have what I can only describe as a mummy tummy lol  you know when some cats have kittens and they have this left over belly. So I just assumed maybe she'd been bred in the past. (if that even happens with ferrets)

Anyway, I went in to check her today and I've noiced around her abdomen and up her stomach is going bald. Well not bald as such but as if someone has snuck into the hutch and used an electric razer to shave her.

I'm a bit concerned. She now lives happily with my other 3, she had a bit of problem with my other female but they're living in peace now, but can this be the result of stress? or signs of Adrenal? Or am I simply over reacting?


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## shezzy

Heres a pic, thanks god for ferrtatone, only way I could get her to keep still 










Her vulvas protruding out slightly, not like it does when they're in heat though, so its not exactly swollen into a pea shape. I dunno if that means anythign either.


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## fuzzymum

I would pop her along to the vets if I were you. She looks a bit round for my liking. Where did she come from before rescue? I'm wondering if maybe she has some little babies in there.......

The jill jab occasionally needs to be re-done throughout the breeding season, so it could be that?

Definitely take her to your vets for a check up xx


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## shezzy

She was found wandering the streets when the person found her so I dont know her back ground. Do you think it would be a good idea to seperate her from the others untill its sorted out, just incase she is pregnant? 

I also thought it might be a phantom because i just assumed the jil jab would have um, undone, any pregnancy that was there.


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## shezzy

ill try and get an appointment on monday morning, I've just moved to a new area though and I dont know which vet to go to... I got her from the SSPCA, maybe I can phone them up and see if they know any good vets in my area.


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## fuzzymum

Probably best to seperate them until you find out for definite. I know jills pluck out their hair around the nipple when they are pregnant but usually only a few days before birth. They are pregnant for approx. 42 days, so who knows? I'm not sure about the jill jab aborting the babies....

How is her tail looking? any hair missing there? 

Hopefully it is just a phantom, it is quite common in jills who have had the jill jab xx


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## shezzy

her tail looks okay, ill bring her back inside untill shes been to the vets.

she can tend to her several stashes she has around the livingroom lol  shes adorable and so funny she even stashed my O/H book behind the couch hah
Shes always sleeping too, and I know thats a ferret thing anyway, but when i go to the hutch shes always the last out the bed, if she even bothers, the rest are alway out and excited. 

Thanks for the help!


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## DKDREAM

If i where you Id put her in her own cage and just treat her as if she is pregnant, feed her more food if she wants it and give her some nice hay to make a nest. It could be a bad phantom or she could be in kit. the vets can scan her to tell you for defonate but why put her through the stress. Maybe contact the rescue and ask them if she did have kits would they try and help find homes.

ETA : Ring the rescue and ask them the date she was handed into them? and also ask if they know the date she was given the Jill Jab


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> If i where you Id put her in her own cage and just treat her as if she is pregnant, feed her more food if she wants it and give her some nice hay to make a nest. It could be a bad phantom or she could be in kit. the vets can scan her to tell you for defonate but why put her through the stress. Maybe contact the rescue and ask them if she did have kits would they try and help find homes.
> 
> ETA : Ring the rescue and ask them the date she was handed into them? and also ask if they know the date she was given the Jill Jab


Okays I'll give the rescue a call and get dates. Do you know if it possible for a ferret to get the jill jab and not effect the kits?

I'm kinda worried though if she is because I've read they can have some problem with birthing? but I'll research it just incase and I'll see what happens  I hope they can help find homes, I just want the best for her.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Okays I'll give the rescue a call and get dates. Do you know if it possible for a ferret to get the jill jab and not effect the kits?
> 
> I'm kinda worried though if she is because I've read they can have some problem with birthing? but I'll research it just incase and I'll see what happens  I hope they can help find homes, I just want the best for her.


Its very rare for a ferret to have problems, but like any birth there is always a risk. just check on her 1st thing in a morning and throughout the day but give her space. you might be able to feel lumps if she is pregnant, some jills you can feel really easily and some you cant but dont press hard. If you can get dates of the rescue then you will have a better Idea of when she is due. are her nipples red?

To be honest I dont know if the kits will be effected but I cant see why if it was very early in her pregnancy as she will of been producing that hormone anyway to come out of season.

From my experience you should see a greeny discharge (like a snot) from week 5 ish as I always do with preganant girls and did with Tia and all 10 of her kits are fine.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> Its very rare for a ferret to have problems, but like any birth there is always a risk. just check on her 1st thing in a morning and throughout the day but give her space. you might be able to feel lumps if she is pregnant, some jills you can feel really easily and some you cant but dont press hard. If you can get dates of the rescue then you will have a better Idea of when she is due. are her nipples red?
> 
> To be honest I dont know if the kits will be effected but I cant see why if it was very early in her pregnancy as she will of been producing that hormone anyway to come out of season.
> 
> From my experience you should see a greeny discharge (like a snot) from week 5 ish as I always do with preganant girls and did with Tia and all 10 of her kits are fine.


Yeah her nipples are red. Me and my O/H both had a feel of her stomach, its swollen and a bit firm and we're both pretty sure we could feel little lumps but we didn't want to mess around with her too much.

Oh god im nervous now. lol. Thank you very much for your help.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Yeah her nipples are red. Me and my O/H both had a feel of her stomach, its swollen and a bit firm and we're both pretty sure we could feel little lumps but we didn't want to mess around with her too much.
> 
> Oh god im nervous now. lol. Thank you very much for your help.


ETA I'll help anytime if you have any questions just yell

Oh sounds like she is in kit here is a pic of Tia at 4 weeks pregnant.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> ETA I'll help anytime if you have any questions just yell
> 
> Oh sounds like she is in kit here is a pic of Tia at 4 weeks pregnant.


your ferret is gorgous  
Is there anything I should feed her? like cats with the kitten food? I'm sure I'll have many questions so thanks 

I'm gonna prepare for it as if its happening, then if it happens I'm prepared, if not then thats fine. Is there anything I need? for birth or when kits are born? Will I get a vets number on hand just incase?


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## DKDREAM

This is Tia 5 weeks and then 6 weeks


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## DKDREAM

What do you feed her now as her diet? Tia is fed Raw meat, I fed her twice a day once on a morning and once on a night, she has a dish of "Full Fat Goats Milk" available since she has had the kits and while in her pregnancy I give her lactol kitten replacment milk every other day and put bone meal on her meals.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> What do you feed her now as her diet? Tia is fed Raw meat, I fed her twice a day once on a morning and once on a night, she has a dish of "Full Fat Goats Milk" available since she has had the kits and while in her pregnancy I give her lactol kitten replacment milk every other day and put bone meal on her meals.


Can I ask what bone meal is?
Shes just fed on a ferret dry food, I've given her some raw meat as treats. 
I can get some lactol tomorrow.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Can I ask what bone meal is?
> Shes just fed on a ferret dry food, I've given her some raw meat as treats.
> I can get some lactol tomorrow.


the meat maybe better for her while pregnant like mince meat and you could give her some liver (a small bit once a week) as you know its quite high in vitamin A Bonemeal is fed to dogs just give her a pinch on the meat to keep her calcium up. You can also give her cat fiood as a treat (the pouches) there isnt alot of goodness in that but will help make sure she has plenty fluids. Tia loves this as a treat you'd think id give her the best thing ever


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> the meat maybe better for her while pregnant like mince meat and you could give her some liver (a small bit once a week) as you know its quite high in vitamin A Bonemeal is fed to dogs just give her a pinch on the meat to keep her calcium up. You can also give her cat fiood as a treat (the pouches) there isnt alot of goodness in that but will help make sure she has plenty fluids. Tia loves this as a treat you'd think id give her the best thing ever


no probs, I can do that  Oh yeah I gave her some of my cats wet meat (my cat gets wet meat as treats, shes not best pleased that the ferret got most of them haha)

I know what you mean though, when I ran out of ferratone I had to use wet meat to get my other ferrets to sit still long enough to cut their claws, they love the stuff.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> no probs, I can do that  Oh yeah I gave her some of my cats wet meat (my cat gets wet meat as treats, shes not best pleased that the ferret got most of them haha)
> 
> I know what you mean though, when I ran out of ferratone I had to use wet meat to get my other ferrets to sit still long enough to cut their claws, they love the stuff.


I find ferret tone expensive and a waste really they love olive oil/sun flower oil just the same. an easy way to clip claws is get hold of the ferrets scruff of the neck and hold the loose skin the ferret will become limp and let you cut the nails it looks awful but dosent harm them. I get some meat from pets at home for Tia (Prize choice) they do all different kinds.


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## DKDREAM

here is a video showing you what i mean about scruffing.

YouTube - ‪how to scruff your ferret‬‏


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## fuzzymum

shezzy said:


> your ferret is gorgous
> Is there anything I should feed her? like cats with the kitten food? I'm sure I'll have many questions so thanks
> 
> I'm gonna prepare for it as if its happening, then if it happens I'm prepared, if not then thats fine. Is there anything I need? for birth or when kits are born? Will I get a vets number on hand just incase?


I would still get a number of a good vet. Try and speak to one really, just to rule out any other complications it could be. Obviously, pregnancy isn't the only thing tht could cause these symptoms so I would double check. If she is pregnant, it would be ideal to have found a ferret vet in advance should she have any problems.

I wouldn't worry about scanning her or anything like that, just a general check up to ensure she is in good health. Mine have never fretted about going to the vets so do not worry about stressing her out! xx


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## DKDREAM

fuzzymum said:


> I would still get a number of a good vet. Try and speak to one really, just to rule out any other complications it could be. Obviously, pregnancy isn't the only thing tht could cause these symptoms so I would double check. If she is pregnant, it would be ideal to have found a ferret vet in advance should she have any problems.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about scanning her or anything like that, just a general check up to ensure she is in good health. Mine have never fretted about going to the vets so do not worry about stressing her out! xx


I can see what your saying but I do feel its either just a phantom or she is pregnant as she will shed her coat as if she is pregnant with her having the Jill Jab, I dont really see what a vet could say other then she looks in good shape. I only mentioned about stressing her out because this ferret has just moved home so the less stress shes put under the better


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> I find ferret tone expensive and a waste really they love olive oil/sun flower oil just the same. an easy way to clip claws is get hold of the ferrets scruff of the neck and hold the loose skin the ferret will become limp and let you cut the nails it looks awful but dosent harm them. I get some meat from pets at home for Tia (Prize choice) they do all different kinds.


well thats just saved me alot of money haha

I've got 2 males (both neutered) and they're both nippers, would the scruffing even work with them? I can see me doing it wrong and getting a bite in my hand lol  I'll give it a try on my other female first, just to make sure I do it right.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> well thats just saved me alot of money haha
> 
> I've got 2 males (both neutered) and they're both nippers, would the scruffing even work with them? I can see me doing it wrong and getting a bite in my hand lol  I'll give it a try on my other female first, just to make sure I do it right.


yeah it will work on a nippy ferret what some people do is scruff and say no if a ferret nips


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> yeah it will work on a nippy ferret what some people do is scruff and say no if a ferret nips


Yeah I tried lots of things with them to try and stop the nipping, saying no, everytime i picked them up I would get a treat (like ferratone) and give them that to try and associate being picked up was a good thing.

I'm not overly bothered about getting a bite but when we're out walking people just come up and put their hand out and I have to jerk them away and warn them. My next move is bitter lime spray, see if that works but I dought it.


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## shezzy

fuzzymum said:


> I would still get a number of a good vet. Try and speak to one really, just to rule out any other complications it could be. Obviously, pregnancy isn't the only thing tht could cause these symptoms so I would double check. If she is pregnant, it would be ideal to have found a ferret vet in advance should she have any problems.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about scanning her or anything like that, just a general check up to ensure she is in good health. Mine have never fretted about going to the vets so do not worry about stressing her out! xx


I will have to look for a vet in my area thats good with ferrets and I'll get their number just incase. I'll give it a week or so and see how it pans out, if something goes wrong I can promise you she'll be right to the vet.


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## fuzzymum

DKDREAM said:


> I can see what your saying but I do feel its either just a phantom or she is pregnant as she will shed her coat as if she is pregnant with her having the Jill Jab, I dont really see what a vet could say other then she looks in good shape. I only mentioned about stressing her out because this ferret has just moved home so the less stress shes put under the better


I know  I'm sure you are right but if it was my ferret I would get her checked out. Considering all of the problems they can get regarding seasons etc, I just wouldn't take the risk. OP still needs to contact a vet to have on standby though. Then she can ask him/her the question about the jill jab harming the babies etc.

Oh, I would also get the vet to check heart etc and give her an all round clean bill of health. There are always things that can't be seen from the outside 

Scruffing has worked with all 6 of my ferrets, can take a little while for the message to sink in, but they get there in the end  Just be quite firm, if you hesitate or don't hold on properly thats when you get problems with the scruffing  xxx


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## fuzzymum

shezzy said:


> I will have to look for a vet in my area thats good with ferrets and I'll get their number just incase. I'll give it a week or so and see how it pans out, if something goes wrong I can promise you she'll be right to the vet.


Lol, missed your post in the middle there  good plan batman xx


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> I will have to look for a vet in my area thats good with ferrets and I'll get their number just incase. I'll give it a week or so and see how it pans out, if something goes wrong I can promise you she'll be right to the vet.


Her belly should change shape in the coming weeks nut if you manage to get a date of the rescue you will have a better picture.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Yeah I tried lots of things with them to try and stop the nipping, saying no, everytime i picked them up I would get a treat (like ferratone) and give them that to try and associate being picked up was a good thing.
> 
> I'm not overly bothered about getting a bite but when we're out walking people just come up and put their hand out and I have to jerk them away and warn them. My next move is bitter lime spray, see if that works but I dought it.


my advice would be just be firm with them and dont let them get away with biting, some people do tap them on the nose and say no. it just takes different things with different ferrets. do they bite hard or is it just a nip.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> my advice would be just be firm with them and dont let them get away with biting, some people do tap them on the nose and say no. it just takes different things with different ferrets. do they bite hard or is it just a nip.


Well that was the advice I was given when I first got them the tap on the nose and saying no. But that didnt make any difference.

Um one of them just kinda nips and the other one (which was a rescue, the old owners never picked him up and barley fed him) will tend to hold on to you if given the chance.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Well that was the advice I was given when I first got them the tap on the nose and saying no. But that didnt make any difference.
> 
> Um one of them just kinda nips and the other one (which was a rescue, the old owners never picked him up and barley fed him) will tend to hold on to you if given the chance.


the one who bites hard I would get some chunks of meat and when he takes it pick him up (his mouth will be full so he cant bite) and do this for a few weeks then try without feeding him. how long have you had him?


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> the one who bites hard I would get some chunks of meat and when he takes it pick him up (his mouth will be full so he cant bite) and do this for a few weeks then try without feeding him. how long have you had him?


I've acutally had hm for about a year and a half, I thought he would mellow out as he got a little bit older. I'll give that a try, I know when I first got him, when I'd hold him and give him an actual treat, not the ferratone, he would pretty much growl at me, I put that down to the fact he wasnt fed very much, I was so mad when I found out these people weren't looking after him propperly, he's the brother to the other male I have so they're both from the same litter.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> I've acutally had hm for about a year and a half, I thought he would mellow out as he got a little bit older. I'll give that a try, I know when I first got him, when I'd hold him and give him an actual treat, not the ferratone, he would pretty much growl at me, I put that down to the fact he wasnt fed very much, I was so mad when I found out these people weren't looking after him propperly, he's the brother to the other male I have so they're both from the same litter.


is he castrated too? it sounds like he has had a bad time, all you can do is take time with him, does he eat alot?


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> is he castrated too? it sounds like he has had a bad time, all you can do is take time with him, does he eat alot?


yeah they're both castrated. Well he just just eats normally like the rest of them, he does tend to stash his food unlike the other ones but I guess thats just a ferret thing  
He's always the first one out for the treats though lol so I'm sure he'll happily go for the meat rather than my hand


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> yeah they're both castrated. Well he just just eats normally like the rest of them, he does tend to stash his food unlike the other ones but I guess thats just a ferret thing
> He's always the first one out for the treats though lol so I'm sure he'll happily go for the meat rather than my hand


I guess thats the way to go, Chicken wings are brilliant for them to help keep the teeth clean. once a week will be enough  he is just making sure food will always be there when he is stashing, the ferrets ive had from similar owners have been the same. but after a yearish they start to chill out but what I have found is they stay fat.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> I guess thats the way to go, Chicken wings are brilliant for them to help keep the teeth clean. once a week will be enough  he is just making sure food will always be there when he is stashing, the ferrets ive had from similar owners have been the same. but after a yearish they start to chill out but what I have found is they stay fat.


I've given them chicken wings a couple of times before before and they love them 

Aww I do look at him sometimes and think waw your so chunky, but I think he's at a good weight, not too fat but not skinny either.

Anyway, I have to go O/H is dying to get on the computer haha thanks everyone for your help and I'll keep you updated on the progress, I'll phone the rescue tomorrow and source out a good vet. Night night ! :thumbup:


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## shezzy

Okay contacted the rescue centre, she was handed in on the 23rd of May so thats at least 4 weeks.

She's got her own hutch now with a wee towel and a bunch of hay in her bed area so that should be nice and cosy. I'm leaving dry food in her hutch all the time and she's getting a bit of raw meat every day and she's getting a bit of lactol.

The rescue said if she is to phone them when the kits are born so they can keep some hutches available but I'd rather try and find homes before I take them to the rescue. 

If she is having a phantom then at least im taking precaution and had an excuse to buy a new hutch :thumbup: lol 

I'll keep yas updated


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Okay contacted the rescue centre, she was handed in on the 23rd of May so thats at least 4 weeks.
> 
> She's got her own hutch now with a wee towel and a bunch of hay in her bed area so that should be nice and cosy. I'm leaving dry food in her hutch all the time and she's getting a bit of raw meat every day and she's getting a bit of lactol.
> 
> The rescue said if she is to phone them when the kits are born so they can keep some hutches available but I'd rather try and find homes before I take them to the rescue.
> 
> If she is having a phantom then at least im taking precaution and had an excuse to buy a new hutch :thumbup: lol
> 
> I'll keep yas updated


If i where you id move the towel and just put a thin layer of shavings in the bed and then hay. give her a bigish nest it will help her feel safe. I find this way you can give her new hay to freshen up nest untill the kits are 2-3 weeks then you can change it.

ETA kits are due 4th july on that date, seeing as she was in season at the time of arrival so that would suggest that she had just been caught if she had.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> If i where you id move the towel and just put a thin layer of shavings in the bed and then hay. give her a bigish nest it will help her feel safe. I find this way you can give her new hay to freshen up nest untill the kits are 2-3 weeks then you can change it.
> 
> ETA kits are due 4th july on that date, seeing as she was in season at the time of arrival so that would suggest that she had just been caught if she had.


oh yeah, i totally forgot about the kits dirtying the towel, glad you mentioned it. ill change that tomorrow.

Is it safe for me to pick her up? not all the time, just at night to give her a check over? see if the swelling increases or decreases?


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> oh yeah, i totally forgot about the kits dirtying the towel, glad you mentioned it. ill change that tomorrow.
> 
> Is it safe for me to pick her up? not all the time, just at night to give her a check over? see if the swelling increases or decreases?


yeah id do this each time you feed her, make a point of feeling her belly so she gets used to you touching her belly, and so you can check her nipples over just pretend you are doing that before the kits are here so that even when they are to her your acting normal


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> yeah id do this each time you feed her, make a point of feeling her belly so she gets used to you touching her belly, and so you can check her nipples over just pretend you are doing that before the kits are here so that even when they are to her your acting normal


Great, she doesn't mind me picking her up and touching her belly and stuff so I guess thats a good thing. She loves getting picked up  she always expects a wee treat though lol

I hope everything goes fine, I checked her stomach again today, nipples still red and still swollen stomach so it hasn't gone down. I didn't feel for babies again though, don't want to mess around with them too much... So I guess it's just a waiting game now.

One last question for now is, if she has the litter, if I distract her out side the sleeping area can I sneak a look at the babies, make sure everthings okay without touching them? I've been researching but I always feel better about asking someone experienced, I'm just assuming she wouldn't be too mad since she's so friendly and fine with me picking her up and stuff.


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Great, she doesn't mind me picking her up and touching her belly and stuff so I guess thats a good thing. She loves getting picked up  she always expects a wee treat though lol
> 
> I hope everything goes fine, I checked her stomach again today, nipples still red and still swollen stomach so it hasn't gone down. I didn't feel for babies again though, don't want to mess around with them too much... So I guess it's just a waiting game now.
> 
> One last question for now is, if she has the litter, if I distract her out side the sleeping area can I sneak a look at the babies, make sure everthings okay without touching them? I've been researching but I always feel better about asking someone experienced, I'm just assuming she wouldn't be too mad since she's so friendly and fine with me picking her up and stuff.


What i do with Tia is wait until she comes out and let her leave the cage herself (Via the run) I keep the nest door shut all the time, so she feels safe. then once i pick her up I hand her to someone to hold and make a fuss of her while i open the nest door. Luckily Tias nest was open so i could see babies if hers was closed i would just accept that and go on the fact that aslong as i hear squeeks and I feel her teats and make sure she has milk they will be ok.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> What i do with Tia is wait until she comes out and let her leave the cage herself (Via the run) I keep the nest door shut all the time, so she feels safe. then once i pick her up I hand her to someone to hold and make a fuss of her while i open the nest door. Luckily Tias nest was open so i could see babies if hers was closed i would just accept that and go on the fact that aslong as i hear squeeks and I feel her teats and make sure she has milk they will be ok.


Great. Thanks for your help, if she has the litter im sure there will be more questions to come haha, but I'll try not bug u too much with constant questions lol.

Thank you


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## DKDREAM

shezzy said:


> Great. Thanks for your help, if she has the litter im sure there will be more questions to come haha, but I'll try not bug u too much with constant questions lol.
> 
> Thank you


Hey you can ask as many as you like i dont mind helping you through it if she has babies, I know it can be scary.


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## shezzy

DKDREAM said:


> Hey you can ask as many as you like i dont mind helping you through it if she has babies, I know it can be scary.


Yeah the only experience I have on breeding is with gerbils, but they're a bit different lol 

I'll PM you if the babies arrive


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