# Shivering Ferrets



## FuzzButt (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi there, im new to the forum and looking for opinions.
Im new to owning ferrets, only had my two boys since summer (I did have rats by they all died). And I've been checking on them frequently over the past couple of months and every time i look at them in their straw filled hutch outside.. they're shivering.. so i decided to bring them in over night.. am I right to do this? I've heard ferrets are susceptible to over heating and our house sits around 18c.

Im not kidding.. if i put any more straw in their hutch they wont fit in it!

opinions please?


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## 2rabbit&2ferrets (Oct 9, 2008)

To be honest you could do them more damage bringing them in overnight and putting them back out in the cold in the morning. My ferrets always shiver when they first wake up. Its something that ferrets do. I wouldn't worry to much if they are shivering when you first go in their hutch and they have just woken up and come and see you.

How many ferrets have you got living together? I have 2 neutered hobs (gibs) and although they are inside over this winter (they were indoors over the summer) they lived out last winter and with plenty of fleecy blankets they were fine. I also had a fleecy sleeping bag hammock which they both fit into comfortably. I attached hooks to the inside of the hutch so I could hang it up (I had to tie a couple of knots in the string to stop it from hanging too low) and they actually prefered sleeping in their after that and they were plenty warm enough snuggling together.


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## FuzzButt (Jan 7, 2010)

I have two ferrets in a primrose cottage. I have a tarp over the front.
But no, it was this afternoon as the temperature started to drop.
But I've put them in the shed in the back of the owl aviary for now.. be a bit warmer at least!
Chickens goin in there next


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## 2rabbit&2ferrets (Oct 9, 2008)

When you go to check on them, you will wake them up. When they come to see you they will shiver as its a lot warmer in bed than it is out of it! Plenty of straw will help insulate the bedroom. You could try giving them a couple of fleecy blankets to snuggle up in as well and that will help keep them cozy. 

Do you mind my asking, how old they are, how long you have had them and what sex? I should have asked this before


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## FuzzButt (Jan 7, 2010)

two males (brothers), they're prolly about 6 or 7months old now.. I've had them since the end of summer


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## FuzzButt (Jan 7, 2010)

lol now i've figured out the photo part of this site these are my lovely boys:
They're not neutered but get on fine.
Charlie is the light one at the back, Freddie is the dark one at the front.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Be carefull of hay and straw near your owls they can cause aspergillosis.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2010)

Is that the cage you keep them in?
It looks like metal, in this cold weather they will never get warm in that, a wooden hutch for winter would be better


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## 2rabbit&2ferrets (Oct 9, 2008)

FuzzButt said:


> lol now i've figured out the photo part of this site these are my lovely boys:
> They're not neutered but get on fine.
> Charlie is the light one at the back, Freddie is the dark one at the front.


They are lovely looking ferrets. I have to agree with Rona, if this is the cage you are keeping them in outside them no wonder they are shivering. This won't offer them enough protection from the elements. Though I thought the primrose cottage was a hutch. I am guessing maybe you had brought them inside for that photo?

Also, despite the fact that they get along fine at the moment without being neutered. They will start to fight when they come into sexual maturity in the spring if they remain entire. I would advice getting them neutered before this happens as I waited and hoped for the best and it wasn't nice  They tried to mount each other and it got very rough. Both had scabs and scarring on the backs of their necks. I had to seperate them and book them both in for a neuter a.s.a.p! I was lucky and able to get them in very quickly. They went back together straight away after the operation. (The vet said they should be fine, and they were)


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## FuzzButt (Jan 7, 2010)

erm.. for starters.. hay and straw dont go anywhere near my owl.
secondly the ferrets were only in this cage for the first week i had them until their hutch arrived.. they live in a primrose cottage from pets at home.. i did mention that in my first post 

Quote myself :
"i look at them in their straw filled hutch outside.."


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2010)

FuzzButt said:


> erm.. for starters.. hay and straw dont go anywhere near my owl.
> secondly the ferrets were only in this cage for the first week i had them until their hutch arrived.. they live in a primrose cottage from pets at home.. i did mention that in my first post
> 
> Quote myself :
> "i look at them in their straw filled hutch outside.."


Sorry, didn't know what a primrose cottage was


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## lauren001 (Jun 30, 2008)

Hutch Snuggle for Primrose Cottage by Scratch and Newton | Pets at Home
Do you have one of these?

You also need to make sure that the straw and hay is not wet it needs to be lovely and springy and dry, as dampness is not good. Springy dry straw traps air and the air then warms up.
I would take the straw out and replace it regularly, once even twice a day. In the freezing conditions we have, straw can feel dry as any water is iced up, but if it is next to the ferrets in can melt and be soggy.
I would take the next batch of straw into the house to warm it up and make sure it is dry.

This prolonged very very cold weather is a bit different from the odd cold night that we usually get, they are young too so their coats are probably not as good as an adult.

Also Microwaveable Heat Pad by Snugglesafe | Pets at Home if it is very, very cold.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

FuzzButt said:


> erm.. for starters.. hay and straw dont go anywhere near my owl.
> secondly the ferrets were only in this cage for the first week i had them until their hutch arrived.. they live in a primrose cottage from pets at home.. i did mention that in my first post
> 
> Quote myself :
> "i look at them in their straw filled hutch outside.."


I thought you said the ferrets were in the shed at the back of your owls.


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## FuzzButt (Jan 7, 2010)

lauren001 said:


> Hutch Snuggle for Primrose Cottage by Scratch and Newton | Pets at Home
> Do you have one of these?
> 
> You also need to make sure that the straw and hay is not wet it needs to be lovely and springy and dry, as dampness is not good. Springy dry straw traps air and the air then warms up.
> ...


yep got a hutch snuggle today.. it's been hard to get one as the store near me sometimes have them and sometimes dont, got heat pads, they got a whole horse bale of straw in their hutch now.

Quote hawksport:
"I thought you said the ferrets were in the shed at the back of your owls."

I have a shed built onto the back of the owl's shelter in his aviary.. will post some pics at some point for you.. it's a 21ft long by 8ft wide, by 8ft high aviary. And the Owl's shed is 8ft high, 8ft wide, and 4ft deep. The shed on the back is 8ft high, by 8ft wide, by 4ft deep.


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