# Advice needed - Ferret (Digby) 18 weeks old



## Laurenpaigexo (Sep 15, 2015)

As I'm sure some of you saw yesterday, I posted about my poor ferret Dougie (who was killed by his brother). I am heart broken!
You can see from some of the images, they were both so content in each others company, in fact one was never without the other.... Maybe I'm not feeding them the right food? Should I be feeding them meat more often?

I'm still confused as to what I should do. I am still no closer as to a reason that this has happened..... and what to do about it. I really like the idea of getting another ferret to keep Digby company, but then if he going to attack the way he has it is obviously not a good idea.

Would I be better off having 2 ferrets of different genders but make sure they have been neutered? Please help..... Thank you :Beaver


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## teta (Jul 8, 2015)

Feeding meat more often would not make any difference, a good kibble is sufficient for him. Feeding meat would not have changed the outcome of what happened.does he have food available all the time?


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## Laurenpaigexo (Sep 15, 2015)

Feeding him meat more often has actually made a big difference to his behavior. 
He is fed a ferret food (biscuits) recommended by our vet, which yes I leave available for him all afternoon whilst I am at work, he has meat in the evening's, and also egg once a week as a treat.


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## SarahBugz (Mar 14, 2011)

I feed mine kibble which is left down during the day and she also gets chicken on an evening. Mine ferret is fussy and won't eat raw so she has cooked chicken. She won't eat eggs, chicks, mice etc... she will only eat her kibble and cooked chicken. Not the best diet for her really.


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## teta (Jul 8, 2015)

Laurenpaigexo said:


> Feeding him meat more often has actually made a big difference to his behavior.
> He is fed a ferret food (biscuits) recommended by our vet, which yes I leave available for him all afternoon whilst I am at work, he has meat in the evening's, and also egg once a week as a treat.


Your feeding regime sounds fine, i was trying to figure out why he killed his brother.Ihave been keeping ferrets for over 30 years and not had this happen, but iIhave had ferrets fight over food and play fights that have turned nasty


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## Laurenpaigexo (Sep 15, 2015)

@teta

I know, I've been trying to work it out ever since! It was heart breaking and literally one of the worst things I have ever seen in my life.
The weird thing about it was they were so close, where one went the other followed and vise versa, I always fed them together and used separate food trays, however, they would always eat from the same one! I never saw them fighting, I have never had to separate them etc.. They were / are only just 16 weeks too so I cant see it being the fact that they were hormonal, or maybe it was I'm really not sure.

Maybe Digby wanted to be more dominant, or just wanted to be by himself......


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## teta (Jul 8, 2015)

Laurenpaigexo said:


> @teta
> 
> I know, I've been trying to work it out ever since! It was heart breaking and literally one of the worst things I have ever seen in my life.
> The weird thing about it was they were so close, where one went the other followed and vise versa, I always fed them together and used separate food trays, however, they would always eat from the same one! I never saw them fighting, I have never had to separate them etc.. They were / are only just 16 weeks too so I cant see it being the fact that they were hormonal, or maybe it was I'm really not sure.
> ...


Probably was a dominance thing which sadly got out of hand


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## Pear (Dec 8, 2014)

As you already seem aware raw food is the best possible diet for a ferret. I have 12 ferrets and they are all fed whole prey and raw meat it is there natural diet which they thrive on a grain free biologically appropriate diet for a obligatory carnivore. 

You mentioned in your previous post that you'd been checking they necks and that there hadn't been any bite marks, scabs, bleeding etc?
It's generally recommended that when male ferrets start to show hormonal displays that they are kept alone until they reach an appropriate point to be fixed.
Age isn't really the issue six months is a number plucked out the air by vets there was a study a while back it's simple about there growth, developing testicles etc. 
I have three of this years kits all male and the same age give or take a week. One is fully developed at 5 and a half months, the second has only one testicle and the third has none and still acts like a baby. 

My thought regarding your situation was that if your hadn't previously seen any physical signs of harm from dominance fighting.
That potentially your little fellow died of natural causes and your other ferret simple ate him.

I know that's a lot to stomach but if we take out human perspective and morality it's entirely possible.
I knew of a jill who killed and ate nearly a whole litter of kits (not days but weeks old) because she was hungry.

Sorry if i presented you with disturbing imagery but entirely plausible
If he was my ferret i would carry on feeding him a raw diet and socializing with him, then aprox eight weeks after he has been fixed and his hormones settled down i would take him to a rescue and see if you could find him a friend. 

During the socializing period and introductions i would keep them separate so you can keep a closer eye on their interactions and control there environment when your at work etc. 

All the best


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