UPDATE! All Our Ferret's Health Problems : Three Sick Ferrets

[@TheModernFerret]

▶ UPDATED Recommended Ferret Products: www.amazon.com/shop/themodernferret AND merch shop: www.etsy.com/shop/TheModernFerret

[@minao3902]

So, insulinoma and adrenal seem to be the main ferret killers (from my understanding, based on what ive heard from the ferret community, as well as my own research). Based on what i know, insulinoma seems to be caused mainly by poor diet, while adrenal is caused mainly by poor breeding. Over here in the UK, where ferret mills (cough cough marshalls) arent really a thing, so ferrets are generally bred better, adrenal seems to be less common. Over here, its also more common to feed a raw diet, since we have so many hunting ferrets. This higher quality food also seems to cause a reduction in insulinoma in ferrets. Overall, the average lifespan of U.S. ferrets tends to be around 5-7 years, while in the UK (there are probably other places too, but im just going off of what i know) the average lifespan seems to be around 8-10 years, some even living up to 15! Obviously, there are many other differences in uk ferrets and us ferrets, but breeding and diet seem to be the main ones, so it would make sense for the difference in lifespan to have something to do with these factors. So basically, if you want your ferret to live as long as possible, but u live in the us, stay away from mill ferrets, and preferably get a breeder ferret (i strongly reccommend rescues, but the reality is that most rescues are from mills, so breeders would be a better option if you want a healthy ferret; make ). Also make sure to feed a balanced raw diet; whole prey is best, but any type of balanced raw food will be brilliant. In the long run, we need to try to stop supporting pet stores, and make raw diets more available, so as to improve ferret health and therefore lengthen their lifespans as pets :) lol sorry for the long comment, i felt like i was writing a school essay xD

[@TomoyoTatar]

Idk mine lived perfectly well till 11 something years, still had insulinoma. Was on a diet of raw meat bone broth and various other things such as eggs and meal worms once in a while...you're not supposed to feed raisins but once in a blue moon she would get a couple on special occasions like holidays. The insulinoma was well controlled and she didn't exhibit signs until around age 7 or 8. She also was partially bald, grayed hair and blind in both eyes due to cataracts; however, she could maneuver perfectly well with scent. We didn't move the furniture, thought she could croak anytime, but she didn't! She lived five more years than the average six. 😊👍 Towards the end her teeth were a bit painful and so I would feed her blended chicken or organic chicken baby food or grind her kibble into powder and make my own duck soup slurry. She was perfectly fine with all of this, however, do get your meds compounded into treats for insulinoma, it tastes like crap for them in original form. But kinda it is true with the Marshalls ferrets. They are spayed and neutered really early. They also are trained to see kibble as food. My male would not eat meat. I had to get a high protein specialty diet for him.

[@cuteshep8589]

where I'm from (UK) our ferrets seem to be a lot healthier I wish marshall bioresources was closed down forever

[@galilea07]

same, but there aren't as good as foods here as its really hard to find ones without wheat

[@kaya6269]

I also live in the uk and I can’t find ferrets for a good price anywhere, where did you get yours?

[@TomoyoTatar]

Me too.

[@juliarodrick1996]

Marie's ferrets have lived up to 13 years old. They are very healthy and active until the end. You are familiar with her videos and I know you love her enclosure where her ferrets play. I believe that ferrets are better bred in europe. Marshall ferrets are bred very badly and it shows. Please contact Marie and ask her which breeder she uses.

[@doctorbone3655]

They’re pretty healthy from good breeder over here as well. I used to have 7 boys, 5 from US breeder and 2 imports from Europe. All very healthy. Marshall’s just over runs the industry. Very sad.

[@wildpaisley6351]

Where can I find Marie's ferrets? Any animal the is inbred will always have issues. Also reading Marshall's food ingredients is a disaster waiting to happen. Your little boys are so luck to have you.

[@Joy-xz2fx]

My girls are almost 8 and are very sick right now. They were both Marshall’s bred ferrets and I hate this crap they are going through. Today we are debating putting our baby down and hate this. It’s full on giving them meds and so sad to watch. They shouldn’t be bred the way they are.

[@TomoyoTatar]

True.

[@TomoyoTatar]

@@Joy-xz2fx I adopted my boy and he was a Marshall's ferrets. He lived only 6 years. It's because they spay and neuter too early. Also because many Marshall's ferrets do not recognize meat as food.

[@lauraruiz797]

Good luck Moosy. All my heart is with you tomorrow. Laura R.

[@awkwardanimagus767]

I’m Dutch and we have a specialized ferret veterinarian in the Netherlands with over 30 years of experience. She’s called Hanneke Moorman-Roest, look her up! She’s done a lot of scientific research and as I understand it there are 2 things that cause so many health issues in ferrets: 1. Recent scientific research shows that ferrets are actually SOLITARY animals (like weasels in the wild) and that they adapt to living in a group. It does however cause them a lot of stress which usually presents itself in issues in the digestive system and lethargy. 2. It was recently discovered that most ferrets carry a systemic Corona virus (not the human pandemic one!) that causes massive health issues and effects the entire system. It weakens their immune systems dramatically and thus makes them more susceptible to diseases. Hope this helps! I hope Moose is doing well and that your other boys are as comfortable as they can be!

[@spameater5233]

First and foremost good luck to little Moose on his surgery and much love to all your ferrets with their health. We lost a Ferret as well a little while after adopting her from the pet store. Went to two vets and ran many test but was unable to help her. In the end we had to do what was right for her. To your point in the video, do you think ferret owners should start selectively breeding ferrets that show less health issues? The same way they breed dogs for their esthetics. Ferret breeders could take it upon theirselves to breed them for their health and longer life span. We as ferret owners could stay away from ferret farms, I would most certainly pay extra to adopt a healthier breed of ferret. You would have less visits to the vet and less heart ache.

[@Eneby00]

Both my girl and boy are in perfect health, probably because they were bred correctly, neither are fixed, and they're eating a raw diet. I got my boy from a very reputable breeder here in the UK he's a semi angora and I have his family tree noted all the way to his great grandparents. He's 7 months old and he only has the DES implant so that he won't bother my girl with his hormones in a way that isn't getting him altered for life. Whether I'll get him castrated or a vasectomy in the future I will still continue getting him the implant as prevention from Adrenal disease. From what I have noticed a senior ferret in the UK is one aged 8-12. There's rare cases of them living to 13, 15, and I think the eldest one was 18 when she died.

[@TechnologyJunkie]

I think we need to start mixing up the gene pool, strengthening it. Tracking animals and their medical history, breeding to reduce the tendency for insulinoma, adrenal disease etc. I've been taking care of ferrets for 26 years, there are many fond memories of furry friends past, and a whole lot of heartbreak; but I keep coming back to these amazing animals.

[@jsd8197]

My heart goes out to you. I've owned ferrets for 30 yrs. And seen it all. Buryied many. They all take a piece of my heart with them.

[@AzizaPoggiworld]

I completely understood everything your saying about how they get attached and we love them so much, we wished they had longer lives. I feel a hole in my heart every time i lost one. My ferrets were all Marshall's. Each had their own personality. Each loved equally. My three RIP babies, Cyrus, Magnus and Lilith all had adrenal and insulmonia. Praying my new family member and young boy Louis (Loo Eee) will be healtny. I pray all the time. My mom wanted me to stop torturing my heart when one passes, but i cant imagine my life without them. I also set aside emergency money for vet bills and my unused CC just in case a bill not expected. You gotta plan when having a ferret. Heres my RIP babies.

[@Jenkins_famlee]

Marshall farms has the worst breeding program, and said to be prone to disease more than anyone. There’s a documentary on a person who infiltrates the farm, and gets evidence of neglect. They say that a lot of the little guys even ran over by gold carts they ride around. You can check for yourself, but most pet stores get them there, and very prone to disease. So sad!😞

[@thestoryart6533]

My 4-year-old Ferret died a few weeks ago. I am so sorry for your loss. When a person’s Ferret dies they aren't just losing the Pet, they are losing a friend

[@pensarenvozalta]

Sending all my love Haley, Newt is happily dooking in heaven 💕

[@lunamiku4166]

I feel depressed watching this but thank you for this very informative video Marshalls should be ashamed of themselves for mostly inbreeding these ferrets for a quick money grab

[@ggwillie7]

Yes I agree I think they should be shut down and some other business that honestly care about ferrets should up bring the health and life's of ferrets

[@mommybrooklynn7340]

this makes me so sad, i love you guys and i hope everything gets better.

[@TheModernFerret]

💙

[@user-iu2zr8vj7g]

Rest in peace sweet little Newt. 💔 I'm so sorry for your loss. Sending you a lot of love. I lost my ferret years ago, it's devastating. At least there's people out there willing do to everything to give their animal companions the best quality of life possible despite all their health issues.

[@Kbearlove]

I truly believe that the leading causes of all of these issues is the breeding. Marshall Farms. Not a lot of people know that they are actually a mill, 😞 and when I saw a video of the inside of the facility, it was heartbreaking. I did a lot of research about animals in the mass food industry (smaller local farms are much better!) and I thought that was the most horrid and disturbing footage I’ve ever seen. I can’t even see it again. I felt that same feeling watching the ferrets in Marshall Farms facilities. I don’t even want to describe how sad it was. What this means for the health of our ferrets that we bring home is that since they were breed in these conditions, most ferrets are prone to have diseases and health issues in their lives. It’s very sad :(

[@paulvolkov8419]

Common here in Ukraine! We also puzzled about root of these health problems. Aa also a foster parent from 2012, all of my 9 ferrets (all the time) I had some of this problems. As a executive director of charity organization "Ferret Galaxy" we had already approximately from 600 to 800 foster ferrets. We could share our knowledge to every one who is interested. We wish our best to Moose on his ongoing snuggery! Big hugs and snuggles to Noose and Albert!

[@jessicalum84]

I had a ferret named Skitzo I and was so lucky to have him for almost 9 years. He had zero health problems and had just the best temperament. I love and miss him so much. We had a wonderful life together. Buster on the other hand I rescued when he was 3 years old, again very healthy and no health issues. I had him for an amazing year and then woke up one morning to find he had passed in his sleep. It's so hard loosing those little guys. I haven't had a ferret since then, but now that I have kids, I'm thinking of getting another one. But you are correct it seems that health issues are a lot more common nowadays. Very strange.

[@billyhgunn]

ATTENTION FERRET OWNERS I would recomend all ferret owners go and buy an alphatrak2 bg test kit, its about 70$ and you can monitor all your ferrets bg(blood glucose) This will give you away tonot only catch insilinoma early so you can prepare to treat them or even if you choose to get surgery, it will make it more likely to suceed the earlier you catch the disease. You can monitor how bg levels react to certain foods. Its 70$ and the starter kit comes with over 50 strips, calibrate as if your doing a dog, So insteadof going to a vet and paying 120 for a bg test and you only get 1 result you can spend 70$ and test all you want. Lets put it this way its not if but when you will need this, so rather then waiting till last minute and cant wait for delivery so you end up spending over 100 for the vet to give the same exact test. These tests are made for dogs and cats so calibrate the test for a dog, there are many videos online a well that tell you how to accurately take a ferrets bg level.

[@ladygreyhaven]

I’ve had ferrets for 20 years. I’ve lost every single one to insulinoma and adrenal disease. I’ve trying everything conceivable to increase their life span. Reading, researching, changing food, trying new medicine, every kind of therapy and treatment but it takes them, every single time. I really don’t know what is causing it but I suspect a genetic predisposition from bad breeding practices. I only have my 2 yr old Penny left. My husband and I have been seriously considering not getting more ferrets because the heartbreak is just too much to bare. (Luna, Gidget, Tiny, Rigby, Remington, Ouija, Ozzy, Renegade have all gone over the Rainbow bridge) I miss them terribly, these were not just pets these angels were my babies. From everything I know your doing all the right things. You make there comfort and care a priority and really that’s all you can do when you love them as much as we do. Prayers for Moose, Hoping for a quick surgery and speedy recovery.

[@Grey-wp5xu]

Adrenal disease comes from hormonal imbalance as I'm sure you know, and this comes from bad light exposure/altering too early in their lives. A ferret bought from a pet store in the US or Canada is fixed at merely 6 weeks old, which is nowhere near the 2 year time mark your ferret should pass to be fixed. Hope this helps!

[@Pika_chu14]

I can tell it feels terrible to lose them and I know I wouldn't want to lose a friend that early too 😔

[@keelyandlaceycool4647]

i feel so bad my ferrets healthy im sorry that you guys have to go through this .

[@rhythemrose]

My boy Max had adrenal disease, in his last days I spent a lot of money trying to save him and he still died shortly after. I made sure the last time he had he was able to enjoy himself. My girl Luna is 3 and she now has adrenal disease. I want her to enjoy her time while she can. I don’t want to waste time and money, I rather spend time with Luna and enjoy her while I can. I hope your boys are hanging in there! I love your channel so much! 💙

[@Grey-wp5xu]

For people who may be confused: Adrenal disease studies have been done throughout the years of keeping domestic ferrets. The causes are suspected to be improper light exposure, bad breeding, and **altering too early in their lives**. To prevent your ferret from developing it, it is best not to support pet stores in the US and Canada, as the ferrets in pet stores are required by law to be neutered/spayed and descented before being shipped. These poor babies are ripped from their mothers too young, fixed WAY too young, and then sold. **BEFORE FIXING YOUR FERRET, YOU SHOULD WAIT AT LEAST 2 YEARS SO THEIR BODIES CAN PROPERLY MATURE.** Insulinoma comes from pancreatic beta cells that turn cancerous, and create tumors known as insulinomas. Insulinomas secrete excess insulin into the blood stream, and eat up all of the sugar the body is given. Ferrets aren't studied enough for it to be easy to find a proper document on how exactly these tumors develop, but the common theory is that the pancreas develops them after having to work overtime processing the carbohydrates in an improper diet such as many kibbles. This isn't proven to my knowledge, just thought it would be interesting to mention. Your ferret must have access to kibble at ALL TIMES to prevent hypoglycemia and/or an insulinoma crash from low blood sugar. If they don't have a constant energy source, they will crash and possibly seize.

[@alienshe3110]

I had no idea that they had to be fixed before being shipped to the store. that´s seriously a huge shock to me. i live in Germany and I am very happy that offering baby pets (of any kind) is illegal here. I would recommend anyone to get their pet from serious breeders where you can visit and check the parrents as well as the surrounding.

[@GeoffDaLoneRhymah]

I was told by some people that they develop issues if you don't neuter/spayed ferrets before they come into heat or want to mate.. After reading your comment.. I'm not so sure..

[@marit8983]

You asked people from different countries to react. So... tadaa! I live in the Netherlands and I have a ferret. She will hopefully be 8 years old this summer. She thankfully has no deceases at all. She was really sick last summer though, and had diarrea, fell on her side all the time, wouldn't eat and was very lethargic. I thought she would die. My vet thought it was probarly because of really hot weather. (It was way hotter than we are used to over here.) Her being so sick aged her but she is still going strong. She ate premium kibbles all her life (I adopted her at 5 months old). After she was sick she no longer ate them. She now gets fluid food. It made her a bit chubby but she is doing well. She sleeps most of the time and isn't really playfull anymore, but she is an old lady so that is fine. She still checks out everything and anything ;) My first ferret was also completely healthy. When he was 5,5 years old he became sick all of the sudden and died 3 days later. My vet is a ferret specialist but he didn't know for sure what happened. He suspected some kind of blood decease. He tried different kind of antibiotics, gave him fluids, but nothing worked. He died before he could do a surgery as a last resort to see what was wrong. My vet told me that he thought breeding was the problem. There was a period many people wanted a ferret, so lots of people bred with ferrets. They also bred new coats, eye colours etc. He said it has weakened the species and he saw an increased number of unknown deceases on ferrets. Losing my first ferret all of the sudden broke my hearth. And I was extremly worried last year for my little girl. But I consider myself lucky they didn't had any structural health problems. (I hope there aren't to many mistakes in my English).

[@jasonbrown1621]

There aren't a lot but a few : *Heart *Extremely

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with ferrets from the Netherlands!

[@datweezyl]

So sorry for you. I have had 12 ferrets in 26 years(just got 2 each 4 month olds last month). It is heart breaking. You will mourn them like anyone you love. You will want to check on them and yet dread what you might find. When it becomes a case of their quality of life being nothing but bad then you will have to put aside your own feelings and do what is best for them and euthanize. When all your loved one has is pain and discomfort then death is mercy. I have had to do this 8 times already and it is never easy and it should not be easy because how do you end the life of the one you love? It is just hard, but remember the joys of every day when pain and disease were not an issue. How they always make you laugh. How they are always ready to be with you no matter what. I wish this never had to happen but we are all just visitors, there is no staying. If you have faith in God then you are never alone and he always loves you. God bless.

[@stellerrr_lol]

Oh no hope your ferries get better

[@stellerrr_lol]

Omg thanks for 4 likes

[@GooseWurkz]

Prayers for Moose

[@robertinhacor]

Dear Halley, I cried watching the video because it is very sad to know that these adorable animals suffer so much from health problems. I dream of having a couple of ferrets, but in addition to being very expensive to import into Brazil, we don't have many veterinarians to deal with. exotic here. in addition, the only companies authorized to import ferrets into Brazil buy the animals from Marshall, where they are raised in precarious conditions. I'm praying for Moose, I hope everything goes well in the surgery, and I wish Newt and Albert well. I'm sending love and prayers to you all! ❤️🐾

[@LDSVenus]

Having had about 25 ferrets over a 25 year span (many of them rescues) it seems to me that the ferrets that come from the big ferret farms have issues in their gene pools that are just passed on in their genetics. The Ferret Mailing List aka FML, talks about this and other issues, they are very helpful. I don’t have ferrets any more because losing them was getting too hard and I just couldn’t take losing one more piece of my heart anymore. I love ferrets and they are my pet of choice, but I can’t do it any more. I always tell people who want a ferret, that ferrets need supervised attention and can not be left out of their cages when the owners are gone, they are so curious and can get into so much mischief that can end in injuries, and that ferrets are expensive in every way and they tend to need more medical care as they age and to start a medical savings account for their future. I tell them not trying to discourage you, just being honest because I hate seeing these sweet playful buddies end up in rescues.

[@JsGod1st]

I'm so sorry 😭

[@jaimemendoza5553]

Thank you so much for sharing this video. Sure, it may not be a happy video, but it's something everyone who has ferrets or considering having them should watch and take into consideration. Super informative! I've been a ferret owner for over 10 years, and still learning. I have a young ferret, a little over a year old, whose healthy, currently, but I've had other ferrets whom, unfortunately, all have had multiple health issues, including the ones mentioned in this video. It's incredibly heartbreaking seeing them go through it. I've even had to, unfortunately, have one be "put down" because the complications were so severe. Can't even think about it. Thank you again for sharing this very important information! Much love to you, your ferrets and the ferret community 🙏🏼

[@darcellcrawford2623]

Growing up as a kid I’ve had a total of 5 Ferrets. Four Boys and One girl. I first became interested in Ferrets when I was 7 or 8. There was a story that we read in school called Rikki Tikki Tavi ! I was so moved at how this Mongoose saved this kid and his family from a sure tragedy. I told my mom about this story and how I really want a Mongoose! So my mom went to the pet store and inquired about them. Like any any good parent she broke the sad news first when I came home from school about the Mongoose 😞 but then she invites me to go upstairs to her room where I was SHOCKED to see my first Ferret! He was White with Red Eyes and you can guess what his name was. Rikki Tikki Tavi! I loved that Ferret we did everything together accept bathing of course . I was never allowed to take him outside and I grew up in the Hood so no one even new what a Ferret was let long looked like. This was 1984 - 1985. In our apartment there was a whole in the wall that led to our next door neighbors apartment. We had no idea that it was there. It was behind the heating unit. Rikki climbed through the whole and into the other apartment. My neighbor was a nice lady who also had a child but her child was only like 4 years old at the time. She thought Rikki was a Rat and shooed him out the door. I was loosing my mind looking for him with my mother when my neighbor came out and realized what we were looking for . She sounded as if she felt terrible about and told us he went out the back door so we searched until this one kid comes out from behind a different apartment saying that he saw a big white Rat with Ref eyes and he told his moms boyfriend about it and they chased him and killed him. I was in tears angry and even called the Police but there was nothing they could do since he had no collar or leash. So I picked him up took him to a nice spot in the woods and Burried him. He was only one or two years old. We then bought another one after we had the hole in the wall fixed and checked for any other holes. This one was a Sable I named him Domino. Again we did everything together we even bought him a leash and I walked him like he was a dog around the neighborhood and it was so funny to me that everyone thought he was a Rat and I took pride in explaining what my EXOTIC pet was. He was so smart. I had friends who had puppies and would would play with them I don’t recommend this we were fortunate that he never was hurt. So we purchased another one! This Time a girl . White with red eyes . We only had her for a couple days and took her back because for the first time I was bitten and she drew blood from my ear and wouldn’t let go. My mom had to pry her jaws open to get her off. She was a baby as well only 2 - 3 months old. So we picked up a boy next White with Red eyes. We named him Buck because he never wanted to be handled. He to was only 2-3 months old. Then one day my mom went to the pet store for some supplies and they had a Ferret there that had been put up for adoption. He was a dark brown and very shy. He was fat to. I never saw a Ferret this plump. But he would let you hold him and pet him but when I put him down he would hide. He looked like an adult when we got him and the previous owner left no information on him. Anyway I named him Darkman because he was pretty dark in color. After about 4 months he was out of his shell and we had a lot of fun together. Domino loved to be 14 years old before he passed away from Neurological Tumors. It was sad. Darkman passed away while I was in the Military and so did Buck. I was so heartbroken by there passing that I never wanted another pet. Well now I’m 43 married with 3 children and we just picked up two Ferrets. Hansel and Gretel boy and girl of course and we love them . I saw this video and it brought back all those old emotions of my childhood pets that lived long lives left me with fond memories that all all came rushing back the moment I smelled Hansel and Gretel. My wife also had two Ferrets in her up bringing so we were ready for this but it is sad what they could go through. Don’t be discouraged by their illness. Though it can be a little costly they love interacting with their humans and and have left me with fond memories . They are so loving and fun to play with and watch. They are hilarious. Sorry this was so long . I actually didn’t go into as much detail as I could’ve 😂

[@sunshine14616]

Thank you so much for sharing. My heart goes out to all of you. Almost 2 years ago, my son bought a ferret. We named her "Noodle." After a serious illness of my own, she and I bonded deeply. 9 months later, I adopted 4 more ferrets from a family moving to a hot climate. They wanted to keep them together. We didn't even have Noodle a full year before she suddenly became very sick. She would wabble and fall down. We saw the vet twice in one week and early in the morning on January 1, 2020 the emergency vet ended her suffering after battling seizures all night. My heart shattered. Fast forward to March and one of the two boy ferrets began showing the same signs Noodle had, but we didn't even have time to get to the vet. I noticed his staggering before I went to work, called the vet to get in, and by the time I arrived home to get him, he was curled up and dreadfully cold. I could tell he was passing away, so I just held him and whispered to him. I had never witnessed an animal pass away naturally. We have 3 left. Out big boy, Bubbles (Bub) has a massive spleen. It fills the palm of my hand. It got smaller in the warner weather, but it's back to massive. I love our vet, but we haven't found a vet who REALLY knows ferrets. Most of the diagnoses have been guesses bases on tests. They thought Noodle had a blockage bases on xrays, but then Bear ended up with the same thing. Thank you, thank you for giving me some answers, and for all of the information you share. If I could, I would give you a huge hug. Prayers are being lifted for you all. ❤🦦💕

[@Strawberryneuralgia]

I lost my 20 month old marshal ferret too heart defects, mineralization of her spine and other projected neuro system complications . She also had a chicken allergy as well as other digestive issues. My baby may be gone but I did everything I could for her and her rare circumstances will help my vets treat other ferrets in the future. Please cherish every moment you have with your ferrets 💗💗💗

[@mayaresnikoff6136]

Wow thank you for sharing

[@driftsgardens9526]

I live my ferret I'm so scared about any health problems I'm so happy with my little boy. I think Marshalls ferrets breeding practices should be investigated.

[@lyraferret]

I had two ferrets for 4 years (they passed a few years ago) and even though I didnt have them for long, I dont regret getting them at all! My life would be so so different without them. My little fuzzbutts 🥰🥰 And it's honestly a crime how little healthcare there is for ferrets. I moved around a lot and in many of the places I went, it was hard to get a vet that could treat my ferrets, even more so when their health started declining. So I agree- there needs to be more awareness and research for them!! I wish you the best of luck with your ferrets and I hope everything will be alright ❤

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you for the kind message, hopefully we can help spread the word and increase awareness of ferret care!

[@alienshe3110]

Hey there, I just watched your video and I really hope everything went well with your little buddys. I am currently a proud mommy of two tiny monsters (2 little brothers that we adopted 2 years ago). They aren´t my first. I had an albino female first. I made horrible experiences with my little lady - she died much too young (it broke my heart and it took me 11 years until I was ready to adopt ferrets again) because she had many health problems from the beginning. We live in Berlin and are part of a ferret organisation that helps misstreated animals. We often get sick pets that we have to nuture - unfortunately those diseases are common everywhere but as you said usually that occurs in an advanced age. The main differences that I could observe between the USA and Germany are that you offer puppys in pet stores. That´s forbidden in Germany for any kind of pets because those puppys mostly get seperated from their mothers much too early. Plus that they are stuck in the shop which is a stressful environment especially for puppys. I think you mentioned in the video that you got Moose at the age of 8 weeks. This is the "recommended age". My two ferrets stayed with their mommy until week 12. I also got them from a serious breeder where I could see their parents and check their first surrounding. Another huge difference between (and I believe the is the main difference) American and German ferret owners I noticed is that Americans mainly feed theirs ferrets with dry food. In Germany almost every ferret owner rejects that. Ferrets are carnivors - they need fresh meat (everything but pig - they cannot digest the fed very well). I know it´s not the nicest thing to do (especially for me because I am an vegetarian) but if you love them you need to feed them raw meat. Mine always have a full bowl of dry food (100% meat - no grains, fruits or vegetables) but they get twice per day fresh meat. Of course it´s also nessecary to feed them balanced - I take care of a versatile diet: on one day we eat chicken, than rabbit, than turkey and so on. I also feed them baby chickens or mice from time to time. It´s really a disgusting thing to do but in Germany owners are convinced that that is the most nutrious food for ferrets. Trust me, it took me a lot of overcoming. They also get once per month fesh liver. Another thing is that I don´t feed the cheap meat (meat from mass production) because those animals are treated with a lot of antibiotics - if it´s not healthy for the human how could it be for the ferret? I know that´s expensive but I think it´s nessecary to talk about the costs as well (as you did in your video) - owning ferrets is everything else but cheap. I mostly spend between 100€ and 150€ per month only for the food. Luckily mine are healthy but I am fully aware what is waiting for us whenever they are older and the visits to the vet start piling up... Well so far from my side - it was not my intention to write a roman but i hope i could help you a bit. I appreciate your work and your tipps with the bathing time helped us a lot because bathing with mine was pure terror for me and the ferrets xD until we tried your little tricks. They still won´t enjoy it like yours but they got used to it now - thanks a lot :)

[@juliekersten6050]

I wish you and your boys all the best. I got my first ferret back in the mid 90s and had her for 6 years. She got adrenals disease, but my vet never did much about it. I was told surgery was a serious risk because she was so small and was very expensive. She lived for 3 years after she started having symptoms at age 3. I then had a cat for 19 years and just recently got a new ferret. I feel a lot of health issues stem from the bad breeding, since most ferrets come from Marshalls. I grew up on a farm and have had many pets throughout my life. I care very much about animals. I hate having to make end of life decisions for them, I but I never want to see my pets suffer. I find that to be more heartbreaking than giving them peace. I hope your boys will be better. ❤️

[@Krusnix]

I've had a ferret with the same issue. Glady dealt fine with losing part of her tail. If Moose is as strong as Glady is then honestly seeing them get high off the pain medicine made me realize that she would be alright. She past at over 6 years old earlier this year but I regret nothing. I'm sure Moose will survive.

[@l0sth34d]

I lost one of my ferrets from insulinoma last month, the medication was good for a few months but at some point no medication was good enough for him. It was very sad to see how bad insulinoma can be, my ferret literally couldn't walk anymore, had seizures, was VERY dehydrated all the time, like instead of sleeping in his bed he was sleeping next to his water bowl, he couldn't even get in his litter box anymore. It's kind of a good thing that I've been working from home since march, I was able to be with him at all time and I'm sure he had a good life here with me and my other 11 year old ferret 😊 Dook in peace Sonic ❤

[@theodorabloomer3991]

I was almost in tears, all the best for you and your boys, especially moose tomorrow. I'm a first time ferret owner (had them nearly a year) and I got my boys from a rescue in the UK. I'm glad someone made something to help others understand all the health issues or ferrets, as sad as it might be, but am wondering if there's a difference in the health of ferrets in the UK compared to the US. They have been vet checked and I've been told their healthy, but they're also only about 2/3 years old. I hope, thanks to this video, I can be prepared or at least know what to look out for if any of my boys show symptoms of these common diseases. Good luck Moose, I hope it goes well

[@dward9035]

Eight of my ferrets lasted to 8 1/2 years old. I have owned 9 ferrets. I did some research on what caused these health issues. It seemed to have helped. The one ferret that died at 5 was a home bred breeder. The eight ferrets that lived to 8 1/2 were Marshall Ferrets.

[@Swaggdub]

i believe bad ferret health has to do with a multitude of reasons (bad breeding , inappropriate diet , bad products like malt paste, too much artificial light, early spay/ neuter) i have 2 ferrets they haven’t hit one year old yet and are raw fed , i try to actively exercise them everyday and improve their diet as much as i possibly can and limit artificial light as much as i possibly can. they are marshall boys and even though they are young and not sick i know ultimately they will eventually get some kind of health issue. it seems like adrenal is unavoidable if the ferret lives long enough.

[@L1v1ngD34dG1rI]

I hope your babies get better sending you prayers! ❤️

[@natalieparish3005]

With every new ferret I have, I learn something new. Most of mine have had adrenal disease. My last two girls both had lymphoma as well as adrenal disease. Enlarged spleens have been common too. And as much heartache as it causes when I have to say goodbye, I just can't seem to be without them (I've owned ferrets now for almost 20 years).

[@Steelie_W]

First off, thank you so much for making this video! I was thinking about making a video of my own, but I couldn't have summed up everything I would have to say better than this. I'm so glad I discovered this channel. Last fall was when my little buddy of seven years was diagnosed with adrenal disease. She never lost any fur however she was becoming a little lethargic, very itchy, and a black bump suddenly appeared on her vulva. I got her a deslorelin implant and it seemed to drastically turn her health around for a while. Six months later she suddenly (seemingly overnight) got very sick. She stopped eating her kibble, she was constantly gnashing her teeth, and she wouldn't get out of bed. I had to start feeding her Oxbow's carnivore critical care diet around the clock. She very enthusiastically ate that so long as it was hot and soupy. After finally getting her to the vet, she was diagnosed with insulinoma and I was told she had an enlarged liver. They suspect it was pancreatic cancer (I forgot to mention that around the time that she was diagnosed with adrenal disease, I was also made aware of a small nodule on her pancreas. Her blood glucose was a little low, but not low enough to diagnose insulinoma at the time) that had spread. I was also told that she would probably only have 3-5 months left to live with medical intervention alone. She had become so emaciated and I was told that there would be a lot of risks with surgery. I decided to see if steroids would help with the pain and inflammation, and perhaps increase her appetite... I would say it helped somewhat, but very minimally, at least at first. She became weaker and weaker over the next few weeks. I made the very painful decision to have her euthanized. That goodbye was the hardest goodbye I've ever had to make. This experience was so painful and heartbreaking. I was aware of how common adrenal disease and insulinoma are with ferrets from day one and I thought I was prepared... but I wasn't. There was nothing that could have prepared me for this sadness. I am still grieving. Also, I would like to mention... The night that she received her deslorelin implant and I had brought her home... I'm not entirely sure this is what happened, but she seemed to have a quick seizure. After doing a little bit of research, I think that it would be a good idea to make sure your ferret's glucose is checked before being sedated. That last year of her life, when her health started declining, was VERY expensive.

[@jbadmama]

i was so lucky to have my guy Oscar from a baby until he passed at 9 years old. also very lucky to have never had to go through any health issues with him until the end of his life when he got cancer. i miss him so much.

[@shirleyharris8450]

I currently have two sick ones. One is still young. One adrenal. Got an implant.

[@traingle8115]

It's really sad when an animal gets sick.... I hope your ferrets get better :)

[@hollyhazard3184]

😔 I am so sorry

[@jacksonthatcher4490]

I have a ferret named Luna and she’s one year old now. Seeing your ferrets health problems really makes me sad and I am terribly sorry that your ferrets have all of those conditions. So far what I’ve seen is I do not think my ferret has many health problems which I am happy about but as always I am scared to find out that she may have some Health problems. Watching this video really helped educate me and I’m so thankful for that. I hope moose has a great surgery tomorrow and I hope everything goes well.❤️❤️❤️

[@ellierome9619]

I have budgies and a dog. Before I made the choice to officially bring one home, I did intense research for months! I simply refuse to abandon any pets and so I make a promise to care for them. And that promise will never be broken. So you better bed I research snd if at any point I feel it’s something I cannot handle, I won’t bring an animal to suffer. That being said, I’m literally bowing before you for this video! I researched and none of the articles I read seem to reveal the severity of their health problems. You are real and transparency is so important. I can’t begin to explain how grateful I am gif each detail you’ve shared here. It actually makes me feel compelled to do my own intense research on the matter because there has to be something we’re missing. Like budgies only live 5-7 years on average. However, the life span can increase dramatically just by making sure they eat fruits and vegetables. There is a 28 year old budgie in Australia (I believe he finally passed) There’s another about 26. So I’m sure this can happen for ferrets as well. THANK YOU SO MUCH! AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU AND YOU FAMILY. 🌸🌸🌸🌸❤️

[@TechMechRandom]

My ferret, Zoe, is 3 months old. I got her on the 15th of November and 2 weeks later she just started sleeping a lot, which is way out of the norm for her. She normally pops up out of bed when I wake up in the morning and starts pulling on her cage to hang out. I noticed her squinting when going potty on Sunday but she still had lots of energy, then on Monday (29th of Nov) morning when I woke up she was still sleeping. I had a couple meetings that ended around 10am and she was still asleep. I woke her up and played with her for about an hour and she was tired again. By Tuesday she was in bed almost 23hrs and would just fall asleep in my arms. By this time she was only eating a small amount, going potty and climbing back into bed. I contacted the store to have her checked out on Wednesday. Thursday the pet store took her to the vet and the vet did a full work up on her and found nothing wrong but put her on antibiotics just to be safe. Since I had to sign her over to the pet store I cannot really check up on how she is doing other than calling every day but they just said she is not doing any better. Today will be the 2nd day on antibiotics and the pet store told me they would call if anything changes. I am not sure what is wrong with my little one but I am hoping she will pull though. Has anyone else experienced this before? I find it odd the vet cannot find anything wrong with her.

[@jorgel.escobarf.6557]

She is a baby, it’s normal for them to sleep a lot. My babies would sleep a lot when they were that young too. I remember one of of my babies fell asleep in my arms when we went for a walk once. I was talking to people, moving around and he was just knocked out. I swear some days it felt like they were only awake for 4 hours 😅 ohhhh but not any more haha

[@mdcharbonnet]

I’m having great difficulties with my baby, Bonnie. I really could use a few words of wisdom. I adopted Bonnie and her brother, Clyde, over 3 years ago. After 6 months of being a part of our family, Clyde passed. We fought for his life with everything possible! With over a $6000 bill from the Exotic Animal ER to their regular vet, Marshall’s was the reason. Fast forward- We adopted another beautiful boy right after our baby passed. This time, he was from the ferret rescue in Texas. We named him Clyde, Jr. Bonnie immediately found love and friendship with him. They’re inseparable! All has been great, until this past Friday. Bonnie lost everything! It was immediate. She was completely lethargic and stopped eating and drinking immediately. ER all day Sunday and our regular vet on Monday. Our vet immediately asked if she was a Marshall’s. Go figure?!? We have taken our Bonnie home and are waiting for her new life. It wouldn’t be fair for her brother, Clyde, to not be by her side.

[@PetroleVB]

The breeder I use to talk to told me their lifespan is 10 to 15 years (in France) This is so painful to hear and watch ... but this makes me happy to have mine, as at least I'm sure I'll do whatever I can to give them the best life I can Take care of yourselves ! I'm pretty sure having "healthy happy hooman" arround helps them to feel better too, they bring as much joy in our life as we try to bring in theirs

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you for sharing, wow that is an incredible lifespan for ferrets!! Is there a major ferret breeder or supplier in France?

[@PetroleVB]

​@@TheModernFerret not that I know of ... There is a brand called Truffaut wich could be the equivalent (without most of the scandales and problems, even if there are some :D ) as Marshall I guess, like recognized pet store ... but all the one I talk to are local breeders, that take kinda extra care about people that are going to adopt too (the first I contact refused to let me adopt one because he said that raw feeding is a mandatory thing for him. I decided to raw-feed mine not because of him, but he played a part in that decision)

[@Eneby00]

Same here in the UK good breeders refuse to let you feed one of their babies kibble. You actually have to pass their questionnaires in order to be able to adopt a ferret.

[@stupidsylvester989]

I wish moose a speedy recovery ❤❤

[@vanderheijdenit]

My ferret Kevin got to be eight years old. When he was six, he was diagnosed with insulinoma. He got omeprazole and proglycem (I hope it is the correct name in English as well, those were the Dutch names) every 12 hours. I was in the fortunate position to have a ferret specialist within a 45 minute drive, and people from all over western Europe went to see her. You should Google her, her name is Hanneke Roest from the 'Frettenkliniek' (Ferret clinic). She recently did a study with Wageningen Univerity about... corona virus amoung ferrets. This was even before the virus jumped to humans.

[@TheModernFerret]

Wow, this is incredible knowledge, thank you for sharing I will look into this!

[@vanderheijdenit]

@@TheModernFerret I’d also like to add that my ferret got a hormone implant after three months. My vet recommended it due to the problems with hormones in ferrets and recommends it to all male ferrets. It regulates hormones, reduces smells, reduces dominant behavior and slows down the development of the kinds of diseases. A hormone implant is preferred over neutering. In my case it came in handy because the implant is supposed to work for two years but after 1,5 years the balls started to drop again (which were recessed due to the hormone plant) and he started to really bite hard so I knew it was time to get a new implant.

[@stijnnijmeijer8226]

@@TheModernFerret just trying to inform you best, Hanneke Roest actually is against raw feeding, since ferrets with the ferret coronavirus (Coronavirus3, this virus has no connection to the current pandemic) are prone to secundary bacterial infections when raw fed, due to the quality of raw food not always being as top notch as they promote themselves as. But since your ferrets have insulinomas and/or adrenal disease and kibble food often contains too many carbohydrates for ferrets to digest properly you might want to keep them on this raw feeding diët. But all this to say, this new coronavirus among ferrets is most likely not the cause of things like insulinoma or adrenal disease but just another health problem ferrets sadly suffer from.

[@trash._.shrimp3116]

Oh no I'm so sorry your having to do this! I hope Moose will fell better after his surgery 😞💞

[@tracipavel9251]

Thank you for your honesty. I rescued a ferret in 2019. I think he was given up because of his health. My vet is awesome. Niko had insolinoma and adrenal disease. He received the implant and had prednisolone 2x daily. The first year we had him he was so much fun to play with. He needed a friend so we brought home Sandy and Shade. Shade has the implant and Sandy will get it soon. Niko’s tumor on his liver grew to the size of a grapefruit. He started having trouble getting around and it was extremely sad to watch. He wanted to interact with the other two, but just couldn’t. We made the tough decision to let him go in July. He was ready. He didn’t make it past the sedative and died in my daughters arms. I watched your memorial video about Newt and remembered Niko. A pet crossing Rainbow Bridge is so difficult. Two hedgehogs, a dog, a ferret, and our cat have all crossed. The dog and ferret were the toughest , but that didn’t keep me from getting another ferret. We still have 3 and I watch them like a hawk. I am always concerned about their health.

[@Dr_BriPinto]

thank you for being this open and vulnerable, i think this is really important for owners or soon to be owners to understand. My first boy, Bear, he got sick and had extreme hair loss and fluctuating weight. it was so so sad to watch but i showered him in love and honestly i was blessed for him to live for 9 whole years. But youre right not ever ferret/ferret owner is as lucky...I am praying your little fur baby had a good surgery 💞

[@FerretMusicStudio]

We have 15 ferrets here and we know it's hard to deal with health issues . Cancer sucks :( Sending love to you and the little angels 😢❤🌹

[@TheModernFerret]

Wow what a business you have! Thank you for the sweet message ♥

[@iamsquatty]

I'm so sorry to hear about their medical issues, it's never easy to have to deal with them but it's so worth it to be able to have them in your life. The main issue I've found with "pet store" ferrets (basically any ferret that isn't reliably and responsibly private bred) is where they come from. Most pet store ferrets I've seen are all from Marshall's farm (basically its like a puppy mill but with ferrets). They spay and neuter them at such a young age, that the hormones their bodies need don't get to develop correctly, and I know for sure that plays a big part in adrenal disease. Also I'm assuming since marshalls just tries to pump the ferrets out for the profit, their breeding practices aren't important to them, thus congenital diseases like insulinoma and lymphoma aren't kept in check like a responsible private breeder would do. I just lost one of my babies to lymphoma at the end of October. In total throughout my life I've had a total of 9 ferrets over the years. I don't think I've had even one of those pass away from just old age. Every single one of them had some kind of health issue and they were all pet store ferrets (including any rescues I adopted etc). These little guys hide medical problems so well that sometimes you don't find out something is wrong until it's very advanced. I've also had a ferret that had a chordoma. She got it removed along with the last 2 or so vertebrae on her tail with no issues but she was still fairly young. Having them go under anesthesia or sedation for any reason is always scary, so I'll be sending you and moose lots of love and healing energy for his coming surgery, and also asking my rainbow Bridge babies to watch over the procedure and make sure everything goes off without a hitch ❤

[@MelloMC33]

This makes me want to cry 😢 I'm going to go love my ferrets up

[@carrrut]

I never knew ferrets had so many issues, i dont own any (im a bunny person lol). It's shocking honestly, and so many variables as to why this is such a prevalent problem, I hope surgery goes well and Moose recovers swiftly!

[@TheModernFerret]

It can definitely be surprising! Thanks for the well-wishes ♥

[@happyhauntz]

I lost my baby Milo to lymphoma at just 2 and a half years old and it was the worst pain I've ever felt. I just pray my other two babies (both two) will live, long healthy lives.

[@pikachutorres5273]

I hope they feel better soon.

[@samayaland548]

Today is my birthday! And I LOVE your videos!

[@melaniemartinezfan5]

Happy birthday!

[@TheModernFerret]

Happy Birthday ♥

[@samayaland548]

@@TheModernFerret thank you!

[@theroxaslover13]

My heart breaks for you and your babies. I am praying for them and especially Moose for his surgery tomorrow. Best of luck and tons of prayers. From my three ferrets to yours

[@enokii6604]

It looked like you were about to cry! I hope your ferrets are doing ok to this day.

[@thegreenfingeredgardener]

😢 Sorry to hear this. I must be incredibly lucky as I've never had these problems with mine. One of my ferrets died from cancer at the age of 4 but I've never had any health problems with mine. I'm in the UK and my ferrets live indoors but I take them outside regularly. I feed them on kibble (James wellbeloved ferret food) and they have egg yolks as a treat 3 to 4 times a week. They don't come into contact with any other animals either. I'm not sure why domesticated ferrets have these health problems but it is heartbreaking to hear this about your ferrets 😢

[@BarbarianKingCoC121]

It’s this kind of stuff is why I don’t have a ferret yet I’ve been going back and forth with myself for what feels like months I don’t want to see my ferret sick and I don’t want for me to have commitment issues(Because I’ve never kept my own pet before) but I want to adopt a ferret to give it a new home and this is one of the very few times I can’t weigh the good from the bad :(

[@user-pl3hi3fr9m]

I want to say thank you Moose. Your videos helped us make the decision to help out our ferret Ferrah by getting her Chordoma surgery early. It was a success and made her happier

[@ddearce]

I am so scared and sad for them!! Now I’m super scared for my ferrets. Good luck, sending all my love and prayers ❤️

[@rogerstroup7240]

The worst thing about owning a ferret is that if they come from marshals and their poor breeding practices and it hurts to see them going down in health, HUGS for both you and you sweet hearts.

[@emberedits1342]

Prayers for a successful surgery & recovery for Moose 🙏 💞

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you for your prayers ♥

[@sloansteel1705]

Really appreciate you making this video, though I'm sure it wasn't easy. I think people see ferrets on KZbin and see this cute, bouncy, mischievous ball of fluff and just fall madly in love with them, not realizing what they may be getting into. I've been thinking about getting a pair of ferrets and this video made me pause and really think about if I'm fully prepared to take them on.

[@candiceking7422]

Smart. I truly enjoy ferrets, and my last one I just recently put to sleep on account of her health issues, side effects of her medicine, cost of medication on top of inflation. I don't see me getting another animal ever again b/c all had some kind of medical issue after turning 5 yrs old no matter how well they were fed and cared for. Just sad and frustrating. 😪 I so enjoyed all my ferrets they are so unique and so much fun w/ big hearts.

[@rainbowflutterz]

Speedy recovery Moose! You will do great sweetie-pie!

[@TheModernFerret]

♥

[@Mulldoonz]

I'm so sorry that all your furbabies are sick. I've recently found out that my two deafie girls are sick too. Missy has Lymphoma, in her lungs and a small mass in her abdomen. Tiff has adrenal and heart disease. I had that double wammy of info last week. In the 20+ years I've kept Ferrets I've only ever had one with insulinoma ( Minx did really well on pred for just over 2 years with it ) and Tiff is my first with adrenal. I've had 3 now with heart disease and the rest were different unique issues. My eldest and 2nd heart disease past peacefully when he was 9. Even though here in the UK we do see insulinoma and adrenal, we don't see adrenal on such a large scale like a you guys do. I think that all the possibilities you mentioned have a role to play in their overall health and longevity. Early neutering, nutrition as well as bad breeding. I do feel however that more and more is being discovered and learned in regards to Ferrets. Knowledge has certainly come a long way over the last decade. Here in the UK, way back when, Ferrets were mostly kept as workers, Rabbit and Rat catchers. Owners throwing in Pigeon at feeding time or worse of all, feeding them bread and milk!. Many owners were treating them like expendable stock sadly, keeping them in small hutches outside etc however, there were and are many that care a great deal about them though and only want the best. Those are the ones that throw in the Pigeon and Mice for food. I remember meeting such a loving Farmer, who used his Frats 'as he called then' for Rabbiting etc, he brought in his boy to a Ferret show I attended, he was big and fluffy and 11 years old! I couldn't believe it, I'd only had Ferrets for about 3 years at that point and had no idea that they could live that long ( he died a year later at 12 ) I was reading up about Marshals and places like Triple F Farms who breed Ferrets. It's heartbreaking to know that these precious beings have such a shitty start in life. Then there's the lack of proper care in Pets stores over your way too. Until places like this are held accountable and educated better things wont change. Backyard breeders too are to blame. Many of them also not educated enough or just don't care enough about how they're breeding or feeding to give Ferrets the best start in life which would give them a better chance at a longer healthier life. Have you heard of Maries Ferrets ? she lives in Sweden and has the most amazing Ferret enclosure. Check her out on FB. Her eldest girl was 14 years old. Anyway, I'm rambling..I really hope that that your Vet goes ahead with the operation and that is goes smoothly. It's always a worry when our babies go in to be sedated. All you can do it put your trust in the team that will be around him, taking special care and doing everything than can to keep him safe and sound. I've just dealt with Missy wondering around the place out of her furry little face like some crack head recently.. the ketamine took much longer to leave her body than expected,,by 10 hours lol. But she's fine now. All The Best >'o'

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you for sharing, what an incredible message. We LOVE and absolutely ADORE what Marie's Ferrets is doing and her ferrets. I hope that one day we can use our platform to promote and share healthy breeders and help increase awareness to properly bred, healthy ferret genes. ♥

[@alexwright1689]

I actually cried watching your little one have a seizures that made me so sad and I'm sorry that you have to deal with that

[@darciesanchez1709]

My heart is with you Moose ❤️🙏

[@mch.l.trecords9169]

I have had all kinds of animals including the main 3 in the order: Carnivora, which includes Ferrets, Dogs, and Cats and I really don't have a preference between the 3. I have noticed though that between the 3 there are mainly 2 differences, the first difference is that they all actually show the same level of love and affection it's just the way they show it is different. Cats prefer to cuddle up next to you on a couch or sit on your lap instead of being held, Dogs are the exact opposite of cats in how they show affection, and Ferrets are like a combination of the 2. And the second big difference is lifespan, Ferrets live the least amount of time, Cats vary a lot from 12 years to 20 years, and Dogs live on average 12 years to 15 years.

[@isinmoogle]

Thank you for this video, you're a beautiful person with such wonderful little companions. Wishing you and all your babies the best especially for Moose and his procedure. I've owned ferrets for about 12years now, lost one girls to adrenal disease at 9yrs old a few year ago, about a year later my first ferret passed away at 8yrs old from lymphoma and I recently lost one of my boys, Kylo, to likely cancer that made his spleen enlarge fairly quickly, he was only 3yrs old. We couldn't afford the surgery to remove his spleen, it was $4k+ with no guarantee that he'd make it. It is definitely tough to see them not feeling well like that and there being very minimal things you can do for them. Still I love ferrets and still own 2 rambunctious little troublemakers! don't think I could ever see myself without one! So again thank you for everything you do!

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you for sharing your incredible experience. 9 and 8 years is a great number to reach, you should be a proud ferret parent ♥

[@PawsofPrey]

I lost my boy Firo to a metastatic tumor in his abdomen at 4, and now my ferret, Guts, at 4 as well to almost the exact same thing. Very aggressive tumors that made them severely anemic. They both seemed to develop adrenal disease leading up to this finding as well. My 7 year old is doing well, but still has adrenal disease, but we are managing. I can't agree more that something needs to change. It's not normal for any species to be predisposed to this many health ailments in general, let alone at these young ages. Minks and polecats can live up to 10 years, otters 15, even stoats live up to 6 and that's in the wild. This just isn't normal, and I believe wholeheartedly it's from improper breeding, poor diet, and early altering that it's come to this. I really hope Moose's surgery goes well tomorrow, I will be thinking about him!

[@TheModernFerret]

Thank you for sharing, this is great information and documentation. DIP to your boys ♥

[@sharonadams1084]

Please get all ferrets a annual deslorilin implant. Get an alpha trak 2 & learn how to take Blood glucose measurements at home & have honey and q-tips on standby. Hope you Have an emergency vet and a large budget. Best of luck

[@lyonscultivars]

Possibly a bad blodline due to imbreeding. Realy huge shame as you love them so much. I spent ages hunting for mine from a fellow ferret keeper who worked his ferrets for instinct, compact size and friendly if handled oftern. Always sad to see them suffwe from complications

[@freehand_ink]

Hi Guys, here is a ferret-fanatic from Austria 🇦🇹! Ferrets here live from 7-10 years. I feed just raw meat and kibble is always there for a quick snack when the meat bowl is empty. So they rarely eat their kibble. I have an own room for them and I have the sunblind of the windows always half way up. So it is rather dark over the day but not pitch black. I also have an air conditioner in their room for the summer. I never ever turn on the heater, not even in winter. (We have about -5°C at night in winter) I also leave the window tilted! Too much light and heat can produce hormones that can cause those deseases mentioned. That's my input :) Greetings

[@divinelady8]

I pray and hope all goes well with Moose tomorrow. Thank you for sharing and starting the conversation about ferret health and sustainability. I’ve had ferrets on and off since I was 9 yrs old. The information available today is far better than it was in the 90s and it’s been quite the learning process. I lost my last two babies to Insulinoma. So I completely feel your pain and understand the commitment it takes to keep them living a happy and healthy life for as long as possible. It’s tough work! They both lived to be 7 and 8. All of my ferrets have been Marshall ferrets. Im sitting in a place today where I think the company Marshall needs to start taking accountability because I’m concerned that the newer generation of ferrets are having more health issues at a younger age. Just feels like a trend I am seeing. I have two new babies who are also from Marshall. I’m worried they’ll get sicker sooner than my last two. I hope they don’t. Your video is incredibly important and it’s the truth about being a ferret owner. Thanks again!

[@abeebee8823]

im so sorry :( bless u and your noodles

[@gabbycha141]

I think a big problem in the US is the breeding and the practice of neutering so young. Here in the Netherlands neutering ferrets before 6 months old is illegal and we don’t have giant ferret mills we mostly just have breeders here wher you can get ferrets. It has been advised over here to get the hormone implant instead of surgery to neuter ferret and the vets over here say that has helped prevent adrenal disease, it is the lack of hormones that makes them sick over time I believe and we have seen less ferrets with adrenal disease. That being said ferrets over here still have health issues but i think its not as bad here as in the US. We actually have problems with raw feeding here and its advised not to do it over here because a lot of ferrets have gotten sick from it especially weaker ferret that have diseases already or that are really young or really old, my ferret actually got really sick from raw food he got an intestinal infection that turned into a pneumonia and had to be admitted to the animal hospital for 3 days and this was when he was just 3 months old. He luckily was able to recover and he now gets kibble and i feed him organ soups and some canned cat food and ik make sure he only get healthy treats and i hope this will help keep him with me for a long time. Thank you for talking about this topic i feel that a lot of people dont talk about it enough. I hope the surgery goes well and i hope your ferret get to be with you as long as possible🙏🏼

[@TheModernFerret]

Wow thank you for this incredible message! I too think it is a mixture of several things including early neutering. Thank you for sharing the experiences and even some of the issues with raw feeding and health practices in the Netherlands!

[@CrystalCadalzo718]

I saw Moose's post surgery video first, so I'm very happy everything went well & I hope that tail heals up quickly. I needed this video. It may sound weird, but I think other ferrants will agree. I have 4, 2 boys, 2 girls. I'll keep their back stories short, Buddy was an anniversary present from my late boyfriend. 6 months later, after he got jealous of how close Buddy & I were, (I'm disabled, so I'm home 24/7, where Adam worked construction 6 days a week) so we got him his Harley. About 6 months after Harley, I found out about a ferret some junkies had & how her cage looked like it had never been cleaned & they were feeding her veggies, so a friend reached out & was initially asking how to properly care for her & I did 1 better & asked if she thought they would sell her to me. A few hours & $50 later & we had a new girl who we THINK is a few months older than Buddy, but we're not positive on that exactly. She's very small, but the vet did agree she was around that age by her teeth. The first 2 were a bonded pair so I wanted the little rescue to be part of a pair, so I got another one 2 years ago. He has the same birthday as Harley, just 2 years apart. He's a Waardy. Ok. The reason I needed this video is, while I currently have 4 fuzzies, I have had others in the past. I got my first one, as an adult, when I was 18. In a pet shop, there was a "free to good home" ferret, that I was told was a 1yr old female, turned out to be a 5yr old male with insulinoma. He, surprisingly, lived to about 7, which considering how sick he was, well, you get it. The 2nd, Adam & i got back I 2012 when a friend reached out & knew I was a ferret person. I actually had made a FB post about a month prior asking if anyone knew of any ferrets that needed a home. His buddy went to prison & left this little girl behind. She was around 3 but a year after we got her, she died of adrenal. I needed the reminder that just b/c all 4 of mine are at healthy, the 3 older ones are crossing that bridge into old age. I kinda guess I got complacent. I have noticed Bella, the rescue, seems like her fur on her tail is thinning, but not enough that I'm ready to rush to the vet during the pandemic. After Adam lost his battle with depression, I had to move back home & my mom is 88yrs old, so I don't want to risk her health quite yet. If Bella's tail starts going bald, that's a different story. Even my mom agrees with that. But I needed the reminder that just b/c I got 4 healthy ferrets today, doesn't mean I'll have 4 healthy ferrets tomorrow. I know it's like 1 in 4 ferrets gets sick, but that doesn't mean only 1 of my 4 is gunna get sick. Chances are they all might. I know this. Being the local crazy ferret lady, I try to educate people as much as possible b/c I get a lot of "awwww. How cute!! Do they bite?" followed by that person wanting to pet them & begins asking questions. Idk if it's just NJ, but people seem to think they are the same as a rat, hamster or guinea pig. People are shocked when I mention "they're actually predators,". Basically I try to educate people before they run out to a pet store to buy 2 only to post them online a month later, stating it's more than they thought & the baby ferrets are biting their kids. So I know what the odds are, I know there's a high chance all 4 of mine could get sick, most definitely, at least 1 will. I just needed the reminder. Thank you for making this video. My heart breaks for Albert & I wish all 3 good health, the best it can be & I hope Moose's tail heels quickly

[@ady7695]

I’m pretty new to ferrets, what do you mean by “he’s a wardy?” Sorry to be annoying!

[@carolehendry3922]

I wish Moose all the best with his surgery. In the uk you can’t buy ferrets cats or dogs in pet shops. We buy from breeders. I believe Marshal mass breed ferrets. However, although we have more small breeders we still have theses medical issues. My eldest ferret is currently 7 years old. We lost his two brothers very suddenly two years ago. I have a total of 28 and you see both the illnesses develop around age 4. I am also stumped that these awesome creatures are classed as exotic despite having been kept since ancient Egyptian times. I think sadly they were to readily disposable. Most my fuzzbutts are rescued and or in need of a forever home. 🤗 from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. Please keep us updated. Ferrets are in my soul. They are my antidepressants. They raise me up 💜💜💜

[@oysterjardindeshuitres]

Thank you for sharing your story and your furry friends' medical issues journey. It's heartbreaking, but extremely interesting. From my understanding, in Canada at least, you can have ferrets that are breed by either Marshall or another Canadian mill (not sure of the name), that are labeled as "Canadians". You can tell by the tattoo they have in their ear. The Canadians are more agressive and intense, but live between 7-8 years. However, they also are super prone to adrenal disease. The other breeders seem to be individuals that imported ferrets from Europe. This is clearly not scientific, but Europe-imported and ferrets in Europe in general seem to live much longer, in general about 10 years for the ones I know. I have even seen a women with a 13 year old furry ferret :) ! Coincidentally, there are also a lot more breeders, as neutering is not automatic, as it is done here. Could all those "systematic" health issues be caused by the genetic pool? Looking at our ferret breeding approach is a dirty business. Ever seen a video inside Marshall facilites..... ?! Yikes. Not to mention the food and other products they sell that are supposedly "made for ferrets"... We're so picky about our dog breeders, why in the world would be accept this from *the* major breeder. It's not because it's the norm that it's normal. I would love to ask those questions to the majors breeders, and see what's their answer for this irresponsible practice.

[@veronica8586]

Awww poor babies!!!! We bought two ferrets for my daughter and I’ve fallen in love with them, they are super smart!!!!! I hope all goes well with moose!

[@sarahkelly5579]

I'm sorry to hear about your boys. Good luck to Moose tomorrow. With your vet I am sure the surgery will be successful. I too wonder how we can keep selling ferrets as pets in the US when we are not equipped to deal with their health. It's sad (but also fortunate) that my main sources for information are you and others online - not my vet. (My vet is wonderful, but honestly I know more about the day-to-day ferret care than she does, and she tells me that.) My ferret passed at 7.5 years of cancer, and 6 months later I got my two boys Fergie and Finnie (now 5 months.) I worry about their future. Thank you for bringing this issue to light - that more research needs to go into solving ferret health problems.

[@9Javo]

Sorry to hear about your ferrets health problems. Fingers crossed that Moose will recover well. My little Ayco went blind after a year (catarract) and her eye lens fell, so she has an eye that's a lot bigger. She has had problems with digestion almost her entire life, and recently got diagnosed with insulinoma on top of that. At this point she needs medication atleast 2 times a day and the amount just keeps growing. That being said, I still find it worth it and would do it all over again. They really do form a very special bond with you. Thanks for sharing your stories. Its hard to figure out what is going wrong with your ferret so the more videos there are about it, the better.

[@mikemacaluso2729]

So sad!! I love m’y ferrets so much! My female female has adrenal disease and just had her implant today! We need to find how to stop all of these diseases! Thank you for the video!

[@MindyMaeCrochets]

As my husband and I are planning on getting ferret's we will not be doing so until we've saved up an emergency and care fund. We've learned so much from your channel already and admire your ability to admit when you don't have all the answers. Armed with your videos and our own research we feel prepared to take on the responsibility. Thank you!!!

[@Yunnub]

I've been told by multiple ferret people that even in the UK, Adrenal disease is super common and here in the UK there are studies to see if artificial light is a factor and seems fairly certain that it is a major factor. Our four ferrets are 2 years old and live in doors but depending on the weather go outside every day to play in their outdoor run we made them. We built their indoor cage/hutch using 2 bookcases so it is quite shaded inside to keep a good deal of artificial light off them. The runt of the litter is giving me some concern though as he doesn't seem to be getting his winter weight or coat like his three brothers already have and has had a rat like tail for more months than I'd deem ok. I'm going to arrange with my mum as they are her ferrets to see if we can book them in for a check up but that depends on her availability and the vet the ferrets have seen before as she specialised in ferret, rat and other small exotics and she was the most trusted vet I had for my rats.

[@Kbearlove]

God bless you Moosy. He’s beautiful and strong.

[@jeanniediaz2847]

Good luck moose! I had ferrets years ago before they had ferret food or ferret anything. Back then we treated ferrets like cats. They ate cat food, used reg cat litter, etc. Many of my friends had ferrets & we enjoyed ferret parties where we got together with our ferrets. Trust me its a barrel of laughs to see a room full of ferrets. Most of them made it to 6, 7 years of age before they died. My ferret had an undiagnosed problem. She stopped eating. I took her to her Vet several times but she kept getting worse. One day she stopped moving I thought she had died. I took my half dead girl to a big animal hosp. in Manhattan, NY. She was admitted. By the next day my honey was good. They called in a ferret dentist because the inside of her mouth was red. Because her mouth was so sore she had stopped eating. They told me this problem was rare in cats but it was the first documented case in a ferret. My Vet didn't recognise the problem & the antibiotic he gave her was ineffective. The animal hospital got it right. My honey girl came home.