Any guidance to amend my ferrets' fur's softness?
I have two ferrets and for some reason, their fur started to be aware of rough and dry. They used to have beautiful coats with the food I present them and I didn't change their nutrition since.
Could it be related to aging? They are only 3 years old though.
Or could it single be related to shedding season? Although mine don't seem to usually start shedding before December.
They catch plenty of fresh water and I brush them (from time to time because they don't really enjoy it all that much) and I avoid bathing them too regularly. They bathe about once every 2 months.
Someone suggested giving them mineral oil or newborn oil but I don't know about that.
I also try and give them that commercial treat/vitamin cement. Should I give them more of that then?
Fellow ferret owners, please let me know what you reflect.
Thanks!
Dry, rough fur can *sometimes* be a sign of a health problem (I know intestinal parasites can produce this), so make sure nothing else is "off" just about your ferret. It could also be age-related. As for that vitamin paste, I'm assuming it's either Ferretvite, Furovite, or Nutri-cal, right? If that's the case, don't make a contribution more. Even though I don't know how much you're giving them, it's probably safe to say that you should be giving them *less* of it. Those pastes are full of sugar (not well brought-up for a ferret), so if you're set on giving it to them, at least give them greatly, very minimal amounts (I'd say a pea-sized amount once a week, at most).
The dry fur could also be because of the season - my ferrets tend to capture itchier and their fur sometimes seems a bit drier during the colder months (especially when the heat goes on!). I grant mine warm bath soaks with 100% raw colloidal oatmeal (I usually buy Aveeno, it has 8 packets of the powder for $7) - it relieves the winter itch and make them feel super soft. Also, this is a lot more gentle on them than soaps/shampoos, so you can do it more repeatedly (I've heard of people doing it as often as once a week; mine normally get it once or twice a month). The oatmeal is also a natural cleanser, so they are being cleaned (not that they really stipulation to be cleaned) during their soak. Just partially fill a tub (or whatever you as a rule use for a bath) with warm water, consequently add some of the oatmeal (one packet is for one full tub - the less water you use, the smaller number of the packet you need to use). You could also try adding a little fish grease to help with their coat (just about a drop or two per day).
Because a ferret's fur is naturally coarse. You didn't bring a bunny rabbit, you got a domesticated polecat. Some ferrets are bred to be softer, and in my experience, females hold thinner (and therefore, softer) fur than males. You're probably noticing that it has become coarser because they're not younguns any more.
Washing and conditioning them *no more than* once a week will backing, but the best thing is their own natural oils, which is best spread on them alike way as you look after your own hair: Daily combing.
Answers: I would imagine that your ferrets are just experiencing some style of seasonal hair change, like ferret seem to do. It will probably only last a few months, whether that, so I wouldn't worry too much about giving them any supplements.
You could try giving them Ferretone occasionally, it improves the look of fur/skin and works wonderfully as a treat. But my best suggestion would be to of late continue not bathing them and let their hair grow backbone and full on it's own.
Because both of them are experiencing it, you might want to call a veterinarian in a month or so if the quill hasn't grown back - it may be an underlying health issue or from stress.
They should get ferretone, which is an oil supplement to back their coats. You can pick it up at any pet store.
A lot also depends on what you are feeding them. Best I have found is the EVO ferret. As much as Marshall's foods get horrible reviews for nutrition, I know one ferret on it, and he is cooking oil with an extremely silky coat. It may be anecdotal, but it is what I see.
Age can decrease the silkiness. My shelter ferret (3-5 years old) has a much rougher coat than my 1 year weak.
On the bathing standpoint- don't bathe them more than once a month- too much will make their coat produce more oils, go and get slicker, and get stinkier.
use a shampoo with conditioner and I also put skin so soft tub oil in their bath sea, just a few drops will do the trick.
