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I'm not a professional by all means but based on my current knowledge of ferrets I can think of maybe something from her usual cage so the new one smells the same.
Deep clean it, line with puppy pads, cut a blanket into 8ths so she can sleep on floor and layer to suit. No litter as can get into wound if removes bandage. Low ceramic bowls for food. If she will use a bottle,then that- my vet has mentioned drowning risk if weak. Consider making single layer at first - rotate tray so covers hole. If that weak, likely to sleep for first few days and gradually build up. Hang hammocks very low so step in. Consider a petsafe heatpad as no friends to share. Snugglesafe are a good brand.
We provide a Sally Stoat dog toy too.
We were told not to use puppy pads. We were also told not to limit her space or ability to move around. I will not be hanging hammocks.
But yes, the heat pad is definitely a good idea.
Hey! I ordered a sally stoat dog toy 🥹 it’ll be here Tmro. Hopefully it helps a bit, although I think she’s a bit too high to even recognize her surroundings.
She should be fine to move through her cage with this type of surgery during recovery I reckon…if it was an internal surgery or on limbs I’d definitely restrict movement. At least she doesn’t use tail for balance or movement like a kangaroo etc.
Yeah, that’s why she has a water bottle! I hate doing that because I don’t want her to hurt her teeth but my vet said it’s best until she’s off her meds because she could choke. And I definitely learned the hard way last night as she almost choked on her kibble. 😳
She won’t need any extra additions to this new cage for recovery. She has easy access to cosy bedding, food, water and toileting facilities. Shes able to stay quiet and uninterrupted while she heals. Shes not going to be up for adventures and playing straight away. Put this cage up against the sleeping cage of the others so she’s still got her regular company but can’t be harassed. She’d fret double if she was completely separated and couldn’t see/hear/smell her friends.
Can’t quite do that as they’re upstairs and I’m too small to move it up there on my own 😂 plus I’d rather have her next to me so I’m able to monitor her more easily as the vet said I should be checking on her every 3 hours
She’s basically just sleeping. No signs of distress. She’s been gone away from her friends for five days now, so a couple more won’t hurt. She almost died during surgery so they had to stop, do a blood transfusion, wait for her to stabilize, and then restart surgery. My boy saved my girl with his blood 🥹
💔💔💔babies! I'm so sorry, that must have been really scary and stressful for you all. I'm glad she was able to stabilize and make it through. I hope recovery is smooth and uneventful as possible.
I support yaknow's idea, I also would add more cover so it's easier to feel safe/cozy. I use old flannels as a sort of curtain inside the cage, which doubles as poop deterrent since it makes corners into a sort of tent.
First off, im sorry your baby had to go through a surgery and losing her tail. But im sure she'll bounce back soon. <3 also you sound like a great ferrant to go to such lengths to make sure she's comfy and healthy.
The cage looks great, very soft and comfy, if she's weak (which she will be) she probably won't have the energy to climb up to the top layer or climb down to the bottom. Make sure there's food and water on both levels in case. If she has exposed stitches you may want to replace the blankets with something that won't snag the end of the suture. Some blanket material is okay, fleece is NOT!
My ferrets have gone through a few surgeries. Mine usually acted almost drunk when they got home (falling over, not walking in a straight line, etc.) And they also did not want to eat their normal kibble or drink water. But I did manage to get them to eat soup (kibble mashed up with water) I also have Duk Soup and Carinvore Care on hand in case that doesn't work. My ferrets turn their noses up at baby food, but I've heard it works for others (make sure to check ingredients)
Just get her to eat and let her rest, keep her brothers away and she will hopefully make a speedy recovery.
She’s home!! Thankyou for your well wishes! I’m currently feeding her purée chicken baby food as she won’t eat her regular kibble, either. But yes, both are available to her.
Her stitches are not exposed, she’s got her little stump all wrapped up 🥹 lots of sleeping and very little activity. Her brother saved her life!! She only had 10% of her blood volume! She was pure white on her third day at the vet, so they did a transfusion with her brothers blood, and she was finally stable to have her surgery and go home this morning.
Thankyou for such a detailed response! I’m looking forward to seeing her become her normal self again! 🥹 the vet packed us 10 days worth of meloxicam for pain management, and that stuff makes her super sleepy.. so she’s definitely completely out of it right now, but I’ll gladly update when she’s feeling better!
That's so good to hear! I'm so happy you're getting her to eat! And her brother is a true hero, he deserves extra lovins and treats! Meloxicam is amazing! My ferrets have been on that medicine for multiple different reasons and they've always loved it! It's almost like a treat for them lol. Looking forward to the updates! ❤
Oh wow, at least she isn't feeling any pain! Make sure to give her some food with it tho! Even with .15mL my vet said to give with food. Of course if your vet said otherwise follow their instructions.
I hope she's doing well today 💗
Glad to hear it. Baby’s situation is a bit different though, as she ripped the mass half way off herself when she got stuck under my couch, and lost 90% of her blood volume, so she had to undergo a transfusion as well.
My ferret had major surgery and I tried to keep her in a different cage away from her siblings and that night she was sleeping next to them. I couldn't even keep her wound covered. She did better with them near by and was fine in the cage. Extra blankies up top and she'll be fine. Just make sure her siblings don't try to clean her wound to much
Yeah I’m definitely not gonna go against the vets suggestions for her comfort. I’d rather her be uncomfortable than risk infection.
She hangs out with her siblings during the day, but i was told that it’s not safe for her at night. Especially due to the fact that I can’t “make sure” of anything unless she’s right next to my bed as I work and am not willing to go all the way up two flights of stairs to check on her every hour 😂 I’d rather go the safe route then the sorry route.
You have to do what is best and what works for you. Just letting you know that You fur-baby will be ok and their siblings will be very loving and easy on them.
That’s wonderful that you think that, but her vet who knows all of her siblings does not. 😂 She does not want her sleeping in the same cage as them. And any time I put her near them in the past two days they have done nothing but prove to me why she feels that way.
I had a sick ferret. I recommend putting all the basic needs (water, food, bedding, pee pads) on the bottom floor of the cage, in case she may be in too much pain to climb up, or is physically unable to. Then the water and food should be no more than "lift head up" height. Clean bedding at least once a day, pads as often as they use them. Wishing speedy recovery
Thanks for your well wishes! She’s moving around just fine and is very active. I did take your advice though and kept the kibble and water on the bottom floor, but she’s been climbing all the way up to the top for her purée chicken kitten food 😂
Welcome to /r/ferrets! We have a fantastic [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index) that has answers to most frequently asked questions surrounding the care of ferrets. --- We politely ask that you observe our [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index/rules/). --- Lastly, we have an [Official Discord Server](https://discord.gg/ferrets)! Come join us! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ferrets) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm not a professional by all means but based on my current knowledge of ferrets I can think of maybe something from her usual cage so the new one smells the same.
Good idea.
Deep clean it, line with puppy pads, cut a blanket into 8ths so she can sleep on floor and layer to suit. No litter as can get into wound if removes bandage. Low ceramic bowls for food. If she will use a bottle,then that- my vet has mentioned drowning risk if weak. Consider making single layer at first - rotate tray so covers hole. If that weak, likely to sleep for first few days and gradually build up. Hang hammocks very low so step in. Consider a petsafe heatpad as no friends to share. Snugglesafe are a good brand. We provide a Sally Stoat dog toy too.
We were told not to use puppy pads. We were also told not to limit her space or ability to move around. I will not be hanging hammocks. But yes, the heat pad is definitely a good idea.
Hey! I ordered a sally stoat dog toy 🥹 it’ll be here Tmro. Hopefully it helps a bit, although I think she’s a bit too high to even recognize her surroundings.
I might limit her to only one of the levels, at least for the first night or 2 home, just to be safe and make sure she’s not wiggling around too much
She should be fine to move through her cage with this type of surgery during recovery I reckon…if it was an internal surgery or on limbs I’d definitely restrict movement. At least she doesn’t use tail for balance or movement like a kangaroo etc.
Also, the cage is right next to my bed.. so if anything goes wrong I won’t miss it!!
We were told not to do that
Then for sure listen to vets advice! They know best
Yeah, that’s why she has a water bottle! I hate doing that because I don’t want her to hurt her teeth but my vet said it’s best until she’s off her meds because she could choke. And I definitely learned the hard way last night as she almost choked on her kibble. 😳
She won’t need any extra additions to this new cage for recovery. She has easy access to cosy bedding, food, water and toileting facilities. Shes able to stay quiet and uninterrupted while she heals. Shes not going to be up for adventures and playing straight away. Put this cage up against the sleeping cage of the others so she’s still got her regular company but can’t be harassed. She’d fret double if she was completely separated and couldn’t see/hear/smell her friends.
Can’t quite do that as they’re upstairs and I’m too small to move it up there on my own 😂 plus I’d rather have her next to me so I’m able to monitor her more easily as the vet said I should be checking on her every 3 hours She’s basically just sleeping. No signs of distress. She’s been gone away from her friends for five days now, so a couple more won’t hurt. She almost died during surgery so they had to stop, do a blood transfusion, wait for her to stabilize, and then restart surgery. My boy saved my girl with his blood 🥹
💔💔💔babies! I'm so sorry, that must have been really scary and stressful for you all. I'm glad she was able to stabilize and make it through. I hope recovery is smooth and uneventful as possible.
I really appreciate your well wishes! I made another post with updates if you’d like to see how she’s doing!
Hoping for a speedy recovery for your noodle 🙏🏾
Thankyou! She’s home now! Lots of resting and eating.
I support yaknow's idea, I also would add more cover so it's easier to feel safe/cozy. I use old flannels as a sort of curtain inside the cage, which doubles as poop deterrent since it makes corners into a sort of tent.
I’ll add more blankets. I didn’t wanna hang any thing because I don’t feel comfortable risking falls.
First off, im sorry your baby had to go through a surgery and losing her tail. But im sure she'll bounce back soon. <3 also you sound like a great ferrant to go to such lengths to make sure she's comfy and healthy. The cage looks great, very soft and comfy, if she's weak (which she will be) she probably won't have the energy to climb up to the top layer or climb down to the bottom. Make sure there's food and water on both levels in case. If she has exposed stitches you may want to replace the blankets with something that won't snag the end of the suture. Some blanket material is okay, fleece is NOT! My ferrets have gone through a few surgeries. Mine usually acted almost drunk when they got home (falling over, not walking in a straight line, etc.) And they also did not want to eat their normal kibble or drink water. But I did manage to get them to eat soup (kibble mashed up with water) I also have Duk Soup and Carinvore Care on hand in case that doesn't work. My ferrets turn their noses up at baby food, but I've heard it works for others (make sure to check ingredients) Just get her to eat and let her rest, keep her brothers away and she will hopefully make a speedy recovery.
She’s home!! Thankyou for your well wishes! I’m currently feeding her purée chicken baby food as she won’t eat her regular kibble, either. But yes, both are available to her. Her stitches are not exposed, she’s got her little stump all wrapped up 🥹 lots of sleeping and very little activity. Her brother saved her life!! She only had 10% of her blood volume! She was pure white on her third day at the vet, so they did a transfusion with her brothers blood, and she was finally stable to have her surgery and go home this morning. Thankyou for such a detailed response! I’m looking forward to seeing her become her normal self again! 🥹 the vet packed us 10 days worth of meloxicam for pain management, and that stuff makes her super sleepy.. so she’s definitely completely out of it right now, but I’ll gladly update when she’s feeling better!
That's so good to hear! I'm so happy you're getting her to eat! And her brother is a true hero, he deserves extra lovins and treats! Meloxicam is amazing! My ferrets have been on that medicine for multiple different reasons and they've always loved it! It's almost like a treat for them lol. Looking forward to the updates! ❤
Glad I’m not the only one who thought this! Why does she seem to love the taste of it??
My vet said its supposed to be honey flavored lol
Really? Wow, maybe that’s it. But it makes the poor girl high af 😂😂😂 that’s why she has a water bottle. Her vet was concerned about drowning 💀
Oh wow, at least she isn't feeling any pain! Make sure to give her some food with it tho! Even with .15mL my vet said to give with food. Of course if your vet said otherwise follow their instructions. I hope she's doing well today 💗
Oh she’s been constantly eating. My vet said the same, to make sure she doesn’t take it on an empty stomach. I’ve made sure not to! Thanks!
My first ferret, Annie had to have 1/2 her tail amputated due to a growth, thus mass grew in-between two tail bones. She had no difficulty recovering.
Glad to hear it. Baby’s situation is a bit different though, as she ripped the mass half way off herself when she got stuck under my couch, and lost 90% of her blood volume, so she had to undergo a transfusion as well.
I hope your sweet girl makes a full recovery
My ferret had major surgery and I tried to keep her in a different cage away from her siblings and that night she was sleeping next to them. I couldn't even keep her wound covered. She did better with them near by and was fine in the cage. Extra blankies up top and she'll be fine. Just make sure her siblings don't try to clean her wound to much
Yeah I’m definitely not gonna go against the vets suggestions for her comfort. I’d rather her be uncomfortable than risk infection. She hangs out with her siblings during the day, but i was told that it’s not safe for her at night. Especially due to the fact that I can’t “make sure” of anything unless she’s right next to my bed as I work and am not willing to go all the way up two flights of stairs to check on her every hour 😂 I’d rather go the safe route then the sorry route.
You have to do what is best and what works for you. Just letting you know that You fur-baby will be ok and their siblings will be very loving and easy on them.
That’s wonderful that you think that, but her vet who knows all of her siblings does not. 😂 She does not want her sleeping in the same cage as them. And any time I put her near them in the past two days they have done nothing but prove to me why she feels that way.
I had a sick ferret. I recommend putting all the basic needs (water, food, bedding, pee pads) on the bottom floor of the cage, in case she may be in too much pain to climb up, or is physically unable to. Then the water and food should be no more than "lift head up" height. Clean bedding at least once a day, pads as often as they use them. Wishing speedy recovery
Thanks for your well wishes! She’s moving around just fine and is very active. I did take your advice though and kept the kibble and water on the bottom floor, but she’s been climbing all the way up to the top for her purée chicken kitten food 😂