Not all UK ferrets are used for hunting! It is a lot more common however, but not always ^__^ We also don’t sell ferrets in pet stores, so mills don’t exist here (thankfully)
Thank you so much for this. I adopted my first ferret from the shelter and they told me he was 1 year old. He was nearly hairless when I adopted him but they refused to admit that it was adrenal gland disease, I was able to get him the deslorlin implant and he was doing much better until I came home today and he was completely limp and drooling. I called off work and rushed him to the vet, and sure enough it’s insulinoma. It’s so sad because I adopted him in hopes of keeping him for the majority of my college life, and instead I’ve been forking over a fortune to look for his health. He also has had 3 benign tumors removed, one requiring one of his toes to be removed. He is definitely not a year old ferret, but i feel better knowing he’s in a home that will be attentive to his health even if I have to break the bank for it.
I got my ferret randomly, no background, told the wrong age and also told the ferret was mean. She was definitely imbred or bred incorrectly. She was blind, deaf and had the insonoma. It was crazy for a while I had her for a few good years before she passed but feel sad that no one noticed earlier in her life. I am sad she didn't giggle or do war dance but she got better at smelling amd running and skipping.
Thank you so much💗💗 my ferret bell was diagnosed with insulinoma a few weeks ago. She has seizures very often and it is extremely hard learning to cope with this. Thank you so much for trying to help ferret owners. This is my first time owning ferrets, I have never dealt with seizures or insulinoma or raw diet or anything. We rescued Bell and her sister Tinker off of Craigslist. They were fed cat food, and forced to sleep in a cage with the cat. They were both very skinny and unhealthy and I believe this was the start of her insulinoma. A few months ago she started having frequent seizures and its been very difficult. The vet said there isn't much we can do but keep her as comfortable as possible.
I'm so glad that you have explained how malt paste can cause insulinoma! I've bought Beaphar Vitamin/Malt Paste for my ferrets simply because it seemed like (based on the product description) that it's really good for them. Fortunately they had it only twice and they won't have it again. It's very disappointing that so many products 'designed' for ferrets are actually bad for them. Thanks for shading some light on that! Good job (as always)! :)
Friendly Neighborhood Ferrets it’s sad tbh bc it actually benefits ur ferrets health way more better I wish the ignorant group of ppl out there could see that and not be so judgmental
Thanks for your videos, they are super helpful! My first ferret had adrenal and insulinoma and now one of my current ferrets I recently adopted has adrenal, insulinoma, and an enlarged spleen. It’s been 7 years since my first ferret, so though I had some experience in the past, I feel like I’m learning all over again. Thank you for your comments on making sure to forgive ourselves and reminding us we are doing the best we can. I needed to hear that today. I worry so much that I’m not doing enough, but your video confirmed that I’m doing the right thing ☺️
This video is so helpful. we have a ferret, rupert, who has been acting very off the past few days. Sleeping all day, sneezing, only getting up to eat, drink water and cuddles, but hes not even a year old yet so we dont know whats really going on. He had a checkup about 2 weeks ago and they said he was OK, but I think after watching the video he has a cold and its turning winter, but we are taking him ti the vet soon
Thank you so much! This is so much info for when I am bored I right about ferrets and this is a lot of things to keep me busy writing! ( I write in a notebook) edit: I wrote 4 pages about it ;-;
My little guy got diagnosed with Insulinoma a couple days ago. My story was a little similar to yours except I rushed him to an emergency vet when everything was happening. However, he is outside of the age bracket as he's actually 6 years old.
My more recent ferret had it. I knew something was wrong cause the ferret woud get lethargic and drool. I thought she was having a seizure. She finally had some and I was able to get her to the vet to see it. They checked her blood sugar and it was low. Thank you for explaining so well. I had 5 ferrets before this one and had never seem it before in a ferret.
I have a question... my daughter's rescue ferret has a lot of strage behaviors, but the strangest by far is that she dukes all over her cage. Even in her hose tunnel that I put in there for easier access throughout her large cage. She potties on every shelf, and never does the normal corner dukes. I had ferrets growing up, and they always used corners. We've only had this rescue ferret for a few weeks, and we were told she was about 5 years old. She's very small, and not playful at all. Very affectionate and cuddly though. We let her out to free run our house numerous times throughout the day, and she loves it, but I believe it's a new experience for her. She's likely been caged and lonely most of her life. It's like she doesn't know how to play.
i have two elderly boys, 6 & 7, who both have insulinoma. the diet they're on is kitten food, soaked in hot water for about 5 minutes, then mix about a tablespoon of nutrical in, twice daily. this is the only thing they'll eat with a good amount of vitamins, and though I know it's bad, it makes them happy. one of the boys, who also has untreated adrenal disease, was probably very close to death until i started this diet. since they've been being fed this (around 4 months now), the boy with adrenal disease has managed to grow back 90% of his fur and his personality is nearly back to normal. we recently got a new girl, and she's not allowed to eat the food with nutrical - we're also looking into a raw or semi-raw diet for her very soon. she's young, so she'll be easy to wean.
we've had a total of 7 ferrets over 7 years, all unfortunately from Marshall's. we first got 2 littermates, one of which is still alive - his sister sadly passed away a few weeks ago - & the same month got another girl who was likely born with lymphoma, as she was only 6 months old when she passed. we got 3 more, an albino boy, a sable, and a blaze who's deaf and has waardenburg syndrome (he's the other boy who's still alive). the first who passed of the five living ferrets was the sable, who was 5 at the time. she got sick very quickly and passed away within 2 days, so before we could see a vet (this was at the height of covid, as well) the second who passed was the albino, 6 at the time. somehow the top cage wasn't latched all the way and he managed to open it while i was asleep and the rest of my family was on vacation or at work (it was around 12 am). he likely miscalculated his jump to the table and injured himself, and i found him only minutes after he passed. he was incredibly healthy & strong his whole life, especially for an albino. the third was one of the first two we got, and she passed almost exactly a year after the albino did. she was almost 7. this was after I started feeding them all the mix of wet kitten food and nutrical, and god, she loved that food. it made her so happy. she was skinny her whole life, but was otherwise pretty healthy - and she finally managed to gain a healthy amount of weight in the months prior to her passing. she died incredibly happy, cuddled up with her brother. most of the ferrets who've died did so quickly, which was hard on us but good for them, since they didn't suffer for long. i miss them more than anything, but they lived super fun lives.
@lyllies1130 hi! the two older boys have since passed on, but I now have another 5 ferrets who are all about a year old. i use iams kitten food, but they also get rehydrated Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw chicken/duck every morning. nutrical is a vitamin paste normally meant for cats but works well to prevent blockages in ferrets - but it can lead to insulinoma, so I try not to use it very often with the younger ferrets.
My ferret is 2 she has just started pawing at her mouth yesterday and today she started shaking and pawing at her mouth I have a vet appointment booked and I am hoping that it's just she had something stuck in her teeth but I am so scared it's not so I am learning all I can just incase
What I learned from this video is that my doctors know nothing about ferrets or insulinomas. I live in Panama city, Central America, and the only reason I got a ferret is because they were a sensation in the country and they were so miserable in the pet store I had to save one. The doctor recommended to give him Karo Syrup every 3 hours. I have alarms, I don´t sleep anymore fearing a crash. The second I don´t give him his syrup looks like a death sentence. I cannot believe there is actually a medicine I could give him every 12 hours. I tried feeding him raw food when he was a baby, but food in this country is so bad he would be in the hospital with a stomach bacteria. This country doesn´t have prepared veterinarians or the proper food in stores. I tried to get the best cat food one they recommended. He is currently eating Royal Canin kitten. This Saturday, they said I had to be prepared for my ferrets death. I am heart broken, tired from not sleeping and just listening to clock tick and no proper information. why do they bring ferrets to a country were they wont give them the proper support. I´ve complained immensely to the pet store. Money is all the care.
My ferret Gir is a Marshell brand ferret, so obeouyly he was neutered way too early, that coupled with being on their brand food for the first 3 years of his life (before I knew better) he developed insulinoma 13 months ago, he crashed and I thought he was dying, it was absolutely the scarriest moment we've shared. That being said now he's 7 years and 4 months old, balding heavily but is still a handsome little man. I wish he'd eat raw food but he's too imprinted on kibble, luckily I've found a brand of food called "RAW PAWS" that is actually just freeze dried beef parts, I mix this (about 80%) with two other brands that my vet suggested, it's a bit expincive but honestly I feel like this has helped prolonged his life so it's absolutely worth every penny. With Gir's age they gave him 3 to 6 months to live when he was diagnosed ( which was a punch in the gut) but Gir keeps shocking them. He did start developing fluid on his lungs back in January but a simple child medicine twice a day prevents that. He's not caged and he get's walks outside (weather permitting), the vet seems to think the fresh air and sun also seem to help.
can you explain more about the food. The brand, the process of what you mix. my vet isn´t very helpful and there is only one in the entire country who will receive exotic animals
@@lyllies1130 Raw Paws is freeze-dried beef parts that have been condensed into a pellet-like shape. They were a bit too hard for Gir to eat right out of the bag, so I'd wrap what I was gonna serve him in cloth and then take a hammer to it to cut them down. The company suggests adding water to soften them, but Gir wouldn't touch it like that. He wasn't a dook soup lover or even an egg lover. Please, PLEASE read the ingreediance in the food you're giving your Ferret, they can not eat plants. So if your food has grains and the like in it, then it's horrible for them. I'm sure there are other brands out there, but Raw Paws was the only one I could find, and of all places, I found it on Amazon. I'd always suggest doing organic over kibble if you know the know-how, but if your Ferret(s) is how Gir was, then kibble is the only answer. I blame pet food like Marshell brands for the reason Gir got cancer in the first place, as they put all kinds of plants and junk in their food that are simply horrible for ferrets. I hope that answers your question, and I'll gladly try to answer anything else.
A great video and a lot of super information! I had a ferret that had insulinoma and was not caught in time. I wish I had known many of the things you have in this video. I got him to the vet as soon as I saw his crash but wasn't soon enough and had I known of the karo syrup and high protein food it might have helped to not of been so devastating to his body before getting to the vet. I surely hope your video can help others and if I have this come up in any future of my ferrets I now know and have the first aid needed. And as always a vet is needed! Thanks so so much!
so i was staying in a motel and a couple doors down they had been staying for about a year. unfortunately they couldnt afford to stay any longer. Before leaving they told me that if i wanted anything to take it because all of their stuff was being left behind they had no where to bring anything. I walked up to them holding a cat carrier an i looked inside and saw a medium sized ferret!! i fell in love ive always wanted one! I knew they were a lot of work and money but i didnt care i couldnt see the thing getting taken back to petco or picked up by animal control. (the ferret was 9 months already they werent sure if petco would take him back) but it didnt matter as long as they werent keeping him i was!! im currently in the process of saving money to buy a new cage so i can also buy a new ferret friend.(the cage is very large bur only big enough for one) i have the biggest fear of insulinoma for my baby boy coconut as he is a petco baby. ive been watching videos for hours a day while he runs around exploring so hopefully i can give him a better life then he was living. They were talking to me before i knew about what foods they can eat and they always fed their ferrets french fries and whatever he went for, honestly broke my heart when i went inside and researched their diet and what they should never have and potatoes is one of the big ones (any veggies) .. oh yes i said ferrets... they had 3, 2 died. hes got a vet appointment in 2 weeks.
My baby sadly died from this he had seizures following it and it crushed me I’m still not over it. It wasn’t that long ago I couldn’t stand seeing him suffer so I made the choice to put him down due to how bad it was.
I am so sorry that happened to you. I feel like I am so close to experiencing that. This video was more informative than the four consecutive days I´ve visited the vet.
Luna’s blood sugar was 400 when we brought her to the vet and our vet doesn’t feel super comfortable doing surgery on her, and she has a tumor for sure on her pancreas. And she is legit the only vet around us that treats ferrets. And it’s so expensive, a full blood panel is 600$ and then the surgery itself could be 3000$ or more…we’ve already spent 800$ on vet appts for her, it’s so frustrating as I want to keep trying to help her but don’t have the extra money for it. And this is my daughters first pet ever and it’s breaking my heart on every level. We’ve had her for 5 yrs and she has been her best friend and I just don’t know what to do….sorry just venting
I am so sorry that you are going through this. In my country, there is one vet who is willing to receive exotic animals, and he is not well prepared. This Saturday they told me to prepare myself for his death or that I can come into their clinic and perform euthanasia. I didn´t know this many medicines existed.
My ferret has insulinoma and I believe it was caused by his diet. In the beginning I did not want any Marshall’s crunchy food or pastes because I knew it was bad for him. I’m only 15 and I couldn’t argue with pet store owners or my family because “they said it’s fine”. The vet even said to stay with Marshall crunchy food. What should I do??? 😓
My ferret has insulinoma as well and little tip, if you still struggle with giving her medicine try filling the syringe with a bit of egg yolk after the medicine so that way she gets the yolk then quickly the medicine. 👍🏼
My lilo baby is not acting right I called ER They told me to give him sugar water and call my vet I got him with me all night keeping an eye on him. He is eating n drinking n using the bathroom but my lilo buddy needs his vet I'm scared to go to bed 😩
My ferret is very skinny and I already tried ziwi peak for cats and a different variation of dried food please someone give me something with a lot of nutrients that’s very good for them (they are not sick we already went to the vet to check)
TT,-,TT lost my first ferret to insolinoma and Lymphosarcoma and now my second ferret is going threw with insolinoma and adrenal :'( my first lived a full life he lived for 10 years but sadly i know imma have to do the hard thing soon again with my second one hes about 7-8 now and hell live for another year or two i hope :'( they truly take your heart with them when they go!!!
I hear so much good about raw diets for ferrets, which I don't have yet but would want to get (and am preparing myself extensively for), and I'm torn because I keep hearing online that a raw diet is much better for them for insulinoma etc.. but the national ferret organisation in my country (Netherlands) as well as the European breeder organisation fiercely discourage it because they've said ferrets get a type of coronavirus (not the same one we're in quarantine for, its been around since 2016) from raw diets, or have worse symptoms if they're fed a raw diet that are often lethal, especially for younger ferrets (age 2>). I don't know what to do about it and would appreciate advice if anyone knows anything!!
Yasmine Naia defiantly go for a raw diet! They are not pet nutrition specialists, so probably often see the side effects of feeding a raw diet incorrectly. They are obligate carnivores, they are designed to eat meat. It’s so much healthier than feeding processed kibble, even the ones people are always recommending aren’t good for them, they’re full of fillers and stuff their don’t need. Check out pazuandfriends channel, she specialises in a raw diet for ferrets and is most updated with this. :)
@@ferrets_lover oh no I should specify the people putting out this information is the national vet clinic / veterinary University / lab and it's one of the best in the world. If it was just the organizations it would be an easy choice, I'm only torn because of the source of the information. No exotic vet in my country holistic or otherwise is recommending a raw diet
I had absolutely no idea about this problem in the Netherlands but I find it fascinating! I was doing some research on it to familiarize myself with the bizarre phenomenon that's going on. This website was my main source -> www.werkgroep-fret.nl/en/ The research they're doing to find out why this is happening seems really through and it looks like their biggest guess is that it's a genetic problem passed from mother to young and so on. Based on the studies done, I think your best option is to just feed your ferrets the best thing that you can (I would recommend a freeze dried raw diet). Besides that, I'm hesitant to give too much advice because I'm not extremely knowledgeable on the subject (besides the reading online that I've done). Ferret husbandry is very different here in North America, than it is in Europe and that makes it hard for me to give you any solid advice. I think your best bet is getting in touch with people who, like you, are from the Netherlands but want to feed their ferret raw. I'm sure there are some Facebook groups that you can seek out because I guarantee you're not the only one in this situation. All you can really do is research as much as you can and keep up to date with any new information on this strange case! I am going to continue to look into this case, and I may have more information about this eventually, for now that's all I can really say though.
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodFerrets thank you so much!! Unfortunately it's definitely not genetic because it seems to be a corona virus. It seems to be mostly only lethal in extremely young ferrets so they're currently recommending feeding kibble until they're about two and then converting to raw or whole prey which currently seems like the least risky option for me! I think if I was more experienced or had more money I'd go directly for raw, but I would be a first time owner and while I have the money to fall on in case of vet emergencies I don't know how well I would handle something that lethal on an animal so young. But thank you so much for your help!
In Sweden the only way to get a pet ferret is from a breeder, ofc there are some very bad breeders but they usually only stick around for 1 year until people who bought kits from them expose the breeder. But usually the breeders here either breed exclusivity for a good pet behavior or a mix between their coat and behavior.
thank you for making these videos, they are really helpful! :). i have a question about the symptoms, are seizures also a sign of insulinoma ?? sorry to bother you .
I would get to a vet asap! That's definitely not normal ferret behavior so something is wrong. From what I'm researching it could be a multitude of different things including ataxia, anemia, or spinal cord damage. so you're going to need a vet's opinion.
hi so I took myy ferret asap to the vet once she started showing signs. The vet I went to is the only one thatll take ferrets near me and they said it was most likely this, they gave me some nutrical..and I just wanted to know if its actually worth the use? I sadly have no way to get to an exotic vet.
As a daily supplement, I definitely wouldn't use it for a ferret with insulinoma (or any ferret, to be honest). The first ingredient is "corn syrup" so that means it's EXTREMELY high in sugar. Giving it to your ferret daily is going to spike their blood sugar levels and make them crash later, which greatly increases risks of a seizure AND puts a whole bunch more strain on the pancreas which will make their insulinoma progress even faster. If the vet gave it to you to use in place of the regular corn syrup I mention in the video, only to be used in the case of a seizure, THEN it's fine (but again, ONLY if your ferret is having a seizure). Ferrets with insulinoma need as little sugar as possible. If your vet recommended it as a daily supplement that's a HUGE red flag and I personally wouldn't keep bringing my ferrets there.
Having some caro/corn syrup around wouldn't be a bad idea and I know a few owners who keep it just in case. More important is to keep an eye on your ferrets energy levels, and if you notice any of them showing some of the symptoms I talk about in the video, to take them to the vet. This video is a few years old, and Nova still hasn't had a seizure, so don't stress too much.
I am wanting to put my ferrets on raw, and I would love to know more about it if it’s not too much to ask a video on raw feeding and good places to buy from would be greatly appreciated ☺️
I'm glad you're considering raw!! I really recommend checking out the channel pazuandfriends for information on raw feeding with ferrets 👍 I won't be making too many videos about raw feeding just because Bryn has already covered it so flawlessly on her channel.
RAW HELPS SO MUCH WITH INSULINOMA! I saw a HUGE change in Nova when I switched. Marshall kibble is super bad for ferrets (basically like mcdonalds but if mcdonalds were worse) so I really recommend switching off asap. The holistic ferret forum (holisticferretforum.com/) has a lot of really good information on the different types of raw and it also has a guide on how to switch. The youtube channels Dook Souls, pazuandfriends, and The Primal Pack all have really good information on ferrets and raw.
About this topic my Exotic pet store here in texas was made so that inbreeding and stuff wouldn't be a thing in their pet store at least the rate of animals bought from them and petsmart in that town for health problems if I remember correctly is their store is 1/25 while petsmarts is 17/25
My ferret is getting anorexic without any sign of insulinoma. He eats normally but is getting skinnier. It's like he isnt able to obtain energy from food. He got his spleen removed because it was swollen a month ago. Now he is getting weaker and weaker, he won't be able to even sustain his bodyweight... We don't know what it could be.
I would get him to a vet asap! Weight loss is a really big deal with ferrets and it can be a sign of a lot of different health issues. Especially considering he just had surgery.
ziwipeak is a great alternative to raw but it's actually significantly more expensive than the raw diet. So if you're looking for a cheaper option, it's actually raw 😅
I can say as a ferret owner with a pet store and private bred ferrets and feeding 100% raw it deviated me to see my mill baby crashed on the ground killed me. Even had a friend ask how it was possible if he was raw told them it was because of his breeding. Some private breeders even say they can't promise that their ferrets won't have these issues. My state they have to be spayed and neutered by 7 months. Feel like the US sets these fellas up for failure in some ways.
One of our three ferrets has no interest in raw chicken so he eats kibble (he was eating Kaytee Fiesta ferret food when we got him but we switched him to Epigen 90. We don’t know what he was eating before that since a family found him running around a trailer park. We sneak tiny pieces of chicken in his eggie but that’s the best we can do right now). The other two have been on a raw diet but one of them who is just a hungry little guy also likes to eat kibble (we tried to keep him away for the longest time but it was a losing battle), and ironically the only one of them who has been diagnosed with insulinoma is the fella who only eats raw meat. In terms of food, his diet has been ideal throughout his life, but there’s no way to fully overcome bad breeding through good diet. Anyway, let’s dismantle Marshall farms, the bastards.
Hey Kenya! I’ve been watching your videos for a while now I’m interested in getting a ferret but I have no idea where to go! I live in Wisconsin and when I try to do research I find name brand pet stores or just regular pet supplies stores. I want a reliable place. Maybe I’m doing something wrong…? If you have any tips I would GREATLY appreciate it, thank you!
I very strongly discourage the purchasing of ferrets from pet stores. Pet store ferrets come from mills which which have extremely unethical breeding practices, care, and housing for their animals. I'm making a video on it eventually, I've just been struggling with it because it's so heart breaking to look into
Sugary foods are good for ferrets that have insulinoma when they are having an episode, so not sure why you would say no sugar when the lack of it is why they are having an episode in the first place.
The sugar is ONLY meant to be used when they're having an extreme blood sugar low (which causes the seizure), it raises their blood sugar out of the danger zone and then, by feeding them a high protein food right after, it stabilizes the blood sugar. I know it sounds a little backwards, but when Nova had her first major low and I rushed her to the vet the first thing they did was feed her karo syrup for that exact reason. Normally, they shouldn't be fed sugar, but emergency situations call for different actions.
i live in south africa and ferrets have just become legal here but people have had them for a while anyway.... it is ilegal to sell pets from pets stores and mills are also ilegal so all ferrets and small animals that are bred here are basically healthy
I would be cautious with wysong. There have been a lot of reports lately of people finding dead mice, metal pieces, and mold in their bags. Ziwipeak is easily the best "kibble" (technically not kibble because it's freeze dried raw) you can feed, I'd really recommend checking it out :D
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodFerrets I have never had a problem with Wysong in 8 years of feeding it. I've never had a case of Insulinoma either on the diet I feed. I have freeze-dried chicken and liver but my ferrets have never shown an interest in it but the dogs like it.
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Wow!! What an AMAZING VIDEO!! Super super informative and helpful. I learned so much more about Insulinoma. Thanks Kenya!! :D
Not all UK ferrets are used for hunting! It is a lot more common however, but not always ^__^
We also don’t sell ferrets in pet stores, so mills don’t exist here (thankfully)
Dang I would go to the uk just to get a ferret lol
Icing love The ferrets here are often a lot lot more work than US ferrets hahah! Bite training my boy has been v intense
@@pgakt rip
send over some healthy ferrets pls
Thank you so much for this. I adopted my first ferret from the shelter and they told me he was 1 year old. He was nearly hairless when I adopted him but they refused to admit that it was adrenal gland disease, I was able to get him the deslorlin implant and he was doing much better until I came home today and he was completely limp and drooling. I called off work and rushed him to the vet, and sure enough it’s insulinoma. It’s so sad because I adopted him in hopes of keeping him for the majority of my college life, and instead I’ve been forking over a fortune to look for his health. He also has had 3 benign tumors removed, one requiring one of his toes to be removed. He is definitely not a year old ferret, but i feel better knowing he’s in a home that will be attentive to his health even if I have to break the bank for it.
I got my ferret randomly, no background, told the wrong age and also told the ferret was mean. She was definitely imbred or bred incorrectly. She was blind, deaf and had the insonoma. It was crazy for a while
I had her for a few good years before she passed but feel sad that no one noticed earlier in her life. I am sad she didn't giggle or do war dance but she got better at smelling amd running and skipping.
Thank you so much💗💗 my ferret bell was diagnosed with insulinoma a few weeks ago. She has seizures very often and it is extremely hard learning to cope with this. Thank you so much for trying to help ferret owners. This is my first time owning ferrets, I have never dealt with seizures or insulinoma or raw diet or anything. We rescued Bell and her sister Tinker off of Craigslist. They were fed cat food, and forced to sleep in a cage with the cat. They were both very skinny and unhealthy and I believe this was the start of her insulinoma. A few months ago she started having frequent seizures and its been very difficult. The vet said there isn't much we can do but keep her as comfortable as possible.
I'm so glad that you have explained how malt paste can cause insulinoma! I've bought Beaphar Vitamin/Malt Paste for my ferrets simply because it seemed like (based on the product description) that it's really good for them. Fortunately they had it only twice and they won't have it again. It's very disappointing that so many products 'designed' for ferrets are actually bad for them. Thanks for shading some light on that! Good job (as always)! :)
WHO WAS THE ONE PERSON WHO DISLIKED THIS VIDEO THIS VIDEO WAS HELPFUL HOW CAN U JUST DISLIKE IT ..... corona got ppl mindsets else where
people don't like videos that promote raw feeding 🤷♀️
Friendly Neighborhood Ferrets it’s sad tbh bc it actually benefits ur ferrets health way more better I wish the ignorant group of ppl out there could see that and not be so judgmental
Thanks for your videos, they are super helpful! My first ferret had adrenal and insulinoma and now one of my current ferrets I recently adopted has adrenal, insulinoma, and an enlarged spleen. It’s been 7 years since my first ferret, so though I had some experience in the past, I feel like I’m learning all over again. Thank you for your comments on making sure to forgive ourselves and reminding us we are doing the best we can. I needed to hear that today. I worry so much that I’m not doing enough, but your video confirmed that I’m doing the right thing ☺️
This video is so helpful. we have a ferret, rupert, who has been acting very off the past few days. Sleeping all day, sneezing, only getting up to eat, drink water and cuddles, but hes not even a year old yet so we dont know whats really going on. He had a checkup about 2 weeks ago and they said he was OK, but I think after watching the video he has a cold and its turning winter, but we are taking him ti the vet soon
Taking him to the vet next week
Thank you so much! This is so much info for when I am bored I right about ferrets and this is a lot of things to keep me busy writing! ( I write in a notebook)
edit: I wrote 4 pages about it ;-;
My little guy got diagnosed with Insulinoma a couple days ago. My story was a little similar to yours except I rushed him to an emergency vet when everything was happening. However, he is outside of the age bracket as he's actually 6 years old.
Thank you for posting this! Our sweet Luna might be dealing with this and it is a heartbreaking seeing her like this.
My more recent ferret had it. I knew something was wrong cause the ferret woud get lethargic and drool. I thought she was having a seizure. She finally had some and I was able to get her to the vet to see it. They checked her blood sugar and it was low. Thank you for explaining so well. I had 5 ferrets before this one and had never seem it before in a ferret.
I have a question... my daughter's rescue ferret has a lot of strage behaviors, but the strangest by far is that she dukes all over her cage. Even in her hose tunnel that I put in there for easier access throughout her large cage. She potties on every shelf, and never does the normal corner dukes. I had ferrets growing up, and they always used corners.
We've only had this rescue ferret for a few weeks, and we were told she was about 5 years old. She's very small, and not playful at all. Very affectionate and cuddly though. We let her out to free run our house numerous times throughout the day, and she loves it, but I believe it's a new experience for her. She's likely been caged and lonely most of her life. It's like she doesn't know how to play.
i have two elderly boys, 6 & 7, who both have insulinoma. the diet they're on is kitten food, soaked in hot water for about 5 minutes, then mix about a tablespoon of nutrical in, twice daily. this is the only thing they'll eat with a good amount of vitamins, and though I know it's bad, it makes them happy.
one of the boys, who also has untreated adrenal disease, was probably very close to death until i started this diet. since they've been being fed this (around 4 months now), the boy with adrenal disease has managed to grow back 90% of his fur and his personality is nearly back to normal.
we recently got a new girl, and she's not allowed to eat the food with nutrical - we're also looking into a raw or semi-raw diet for her very soon. she's young, so she'll be easy to wean.
we've had a total of 7 ferrets over 7 years, all unfortunately from Marshall's. we first got 2 littermates, one of which is still alive - his sister sadly passed away a few weeks ago - & the same month got another girl who was likely born with lymphoma, as she was only 6 months old when she passed. we got 3 more, an albino boy, a sable, and a blaze who's deaf and has waardenburg syndrome (he's the other boy who's still alive).
the first who passed of the five living ferrets was the sable, who was 5 at the time. she got sick very quickly and passed away within 2 days, so before we could see a vet (this was at the height of covid, as well)
the second who passed was the albino, 6 at the time. somehow the top cage wasn't latched all the way and he managed to open it while i was asleep and the rest of my family was on vacation or at work (it was around 12 am). he likely miscalculated his jump to the table and injured himself, and i found him only minutes after he passed. he was incredibly healthy & strong his whole life, especially for an albino.
the third was one of the first two we got, and she passed almost exactly a year after the albino did. she was almost 7. this was after I started feeding them all the mix of wet kitten food and nutrical, and god, she loved that food. it made her so happy. she was skinny her whole life, but was otherwise pretty healthy - and she finally managed to gain a healthy amount of weight in the months prior to her passing. she died incredibly happy, cuddled up with her brother.
most of the ferrets who've died did so quickly, which was hard on us but good for them, since they didn't suffer for long. i miss them more than anything, but they lived super fun lives.
what is the brand of the kitten food, is nutrical in a brand of something?
@lyllies1130 hi! the two older boys have since passed on, but I now have another 5 ferrets who are all about a year old.
i use iams kitten food, but they also get rehydrated Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw chicken/duck every morning.
nutrical is a vitamin paste normally meant for cats but works well to prevent blockages in ferrets - but it can lead to insulinoma, so I try not to use it very often with the younger ferrets.
This is really helpful hopefully getting a ferret after this c19
My ferret is 2 she has just started pawing at her mouth yesterday and today she started shaking and pawing at her mouth I have a vet appointment booked and I am hoping that it's just she had something stuck in her teeth but I am so scared it's not so I am learning all I can just incase
I’m so glad that I found you here!!! But my ferret doesn’t accept raw meat. What else could i do?
Its just a long fur
Hey! I checked out your channel because of one of Victoria rachels vids and I dont regret it haha. Love your hair btw
Thanks for checking out my channel! And for the hair compliment! I haven't been able to redye it and it's driving me crazy....
You deserve way more subscribers!
What I learned from this video is that my doctors know nothing about ferrets or insulinomas. I live in Panama city, Central America, and the only reason I got a ferret is because they were a sensation in the country and they were so miserable in the pet store I had to save one. The doctor recommended to give him Karo Syrup every 3 hours. I have alarms, I don´t sleep anymore fearing a crash. The second I don´t give him his syrup looks like a death sentence. I cannot believe there is actually a medicine I could give him every 12 hours. I tried feeding him raw food when he was a baby, but food in this country is so bad he would be in the hospital with a stomach bacteria. This country doesn´t have prepared veterinarians or the proper food in stores. I tried to get the best cat food one they recommended. He is currently eating Royal Canin kitten. This Saturday, they said I had to be prepared for my ferrets death. I am heart broken, tired from not sleeping and just listening to clock tick and no proper information. why do they bring ferrets to a country were they wont give them the proper support. I´ve complained immensely to the pet store. Money is all the care.
Thanks for making this video! I want ferrets in the future. And I am going to write all this down! This is a very good video thanks for making it!
My ferret Gir is a Marshell brand ferret, so obeouyly he was neutered way too early, that coupled with being on their brand food for the first 3 years of his life (before I knew better) he developed insulinoma 13 months ago, he crashed and I thought he was dying, it was absolutely the scarriest moment we've shared. That being said now he's 7 years and 4 months old, balding heavily but is still a handsome little man. I wish he'd eat raw food but he's too imprinted on kibble, luckily I've found a brand of food called "RAW PAWS" that is actually just freeze dried beef parts, I mix this (about 80%) with two other brands that my vet suggested, it's a bit expincive but honestly I feel like this has helped prolonged his life so it's absolutely worth every penny. With Gir's age they gave him 3 to 6 months to live when he was diagnosed ( which was a punch in the gut) but Gir keeps shocking them. He did start developing fluid on his lungs back in January but a simple child medicine twice a day prevents that. He's not caged and he get's walks outside (weather permitting), the vet seems to think the fresh air and sun also seem to help.
can you explain more about the food. The brand, the process of what you mix. my vet isn´t very helpful and there is only one in the entire country who will receive exotic animals
@@lyllies1130 Raw Paws is freeze-dried beef parts that have been condensed into a pellet-like shape. They were a bit too hard for Gir to eat right out of the bag, so I'd wrap what I was gonna serve him in cloth and then take a hammer to it to cut them down. The company suggests adding water to soften them, but Gir wouldn't touch it like that. He wasn't a dook soup lover or even an egg lover. Please, PLEASE read the ingreediance in the food you're giving your Ferret, they can not eat plants. So if your food has grains and the like in it, then it's horrible for them. I'm sure there are other brands out there, but Raw Paws was the only one I could find, and of all places, I found it on Amazon. I'd always suggest doing organic over kibble if you know the know-how, but if your Ferret(s) is how Gir was, then kibble is the only answer. I blame pet food like Marshell brands for the reason Gir got cancer in the first place, as they put all kinds of plants and junk in their food that are simply horrible for ferrets. I hope that answers your question, and I'll gladly try to answer anything else.
I’m getting my first ferret in two weeks and I’m so excited you’re vids help so much
A great video and a lot of super information! I had a ferret that had insulinoma and was not caught in time. I wish I had known many of the things you have in this video. I got him to the vet as soon as I saw his crash but wasn't soon enough and had I known of the karo syrup and high protein food it might have helped to not of been so devastating to his body before getting to the vet. I surely hope your video can help others and if I have this come up in any future of my ferrets I now know and have the first aid needed. And as always a vet is needed! Thanks so so much!
so i was staying in a motel and a couple doors down they had been staying for about a year. unfortunately they couldnt afford to stay any longer. Before leaving they told me that if i wanted anything to take it because all of their stuff was being left behind they had no where to bring anything. I walked up to them holding a cat carrier an i looked inside and saw a medium sized ferret!! i fell in love ive always wanted one! I knew they were a lot of work and money but i didnt care i couldnt see the thing getting taken back to petco or picked up by animal control. (the ferret was 9 months already they werent sure if petco would take him back) but it didnt matter as long as they werent keeping him i was!! im currently in the process of saving money to buy a new cage so i can also buy a new ferret friend.(the cage is very large bur only big enough for one) i have the biggest fear of insulinoma for my baby boy coconut as he is a petco baby. ive been watching videos for hours a day while he runs around exploring so hopefully i can give him a better life then he was living. They were talking to me before i knew about what foods they can eat and they always fed their ferrets french fries and whatever he went for, honestly broke my heart when i went inside and researched their diet and what they should never have and potatoes is one of the big ones (any veggies) .. oh yes i said ferrets... they had 3, 2 died. hes got a vet appointment in 2 weeks.
My baby sadly died from this he had seizures following it and it crushed me I’m still not over it. It wasn’t that long ago I couldn’t stand seeing him suffer so I made the choice to put him down due to how bad it was.
I am so sorry that happened to you. I feel like I am so close to experiencing that. This video was more informative than the four consecutive days I´ve visited the vet.
Luna’s blood sugar was 400 when we brought her to the vet and our vet doesn’t feel super comfortable doing surgery on her, and she has a tumor for sure on her pancreas. And she is legit the only vet around us that treats ferrets. And it’s so expensive, a full blood panel is 600$ and then the surgery itself could be 3000$ or more…we’ve already spent 800$ on vet appts for her, it’s so frustrating as I want to keep trying to help her but don’t have the extra money for it. And this is my daughters first pet ever and it’s breaking my heart on every level. We’ve had her for 5 yrs and she has been her best friend and I just don’t know what to do….sorry just venting
That is really rough, that vet is expensive my blood work at the vet I go to is 210 or like 230
I am so sorry that you are going through this. In my country, there is one vet who is willing to receive exotic animals, and he is not well prepared. This Saturday they told me to prepare myself for his death or that I can come into their clinic and perform euthanasia. I didn´t know this many medicines existed.
How much was everything ?
My ferret has insulinoma and I believe it was caused by his diet. In the beginning I did not want any Marshall’s crunchy food or pastes because I knew it was bad for him. I’m only 15 and I couldn’t argue with pet store owners or my family because “they said it’s fine”. The vet even said to stay with Marshall crunchy food. What should I do??? 😓
My ferret has insulinoma as well and little tip, if you still struggle with giving her medicine try filling the syringe with a bit of egg yolk after the medicine so that way she gets the yolk then quickly the medicine. 👍🏼
My lilo baby is not acting right I called ER They told me to give him sugar water and call my vet I got him with me all night keeping an eye on him. He is eating n drinking n using the bathroom but my lilo buddy needs his vet I'm scared to go to bed 😩
great video :) it was very helpful! thank you
Omg thank you so much. My ferret has some sighs. Imma take him to the vet as soon as possible
This video was very informative. Thank you so much for your insights and for sharing the research you found.
My ferret is very skinny and I already tried ziwi peak for cats and a different variation of dried food please someone give me something with a lot of nutrients that’s very good for them (they are not sick we already went to the vet to check)
What kind of treats do you use for her? We’ve been buying bandits and we definitely don’t want to give her things that aren’t good for her…
We have that same wet food-ours unfortunately does not like the taste of it, do you have any tips on getting them to like new tastes?..
does anyone know how much the cost is for treatment in texas?
Excellent video. Thank you for spending this information. I've been also considering ferret videos. Excellent content. New subscriber! 💕
Stella and chewys for cats, duck duck goose, chicken, rabbit and turkey is a great high protein and easily attainable
Thank you so much for this. Very helpful and insightful!
Can you do like a vid of how to know wene you’re ferret has a decís
TT,-,TT lost my first ferret to insolinoma and Lymphosarcoma and now my second ferret is going threw with insolinoma and adrenal :'( my first lived a full life he lived for 10 years but sadly i know imma have to do the hard thing soon again with my second one hes about 7-8 now and hell live for another year or two i hope :'( they truly take your heart with them when they go!!!
I def have E kit on hand . Holistic ferret gives AWESOME stuff to put in it but don't forget benebac
I hear so much good about raw diets for ferrets, which I don't have yet but would want to get (and am preparing myself extensively for), and I'm torn because I keep hearing online that a raw diet is much better for them for insulinoma etc.. but the national ferret organisation in my country (Netherlands) as well as the European breeder organisation fiercely discourage it because they've said ferrets get a type of coronavirus (not the same one we're in quarantine for, its been around since 2016) from raw diets, or have worse symptoms if they're fed a raw diet that are often lethal, especially for younger ferrets (age 2>). I don't know what to do about it and would appreciate advice if anyone knows anything!!
Yasmine Naia defiantly go for a raw diet! They are not pet nutrition specialists, so probably often see the side effects of feeding a raw diet incorrectly. They are obligate carnivores, they are designed to eat meat. It’s so much healthier than feeding processed kibble, even the ones people are always recommending aren’t good for them, they’re full of fillers and stuff their don’t need. Check out pazuandfriends channel, she specialises in a raw diet for ferrets and is most updated with this. :)
@@ferrets_lover oh no I should specify the people putting out this information is the national vet clinic / veterinary University / lab and it's one of the best in the world. If it was just the organizations it would be an easy choice, I'm only torn because of the source of the information. No exotic vet in my country holistic or otherwise is recommending a raw diet
I had absolutely no idea about this problem in the Netherlands but I find it fascinating! I was doing some research on it to familiarize myself with the bizarre phenomenon that's going on. This website was my main source -> www.werkgroep-fret.nl/en/
The research they're doing to find out why this is happening seems really through and it looks like their biggest guess is that it's a genetic problem passed from mother to young and so on. Based on the studies done, I think your best option is to just feed your ferrets the best thing that you can (I would recommend a freeze dried raw diet). Besides that, I'm hesitant to give too much advice because I'm not extremely knowledgeable on the subject (besides the reading online that I've done). Ferret husbandry is very different here in North America, than it is in Europe and that makes it hard for me to give you any solid advice. I think your best bet is getting in touch with people who, like you, are from the Netherlands but want to feed their ferret raw. I'm sure there are some Facebook groups that you can seek out because I guarantee you're not the only one in this situation. All you can really do is research as much as you can and keep up to date with any new information on this strange case!
I am going to continue to look into this case, and I may have more information about this eventually, for now that's all I can really say though.
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodFerrets thank you so much!! Unfortunately it's definitely not genetic because it seems to be a corona virus. It seems to be mostly only lethal in extremely young ferrets so they're currently recommending feeding kibble until they're about two and then converting to raw or whole prey which currently seems like the least risky option for me! I think if I was more experienced or had more money I'd go directly for raw, but I would be a first time owner and while I have the money to fall on in case of vet emergencies I don't know how well I would handle something that lethal on an animal so young. But thank you so much for your help!
first
In Sweden the only way to get a pet ferret is from a breeder, ofc there are some very bad breeders but they usually only stick around for 1 year until people who bought kits from them expose the breeder. But usually the breeders here either breed exclusivity for a good pet behavior or a mix between their coat and behavior.
Is it corn syrup or Caro syrup ?
the brand is called Karo Syrup. Look for the clear one, it is usually near the pancake or baking section.
thank you for making these videos, they are really helpful! :). i have a question about the symptoms, are seizures also a sign of insulinoma ?? sorry to bother you .
my ferret tilts her head to the side and walks in circles and falls over and sometimes hits her head and she does it ... what do i do is this a sign ?
I would get to a vet asap! That's definitely not normal ferret behavior so something is wrong. From what I'm researching it could be a multitude of different things including ataxia, anemia, or spinal cord damage. so you're going to need a vet's opinion.
okay my parents are bringing her after they get off work thank you!!
did you figure out what it was? mine is doing the same thing as of today
Emily we had to put my ferret down because of it GET HER TO A VET ASAP!!!
Emily it is insulinoma and it gets worst where she went into bad seizures
hi so I took myy ferret asap to the vet once she started showing signs. The vet I went to is the only one thatll take ferrets near me and they said it was most likely this, they gave me some nutrical..and I just wanted to know if its actually worth the use? I sadly have no way to get to an exotic vet.
As a daily supplement, I definitely wouldn't use it for a ferret with insulinoma (or any ferret, to be honest). The first ingredient is "corn syrup" so that means it's EXTREMELY high in sugar. Giving it to your ferret daily is going to spike their blood sugar levels and make them crash later, which greatly increases risks of a seizure AND puts a whole bunch more strain on the pancreas which will make their insulinoma progress even faster. If the vet gave it to you to use in place of the regular corn syrup I mention in the video, only to be used in the case of a seizure, THEN it's fine (but again, ONLY if your ferret is having a seizure).
Ferrets with insulinoma need as little sugar as possible. If your vet recommended it as a daily supplement that's a HUGE red flag and I personally wouldn't keep bringing my ferrets there.
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodFerrets tysm! I thought the same
Would it be possible to get another list for the first aid kit? The link seems to be down
thanks for letting me know! here you go: holisticferretforum.com/emergency-kit/
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodFerrets you rock, thank you!
if a ferret doesn't have insulinoma is it still good to keep those items on hand in a first aid kit?
Having some caro/corn syrup around wouldn't be a bad idea and I know a few owners who keep it just in case. More important is to keep an eye on your ferrets energy levels, and if you notice any of them showing some of the symptoms I talk about in the video, to take them to the vet. This video is a few years old, and Nova still hasn't had a seizure, so don't stress too much.
mine got it and she turned 1 in march :/
I am wanting to put my ferrets on raw, and I would love to know more about it if it’s not too much to ask a video on raw feeding and good places to buy from would be greatly appreciated ☺️
I'm glad you're considering raw!! I really recommend checking out the channel pazuandfriends for information on raw feeding with ferrets 👍 I won't be making too many videos about raw feeding just because Bryn has already covered it so flawlessly on her channel.
My ferret is acting kind of strange just like the stuff you were describing can you let me know what you think
Vet time!
Do you have suggestions on best raw diet? My ferret was just diagnosed with insulanoma and i feel horrible feeding my baby Marshall! Help!
RAW HELPS SO MUCH WITH INSULINOMA! I saw a HUGE change in Nova when I switched. Marshall kibble is super bad for ferrets (basically like mcdonalds but if mcdonalds were worse) so I really recommend switching off asap. The holistic ferret forum (holisticferretforum.com/) has a lot of really good information on the different types of raw and it also has a guide on how to switch. The youtube channels Dook Souls, pazuandfriends, and The Primal Pack all have really good information on ferrets and raw.
About this topic my Exotic pet store here in texas was made so that inbreeding and stuff wouldn't be a thing in their pet store at least the rate of animals bought from them and petsmart in that town for health problems if I remember correctly is their store is 1/25 while petsmarts is 17/25
My ferret is getting anorexic without any sign of insulinoma. He eats normally but is getting skinnier. It's like he isnt able to obtain energy from food. He got his spleen removed because it was swollen a month ago. Now he is getting weaker and weaker, he won't be able to even sustain his bodyweight... We don't know what it could be.
I would get him to a vet asap! Weight loss is a really big deal with ferrets and it can be a sign of a lot of different health issues. Especially considering he just had surgery.
Hey I know this video is kinda old but I’m a new ferret owner who cant afford raw do you suggest the dry food “Ziwi” until I can save up for raw?
ziwipeak is a great alternative to raw but it's actually significantly more expensive than the raw diet. So if you're looking for a cheaper option, it's actually raw 😅
Friendly Neighborhood Ferrets oh okay thank you! I’ll try feeding my ferrets raw when I get them☺️
I can say as a ferret owner with a pet store and private bred ferrets and feeding 100% raw it deviated me to see my mill baby crashed on the ground killed me. Even had a friend ask how it was possible if he was raw told them it was because of his breeding. Some private breeders even say they can't promise that their ferrets won't have these issues. My state they have to be spayed and neutered by 7 months. Feel like the US sets these fellas up for failure in some ways.
I’m getting a ferret that’s on a meow mix diet , I pray she don’t get or already have insulinoma
Meow mix? That shit should be banned altogether as it’s straight up carcinogenic!
One of our three ferrets has no interest in raw chicken so he eats kibble (he was eating Kaytee Fiesta ferret food when we got him but we switched him to Epigen 90. We don’t know what he was eating before that since a family found him running around a trailer park. We sneak tiny pieces of chicken in his eggie but that’s the best we can do right now). The other two have been on a raw diet but one of them who is just a hungry little guy also likes to eat kibble (we tried to keep him away for the longest time but it was a losing battle), and ironically the only one of them who has been diagnosed with insulinoma is the fella who only eats raw meat. In terms of food, his diet has been ideal throughout his life, but there’s no way to fully overcome bad breeding through good diet. Anyway, let’s dismantle Marshall farms, the bastards.
I have 2 ferrets from Petco and one has inulinoma and the other has waardenburg syndrome and is deaf :( they are both my world though ❤️
Thanks
Hey Kenya! I’ve been watching your videos for a while now I’m interested in getting a ferret but I have no idea where to go! I live in Wisconsin and when I try to do research I find name brand pet stores or just regular pet supplies stores. I want a reliable place. Maybe I’m doing something wrong…? If you have any tips I would GREATLY appreciate it, thank you!
I very strongly discourage the purchasing of ferrets from pet stores. Pet store ferrets come from mills which which have extremely unethical breeding practices, care, and housing for their animals. I'm making a video on it eventually, I've just been struggling with it because it's so heart breaking to look into
I’m soooo mad man because I’m in Northern Ireland and it’s LITERALLY impossible to find an ferret!💀😭
I'm honestly so pissed that the TH-cam channels I looked at for what to feed my ferret recommended kibble and I didn't research more on it.
Sugary foods are good for ferrets that have insulinoma when they are having an episode, so not sure why you would say no sugar when the lack of it is why they are having an episode in the first place.
The sugar is ONLY meant to be used when they're having an extreme blood sugar low (which causes the seizure), it raises their blood sugar out of the danger zone and then, by feeding them a high protein food right after, it stabilizes the blood sugar. I know it sounds a little backwards, but when Nova had her first major low and I rushed her to the vet the first thing they did was feed her karo syrup for that exact reason. Normally, they shouldn't be fed sugar, but emergency situations call for different actions.
I never knew about this!
i live in south africa and ferrets have just become legal here but people have had them for a while anyway....
it is ilegal to sell pets from pets stores and mills are also ilegal so all ferrets and small animals that are bred here are basically healthy
Your lucky as you can get meerkats much easier than here in the states,and they live way longer and have few health issues.
My ferret gets cooked meat, fish, eggs, and Wysong. I don't feed raw meat because of the danger of pathogens in meat in America.
I would be cautious with wysong. There have been a lot of reports lately of people finding dead mice, metal pieces, and mold in their bags. Ziwipeak is easily the best "kibble" (technically not kibble because it's freeze dried raw) you can feed, I'd really recommend checking it out :D
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodFerrets I have never had a problem with Wysong in 8 years of feeding it. I've never had a case of Insulinoma either on the diet I feed. I have freeze-dried chicken and liver but my ferrets have never shown an interest in it but the dogs like it.