Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys, my friends just got two new ferrets of their very own. They've had Rocky for a good while now, and boy has he gotten FAT! They don't know what to do with him! He just eats and eats and eats, and he's gotten so big that he's actually got rolls on his neck from being so fat. They try to get him to be active and play with him, even bought a second ferret to help him not be so lonely and get him to play, but he just lays down flat, lays down to eat, and just overeats all the time. We can't find any ferret diet food around here, so I've suggested just giving him food in rations. How much would you suggest? I'm also ferret sitting for the next 3 days so at least I can be in charge, heh. I've also decided to try giving him vitamins in his water. Perhaps he's craving something that's missing in his diet, and that's why he's overeating? Any suggestions would be great, thanks!

Has he been to a vet lately? I'd have a check up if not. There could be something medical going on that is causing his inactivity. I definitely would not withhold food, ferrets have a short digestive cycle and need to eat every few hours. If he has something medical going on, not eating could make things worse very quickly, it could even be life-threatening. Is he currently on any medication? I know pred can cause bloating and weight gain, mostly in the abdomen, it is sometimes called "pred belly."
I would definitely check with the vet before I made any drastic diet changes.

No he's not on any medications, he's not even a year old yet. I know all about prednisone, my Dad's been on it for years and years.
I did notice something about Rocky. He was simply eating regular ferret food (and we all know how high quality THAT crap is) and had no vitamin supplements or anything. I've been putting vitamins in their water. The very next day his activity level went up 200%! I changed the water and did it again, and once again he's all happy and bouncy. Could it be as simple as nutrients, perhaps?

I can't really comment on the nutrient thing, getting him on a better food is definitely starting things in the right direction. I don't know if just vitamins would have that much effect that quickly, but who knows. My best guess would be that maybe the attention he is getting from you has perked him up more than anything. Ferrets get bored easily and it sounds like you are giving him extra attention. Do you know if he gets much attention otherwise?

Oh yes, he gets plenty of attention as soon as they get home from work. They let he and his buddy Cocoa out and they romp and play, and the owners come in and play with them for a couple of hours as well. That's how they've noticed him being so sluggish, they try to get him to play, but he just lays down completely flat and refuses, or just plays a little bit before he gets flat again. Cocoa on the other hand is just fine, a normal healthy ADHD (haha) ferret! He tries his darndest to get Rocky to play too, and Rocky will just kinda play as much as he can in one place.

If this lack of energy is a change in behavior, then I would definitely get him to a vet. A lethargic ferret can be a symptom of some serious problems, even in young ferrets. The worst thing that can happen is a vet bill for him to tell you nothing is wrong. Some ferrets are not as active as others, but if his behavior has changed, it's time for a check up.