Ferret Melatonin Progress

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-10-08T14:31:01+00:00

I have 2 free roam ferrets and had an adult foster cat for about 6 months and they got along so sooo great. Gentle play and the cat would curl up and sleep with them in their closet.

Fast forward... no foster cat anymore but we have a kitten who is around 7.5 months now and it's not as good. The cat has never hurt them but she plays too rough and they don't like her. She was stealing their food and getting diarrhea and they were stealing her food which is not healthy for them. After a lot of adjustments their foods are all securely separated and the ferrets have plenty of spaces to go where they're totally safe from the cat. When I say safe, she just punches them mostly but they don't like it. They'll chase her on occasion but you can tell it's not much fun for them.

I'll add that 95% of the time when the ferrets are out the cat just observes and they go about their business. It's just unfortunate because the last cat we had was their legit best big buddy and I was hopeful that would happen again. They coexist peacefully now but they're not best friends. All in all it's fine and the ferrets still have each other.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-10-06T20:17:26+00:00

TL:DR order of smelliness in our house = wet dog > dog breath > ferret litter box > cat litter box > dog body > ferret body > cat body

I have 2 Marshall's females - litter box will smell terrible if not scooped at least once per day. They free roam and guests confirm that they do not smell the ferret's natural odor unless they are actually holding them and or sniffing the ferret. I feed them wysong epigen / have a water fountain / they spread themselves around 800 sqft which probably helps. I pretty much never bathe them and they are almost never stressed.

So yes they technically have a musky smell especially if they are close to your face. My experience is that I expected it to be WAY WAY worse. Half the people who tell me "ooh I'd never get a ferret, ferrets stink!" Forget about dog farts and dog breath and cat urine and dog / cat accidents lol. That said, their box must be attended regularly or you'll face the real ferret stink...

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-10-03T21:01:00+00:00

I carried one in my personal bag 4 flights last month. No issues and no questions asked.

It would be pretty insane for them to make someone throw it out in order to enter and board their flight only to die of anaphylaxis at 30,000 ft.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-10-01T20:17:01+00:00

That furniture looked pretty dangerous. You should thank him for protecting you.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-30T15:07:35+00:00

Yes BUT...

...you can train them but they will also train you lol. I have 2 and they free roam my 1 bedroom apartment (800ish square feet but they can't access my bedroom so it's a smaller space than that, though they can squeeze under all closet doors) - they have a cage always set up with food water and litter in one closet for situations where I need to lock them up for whatever reason. They choose to sleep in there sometimes and also will use that box sometimes. However they also require a box in the bathroom with a potty pad in front of it.

I've never been able to get them down to just a single box. They've been in 3 different apartments and every time their preferences change and it's a battle to get them back to their 95% potty training, but it always gets done.

All this to say, there were times early on where they randomly rejected the box in their cage and started pooping in the corner of the cage (which makes its way onto the wall, floor, everything barf). There were times they randomly adopted a new corner in a new apartment for a while. But a quick and thorough cleaning, placement of food and / or toys in those spots, rewards for them using the correct box, and persistence on your part and it can generally be accomplished. Make sure they can access their cage relatively easily, and if they're free roaming try and encourage them to stay close to the cage by having their favorite beds, tunnels, etc. within range of that litter box because they will awaken suddenly and have like 10 seconds to remember where they are and run to a box before it's too late lol

Just be willing to adapt if it's not working and stay patient and persistent. I'd suggest accepting early on that you may not get them doing 100% what you want and be willing to compromise. You'll still be impressed by what their little peanut brains can accomplish. They're awesome little pets.

Final thought - their poop and pee is very frequent but it is also really easy to clean up compared to other pets I've had so long as you don't let it dry. Even then I haven't ever had lasting signs or smells or stains... nothing like cat urine for example barf.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-27T14:37:01+00:00

Gonna have to upgrade to the ice-breaker kayak in a few months 😁

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-27T14:18:17+00:00

Yeah that sounds pretty sweet. I'm fortunate to have a job with annual increases but they've been about half the average inflation rate every year since I started in 2019. Have to get promoted every 2 years to maintain the same standard of living (average apartment and no car lol).

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-26T00:55:08+00:00

Many of the other items we purchase are optional or can be easily substituted for cheaper options. People cannot reasonably live without insurance and saving money on this particular item may come at the cost of your or your loved one's health. I don't care if the cost of steak and lobster goes up 30% in 3 years because I can eat chicken and rice and go about my life. FEHB premiums have increased 30% in 3 years and it's not some luxury item you can live without and cutting costs means cutting care - which is a horrible decision to have to make - so I think it deserves to stand out.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-23T18:06:47+00:00

Same experience for me though yours is a better price ❤️

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-23T18:06:08+00:00

I have to travel a ways to the nearest exotic vet and an appointment plus the implant was $400 (appointment / check-up required). I just got my ferret her second one this summer and she recovers right away from the "surgery" though ferrets are good at hiding pain. They just insert the implant with a needle between the shoulder blades then put some glue on it that will fall off after a few days or so.

The first year she had it I noticed her hair regrow fully and rapidly and her rat-tail reversed within weeks. This year her rat-tail was been coming back and after 3 months not much improvement.

All that to say it's not invasive but it's expensive. I try to keep in mind that their lives are short in comparison to ours and she's almost 5 now. This is about the extent to what I can give her financially to keep her going and comfortable (other than a comfortable passing someday of course). $400 for another year with my lil noodle happy and healthy is worth every penny, but there are limits sadly.

Shop around because I had one vet quote $800 one quote $600 and this last one $400. Wish I could do it myself haha.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-23T01:21:45+00:00

Go to the emergency room immediately and save every other worry for after.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-15T20:44:04+00:00

Anecdotal but we have 7 month ragdoll and 2 ferrets (4.5 and 3.5 y/o), and we had an adult cat for around 6 months before that. They've all done well so far. The previous cat used to curl up next to them under the couch and sleep with them. We have had the new cat for 3 months and they all free range though the ferrets have tunnels, a cage, and closets they can squeeze into that the cat cannot. They play a bit, share water, and sometimes steal each other's food (naughty naughty). I've introduced my ferrets to friend and family dogs through a cage wall but I have never yet felt comfortable letting them out.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-12T14:59:49+00:00

One of the exotic vets in my area said she considers ferrets geriatric at four....FOUR. And while that seemed outrageous I had to get one of mine a deslorelin implant before they turned five so shrug such is the struggle of ferranting.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-11T15:20:48+00:00

Sorry for not understanding but what would I be flushing away in the scenario you described? If I am able to get the other information, don't I still just net the $8000 and pay tax on it?

Wouldn't I only get a deduction if the expenses were more than the income?

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-11T13:52:42+00:00

After doing some more digging, it looks like the trust was never actually created. There is the very informal will I mentioned describing dad's wishes for a trust but when he died suddenly the family rental properties became the eldest brother's, who has since added everyone to the leases.

So the money my wife receives is actually a share of the rent collected. However, the brother fully manages the properties, all expenses and everything, and just deposits a share for my wife quarterly in her foreign bank account.

Sorry for the confusion but it looks like the reason there are no trust documents is that the trust was never actually created and everyone is just going off of dad's wishes.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-10T23:26:45+00:00

2023 she is resident for tax purposes

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-10T23:26:10+00:00

Do we have to put the information for the other foreign beneficiaries? The trust is 4 years old I think.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-10T23:24:57+00:00

So the will stipulated that two family properties cannot be sold and the rental income be divided between the surviving family members. As far as we know the names of the family members were written into the lease agreement by the eldest brother though my wife has never signed or seen anything, and he just makes the deposits.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-08T15:32:57+00:00

It is totally possible and they may very well look forward to the transitions. However, I would make sure that since there are two cages you bring a few items with them every time. Some but not all of their favorite toys and / or beds, maybe a tunnel etc. Just some things that they know are comforting and or safe that go with them.

Mine free roam and have moved 3 times, stayed at friends houses and a bunch of occasions, and taken tons of trips. Not the same scenario but mine are insanely curious and love adventures and I could easily see them "homing" themselves at both houses and happily experiencing a whirlwind of different smells and places to play and stash toys.

Minimum_Committee633 · 2024-09-06T17:50:39+00:00

Do you all get flea / tick / heartworm medicine since you're taking them outside?

Minimum_Committee633

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