What do you do when your ferret has fleas?
By phoenix25
@phoenix25 (1541)
United States
5 responses
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
8 May 08
i think ferrets can have either revolution or frontline for pets-i would call your vet about it,
and see what dosage can be given.i'm not sure what ferrets weigh,but the low dosage for cats is 5 pounds and under.
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
8 May 08
I have heard of people using those medications to get rid of fleas, but I think I remember some people having some problems using frontline on their dogs and cats...the animals could sometimes have a bad reaction I think. Most ferrets are pretty light. Most of them don't weight more than 1 or 2 pounds.
1 person likes this
@libertarianfreedom21 (3198)
• United States
13 May 08
When i first got my ferrets they had fleas, i bought some cat flea shampoo, because the pet store said that cat shampoo is sensitive enough for them, and I washed them with it about every three weeks (since your not supposed to bathe them really more than once a month) It got rid of the fleas after three months of it. now they are flealess. So maybe you can get rid of them without going to the vet and spending outragious money on it.
@libertarianfreedom21 (3198)
• United States
13 May 08
I dont really have a problem, its probally because i odnt have other animals, the person i got them from had other animals, and let them run around outside without leashes. so they had a bunch of fleas
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
13 May 08
That's what I really prefer to do. I give him baths sometimes every 2 weeks if I have guests that stay in his room so that he's not too stinky. I always use ferret conditioner though and that helps him to not dry out so much. Other times, I bathe him about every 3 or 4 weeks in the summer. I don't really bother him too much in the winter because the fleas aren't so much of a problem. I think what happens is my cat brings fleas inside the house and they get on my ferret. I keep forgetting to replace the cat's flea collar. Anyway, I just wish there was an easier way to maintain fleas for ferrets.
1 person likes this
@jillbeth (2705)
• United States
9 May 08
I wouldn't put chemicals intended for other animals on ferrets; ask your vet for advice. The truth is that many pesticides are becoming ineffective against fleas (they are developing a resistance) and these toxic chemicals can build up in your pet's body and cause damage to the central nervous system.
Bathing a pet with any mild shampoo for ten minutes will drown most of the fleas; it doesn't necessarily have to be flea shampoo.
Here is an excellent article with some suggestions for natural flea control. It is writtenw ith cats and dogs in mind but could work for ferrets also: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/758039/tips_for_natural_flea_control.html
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
9 May 08
Thanks for the link. I often prefer to use natural remedies for ailments whenever possible before I resort to chemical products that contain toxic chemicals or pesticides. Nature has provided us with natural remedies that are effective against many common ailments. The problem is that many people don't know where to look. I guess it's easier to go to the grocery store and pick up a bottle of flea spray than it is to do some good, old-fashioned research.
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
12 May 08
Definitely ask your vet. Flea chemicals can be very dangerous and even fatal if given in the wrong dosage so the wrong animal. Just call your vet and they will tell you over the pohone.
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
16 May 08
I was in CostCo the other day and there was a book on natural alternative medications and preparations for your pets. One of them was for a natural flea repellent. I haven't tried it yet , but am sharing it with the rest of us that are going nuts with fleas!
1 teaspoon dry or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves.
1 pint water.
Bring the water to a boil and add the rosemary leaves. Allow the mixture to steep for a while and then strain the leaves out. You can use this as a rinse after bathing or I figure that you could use it in a spray bottle as a flea spray.
I haven't tried it yet, but am planning to do so this afternoon since I finally have some time to make the preparation. I just hope it works!
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
17 May 08
Thanks for sharing. I'll have to try that. I've heard that lavender is also a natural flea repellant, but dried rosemary is so much easier to find. I would be more comfortable using something natural like this in addition to his flea shampoo and conditioner when I bathe him.
