Signs of Illness (Birds)

Call your pet store or vet if you notice these symptoms

• Diarrhea or wet droppings:

Caused by change in food or water supply, stress or change of environment, too much fresh food or a bacterial infection. Treatments include the addition of millet, ornalyte ®, ornabac ® or hulled oats to the diet. Your vet may prescribe an antibiotic for bacterial problems.

• Sneezing or wheezing:

Caused by an upper respiratory infection, a cold, dust, pollen or mold. Treatments include providing a clean and draft free environment, and a call to your veterinarian.

• Puffy appearance with feathers "puffed out" in the bird's attempt to keep warm:

Usually caused by a draft for a prolonged period of time (like 4 hours). Treatment: warm your bird by covering the cage and placing a heating pad beneath the cage. Call your vet .

•  Sunken eyes, which indicate dehydration:

Call your vet.

•  Growth on feet, cere (nostrils) or beak; or spongy appearance to the beak:

Cause is probably "Scaly face mites" which can easily be treated. Call your pet store or vet.

•  Rhythmic clicking sound as the bird breaths:

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Probably due to goiter from lack of iodine. Call your veterinarian.

Keep cuttlebone (great source of iodine) available, and /or add a mineral supplement to prevent this.

Ferret Care

Ferrets are fascinating creatures that have moved their way into more than 395,000 American households over the past several years according to a recent study by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Popular because of their small size, their playfulness, and their friendly disposition, ferrets can be great companions. They do however require a lot of care and supervised attention.

Members of the Mustelidae family, ferrets are related to minks, polecats, weasels, and otters. It is believed that ferrets were domesticated 2,000 years ago in Europe when they were used for hunting small game or controlling rodents. Domestic ferrets should not be confused with the North American black-footed ferret, which is an endangered species.

• Choosing a ferret

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Ferrets are very dependent upon their human companions for survival. Because ferrets require continuous care and supervision, potential owners should evaluate their ability to commit. The commitment is long term since the lifespan of ferrets is six to 10 years.

Ferrets may not be the best pet for families with small children. Although ferrets are very social animals, they may bite or nip if mishandled. Never leave a ferret and a small child alone together. Ferrets generally get along with dogs and cats if they are introduced carefully, but they should not interact with birds, rodents, or small reptiles.

When selecting a ferret from a shelter, a pet store or a breeder, choose one that is bright-eyed and alert. The presence of crusty eyes or nasal discharge that is full of mucus indicate illness. If you handle a sick ferret, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly so as not to infect yourself or the next batch of animals.

Whether you select a male ferret, known as a hob, or a female, known as a jill, you should get a spayed/neutered ferret. Breeding is not recommended. Most ferrets from farms or pet stores will already be altered. If not, it is best to have the ferret altered at the age of six months. Neutering is a must for jills because they can develop aplastic anemia when in heat if they aren't breed. The result could be death. Altering a ferret may actually improve its disposition since it will not be as aggressive or territorial.

Descenting a ferret helps reduce the animal's musky body odor. This surgery can be performed at the same time as spaying or neutering.