ferrets

• They won’t move around much due to medications and pain
• If they get too hot or cold, they often don’t move
• To keep them warm safely, use an animal-safe device like a Snuggle-Safe Disc
  • No electricity or wires to chew
• Make a “warm” and a “cool” area in the cage so they can move (or you can move them) if they get too hot or too cold
• Check the ferret frequently and turn them if they have been in the same position for over an hour

Anesthesia can take as long as 24 hours to wear off completely, which means the ferret will be sleepy. The ferret should be awake enough to drink water and eat a little liquid food.

The Snuggle-Safe Disc can be warmed in the microwave and stays warm up to 12 hours. Suggested heating times range from 8 minutes for a 600 watt microwave to 2-1/2 minutes for for a 1300 watt microwave. As of 01/16/09, Amazon.com has them for about $25. I’ve used mine for years. As long as you don’t over-heat it, it will last a very long time. It should be put under the bedding and animal should not be placed directly on it.

Other types of heating pads can be used, but be careful with the temperature. Other types of pads can be filled with corn, wheat, rice, etc. They don’t hold the temperature as long. Don’t use anything electric due to shock hazard. Don’t use hot water bottle due to the ferret’s love of putting holes in rubbery things.