Does Your Ferret Need To Be Fixed?

Spaying or neutering your ferret is essential! There is no option when it comes to this. The good news is that for most of us, when we do receive our ferrets, they are already either spayed -- if she is a female -- or neutered --if he is a male. "Fixing" this particular animal, as many people call it, is important for a number of reasons. First and just for your own purely selfish reasons, you really do not want much to do with raising a litter of ferrets. It is not only difficult to do and requires a lot of work, but it is above the expertise range of most of us.

Altering as the procedure is more appropriately called has many benefits, not the least of which is the freedom from that strong, musky odor the animal's glands produce otherwise. Spaying and neutering reduces this body odor by decreasing the system's oil production. In turn, you also have the benefit of your ferret's fur being more silky and beautiful.

But beyond that, having your pet altered usually equates to better behavior. Males who do not get neutered are usually quite aggressive. They are usually so aggressive they need to be contained separately from other ferrets. If you bring home a male who happens to not be neutered, then you will want to get this performed when the animal is between the ages of four to six months old. This usually stops any aggressive behavior which has developed.

If you have a female ferret you will definitely want to take the ferret into get spayed. In doing this you very well could be saving the life of your new friend. (Not that she will understand it at this level!) A female ferret, according to veterinarians, is an "induced ovulator." A never-spayed female will only ovulate if she has had contact with a male. The appropriate, resulting sexual stimulation creates certain hormones which release her eggs, to take her out of heat. Without this essential release, the ovaries continue to secrete the estrogen hormones. And that means the female can literally stay in heat for months!

As horrible as that may sound, there is still another reason to have your female ferret spayed even before you bring her home. This long-term release of estrogen can become toxic to your pet's bone marrow. When it does reach the toxic stage, it can be the precursor to a fatal anemia. If your ferret has been in heat for more than three or four weeks, you should probably take her to your vet. Get a blood count performed to see just where she stands.

Don't know if she is in heat? The most telltale sign your female ferret is in heat is a swollen pink vulva that reaches its maximum size about one month after the onset of estrus. You may also notice certain changes in the way your ferret behaves, including a decreased appetite, less sleep as well as increased irritability. Just how serious is this problem? Pretty serious. It is a sad fact, but science has estimated that about 90 percent of all female ferrets not spayed and not bred die during their first spring-summer period.

For the most part, altering a ferret is nothing we as responsible ferret owners usually worry about. It is something that is usually already performed on the animal even before we bring these cuties home. But do not forget to ask. Make sure. You can never assume anything -- especially when it comes to this area of expertise.