Why is my ferret scratching non-stop? Could it be mites or fleas?

Hello. A ferret that is pruritic ( itchy ) without signs of ectoparasites ( fleas, lice ) is adrenal gland disease until proven otherwise. It is not uncommon for very itchy ferrets to have no obvious signs of hair loss. Occasional, cutaneous mast cell tumors can be very pruritic. These are almost always benign in ferrets & removal is curative. I would encourage you to have your ferrets evaluated by a veterinarian & have some diagnostic tests done to find the underlying cause of the itching. Then appropriate treatment can be started. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It is important to find out why they are itching first before putting anything on them. They could be suffering from a mite infection, a fungal or a bacterial infection. All of these cause serious itch and each of these is treated differently. Please take your ferrets to your vet for an exam to determine why they are itching. Mites itch terribly, the skin gets scabby and fur gets lost. Mites are easily treated with avermectin injections. A fungal infection may need oral medications or antifungal shampoo or both and a bacterial infection is usually treated with oral antibiotics.

Thanks for reaching out about Sally. Itchy skin can be due to fleas, bacterial or fungal dermatitis, adrenal or other endocrine problems and more. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Falling over and wobbly, could be a low blood sugar, possibly an insulinoma. Good luck.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The very important first thing we need to do is make sure Stanley doesn't have fleas, as that would be the most common reason a ferret his age would be scratching. I typically advise applying Revolution - the product labeled for cats is safe for use on ferrets. If Stanley is still scratching, you should have him seen by your vet to determine the source of the scratching. Hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Lola. Microscopic parasites such as mites, can cause itching. Ferrets are fastidious groomers and will often itch themselves. If the problem persists, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Hello, Ferrets do scratch more than normal dogs and cats! They tend to be itchier creatures, and this very well may be normal behavior. :) They can get fleas, mites, and skin infections that make them more itchy though- usually hair loss, redness, and scabbing is associated with these (and obviously, if you see fleas!). If they are particularly focused on their ears, ear mites may be a concern. If you notice any hair loss, scabbing, or excessive black crusting in the ears, these would be signs to go to the veterinarian. These conditions are generally easy to treat with a course of medications, so nothing to panic about! I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Like most animals ferrets can develop allergies and intolerance. If you notice signs such as itching or hair loss then this is a possible cause. I would rule out other things such as parasites first though. You could try not feeding beef and see if it settles. Bear in mind there may be allergy to a few proteins. You could try an elimination diet where you feed just novel protein such as rabbit for 6 weeks. On the diet they should be fine, then after 6 weeks if you give normal food again and they flare up you know they have a food allergy.