Is my ferret stressed? What are the common signs to look for?

Hello. In a rabbit, this could be heavy breathing/panting, agitation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, & not grooming. Basically, it is anything but a quiet, calm well managed rabbit. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If this is a sudden change in behavior then I would be concerned she may not be feeling well or could have a medical cause for the changes. If she is a new ferret and this is how she has always behaved, she may just need time to warm up to you or this may just be her personality. If she is not eating/drinking normally or is not having normal bowel movements or seems lethargic, then these would all be reasons to seek veterinary care.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is unclear how long Bandit has been back home now after his 30 hours missing. It definitely is pretty typical for a pet to be extra tired for a few days after going missing, from the stress/excitement, and potentially increased activity of being out. If Bandit is eating and drinking well, that's certainly a good sign. You should be seeing him become progressively more of his normal self. If he continues to seem "off" or overly tired beyond the first couple days, or if you feel his appetite is decreased, then I'd definitely have a vet take a look. There are many hazards that our pets can encounter when they get outside, such as injury, toxic exposure, bites from other animals, etc so if Bandit isn't bouncing back it's worth having him seen by a vet. Hope this helps - glad he's home safe!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. When ferrets are deeply sleeping, they may take deep breaths and even twitch a little, like we would when we are dreaming. You can watch Thunder for a few minutes while he is sleeping and see if he shows any of these signs. I hope this is helpful!

They can show they are stressed by urinating outside the litter box, GI issues such as diarrhea, hiding, excessive grooming, decrease in appetite, excessive vocalization, increased sleeping, and aggression towards people and other animals in the home.

Hello there, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am concerned about Stewart. While this interesting biting behavior may be simply that - a strange behavior - I strongly suggest that medical conditions are ruled out by a veterinarian before chalking it up to a weird idiosyncrasy. If Stewart is biting at the air above his head, as if trying to catch a bug, I worry about a secondary condition called "fly-biting," which is essentially a type of seizure. Fly-biting is most common in dogs, but there are certain diseases that can cause seizures in ferrets as well, like an insulinoma (a mass on the pancreas that messes with glucose regulation), a vitamin deficiency, or toxin ingestion. These are unlikely considering Stewart's young age, but I always feel that a physical reason for strange behaviors should be eliminated first. If he's biting the air towards your hands only, I'd feel better about calling it a behavioral issue, but biting the air randomly doesn't sound normal. If everything seems okay after the vet visit, you can talk to him or her about behavior modification. There is a veterinarian that sees exotic animals near you: Mercury Animal Hospital 2500 W Mercury Blvd, Hampton, VA 23666 (757) 826-4951 Good luck, and I hope that Stewart is indeed a healthy ferret!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ferrets typically do not enjoy being held, and do enjoy playing with their owners more. If you have only had Eddie for a short while, he may not be very used to you, or people in general. I recommend moving slowly with him, and offering treats when he approaches you. Ferrets tend to "remember" negative experiences, so it is important to be as gentle with him as possible early on. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have about Eddie!