Ferrets cannot survive in heat, they do not have sweat glands like dogs and cars and in their natural environment they live underground in dens away from the harsh Australian climate. All ferret owners must take extra precautions over the summer months to ensure your ferrets are kept cool and safe from heat stroke. High humidity is much worse than high temperatures, even if the temperature is moderate if the humidity is high this will cause discomfort in your ferret.
Anything over 28 degrees is and can be fatal to your ferret. During the hot summer months in South Australia, we all know it can easily get over 40 and even get extreme to 45 or more, you will need to ensure you have a very easy way to keep your ferret cool. The best way to keep your ferret cool in summer so they do not suffer from heat stroke is to keep them in an air conditioned room inside the house away from direct sunlight and temperatures that follow. Understandably, this is not always an option for every owner so let's look at other alternatives.
*NOTE* Blow fans are NOT efficient at keeping a ferret cool in summer as they simply circulate air and it is not being water cooled hence will not keep your ferret cool
If your ferret is showing any of the following signs then they are suffering from heat stroke and you MUST rush them to the Vet immediately:
Anything over 28 degrees is and can be fatal to your ferret. During the hot summer months in South Australia, we all know it can easily get over 40 and even get extreme to 45 or more, you will need to ensure you have a very easy way to keep your ferret cool. The best way to keep your ferret cool in summer so they do not suffer from heat stroke is to keep them in an air conditioned room inside the house away from direct sunlight and temperatures that follow. Understandably, this is not always an option for every owner so let's look at other alternatives.
- Bring them inside for the day whilst you go to work. (A bedroom with the air con on or a cool laundry or bathroom
- Frozen wattle bottles (covered up to keep direct ice from their body and allows them to lie next to it)
- Large water bowls for them to drink, “scuba dive” in, lay in and or put their warm noses/faces and paws into
- If you are at home, popping them in a pool/bath tub with cool water to let them swim/cool down
- Squirt bottles and or lightly wetting their bedding so they can lie in this and keep cool
- Frozen Waterbeds which over time will melt and keep them cool
*NOTE* Blow fans are NOT efficient at keeping a ferret cool in summer as they simply circulate air and it is not being water cooled hence will not keep your ferret cool
If your ferret is showing any of the following signs then they are suffering from heat stroke and you MUST rush them to the Vet immediately:
- Nose and gums turn a darkish shade of pink
- Mouth open when resting
- Panting or salivating
- Redness on foot pads
- Being lethargic and lying flat on the floor
- Personally, my ferrets are housed in Ferret Kingdoms located outside, undercover with a monitored sprinkler set up for when it gets too hot.
