Ferrets can get fleas from other furry animals in a home, including cats and dogs. It is essential for ferret owners to be vigilant about flea infections, especially during warm seasons. Fleas tend to hide on ferrets, and it may be hard for you to realize that your pet has fleas.
You should consult your vet immediately if you suspect that your pet has fleas and ask about flea medicine for ferrets. At times a vet may tell you to come in to do the treatment in the clinic.
Otherwise, it is risky to remove fleas from ferrets using cat or dog treatments because they can be toxic to ferrets.
Signs of Fleas on Ferrets
Your ferrets may not show any signs of flea infestation in the beginning. Some ferrets can seem a bit more itchy than usual. They will scratch, bite, and sometimes appear like they are trying to get something off their skin.
Another sign is balding in ferrets. There are many causes of balding, but flea infestation is one of them. Be balding starts at the top of the head or the back of a ferret. Flea dirt is another sign of fleas on ferrets.
Flea dirt refers to flea droppings that are the size of black pepper seeds. They will be visible on your pet’s fur, and you need to take immediate action when you notice them.
How to Identify Fleas on Ferrets
It is hard to identify fleas on ferrets because they tend to hide underarms and joints. You have to be actively looking for them on your pet ferret.
However, you will be able to see fleas moving on your ferret’s skin if you part the hair. They will look like black chia seed carrying on the skin.
You can also look at the ferret’s cage to see whether you will see them on the blanket. You can check on the underbelly of the ferrets, which is likely where they will be when the infestation isn’t severe.
However, you won’t have to look for long to find fleas on your ferret when there is a full-blown infestation.
What Should You Do When You Notice Fleas?
First, you should call a veterinarian to ask for advice on the way forward. A vet may advise you on flea medicine for ferrets, or you will have to take the ferret to a clinic.
It would be best if you treated the ferret first before you start treating the surrounding areas. Don’t use dog or cat flea treatment and use them on your ferret as they may cause more harm than good.
Treat the Ferret
The best flea treatment for ferrets is applied topically. Advantage II flea treatment for ferrets is the most popular over-the-counter flea treatment option. It would help if you had to buy the pack indicated Advantage for ferrets because there is a cat option for fleas.
Advantage 2 ferret treatment can cause a skin reaction on some ferrets. However, it is safe to use for the majority of ferrets infected with fleas.
Clean the Cage and Blankets
After applying Advantage 2 for ferrets topically, you need to place your pet in a carrier bag as you clean the cage. Placing the ferret in a clean carrier bag prevents fleas from escaping from the cage and onto your treated pet. Now you can set about doing a thorough cleaning of the habitat.
You need to wash everything with hot water and soap to kill the fleas and their eggs. Doing cleaning with cold water will remove the fleas, but it won’t kill the eggs. Soon you will have a new generation of fleas on your ferret.
Wash the blankets with hot water and soap and let them dry completely. Clean the cage next with hot soapy water. Cover all the areas of the cage with the mixture before rinsing it.
If your cage sits on furniture, you need to clean the furniture too. You can opt to vacuum the area instead of washing it with soap and water.
Vacuum the House
Ferret owners tend to let their pets out to roam around the house or sit on the couch with them. Therefore, there is a big chance that your pet left fleas on your carpet or sofa. You should vacuum your home thoroughly and dispose of the waste in plastic bags so that nothing escapes.
Give particular focus to your carpet, coaches, and other areas that your ferrets like to spend time in the house. Also, vacuum all the areas around the ferret’s cage if you can’t clean them with hot water and soap.
Treat Your Furry Pets
You need to apply flea treatment on other furry pets in the house, like your cat and dog. It would be best if you didn’t advantage II ferret treatment on your other pets. Find other flea treatment options suitable for your cat or dog.
There is a cat option similar to the Advantage flea treatment for ferrets, and it is effective in removing fleas from your cat. Overall, treating other furry pets for fleas will prevent the spread of the infestation.
Treat Your Home
Fleas can multiply fast, and by the time you notice there are fleas in the house, it is too late. It would be best if you did a flea treatment in your home. Alternatively, you can call a fumigator to treat your home.
There are many products online that are ideal for flea treatments. It would help if you kept your ferret out of the house when you are applying flea treatment.
Ferrets are sensitive animals, and most flea treatments contain toxins that can affect them. Also, don’t apply or spray your home flea treatments to the ferret’s cage. Apply the treatments weekly until you are sure that you no longer have a flea infestation.
Can A Vet Do Flea Treatments?
Yes. It would be best to take your pet ferret for checkups at least once a year when they are below 3yrs and twice per year after that. A vet may recommend a flea and tick treatment for ferrets when you go for an annual checkup.
They may also recommend an ear mite treatment when they administer a flea treatment. It would be wise to take up your vet’s recommendations and ensure that your ferret is treated against the parasites.
A vet will also do a look-over to make sure the ferret doesn’t have any issues like hairballs or the ferret flu.
How Long Does It Take to Kill Fleas?
It depends on the severity of the infestation. You need to clean your home, wash the ferret’s cage and blankets, and apply treatment to the ferret every week for 2-3 months in cases of severe infestations. It would be best if you also did flea treatments to your home and other furry pets weekly to kill all fleas and their eggs.
Overall, you can beat your flea infestation in a month when you are vigilant about cleaning your home and applying flea treatments. Remember that skipping weekly treatments can let the fleas increase in your home.
Do Flea Treatments Affect Ferrets?
Some ferrets may show signs of skin irritation when you apply flea treatments on their skin and fur. You may notice red patches after administering treatments. You should consult your vet when you notice any adverse reaction.
Avoid using ferret flea baths as a way of removing fleas. Flea dips contain chemicals that may affect the overall health of your ferret. Therefore, stick with Advantage 2 for ferrets or have your vet recommend other products.
Conclusion
Ferrets get fleas from time to time. They can pick them up from other pets in the house or from other ferrets during playdates or a stay at the daycare. It would be best to administer the proper flea treatment for ferrets to clear out any flea infestation. Ferrets can become anaemic when many fleas feed on their blood.
Advantage II for ferrets is a proper topical treatment for fleas. However, it would be best to couple the treatment with cleaning activities to completely eliminate fleas. The good news is that you can clear flea infestations on your ferret and around the home without burning a hole in your bank account.
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