HarpersE
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- Joined: 3/20/2017
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Question About Ramps for Elderly Ferrets
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Monday, March 20, 2017 11:43 PM
Greetings, Currently I have a Ferret Nation cage, two levels with each level having the mid-shelf level. All have ramps with ramp covers that lead to the various areas. I have three ferrets, Cyrus (age 6-7 years), Jasper (age 5 years), and Oliver (age 6 months) Cryus has advanced insulinoma. He is currently on medication, but as his illness advances it gets harder for him to climb up and down ramps to the point where he often just slides/tumbles down them and then has trouble pulling himself back up. Because of the trouble with the ramps, he also often doesn't bother climbing to the litter box levels and he won't use small litter boxes places on the mid-shelf levels. My other two have no issues getting up and down the ramps, however with Jasper advancing in age and having recently had surgery to remove a mass on his pancreas, I feel its only a matter of time. In the past I have tried tubes without much success and I have also tried bending the ramps so that they have a "wave" shape so that he has something to grip, but this isn't possible with all of the ramps due to the length between the levels. I don't really want to reduce it down to just two levels, because I have to have a litter box on each level and I have to use the cat size litter boxes or else he will go on either side of it. I've already altered the boxes so that they have little-to-no lip on the front so it is easier for him to scoot back. I briefly tried potty pads as well, but I disliked the cost/mess/odor control (they are in my bedroom/office). I also like having the multiple levels so that they have a bit more real estate. I'm wondering, has anyone here had a mobility-impaired ferret and, if so, what solutions did they do to help them get around the cage? What types of ramps do people use or have they made? Do you feel your ferrets have an easier time with with tubes or stairs rather than ramps? Any suggestions are appreciated! HarpersE
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bandit99
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Re:Question About Ramps for Elderly Ferrets
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Tuesday, March 21, 2017 7:24 AM
Member in blocked list
Hello and Welcome to the forum! Sometimes when they age and have trouble with climbing it's necessary to give them just one level to use. We have a FN that I have had to give Tahve the top half and Bo the bottom. This is because for us Tahve is a lot younger and sometimes picked on Bo when they were together. Bo is almost 7. Bo still climbs to the shelf in his part but it's getting harder as he ages. If he does slide down he has soft bedding to land on. For others I've had in the past I have taken away the ramps so they couldn't climb. I have cut down the front of Bo's litter pan too. I place half of a puppy pad in front and a little under too.
Fuzzbutts Rule!
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