Help! My ferret seaweed, used to act a certain way.. I let her roam the house everyday, take her on walks every week and give her baths when she needs them. She would play and run and mess stuff up. Recently my bf and I started fostering kittens. We keep the kittens and seaweed separate, we still let seaweed out and take her on walks but she has stopped playing. Now when we let her out she hides and sleeps, she eats less than usual and has started biting us and pooping outside her litter box within the house. She smells different and she has started sleeping in different areas of her cage... Nothing has changed in the way we treat her (except the extra attention) ! The only thing that has changed is that we have kittens separated from her in a different room. What do I do! We have tried talking to her more, eliminating smells, introducing her to the kittens (they sniff then ignore each other), feeding her new food (she doesn't eat it), treats, vitamins,  letting her in more rooms of the house, new toys, new bedding and taking her for walks more. I'm out of ideas... Please someone help. 

Good morning! I just read your post, I have been a ferret owner for a long time and I have worked in the veterinary field, took college classes, and volunteered at ferret shelters. With that being said, when your ferret has a different smell and behavior is changing perhaps it's time to take your fuzzbutt to the vet. Have your ferrets blood sugar checked, the problem maybe Insulinoma. Which is completely normal for ferrets to eventually develop and is very easily treatable.

Hello and Welcome to the forum!

Although it would be good to take to the vet and get a BG check, it could also be a change in environment. Adding new pets/moving and such.

 
Fuzzbutts Rule!

There's is a possibility of just stress of the new situation but the fact of the change in smell is what is concerning. It is fairly inexpensive to have Blood glucose checked. Better safe than sorry, if it is insulinoma it wouldn't be unwise to treat sooner rather than later. If it is stress you can try diluting 1-2 drops of lavender in a carrier oil such as almond oil and applying just a little bit to the outer pina of the ferrets ears using a q-tip can help. If you choose to do this please please please do not skip diluting the lavender, essential oils alone are too strong for ferrets and can cause chemical burns, rashes, and irritation. :)

I agree.  I work in health care and I know that urine smells different in diabetics, and many diabetics say they smell honey when having insulin related episodes.  

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