Not 100% sure if this is the correct place to post this, but it seems right. Anyway, while I was at the vet the other day he said Hurricane was a little bit chubby. He's around 5 months old and has spent most of his life in a small cage at a pet store so I am thinking that since he didn't have much exercise back then. I have measured how much food he eats a day and took a little bit away from that like the vet suggested. I was wondering if anyone here had any tips or tricks to help him shed a bit of his belly fat. Any suggestions would be much appricated :) Thanks

I wouldn't worry about it yet.  Yoshi was huge at 5 months and now he's average size at 2 years.

5 months


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THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

I would be very hesitant to limit food for any ferret. It's VERY easy to lose weight, much harder to put it back on.

Since he seems to only be overweight because of lack on exercise, I would just try to keep him as active as possible. That, combined with a healthy diet, should be all you need.

As a side note, I tend to notice that ferrets are there chubbiest around 5-9 months of age. Once they hit a year, or their first spring, they tend to slim down to their "normal" weight.

Ferrets: Wesley, Percy, Owen    -rip Bandit-
Bettas- Kitty, Pip, and Logan
Sun Conure- Kita
Gerbils- Piper and Tailer

As previously mentioned - ferrets do tend to be at their fattest under 1yr old so I wouldn't worry over-much. If you are worried that he is much to heavy try something like a gerbil/mouse exercise wheel or one of those toys that you can put kibbles into so they have to chase it round a bit to get at the food. Also a larger cage with climbing toys and small treats at the end of an exercise worked for my extremely heavy male.

HEY....FAT FERRETS NEED LOVE TOO! Unless he is MASSIVELY overweight where it affects how he is able to move around I wouldn't worry about it.(it may be his baby fat or you just have a chubby fuzzy) Captain (AKA.. Tubba, Capt. Tubba, Tubba Butt, yes we tease him but we luv of ChubbaTubba) is a big boy since we got him. We got him and he was being feed cheap cat food, now he eats only the best kibble and he still PIGS OUT! He just loves to eat. At first he could not run correctly cuz he was too fat, he would kinda bounce from front paws to back paws (like a see-saw) rather than run on foot in front of the other, he would fall over butt over head when coming out of the cage cuz his butt was sooo much heavier then the front. Now that he is eating good diet he is slimmer but by no means a tone sleek ferret. He seems to be the happy chubby fuzzy and we love him for it. We never restricted his food, just gave him better food, and made sure he gets plenty of play time. If you were trapped in a small room 24/7 had no-one to play with you would probably eat out of boredom as well (I know I would). That was life in the pet store for him. Now he has a HOME with people who luv him, so give him what he needs LOVE and PLAY and a chance to be a ferret. He will either drop the weight or you will have a few extra ounces of fuzzy luv

Ditto Pandy.  She loves soups so much if we don't watch her she'll eat 2 bowls by herself

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Thanks for the advice :)
I didn't even notice he was overweight until the vet pointed it out. I've been making sure he runs around and has good exercise so hopefully he'll be a normal weight next time we visit the vet. He's been eating the Living World Ferret Food which I've heard isn't the best food on the market for ferrets but it's what he was eating at the pet shop so once I can find some high quality ferret food I will be switching him over and see if that helps with his chubbyness.

Here is a chart that makes comparing foods really easy. I will note that it hasn't been updated lately, so a few ingredient listings are incorrect, but it still gives a good general guideline

http://moredooks.herobo.com/search.php?chart=ferret

Living World is a Petsmart brand isn't it? I'd look for Natures Variety Instinct or Wellness Core there. I know my local Petsmart carries both and they are great kibbles.

Ferrets: Wesley, Percy, Owen    -rip Bandit-
Bettas- Kitty, Pip, and Logan
Sun Conure- Kita
Gerbils- Piper and Tailer

nicolelovesanimals

.. the vet the other day he said Hurricane was a little bit chubby. ... I have measured how much food he eats a day and took a little bit away from that like the vet suggested.

First, what vet would say limit a ferret's diet?  One that does not understand the species is who.  Don't listen to him about restricting food as if he was a dog obsessed with food.
Lots of out of cage time and encourage him to play.  My big boy goes from 3lbs to 5 throughout the year.  It is just how he is. 
Feed quality food as seen on More Dooks.  If her site is down, check out my mirror site: https://sites.google.com/site/sammysclubhouse/moredooksferretfoodchart
I see some youngsters go from tubby to thin and back again.  So many changes in the first couple years and it really doesn't stay consistant from ferret to ferret.
Yes watch for dragging and hardness in the belly.  There are a few we use Bag Balm on when they get sores because of being heavy but a month later they drop that weight.
 
What I am trying to say is, don't limit food, feed quality food and allow for a lot of out of cage time in a large area.
 

Sammy's Clubhouse
Spokane Ferret Rescue and Education