For what reasons does the ferret molt and climb its tail

The reason why the ferret has a bald tail, various factors can serve. Loss of hair is caused by infection, stress, or moulting.

Content
  1. Causes of baldness in ferrets
  2. Tail baldness treatment
  3. Ferret molt
  4. Pore contamination
  5. Nervous shock
  6. Malicious insects
  7. Unbalanced diet
  8. Tail baldness as a sign of kidney disease

Почему у хорька лысеет и облазит хвост

Why do the ferret balds and climbs its tail

Ferrets have recently taken their place among domesticated animals. These playful predators are kept in houses, to to cats, however, ferrets, like other living organisms, have a number of their own diseases. Owners of a furry pet can face such a common problem as baldness of the tail in a ferret. Sometimes this ailment is a full-fledged disease, but most often it is one of the symptoms of then diseases.

Causes of tail baldness in ferrets

Fully or partially bald tail in ferrets is a common occurrence.

The reasons for hair loss can be different. Some of them are associated with the characteristics of the body, others are the first symptoms of diseases. If the ferret is balding, you should watch the sick animal and first of all put him away from healthy individuals.

Tail baldness can be associated with various factors:

  • high ambient temperature;
  • nervous shock;
  • unbalanced diet;
  • seasonal molt;
  • old age;
  • period of increased sexual activity;
  • the reluctance of the ferret to take care of the coat.

These causes are associated with abnormal conditions of detention or natural manifestations of the body. However, in some cases, tail baldness in ferrets can mean:

  • dermatitis;
  • scabies;
  • infection with harmful insects;
  • vitamin deficiency ;
  • weakening of immunity;
  • adrenal gland disease.

In this case, you should consult a veterinarian and undergo treatment. Monthly prophylaxis of such diseases should be carried out monthly.

In some cases, the tail of the female may become bald during pregnancy or after childbirth. The quality of the ferret’s coat depends on the hormonal background. During pregnancy or hunting, the animal’s body may undergo a change that may cause baldness.

Treatment for baldness of the tail

If the causes of hair loss are natural factors, the ferret can be cured at home. To do this, you must comply with sanitary norms of maintenance, balance the daily diet and conduct a set of procedures that will help the animal recover after losing hair.

Depending on the causes of the disease, a fluffy treatment technique is also selected. So, before prescribing treatment, the veterinarian needs to conduct a full examination of the pet.

Ferret molt

The fur of the animals tends to molt during the changing seasons.

Typically, this process occurs twice a year. Shedding of ferrets usually begins precisely with the tail, after which the animal peels off completely. A few days later, new wool grows, the quality of which also depends on the season. In winter, ferrets acquire a warm undercoat, and in summer they lose excess hair. Care should be taken to monitor the molting process. Very often, the old wool begins to become confused with the new, which is why the skin of the ferret is covered with tangles. Fleas and lice like to settle in such balls, so it is necessary to comb out a predator on time.

Also, ferrets can have focal alopecia. This is a natural phenomenon for furry animals that live in places with hot summers. The tail of the animal is completely covered, and the ferret can regulate body temperature.

If the animal has a bald tail after switching from winter to summer coat, you do not need to do anything: the hairline will be restored in the fall during the next molt. Alopecia areata does not pose a threat to the life of a small predator and is often found in the wild.

Pore contamination

Very often the ferret’s tail is able to bald due to clogged pores.A similar phenomenon can be associated with the following problems:

  • hormonal failure during hunting or pregnancy;
  • low cleanliness of a particular individual.

Slaughtered the pores are clearly visible to the naked eye: in places where the tail is bald, black or brown dots are located. In the neglected state, the skin may be covered with red scabs. To cleanse the skin of an animal, a certain series of hygiene procedures should be carried out. Specialized pet stores should buy an animal scrub, but a similar product can be made at home.

The recipe for a cleanser is simple:

  • almonds;
  • oatmeal ;
  • sour cream.

The first 2 components should be grinded in a blender, then mixed with sour cream, which has a healing effect on the skin. Decked places need to be processed several times until the black dots disappear completely.

A more budgetary option is a regular laundry soap. It is diluted to a mushy state and applied to the tail with a toothbrush, gently rubbing the skin. Make sure that the soap does not have the effect of bleach, otherwise the tail of the animal can be severely burned.

Nervous shock

The ferret is able to bald from stress or longing. These small predators need an active lifestyle. If you keep the animal in a locked small cage, the animal can become ill and begin to bald rapidly.Also, loud sounds or a pungent smell can cause hair loss. Do not spray air fresheners near the cage of the animal or install a TV, stereo system or radio. During the repair, the ferret should be kept in the farthest room from the restructuring.

A nervous shock may be due to the lack of shelter. In natural conditions, ferrets live in the steppe burrows, so the animal must definitely equip a small house for the night. The home should be warm and dark with a rounded entrance. At the bottom of the house lay a soft litter insulated with foam rubber.

Ferret Diseases

Malicious insects

If tail baldness is accompanied by scratching and biting the remaining coat is the first sign of parasites. It is necessary to examine the animal’s hairline for insects or nits.

If a ferret has lice or fleas, its coat should be treated with special insect repellents.Such treatment is carried out for prevention twice a year.

Unbalanced diet

The quality of the hairline largely depends on the products that the animal consumes. Ferrets should be fed meat, boiled eggs or dairy products. In the daily diet, cereals and vitamin supplements should also be present.

Ferrets should not be fed human food, especially smoked and salted meat. Such scraps impair the quality of the coat. The solution will be a special balanced dry food rich in vitamins and minerals. However, it is impossible to completely transfer an animal to such food: ordinary foods should be present in the diet. If the tail of an old ferret is balding, then the amount of B vitamins in the body of the predator should be increased.

Tail baldness as a sign of kidney disease

Sick adrenal ferrets are difficult to tolerate. These organs are the most vulnerable place in the body. Loss of hair on the tail may be the first symptom of diseased internal organs. In this case, the hairline begins to fall out on the tail, after which the back and head of the ferret peel off. Other symptoms of kidney disease include aggression, long hunting, and painful urination. The cause of the disease is the hormone estrogen, which is produced in large quantities by the ferret. As a result, baldness occurs in decorative ferrets.

At the first symptoms of this disease, you should immediately consult a veterinarian. A protracted adrenal gland disease leads to loss of appetite and apathy. Over time, the animal may fall into a coma, after which a lethal outcome occurs. The treatment of the disease is surgery. The affected organ is removed from the body of the animal, after which the ferret again returns to normal after 2-3 weeks. During the rehabilitation period, the pet requires increased care and a lighter diet.

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Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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