Are my ferrets simply shedding??

Question

well there's two scenarios:

there's Storm. she's about 3 years old and has a very full and soft coat, very healthy, too, it seems. i scruffed her just today to clip her nails (which she hates) and she wriggled out of my grip and ran off under my bed out of my reach (as always) but when she did, there was a tuft of her fur still between my fingers! i pinched her fur around the scruff area again, and a little more hairs came off. it's not a lot: only when the fur is gripped does it come out. this hasn't happened before though; is it normal shedding? it is summer, after all...

and then there's Dumas. he's losing hair around his upper tail, but not past his tail, and not down his tail. it's like a stripe of baldness at the end of his tail, but it doesn't extend up his back nor does it go all the way down his tail. it's been like that for a few months; he's not losing any more fur or growing it back. it's just a stripe of bald!! i was thinking that if it extends up his back it could be adrenals disease, but if not, could it possibly be rat tail that just hasn't gone too far?

please help~!

Answer 1

Hair loss in ferrets is caused by many issue as molting, hormonal imbalances, allergies to the most common, Adrenal disease.  

Here is a site with some information

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?...

or

http://www.weaselwords.com/page/ferret_a...

My ferrets have very good beautiful coats so when my two originals started showing early signs of Adrenal disease, the symptoms were so slight that they were almost non existant.  Both had two very diseased Adrenals.  Both my girls had the surgery and even implants and one had the cancer treatments.  She died one year after the surgery.  With the removal of both adrenals, I thought they would recover but one had cancer cells in the gland and it spread to her other body parts.  She only lived for a year after the diagnosis and surgery.  If you feel the shedding is abnormal, get them to a vet who is familair with ferrets and get a professional opinion.  The disease is usually present long before the symptoms appear.  

Answer 2

They could have a flea allergy. It only takes one flea for an animal to have a reaction. They could also have ring worm.

Answer 3

strom might be shedding but dumas my ferret didnt lose any fur at all he just sheded and i saw no bladness so i would just take them to vet but best of luck love ferrets and pround parent of hemmy lol