My male ferret went walkabout, female ferret now has a swollen v***a, what now?

Question

My little boy went walkabout in the Aussie bush, as he is normally let out with his missus, to run around. We live on 184 hectares of bush, creek etc, and he had left home twice before. The first time made me search the whole night he went missing. I was in tears while calling, then listening, in the fog. When I came home from tiredness, he greeted me at the back door. He was so hungry! The second time, he did not return until after two days. Now it has been one week, but the day after he went walkabout, my daughter's female (his missus), developed an enlarged v***a that she will not stop from frantically l*****g, and has increased in her inner ear sucking to me (which I should not allow due to the mixed l*****g of two areas). They were not even one year in age, and have not been desexed. I have "Ferrets For Dummies" and after reading other persons' questions about similar circumstances, and their replies, I AM NOW CONFUSED!!!! Either the female is in heat according to one response, and the reason for her increased desire to ear suck is possibly for love/comfort/security due to being lonely without her hubby (I originally thought my ears were her salt l**k, as she also tries to do it in my arm pits after work-labour) OR she has an adrenal disease, but she is not getting thin, is very happy and more playful in her hubby's absence and is not losing hair. The first option is tough, because, if she is in heat and her hubby is absent, she obviously won't be brought out of it until she mates, and she may die if she develops eplastic aneamia effecting her bone barrow!!!!!! How long should I wait before making a decision for her future, on my daughter's behalf? Vet first for the jill, when my 13 year old daughter is supposed to be responsible for all the cost associated with her ferret, and me with mine?? 1: Find another partner!? 2: Wait for her hubby to return!? 3: Keep searching and calling for him to find him either alive, deceased or not at all, and how long before I move on to the next step!? 4: Desex the jill asap if she is in heat, and what if her hubby is found/comes home and they can't breed once (planned) before being desexed, as they are not allowed in the house while they smell!? I am so confused..... I need help in what is best for our fuzzies.... please..... I know I can't keep searching as I am also consumed by work, a husband, six children (and all of their pets)...... I refuse to accept that he is dead, and would rather someone else to find him and adopt him than death, even if we will never see him again! And his girl is now alone!!!

Answer 1

I think you should take the female to a vet. Let them figure out if she is in heat (which it sounds to me like she is) or it's adrenal related. If she's in heat, then the vet should be able to help her come out of it by either 1.injecting her with a hormone shot or 2. have her breed with a neutered male, both of which would create a false pregnancy and bring her out of heat. I'm a big believer in spaying and neutering pets, so I would suggest you have her spayed after she's brought out of heat (it can be done while she's still in heat, but is considered dangerous). Once you've taken care of her, then you can continue your search for your male. If you would happen to not be able to find him, then at least you won't have to worry about your female going in heat anymore and risk losing her, too. Good luck with your female and I hope you can find your male.

Answer 2

woooooooah

Answer 3

agree with the first girl. this is WAY too long to interest me. but i did read the first 5 minutes of it :)

do you think the male might have been preyed upon? or fell into some kind of mishap?

and i dn't know what to say about the girl, you're best bet is to call a VET!