Dear FerretLady:

I have three ferrets, and no air conditioning.  The weather in my area usually stays around 80 degrees during the summer, 85 at the most.  So I put a fan near my ferret cage "24/7" for them, and make sure they have lots of water.

Problem is, now it's a little over 90 degrees, and has been for a couple of days now, and it doesn't look like it's going to let up.  I have read that ferrets don't do well in temps over 80, so I'm getting very nervous!!  They are kinda droopy, although as soon as I open the cage, they are bouncy as usual.  I'm just afraid of them suffering from heat exhaustion or sickness.

Do you have any information about what I can do for them during this heat wave?  They're saying that we should be back in the 70's next week, but I'm afraid that may be too late!  :(

Please write back soon!

-- a worrying ferret mom

My reply:

Dear Ferret Mom:

You have good reason to worry.  Ferrets have been known to die in only ten minutes when temperatures are 90 degrees or higher!  It is good to know that you are concerned and sincerely care about their well-being.  I'm glad you contacted me.

Obviously, air conditioning is the best solution, but if you can't get an AC, try these ideas:

1. Use a water spray bottle (like the kind used to mist plants) and mist the ferrets a couple of times a day.  Don't soak them - if they're really wet when the fan is blowing on them, they might catch cold.  Just mist them and the cage a little bit, just enough to get a little moisture on their fur and their cage.
    

2. Put a large bowl of ice next to the cage.  Put the fan in front of the bowl so that it blows over the bowl and toward the cage.  As the ice melts, cool air will be pushed by the fan towards the cage.  Keep ice in the bowl.
    

3. Put a thermometer next to the cage near the fan and ice bowl so that you can monitor the actual temperature of the cage with your little homemade air conditioning setup.  You can use any standard wall thermometer, or get one from a local pet store (the type that are used in reptile cages).  I have one of the reptile-type thermometers attached with a plastic cable tie to the outside of my ferret cage.  It's on the outside so that those little bandits can't get to it!

Good luck!

The FerretLady

Extremely hot weather is a serious issue for almost all pets, so make sure they have plenty of water and that the ambient room temperature is comfortable for their species.  Iguanas and pythons like it hot (90-100 degrees), but this is way too warm for most mammals, ferrets included!  Try to keep the temperature in the ferret room (or at least the temperature in and around their cage) between 65 and 75 degrees.  If the room temp rises into the 80's, get the AC or fan-with-ice-bowl setup going!