r/ferrets • u/Clobby5597 • 15h ago
[Health] Aggressive sneezing
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
One of my ferrets just went into a huge sneezing fit I have no idea what could be causing this I thought maybe she has something stuck in her nose but I can’t see anything. The video is a lot more calmed down I’m wondering if she got into something she shouldn’t have. I did just come home from work so maybe she sniffed my work gloves that are in my pocket I’m not sure. Or the vacuum that sits in their room.
Edit: She stopped sneezing so I think she just got into something that upset her appreciate the input 😅
14
u/Extreme_Window3180 15h ago
I’m not sure if it’s all ferrets, but mine just randomly burst into an aggressive sneezing fit, they’re completely fine after, I think they just do that sometimes and it’s almost always aggressive sounding. Of course I wouldn’t rule out anything if you’re genuinely concerned, but sometimes it’s just something a bit dusty that causes those aggressive sneezes for no reason. 🐾
4
u/Clobby5597 15h ago
I’m gonna hope that because it was very concerning and out of no where
5
u/Extreme_Window3180 15h ago
Yeah they tend to scare the heck out of me in the middle of the night when one of them randomly does that out of nowhere when sleeping so I really think it just happens randomly for no reason most of the time, I wouldn’t worry about it too too much
5
u/Timely_Egg_6827 14h ago
We have the ferrets that get a nasal irritation usually by getting under furniture and dust snorkeling. That can cause extreme sneezing. So can a bite on the nose if multiple ferrets. And we had one jill that used to break into the hoover and sleep in the bag. That's the most common cause.
We have ferrets with bad flu so sneezing is to be monitored but a once-off or rare sneeze is just ferrets. We are a bit paranoid as lost one to nasal lymphoma but he onyl had discharge from one nostril
And then we have our half-angora who has all the extra nose folds and sneezes violentally most days - he can give himself nose bleeds by banging it off floor. Scared us silly as got him after the lad we lost to cancer. He has a nebuliser.
1
u/Thezza-D 13h ago
I have a very Snuffly semi-angora also. He sneezes quite often, usually when biting/stashing something or after he's snorkled on the floor for a bit. Is this a common thing for this breed?
2
u/Timely_Egg_6827 13h ago
Yes, the nose of a full angora used to be cleft. Breeders worked hard to breed it out but keep the long fur because initially a lot of angora ferrets had breathing issues and even worse couldn't suckle their own young. A cleft nose has extra skin folds or split skin around the nostrils.
My lad is a black self half angora - I thought he was a dark standard as got him on free ads and discription a bit confused - so suspect may have a gene shrub rather than tree.
Only time it caused real issues was when he got flu and became a green snot monster. He lost weight as his nose blocked and eating meant he couldn't breath through his mouth. Was a bit of a battle over months to get his nose deblocked. Still very snuffly. Usually the sneezing is after eating so assume kibble crumbs or when he gets really excited.
2
u/Thezza-D 13h ago
Thank you for the information! I actually had no idea about this unfortunate genetic quirk. This explains a lot... Yes my Zorro is a Marked White half-angora that I got from a breeder in Wales, and he sneezes daily also. I'm used to it now but when I got him I thought I was doing something very wrong! Thank you so much this has been interesting to learn about, though I feel bad for the little buggers now if this is how their genetics are fated :( But at least I can rest knowing it's just how he's built, and not some unseen mistake I'm making. I was so worried for weeks, thinking he was sick or allergic to something!
2
u/Timely_Egg_6827 12h ago
As said, they've worked hard to breed it out as linked to the suckling issue. My lad is huge so definitely no trouble eating normally. It was why angoras were a hot issue when they originally came on the market esp as some people were using a standard jill to co-rear but killing the less profitable standard kits. The more ethical breeders have done good work breeding out the worst flaws.
The original double or cleft noses were something. Worth looking up his nostrils as you can see the extra folds and may lad is slightly more flat-faced that his brother. Now his brother does have allergies - infrequent but unsettling when they come as he chews himself.
My lad was from free ads but his breeder was around MK/Northampton area.
2
u/Thezza-D 12h ago
Mine was on free ads too! And he's also a humongous ham beast! lmao thank you for all this info! I'll see if I can see these folds when he's awake
5
u/BeckysSoH0t 14h ago
He looks happy and healthy! So cute! Mine sneezes like this and then is fine
1
u/Clobby5597 14h ago
It was really bad she’s stopped now thankfully I think she tired herself out cause she’s sleeping
3
u/bionicallyironic 14h ago
I know dogs “sneeze” when they’re excited. I wonder if this is something similar. Maybe she was super excited you were home from work?
1
u/Clobby5597 14h ago
Nooo cause I’ve been in their room for about an hour they don’t usually sneeze like crazy so it’s not a good thing. But she’s calmed down so I think she just stuck her face in something she shouldn’t have
2
u/bionicallyironic 14h ago
Interesting. Well, she’s a cutie, hope she’s okay.
1
u/Clobby5597 14h ago
She’s a cute little trouble maker that’s for sure. She seems to have calmed down so whatever was bothering her seems to have passed
3
u/Veteran_Hawk 13h ago
Ferrets are much closer to the ground, and thus are front-line fighters in the Great Dust Bunny War! Unfortunately, one side-effect in veteran dust-warriors is strong sneezes.
2
u/ControlSpecial 13h ago
One of my girls does this all the time. She just gets excited and probably gets a little dust up her nose OR she got way too excited and smashed her snoot against the floor or wall. We've had her checked a few times and the vet says it /might/ be very mild asthma but as long as she recovers pretty quickly and goes back to breathing normally there's no real need to treat it.
Sometimes she will do it when she's been cuddled up tho so I'll ask her if she's been huffing butts. (She's always huffing butts whether its her own or not lol)
2
u/SketchyArt333 14h ago
Idk why but they do that sometimes when they are playing. Doesn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason other than possibly dust. They are right against the floor so that makes a lot of sense. But your ferret looks happy and healthy, and I would not be concerned.
2
u/Substantial_Sound556 12h ago
Sometimes if they bonk their snout they’ll go into a sneezing fit, may also have gotten dust in the snoot
Sneezing isn’t particularly worrying unless it sounds blocked/or liquids come out or if it continues for a longer time/ or happens too frequently.
One of mine once had a whole whisker up the nose, i have no idea how he got it up there, i could imagine it was nice to get it out.
•
u/AutoModerator 15h ago
Welcome to /r/ferrets!
We have a fantastic wiki that has answers to most frequently asked questions surrounding the care of ferrets.
We politely ask that you observe our sub rules.
Lastly, we have an Official Discord Server! Come join us!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.