Q: How long are ferrets supposed to sleep for? I have an 8 month old ferret. He used to be so hyper! I do not know if his behavior is now due to the fact that he is growing up from his baby stage. Recently he was so tired that I will take him out for several hours from his cage so he can play, but he just finds a place to sleep. He is asleep whenever he’s in his cage. He will go to bed and probably play for 20 minutes. He is my first ferret, so how can you tell if this is normal behavior or if he’s sick?
Answer: Ferrets can sleep up to 20 hours a day and require at least 2 to 3 hours of play per day. However, they normally sleep 18 to 22 hours a day, depending on age and gender. Males tend to be a bit lazier than females. Another thing to consider is that in winter time (or in the case of the Northern Hemisphere), ferrets are typically lazier due to the cold.
Ferrets play intensely for a short time and sleep for several hours until the next game. Ferrets are active during 20 to 30% of the day and seem to be asleep the rest of the day.
What Makes Ferrets Sleep More?
Ferrets will sleep more due to winter months, how hot or cold it is in your home (cold ferrets will sleep more), what medication they are on, if they are younger than 1 year old, or if they have a disease called insulinoma. There are lots of influences on the amount of rest they need, but they should typically be active (eating, drinking, playing) for at least 4 hours per day.
How Long Do Ferret Kits Sleep?
Babies generally sleep better than adults (usually 20-22 hours per day, depending, but some do not sleep so much). But baby kits are stimulated more easily, are excited by their new world, so they also wake up more easily.
I had one youngster that wanted to do nothing but run around, would keep me up, and then would sleep a few hours at a time and be up again for another hour before blasting off. I had a second baby that wanted to do nothing but sleep for about 20-22 hours per day, and he was wild too, but he slept easier.
What you want to do is stop him more frequently if he is a little sleepy, slower, looks like he has drooping eyes. Please give him a quiet, dark and comfortable place until he gives up and sleeps. They need their own sleep, sometimes they can not settle down until you make them.
When he is tired enough he will sleep, but he will be fine. He just needs to be in a comfortable and quiet place to stay that way as needed.
Ferret “Dead” Sleep
Ferrets have something called a “dead sleep.” They will fall asleep deeply and they will seem dead. Some people, upon seeing this, send their ferrets to the vet and try to keep them half awake.
When that happens, it’s best to leave them alone. Not all ferrets do it.
Sometimes, in many cases, it is a sign of a disease like insulinoma.Some ferrets tend to do it when they are really comfortable like my Ren. If you think he is sick, please call the vet. Ferrets often sleep till 20 hours a day and can hardly wake up when in dead sleep.
I catch mine in dead sleep at least once a week. Consider yourself very lucky to have a ferret that only does it once in a while and spares you the panic.
Do you have more than one ferret? I have a theory that the reason that the number of ferrets where some ferret is dead is greater than the other number is based on the number of ferrets in the cage. The more basket companions, the harder it is to get excessive sleep by falling into a deep sleep. The ferret I’m thinking is not stimulated due to the lack of noise and activities around them.
Is Sleeping too much a Sign of Sickness?
It really depends on the ferret. Is he still eating? Tired? Does he respond well to you? As long as he looks healthy in all other ways, excessive sleeping is probably not a concern. But if he has less to eat, is thin, is “staring at the wall”, and / or losing weight, it may be a serious thing.
With my first ferret, it was serious and she died in 9 months due to pneumonia. So, keep an eye on him, and his condition will tell you whether it is serious or not. Sometimes it depends on a ferret – my male ferret will sleep 20 to 60 minutes after being put out for play, but my female can play for hours without taking a break.