Ferret Seizure Screaming : (7 Clear Facts)

If you happen to hear your ferret screaming, you may get worried as to whether the screaming is due to a seizure. In this article, you will find information on how the ferret screaming that is due to a seizure sounds (how to distinguish it), what to do about it, and why else a ferret would scream.

Ferret seizure screaming tends to be high-pitched, with the ferret sounding as if it is shrieking. It usually goes on for quite a while, and is accompanied by intense body shaking as the ferret convulses.

A ferret screaming seizure can be very scary. In a ferret having seizure screaming may be one of the last signs before it loses its life.

Thus in the context of ferret seizures screaming is a troubling sign: as it could indicate that the end is nigh.

Accompanied by the ferret death rattle, the seizure is often the mark of the end of the ferret’s life.

Yet with proper and timely ferret seizure treatment (and some luck), the ferret that was having a seizure may recover.

Thus it is not in all cases that a ferret having seizures dies instantly. Some are able to recover from the seizures, and go on to live for relatively longer periods before eventually dying of other causes.

We do have to mention that it is not all cases of ferrets screaming that indicate the ferret is having a seizure. There are other (more benign) reasons why a ferret would scream… Fear, pain and so on.

Then again, for people who are new to ferrets, the very idea of a ferret having a seizure may sound odd. So we need to start by finding out whether indeed ferrets can have seizures.

Can Ferrets Have Seizures?

Yes, it is possible for ferrets to have seizures.

There is a lot of veterinary literature about the phenomenon of ferrets having seizures. The existence of such literature proves that ferrets can indeed have seizures.

There are also lots of tales by ferret owners about having witnessed their ferrets having seizures. On the strength of these accounts, we see clearly that ferrets are capable of having seizures.

There are even online videos of ferrets having seizures. Looking through such videos, it becomes patently clear that ferrets are capable of having seizures.

Do Ferrets Scream While Having Seizures?

Ferrets do tend to scream while having seizures.

Indeed, if you research on ferret seizure symptoms, you will find that screaming is one of the main ones.

It is not all cases of screaming in ferrets that are due to seizures. But ferrets that are having seizures do more often than not scream.

It is worth mentioning that sometimes the seizures may occur while the ferrets are sleeping. Thus a ferret screaming in his sleep may very well be having a seizure.

Insulinoma seizure in ferrets (which is due to too much insulin in the body and hence low blood sugar) can occur at any time.

So yes, ferrets do scream while having seizures. Screaming is one of the main signs that a ferret is having a seizure.

How Does Ferret Seizure Screaming Sound?

The screaming that a ferret does while having a seizure tends to sound like a long-winded shriek.

It is normally a situation in which the ferret won’t stop screaming – in a high-pitched tone.

Thus if you find a ferret screaming (as if shrieking) for long while having other signs of seizure, you have reason to be concerned. It is likely that the ferret is indeed having a seizure.

All in all, the ferret screaming that is due to a seizure has two major defining features.

Firstly, it tends to be high-pitched, almost akin to a shriek.

And secondly, it tends to be long drawn.

The shriek is also normally accompanied by other ferret seizure symptoms.

Why Else Would A Ferret Scream?

As we said earlier, not all cases of screaming in ferrets are due to seizures.

This leads to another question: on why would a ferret scream (if not due to a seizure)?

As it turns out, there are several things that can make a ferret scream, besides having a seizure.

Firstly, the ferret may scream because something is scaring him. Sometimes, this may develop into a pattern, whenever a certain thing happens. And so you find yourself wondering, why does my ferret scream whenever ABC or XYZ happens?

Then further investigation reveals that it is due to the ferret being scared by what happens to be transpiring at such points in time.

Thus a ferret may scream because something is scaring it.

Another reason why a ferret may scream is because it is in pain. Like most other animals, a ferret that is under intense pain will let out a scream.

If a ferret feels that it is in danger, it may tend to scream. Even a ferret that senses that it is cornered may tend to scream, while seeking an opening to escape.

How Do You Distinguish Ferret Seizure Screaming?

We have already said that not all cases of screaming in ferrets are due to seizures.

This leads to a question on how to distinguish ferret screaming that is due to seizure from other forms of ferret screaming.

The main way to distinguish ferret screaming due to a seizure from the others is by observing the ferret’s body.

If the ferret is shaking/convulsing while also screaming, then you know that it could be due to an ongoing seizure.

Thus screaming seizures in ferrets are normally accompanied by some degree of convulsing. It is the sort of thing that gets you wondering, why is my ferret convulsing while also screaming? Or why is my ferret jolting while also screaming?

What Are The Other Signs Of Seizure In Ferrets?

Seizures in ferrets are often scary incidents. People who have never encountered them often ask, how do you tell if your ferret is having a seizure? What are the other signs, besides screaming?

In other words, what does a ferret seizure look like?

Besides screaming, the other main sign of seizure in ferrets is convulsing. So you find the ferret shaking, often in a frenzied manner.

The ferret that is having a seizure may also have a recumbent appearance. And its hind limbs may tend to look as if they are weak, almost in paralysis.

Thus if you find a young ferret screaming, while also convulsing and looking recumbent, it may be an ongoing seizure.

These seizures however seem to be more common in older ferrets: especially those above 2 years of age.

What Causes Seizures In Ferrets?

Seizures can be very distressing events for ferrets. If someone’s ferret is having these seizures lately, they may tend to keep on wondering, why is my ferret having seizures?

This would, in other words, be a question on the causes of seizures in ferrets.

Now the commonest cause of seizures in ferrets is a condition we refer to as insulinoma. This is a condition where, due to tumors in the pancreas, a ferret produces too much insulin.

Too much insulin then leads to the ferret having too low levels of sugar in the blood. That then leads to seizures: what we refer to as a ferret insulinoma seizure.

Is insulinoma in ferrets painful? It can, at the very least, be distressing – as the low sugar levels make the ferret lethargic and depressed. In due course, it can lead to seizures, which are scary and painful events.

Other possible causes of seizures (besides insulinoma) in ferrets include metabolic problems and brain (intracranial) lesions.

What Should You Do If Your Ferret Is Having A Seizure?

What to do if your ferret is having a seizure depends on the apparent cause for the seizure. But focus should mainly be on trying to calmly figure out how to stop ferret seizures, before subsequently taking the ferrets to vets.

If the seizure is due to insulinoma, you need to provide a strong water solution. You can do this using a tool such as a q-tip. Then provide a high protein meal. This you may do even using a gum or anal injection, if the ferret can’t eat.

Thereafter, once the dust has settled, rush the ferret to a vet.

What if the seizure seems to be due to intracranial lesions or other metabolic problems? Then the best you may do is simply rush the ferret to a vet.

But the approach of using a strong sugar solution, followed by a high protein meal, tends to work well. It works well in most situations. But thereafter, you need to have the ferret seen by a vet on an emergency basis.

Final Verdict – Ferret Seizure Screaming

Screaming is usually one of the major signs that a ferret is having a seizure.

Not all cases of screaming in ferrets are due to seizures. A ferret that is frightened or in pain may also tend to scream.

What distinguishes the screaming that is due to a seizure is the convulsions it usually comes with.

Thus if you find a ferret screaming while also convulsing, then that may be a seizure.

A ferret may have a seizure due to insulinoma. Other metabolic problems as well as intracranial lesions can also cause a ferret to have a seizure.

A ferret having seizures requires urgent veterinary care. To buy time before getting to the vet, you may provide a strong sugar solution. This can be especially helpful if the seizure is due to a condition like insulinoma.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet ferret a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️