Maggots In Ferret Poop : (7 Menacing Facts)

It can be rather disconcerting to observe that there are maggots in your ferret’s poop. The moment you make this observation, you will probably want to know why there are maggots in the ferret’s poop, and what you can do about the problem. Read on, for answers.

The presence of what seem to be maggots in ferret poop may be a sign that the ferret has intestinal worms. But the maggots may also have developed on the poop after the ferret passed it, in which case they may be fly or other insect larvae.

It is therefore important to figure out whether the apparent maggots came out of the ferret. Or whether they developed on the poop after the ferret had passed it.

If there are maggots in the ferret cage, some will naturally find their way into the ferret poop. This doesn’t mean that the maggots are coming out of the ferret’s body.

The maggots are thus in the cage. You only find them on the ferret’s poop because that is where they attach…

By the way, this whole idea of there being maggots in ferrets’ poop can sound strange to some people. That is especially the case for those who have never encountered it.

Indeed, there are those who may want to know whether, for starters, it is possible for there to be maggots in ferrets poop. So that is the best place to start our discussion.

Is It Possible For There To Be Maggots In Ferrets Poop?

Yes, it is possible for there to be maggots in ferrets poop.

Many people who keep ferrets report incidents in which they find maggots in their ferrets’ poop from time to time.

It is not uncommon to hear a ferret owner asking, why is there maggots in my ferrets poop?

Sometimes, the problem becomes chronic, leading some ferret owners to ask, do maggots live in ferret poop? Or do maggots feed on ferret poop?

Often, the maggots will take an appearance similar to that of worms. You then find a ferret owner asking, why is there worms in my ferrets poop?

That is usually upon finding white worms in ferret poop, which look like maggots.

Here, it is important to clarify that it is unlikely that a ferret would pass poop with actual maggots in it. Usually, it is worms that appear like maggots in ferrets poop.

If you do find actual maggots in ferrets poop, those are likely to have gotten into the poop after the ferret passed it.

For instance, you may find fruit fly maggots in ferret poop. Or you find other maggots that are destined to grow into flies in ferret poop.

Why Would There Be Maggots In Ferrets Poop?

When someone finds maggots in their ferret’s poop, the biggest concern is typically as to what is causing them.

So, indeed, why do ferrets have maggots in their poop at times? Why would there be maggots in ferrets poop?

In most cases, what appear to be maggots are actually worms. If they are coming out of the ferret, they are likely to be worms – which nonetheless appear like maggots.

In some other cases, they can larvae of flies and other insects. If they have infected the poop after it came out of the ferret, they are most likely insect larvae. Now these are actual maggots.

So you may find that you have neglected some aspect of the ferret cage hygiene. Then maggots develop in there. And the maggots find their way into the ferret poop.

If, for instance, my ferrets cage recently has been infested with maggots, and I find some on the ferrets’ poop, this would be my first suspicion.

Therefore if those are genuine maggots, then chances are that they are coming from the environment. Not from the ferret’s body.

If they are coming from the ferret’s body, they are most likely worms. So they are due to a worm infestation.

How To Care For Ferrets With Maggots In Poop

After understanding the reason for there being maggots in ferrets’ poop, another important question comes up. That is on how to treat maggots in ferret poop.

As we said, if the apparent maggots are actually coming from the ferret’s body, they are most probably worms. So, how do you get rid of ferret worms?

The best thing to do in that regard may be to take the ferret to a vet for deworming.

If they are actual maggots – which infest the poop after it comes out of the ferret’s body – then the whole thing is a hygiene problem. You need to improve on the cage hygiene, to get rid of the worms.

Focus on cleaning spots that you may be forgetting, such as the edges of the cage, and the undersides of cage equipment. Ensure that no bits of food remnants or ferret poop remain in the cage for too long, before cleaning.

Final Verdict – Maggots In Ferret Poop

Sometimes, it is possible to find things that look like maggots in ferrets’ poop.

In some cases, the things that look like maggots in ferrets poop turn out to be actually worms. So their presence indicates that the ferret has an intestinal parasite (worm) problem.

If the apparent worms are actually coming out with the poop when the ferret passes it, that is likely the case.

Sometimes though, the things that look like maggots in ferrets poop turn out to be indeed actual maggots. These don’t come from inside the ferret. They infest the ferret’s poop after the ferret passes it.

In this case, the maggots are larvae – typically of flies or other insects. Their presence may indicate that the cage hygiene is not as good as it should be.

If the apparent maggots are coming out of the ferret’s body (meaning they are most probably worms), then deworming may be necessary. You can have a vet deworm the ferret, in order to get rid of the worms.

If the apparent maggots are infesting the poop after it comes out of the ferret, hygiene improvement may be necessary. So you can improve the ferret cage’s hygiene, in order to get rid of them.

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! ❤️