DISEASES OF FERRETS. 213 



and sweet oil as recommended for ticks can be 

 used for these insects with good results. 



A man who has been connected with the fer- 

 ret industry for many years thinks fleas are one 

 of the worst things that the ferret breeder has to 

 contend with. He says : "These vermin will sap 

 the life out of ferrets and bother the man who 

 takes care of them. If ferrets are kept on ground 

 floors, it will be hard to get rid of them after they 

 once get a start. What to do: Take Minor's 

 Fluid (sold by druggists), 1 part of fluid to 50 

 parts of water; wet pens and nest boxes, dip 

 ferrets into the same mixture; this will kill all 

 the fleas it touches." 



Worms. — If not properly fed, that is, right 

 kind of food given, ferrets will suffer to a con- 

 siderable extent from worms. A good remedy is 

 3 grains of finely-powdered areca nut given in 

 their milk three hours apart. A half hour after 

 each dose of areca give 5 to 6 drops of castor oil. 



The ferret raiser who is careful and watchful, 

 keeping nests changed and otherwise seeking to 

 prevent disease, may go along for years without 

 a single one of the ailments to which ferrets are 

 heir to, attacking his stock. 



A party who never succeds at anything thinks 

 that ferrets are a very uncertain animal to keep, 

 being liable to die with no apparent cause, as 



