Apple cider vinegar for fleas on ferrets: Is it effective?
Fleas are the bane of any pet owner’s life and once your ferret has them, they can be difficult to get rid of. While the internet is littered with hundreds of crazy remedies for these parasites, not all of them are effective. But one of those that seems to pop up time and again is apple cider vinegar, but is this really effective for getting rid of ferret fleas?
You will need to treat your ferret in more conventional ways if you want to get rid of his fleas but by adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar to your ferret’s water, you may be able to repel flea infestations.
In this guide, we are going to be looking at the role of apple cider vinegar in ferret flea prevention as well as giving you some helpful ways to effectively treat this common problem.
Why Do Ferrets Get Fleas?
When many people hear the word ‘fleas’ they recoil in horror and some would even associate them with poor care. But this is far from the truth. Any animal can get fleas and it has very little to do with the care you are providing for your pet.
It takes nothing more than a mild exposure to a flea colony for your animal to be affected and since these little insects can be found all over the place, it isn’t difficult.
When your ferret has fleas, it may not be immediately apparent and so the problem can quickly get out of hand before you even realize that treatment is necessary. However, you may notice your pet scratching more than usual as well as biting or licking itself.
How Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help With Ferret Fleas?
There has been something of a hype about apple cider vinegar when it comes to treated ferrets for fleas, but don’t just grab a bottle and start rubbing it all over your pet! While it will have a good effect on repelling fleas, it should be used as a complement to other treatments.
There have been many claims that apple cider vinegar can repel fleas and there is a lot of truth in this. The fleas hate the taste and smell of this type of vinegar and will quickly go elsewhere when looking for a host.
One of the best ways to use it is to add a small amount of apple cider vinegar into your ferret’s water bowl.
You don’t need to go over the top as this will make the water unpleasant for your pet but just a little bit will affect that taste of your ferret’s blood which will suddenly become very unpleasant to the fleas. Three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water will be more than enough.
Alternatively, you can make a homemade clear repellent spray using diluted apple cider vinegar. You should mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar with water but if you won’t have this then white vinegar will work just as well. It’s just that a lot of pets seem to like the smell of apple cider vinegar more and so will tolerate being sprayed with it a little better.
Precautions When Using Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
If you have opted to make an apple cider vinegar spray then you will likely find that regular spraying will keep fleas at bay.
However, you must also consider the well-being of your ferret which should always be your main priority. If you notice that your pet doesn’t respond well to being sprayed then you certainly should continue.
You could continue spraying their bedding and other areas that they frequent but it may be worth going for the water bowl method when treating your pet.
Furthermore, you should always make sure that your ferret does not have any cuts or wounds as spraying these with the vinegar could be very painful.
It is also important to avoid the area around the eyes. Your pet will be much more likely to respond well to the treatment if it is not an unpleasant experience.
We would usually recommend using this treatment as a repellent but for minor to moderate infestations, you may also be able to use it to get rid of the fleas.
To do this, you should spray your pet daily with the solution and allow it to work for 20 minutes. After this, you can use a flea comb to try to remove any eggs or fleas and continue doing this until all of them are gone.
Other Ways To Treat Fleas On Ferrets
If you have ever had to deal with pesky fleas on your ferret then you will know how stubborn these little pests can be. While apple cider vinegar is a great way to repel them, you may need to take more aggressive measures when dealing with an infestation.
While there are many flea shampoos and treatments on the market, these often contain harsh chemicals which may not be suitable for ferrets with sensitive skin. If you can use these, then, of course, give them a try, but there are some excellent home remedies that are much gentler and still effective.
Giving your ferret a bath and using regular dish soap to comb out fleas is one of the simplest ways to combat these infestations.
However, some ferrets may be a little reluctant to get into the water while others will take to it like a duck to, well…water.
Dish soap will drown the fleas and make combing out eggs much easier.
But this treatment should certainly not be your go-to method as the soap could dry out your pet’s skin and cause irritation. Once you have gotten rid of all fleas, move on to a preventative method like apple cider vinegar.
It is also very important to wash all of your ferret’s bedding such as blankets on a hot wash to kill any remaining fleas and eggs.
In the case of a severe infestation, you may need to go to the extent of steam cleaning all fabrics in rooms that the ferret has been. Many pet owners will tackle the problem of fleas on the animal and forget to treat surrounding areas which will result in another infestation in the near future.
You can also use things like diatomaceous earth which is incredibly harmful to fleas but won’t cause any issues for your ferret. You can use this on the bedding or anywhere else that your pet may frequent.
In the absolute worst-case scenarios, you may have no other choice but to call pest control to take care of the problem. Once they have dealt with the situation, you can then move on to the apple cider vinegar treatment to prevent further outbreaks of fleas.
Conclusion
Ferrets are prone to fleas just like many other animals and while they can be tricky to get rid of, using apple cider vinegar is a great way to prevent these pests from setting up home on your pet.
