Ferret missing......(dead?) help!

olias

We keep our two ferrets in what we call 'the dogs room' which is off the utility room. This room has nothing in except ferret cage, dog run, a cupboard and the animals toys. As a result we often let the ferrets run free in it, but always make sure all doors are closed properly.

Anyway, tonight, ferrets were loose, and we heard scratching behind the lounge wall (which is on the first floor above the dogs room). My wife immediately said - the ferrets! I ran down stairs and discovered she had left the door into the utility room open. Found 1 ferret, but no sign of the other. Now the only place she could have gone, is onto the work surface, and up through the wall mounted boiler, which has a pipe run behind it servicing the 4(!) floors of our house. After spending an hour shouting and squeaking toys, I took the front off the boiler - not able to access the pipe run that way. We checked several times upstairs again and heard more scratching behind the pipe run, but due to accoustics, scratching could have been coming from anwhere in the house. The pipe run leads to all 4 floors and also pipes run underfloor front to back to service radiators and bathrooms all over.

This pipe run is accessible above the boiler, but I have had to smash all the coving off the ceiling to get at the screws that held it together:(.

I saw the hole she could have got up, but no sign. We have now heard no scratching for about 2 hours, and my wife thinks ferret may have died, either through shock or dust inhalation etc.

I have done the usual - i.e. left food near hole, left boxes she could climb down etc.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Olias

Froglet

Ferrets are like most animals.They know where their food and safe home is,and will always find a way back.My tiny chipmunk escaped many times,down a pipe in to the basement of the house,through a hole in the roof,and dug underneath his outside aviary.He could be spotted on our roof,the neighbours garage roof and down the bottom of the garden.Nearly gave me heart failure several times.He was missing for 2 days once and i really thought that was it.but he always knew where his home was,and his food and always came back! His love of adventure prolonged his life and that was better than getting bored stuck in cage.

Try not to worry there is no reason for him to have died of shock or inhalation of dust.They are intelligent creatures.

olias

Heard her today behind the lounge wall which I thought was hollow behind the plasterboard - took off a plug point cover to find that the plaster is dot and dabbed to a cement block wall and she is behind that!

Went into integral garage below where the same wall is exposed and have drilled/smashed a 5" round hole through to the void - can hear her - but no sign. I have left means for her to get out of this hole if she can find it. Will just have to wait and see. She will be getting very weak through thirst by now:(.

Anyone else have any ideas please. Its heart rending to hear her scratching getting weaker and weaker.

Olias

nikki702

Olias I have no suggestions but I really hope your ferret finds her way out it must be terrible hearing her scratching and not being able to help her

Froglet

Have you shone a strong light through the gap,can you see her? Can you leave a light on near the hole so she can see it and know how to get out.Then leave food and water near the hole,and her cage so she can feel safe if she gets back though.

Other than that i really don't know what to suggest,short of making an even bigger hole.I really hope you get her back.

Fire_Fox

Maybe contact the fire service for advice as they will have done similar things before and have tricks they can pass on. There must be a non-emergency phone line just as there is for the police, the fire service offer non-emergency services such as risk assessments.

kate1976

Any news OP? I hope the little one is found safe and well soon!

olias

Heard scratching from the same place today, but very faint now:(

We have turned off power and removed plug sockets and back boxes in the location we think, to try and access the void, but can't find a void!

I have also found a mirror and flashlight to look into the void behind the hole I made in the garage wall, but couldn't see anything.

I am now convinced she is trapped in the pipe run, as I can't see how she could have got through the wall from there. I also think that where we think we can hear scratching is not the correct place as due to acoustics the sound really travels (I was listening at one hole I made, and could clearly hear my wife as if she was right there when she was actully in another room on another floor).

I don't think we can do any more. The pipe run was built as an original feature to the house and runs for 4 floors. It is plastered and has ornate coving around the top and skirting around the bottom, and we would have to smash it open on every floor as we do't know where she is, which is simply not an option - we are on benefits and it would cost thousands to repair:(. It will already be a lot of work to repair the damage we have caused so far.

We are leaving the lights on in all the rooms where we have created holes, together with food and water, but I think if she has trapped herself, then I am not hopeful. It's just hearing the scratching getting fainter and fainter that is so upsetting:(

Thanks for your post.

Olias

olias

She's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:j:beer::T

hadn't heard a thing for about 24 hrs, then went down to let dogs out and heard a scrabbling in the garage, and there she was! Looks like she was in the cavity wall void and had got out through the hole I had smashed in it.

She is very thin and nervous and drank about half a bowl of water straght down and is stuffing her face like no business:D:D:D and our other ferret will not leave her side.

Me and the wife are just so relieved, now the big clear up begins.............

Olias

charlie792

Im so glad shes back safe and sound
*big hugs to you both*

geri1965_2

That's great news