Hand-Rearing Ferrets

I have a 4 week old kit who's mother has died. I'm feeding him with milk by hand and have also been helping him go to the toilet. He is being kept warm, but is there any thing else I should be doing?

Hand rearing ferrets can be a very hard task, as baby ferrets depend on their mother’s milk for the first three weeks or so of their life. An orphaned ferret needs to be fed initially every two hours round the clock and after that they start to eat some solid food, but usually continue to nurse until they are about 6 weeks old.

I would suggest that you get in touch with an organization that deals specifically with ferrets. You could try looking for a ferret-only animal shelter in your area or a vet who specializes in small animals.