Why Do Ferrets Randomly Lay Down?

The main reasons why ferrets randomly lay down is because they’re either too hot, running out of energy or pretending that they’re invisible. This is a natural behavior of these creatures, so there is no need to be alarmed.

It’s Called Speed Bumping Or Pancaking

This normally happens when your ferret is playing with you or other ferrets. There will be a lot of jumping around, dooking and tail puffing. Then, out of nowhere, your ferret will lay flat on his or her stomach, stay there for a few seconds and then jump up and resume the game again.

This behavior can be completely random and can happen numerous times in a playing session; 2, 3, 4, 5 or more times.

If you’re a brand-new ferret owner, this can seem very strange and it’s understandable why you might get distressed. After all, you only want the best for your furry friend, and anything that looks strange will definitely get the alarm bells sounding.

Now, keep in mind that all the reasons given above are only theories as no one truly knows why ferrets behave in this manner. One thing we do know, however, is that it’s common among healthy ferrets, and so we can feel confident that this is a common behavior.

Keep A Close Eye Regardless

It’s still a good idea to pay close attention when your ferret randomly lays down flat on the belly.

For example, if this behavior is due to your ferret being too hot, take immediate action to lower the temperature so that your furry friend can feel more comfortable. That way, you can keep your ferret safe from heatstroke.

Ferrets can get hot far quicker than we can, and a great way to watch out for signs of overheating is to pay attention to how alert your furry friend is in general.

Also, keep an eye on your ferret’s energy levels in the way in which he or she is moving around. If there is a lack of “spring” in your ferret’s movements or overall enthusiasm, then something must be wrong.

At this point, you might want to consider lowering the temperature and stopping the play session for a while.

Your next step then is to take your ferret to a vet, just to be sure. There is no way for you to truly know the reason why your ferret has changed in behavior, and guessing and speculating is never the right approach to keeping your furry friend safe and healthy.

For example, maybe the increased instances of speed bumping with slow movements have nothing to do with heat and rather with constipation; only your vet will be able to give you a more concrete answer.

Speed Bumping To Conserve Energy

Ferrets need a whole lot of rest, and this is the reason why they sleep so much. In fact, this is probably why they go into such a deep sleep at times. So, many experts suggest that speed bumping could just be a way to help ferrets conserve some of that energy in between play time.

While a few seconds might not seem like a lot of time for humans, it could be a very effective way for ferrets to recover some of that energy so that they can continue jumping around, chasing each other, and getting up to more mischief.

The Invisible Game

During playtime, there is another reason why your ferret randomly lays down besides trying to conserve energy; your furry friend is pretending to be invisible. Maybe the reason why ferrets do this is because they don’t have any particular place to hide at that moment and they really believe they are invisible.

Whatever the case may be, simply play along. As soon as your ferret jumps up again, act very surprised.

Your ferret will really appreciate this and it will most likely be a great confidence booster as well.

After all, ferrets are hunters by nature, and pretending that they are invisible could simply be part of their “training” to become stealth killing machines. Who knows, right?

Conclusion

While we might never know the true reason to why ferrets randomly lay down, one thing we can agree on is that this just makes them so much more fun to be around.

These little creatures have so much energy to spend, and it’s quite fascinating to see the huge difference in their behaviors when they are full of energy or completely drained of it.

As long as you constantly keep a close eye on your ferret to make sure that there are no other unusual signs that could indicate a serious problem, you have nothing to worry about.

That being said, your first decision should always be to take your ferret to the vet and to give your furry friend regular checkups. That way, you can ensure that your ferret will live a healthy, happy life, and that speed bumping is just another bonus quirk that makes these creatures all the more enjoyable to be around.