Adrenal Gland Cancer In Ferrets ... The disease se was uncommon in the hunting ferrets that were the ancestors of today's ferrets, and is still rare in animals that live outside, as they tend to do in the UK and in Australia. The incidence of adrenal gland problems is increasing in the UK as pet/altered ferrets begin to share their owners homes instead of living in the back garden. Ferrets are strongly affected by photoperiod. Under natural conditions, there are only about 8 hours of strong light a day in the winter months, and the proportions of light and dark gradually change during the spring and fall. We have removed all these stimuli when we keep the ferret in a house where electric lights extend day length to at least 12 hours, all year round. People want their ferrets to be awake and playing in the evening when they come home from work, so the ferret is exposed to natural light all day, and artificial light in the evening.
Website link