Hello everybody, first of all my heart goes out to you all with sick
fuzzies and to those that have crossed.  Im so sorry.
 
I have 3 Healthy MF ferrets they are all about 5-6 months, They are simply
wonderful!  We also have a dog (Lhasa Apso) and a housecat.  they get along
fine with the ferrets.  My first problem is with Max, the newest to our
family.  he was "12-14 weeks" when we got him so they say, he was really
big but still had his milk teeth.  but the thing is with Max is he's so
"different" from Harley Ann, & Teddy bear.  I do realize that all ferrets
are different but he is soooo different.  he will not eat anything other
then their food, no treats or ferretvite or anything no human food either,
which makes rewarding him hard, also makes clipping his nails impossible!
he really doesn't care for us humans he hisses when we pick him up 99% of
the time.  He squirms to get away if we even touch him.  I don't see how
he could have been the subject of abuse as we are the first to be owned by
him.  we are gentle and loving to all of your furkids.  I keep trying, i
handle/touch him trying to get him used to it.  so far no luck.  he plays
and gets along with the others wonderful, he plays by him self as well, he
is healthy and happy unless we are "interfering".  I don't know what to do.
Just leave him be and hope & pray he comes out of it with age?  Does
anybody have any idea's?  i feel like he hates me/us.  It's an awful
feeling let me tell ya, it breaks my heart.  Teddy & Harley are not
cuddlers yet i assume because they are young and would much rather be
playing, we play with them as much as they want.  they will come to us
especially Harley when they want us, she loves to nip at the top of my feet
when she wants my slippers.  she's my spit fire full of it and a hellion to
boot.  she's so funny and into everything that's my girl!  Teddy loves to
play he pounces on the others to play and is mild mannered he's a great
little guy.  Max as i said will play with the others and him self he's mild
mannered as well and is still a great little guy, he just don't like us.
 
the other issue i have is with Max as well this guy will NOT litter train
arghhhhhhh and in doing so he has Teddy & Harley doing the same.  I thought
it was just teddy but now it seems Harley as well wont use the litter box
in the cage they use the whole bottom of the cage which is a pull out draw.
I did finally get them to stop using the corners of the other level, they
never used the top level.  I bawled up pillow cases for the corners of the
level they was using that stopped them so you would think by putting sheets
and such in the bottom around the litter box would stop then, NO WAY will
potty right on them.  i have tried moving it to a different part of the
cage no luck they will still go to the bottom of the cage and use that.  I
tried blocking that off with the litter pan elsewhere, ya right!  I cant
find a way to keep them out of there, im not so sure that would work
anyway.  Max is rubbing off on the other 2 as far as pottying.  I don't
know what to do.  i cant seem to reward Max in anyway because he don't
like anything (treats) we have had Max about 6 weeks the others were fully
trained in about 3-4 days.  so you can see Max has been so different.  this
is my first time being owned by ferrets and i love every minute of it, they
are just wonderful!  Im going to try another litter this weekend as well.
They do have a lot of playtime outside the cage from 3 + hours a day.  the
cage is open and we are ferret proofed they are restricted to the kitchen
and living room which still gives them plenty of free space.  they go in
and out as they please unless im not in the room then the cage is closed
they don't care to sleep anywhere but their wire home.  so as you can see
im stumped by Max my little buddy.....i just don't know what to do about
him he is loved and treated just the same as the others, the best that he
will allow.  Im home with them all day everyday except once a week i might
get out to go to the store & DR's.  so i cant figure this out, i ask please
for your help and please no flames.  I feel bad enough as it is.
 
I have one more question, I read in the ferret FAQ that people with a low
immune system and pregnant woman shouldn't handle the ferret poop.  I have
a very low immune system as to being sick for the last 3 1/2 years thanks
to a DR's screw up..  but anyway, for the last 2 months i have been running
a fever and sever all over body pain major fatigue and so on.  the only
change we have has is the ferrets.  we started with Harley in the beginning
of March.  not long after that i came down with this new sickness stuff.  I
wondered if it could have to do with that, but i don't understand why if it
could be possible... IM not pregnant, nor am i allergic to them.  i have no
allergies except to latex.  It's a long shot and i hope and pray it isn't
due to the poop scooping as im the only one that does it.  I will NOT give
up my fuzzy buddies no matter what.  I just wondered if anybody knew more
on this matter of the low immune and feces handling.
 
sorry this is so long but i tried to cover everything at once.
~~~Cathy Jo, Miloe, Sabrina, Harley Ann & Teddy Bear & Max
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[Posted in FML issue 3055]