Hi I just recently went from 3 to 5 thanks to dear ole addicted hubby.
So I'm kinda new at this.  I have pretty bad asthma and allergies (veeeery
mildly allergic to my beloved ferrets).  So it is quite exhausting work for
me.  We have four in one cage, and a tiny baby in a carrier.
 
I have to wash ferret laundry every 3 days at least (I have lots of it so I
can rotate though).  Hubby cleans cages 1x week.  Every family member has a
scoop time so we scoop like 3 times or more a day depending..  due to my
allergies.  He totally does the pan every other day or so.
 
They are watered and fed every morning by hubby.  We give their ferretone
and nutrical (they are all under a year old oy!) every day.  I just
recently taught my son to do this so he can help if I get sick, etc..
I start with the youngest and go up that way no one is forgotten.
 
Brushing is Sean's responsibility..  he does it a few times a week.  But
every Sunday is "ferret pretty day".  That is when most of this work is
done.  And that is when hubby and I team up and grab each ferret from
youngest up to trim nails, do ears, and do the nutrical/ferretone thingy.
 
Right now my problem is one wild kit named Laddie whom torments my little
girl Jubilee, and poor Rocky.  So I have had to resort to rotating play
periods.... that is a pain in the you know what.
 
Right now my biggest battle is allergies.  Before we knew better we used to
bath ferrets every other week..and my allergies were great.  Now we don't
bath them but every other month (or less) and with 5 that is too many and
my allergies are going berserk in this tiny apartment here.  I know its bad
for the ferrets and I know if I bath them more they will loose their mink
like soft coats, but I don't know what else to try until we either get a
larger place or do something else.
 
As far as tracking who is ill, I really don't have a problem at all.  I
guess I just am super observant and doting.  I must say if I had much more
there is a huge difference as far as care goes.  I find a huge difference
night and day with each addition in fact whether you go from 2-3 or 4-5.
 
Wolfy
http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv/
[Posted in FML issue 3049]