Tweezle is doing well.  :-) I've been using peroxide on his wound on the
advice of Nancy (she used it when she was bitten) and it is helping to
dry it up.  Tweezle is eating normally and comes out each evening for his
rounds, as well as in the morning for his warm breakfast.  He is limping
slightly on that back leg.  Wanted to get that out first. :-)
 
Thanks to everyone that emailed with information and concerns.  I did talk
with Larry (our vet) earlier and if it is something I can do at home he'll
talk me through it which he did on this particular case.  I told him to
warn Travis (his partner - Larry wasn't on call) that if it didn't start
getting better I'd bring Tweezle in.  Larry did say he'd seen a few cases
recently and there have been reports in the news that there is a more than
normal infestation of the brown recluse this year.
 
I was bitten by a brown recluse several years ago and carry a small scar
(indent) on my cheek from the experience.  Fortunately my reaction was
milder than some others have experienced.  Unfortunately, spiders like me,
particularly when I'm sleeping.....
 
A few of the ferrets have had spider bites before which could have been
brown recluse, but with a milder reaction, and Larry has seen them.  In
fact our Charlie girl had an allergic reaction to spider bites and would
swell up.  Larry saw her several times because of her severe reactions.
Her bites were on the nose area which when swelling can cause serious
problems.  We figured she was too curious and would nose at the spider
and get bitten.
 
I really do appreciate everyone's concerns and helpfulness.  This is what
makes the FML such a wonderful family unit.  Sure we'll have our fusses,
just like any family, but when there is a problem there are always those
that will try to help. :-)
 
And the info about the brown recluse will help others as well.  There may
be people that aren't aware of the dangers or what they look like.  Oh,
round butted spider, some with a violin shape on the section the legs come
from, with 6 eyes (instead of 8) arranged in pairs (don't look till after
the spider is immobilized), an abdomen devoid of color pattern, and legs
covered with fine hair.  There are 13 species of U.S.  recluses and they
are common in the Midwest.
 
Hugs to all. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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[Posted in FML issue 3140]