BRAVO, Bill!
 
Wow, wish we were in Beaverton right now!  Helping a shelter by eating a
Mexican meal!  YUM!  Makes me want hongos with spirits, cilantro, anchos,
onions, etc, some refritos, polo con arroz, etc.  My Spanish is very rusty
but my appetite isn't!  If you live in Beaverton and missed this then get
yesterday's FML by writing SEND FERRET 3741 to <[log in to unmask]>.
 
The ONLY way to ACCURATELY age kits:
 
Average Dental eruption ages (L = Lower, U = Upper for this chart, C
canines which are the conical teeth, P = premolars which are the teeth
between molars and canines, M = molars which are the more flattened teeth
at the back of the mouth, number start toward the front for each type, 49
days = 7 weeks = , 56 days = 8 weeks, 63 days = 9 weeks, 70 days = 10
weeks, 77 days = 11 weeks; you can do the approximate month ages.)
 
Day     Week            Teeth
 
50      7               UC, LC, LM1
53      7 and 1/2       UM1
60      8 and 1/2       UP2, UP3, UP4, LP2
67      9 and 1/2       LP3
74     10 and 1/2       LP4, LM2
 
That is the only reliable way to get the approximate ages of kits.  If
those teeth are breaking through it's the approximate age.
(Source:  _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret_)
 
"Feelings" that some place "may" be sending out kits too young don't cut
the mustard.  The only way to KNOW is the way above.  Size or even eye
opening can be affected by multiple factors, such as distributors who have
an illness present or who don't make sure that all kits get enough to eat.
 
>This is all fine and dandy, but regardless of insulinoma or not, when has
>it *ever* been healthy to feed a ferret sugar?  Aside from the obvious, of
>course (during a seizure or insulinomic episode).
 
Well, polecats have been seen taking some berries in small amounts... but
back to topic.  If a person has a ferret which has advanced insulinoma and
the meds are getting pegged, then it may be that bucking up blood sugar
through the direct route (ingestion) can be useful to give extra time of
quality life.  No one knows for sure, but it's worth trying when the
options are wearing thin.  If a person has a very nervous ferret (as some
past abuse victims tend to be) who is too prone to anorexia then for some
it can be useful to make bitter meds like Pred acceptable with a sweet
matrix -- the alternatives do NOT work with all ferrets -- because any
hypothetical risk from the sugar is way in the noise compared to the
actual existing risks.  Suit the approach to the individual!  We have an
elderly one for whom Nutrical -- sugars and all -- is essential for her
quality and quantity of life right now due to a combination of those
factors.
[Posted in FML issue 3742]