Hi,
 
I would like to say Hi to this group, I am new.  I am fairly new to
Ferrets also.  I do have a house full of parrots, dogs and cats thou!
I am a real animal lover.  We live in Upper Mi.
 
In July we brought home our first baby ferret, a boy, he is about 14
weeks old right now and very full of energy for life!!  He puts a smile
on my face all day long.  I am wondering why I have not looked into
owning these great little guys before!  They steal you heart!  Stuwie, as
he is known (the boys thought he looked like Stuart Little) is healthy
and happy.  He started out small for his age but in the last two weeks
he just exploded into this really nice looking little ferret.  He is a
bibbed sable with white on all his feet.  We love him to piece's.
 
After reading about posts here and there I realized I should get another
one for him to play with (after all most of you out there have 4 or 5 of
these guys!)  And when I can't play with him or the kids they would have
each other.
 
Well, I live in Upper Mi and the place I got Stewie is 150 miles north to
Marquette, Mi.  So I called them last wednesday to inquire if they ever
got any dark-eyed whites in.  The lady said he was placeing his order
that day and would ask.  So I called the next day to see if he could
order one and he said he got one in!  I asked if it was a girl or boy
and he left and came back and said it was a boy, exactly what we wanted!
Great!  We had to wait until Tuesday as the vet had to check them all
Monday night.  So I get up there Tuesday and am shocked at how small this
thing is!  I thought Stu was small, but this one was TINY!  And bony.
They had wormed her over the weekend and she was in the cage with two
other 1 ponders to her 1/2 pd size and they were feeding them all dry.
Anyways, she looked weak.  I had to take it to save it.
 
I did not look at my papers until later, my girlfriend came with me and
she had to pick up her boys at 3pm so we rushed and got other shopping
down since that is like the biggest town in the UP.  Got home and looked
at the papers from the vets and it said it was a girl!!!  I know the
owner knew this but did not tell me.  So Louie became a Louise, except I
hate that name so I am calling her angel.  The boys will get over it.
 
She ate a little and drank a little bit Tues.  night but did not play,
only slept.  Her bones were so felt when you touched her it was bad.  I
started to get worried.
 
She made it through the night and I got online to get the duck soap
recipe I heard tell about.  Found one and whipped some up and gave it to
her in the syringe as she did not MOVE all AM.  She took it but them just
went back to curling up and not moving.  I was starting to get worried.
 
I am a nurse and I knew it did not look good.  I am also a past board
member to our local Humane Society and had put in lots of volunteering
there to help out and have bottle fed kittens.  I know she was looking
bad and my heart was breaking.
 
I called my vet and got her in TODAY.  Her temp was normal, her stool was
negative, so that part was good.  He hydrated her with 20 cc's of water
and gave me an antibiotic and a mild pain reliever that would make her
relax and feel better.  He said if there is not a complete turnaround in
24 hours to come back in for another hydration injection.
 
So, right now its almost midnight and she seems a little better.  I have
been giving her her meds, made up a batch of duck soup.  First feeding
she took 1cc by syringe.  At 11 tonight she ate it herself!  Not a lot
but that was a good sign.  She does the oddest thing when she takes food,
her head goes down to her front legs???  Like she is swallowing with her
head upside down???  What is that??  She looked better but after being up
and walking for 10 minutes she was tired and I put her in her bed.
 
BTW, I called the pet shop owner and told him she was sick and I was
taking her in (thinking maybe he should pay as he obviously was not
taking very well care of her) but he did not offer just said to keep
him informed.  GRRRRR If she dies he will hear from me!
 
Anyways, I am hoping all you nice people could say a prayer for Angel
to get strong.  I am going to post this in three different places so you
may see this on another list.  I need all the prayer help there is for
her.  I am talking to Saint Francis of Assici(sp?) all day today!
 
Nice to meet all you and I am learning so much from reading all the
posts.
 
Robin & zoo
[Posted in FML issue 5001]