Wow, I can't believe it is almost May as April has just flown by.

We, at South Shore Ferret Care were really busy getting ready for the
Ferret Health Care Day and Rabies Clinic of last Saturday for most of
the month. We had a great turn out, had 29 ferrets vaccinated, free
ear cleaning and nail trimming and one surprise adoption!

We sold loads of the limited edition Ferret Faces Greeting Card sets
of 24 that we have featured on eBay, buckets of the Dry Dook Soup mix
that has also been featured on eBay, as well as other assorted ferret
health care items. We had lots of visitors and it was like an adoption
reunion. For you shelter moms and dads you know the wonderful feeling
of seeing a ferret that you brought back from the brink, restored to
health and placed with a loving ferret family. Imagine seeing at least
ten of your former babies showing up with their ferret brothers and
sisters looking happy and robust in one day. The tears of joy are worth
every tear of sadness shed. A day of seeing ferrets that you helped
helps to balance all the ones we have lost this year and motivates you
to keep on going. Oreo did a wonderful job hosting, three legs didn't
slow him down although he was picky about whom he gave kisses to. Mr.
Ferret's brother Henry, and sister Sissy were junior hosts as well,
helping to tell the tale of Mr. Ferret, educating the public about how
important it is to "do the right thing" for animals, and seek justice
when the most basic of care is not given.

One of the volunteers had a great question for me and while I had some
suggestions, as the warmer weather approaches (it was 80 degrees here
in Massachusetts yesterday), I wanted to ask for some more suggestions
from all of you.

Here is Lorna's question: "Seeing as this is my first summer with Rocky
and Fidget I wanted to find out what you do to keep them cool. Seeing
as spring has hit us with a vengeance the ferrets seem a little warm."

Here are my suggestions so far, please post yours: (I am assuming that
not everyone has central air-conditioning and not always a window
air-conditioning unit in their ferret room)

*Get an out door thermometer and place it in the room on the wall above
the ferret cage, if the temperature is 78-80 that's the danger zone!

*Ensure the ferrets are out of direct sunlight

*Check on your ferret often, if you have someone at home or nearby who
can check on them as well, make arrangements to do so. We do alot of
"Ferret Day Care" here at South Shore Ferret Care as we have central
air-conditioning to help out the local ferret people.

*Watch the weather report if it's going to be over 85 degrees outside,
it's going to be warm inside. If no one can check on them, make
arrangements for them to be somewhere cool.

*Use a pedestal fan to move air around the room but don't have it
blowing directly on the ferrets. If possible add in a window fan with
the air blowing out of the room. This way the hot air leaves the room
and the pedestal fan circulates the air. Always ensure that ferrets
are safely locked in their cages whenever fans are used or windows are
open as ferrets can easily claw through screens and escape. Same is
true for sliding glass doors, when screens are within reach they can
claw through the screen as well and escape. (Last year we received a
call that Mikey had clawed through the screen and was war dancing on
a third floor balcony unaware of the danger he was in).

*Freeze several 2 liter bottles with water and place them in the cage.
During the day the bottles will thaw out and emit cool air in the cage,
as well the bottles will sweat giving cool droplets for the ferrets to
lick off it they so desire. Refreeze the bottles so you have several
available.

*Take a face cloth or hand towel, soak with water and freeze overnight.
Place the frozen towel in a plastic grocery shopping bag that you have
cut the handles off of and cut the bottom out of. Place the towel in
between the layers and under a layer of bedding. When they are lying
on the bottom, the cool will emit and even melted won't make much of
a mess. The shopping bag will also double as a toy, (unless you have
chewers, be careful).

*If an option, move the ferrets to a lower level in the house as it is
always cooler than upper floors, never attics.

* Always provide a huge bowl of cool water as well as a large water
bottle to ensure that they have plenty of water to drink and stay
hydrated. I find a heavy ceramic dog bowl works well as it is not as
easy to tip over or move around. Add in a couple of ice cubes which
will keep the water cool (for a bit at least) and can double as a
enrichment. A squirt of ferretone oil also entices them to drink more
water. If you have some Ferret Aide a pinch of this will help with
eletrolytes.

Great Question, Lorna, I'm going to post it on the Ferret Mailing List
to see what other suggestions people may have.

Diane Wall
South Shore Ferret Care

[Posted in FML 5953]