Hi all.  I just wanted to let you in on a little thing that I've done when
trimming my ferret's nails.  They seem much squirmier when I do their
front nails and then won't stay still for the back.  So, I trim the
back nails first (before they get agitated) and then do the front.  I
follow this with a treat and all is fine.
 
Also, both of my munchkins sat up for treats.  I usually used raisins
or Pounce treats as bait and help it up in front of them as I said
"up".  As they learn to put weight on their hind legs, you can ra
 
raise the treat higher until they're almost completely erect.
 
I am sorry to say that I have recently lost my furries and am planning
on getting two new critters (probabaly in the spring after the
breeding season has begun.)
 
I had Bilbo Baggins for 8+ years.  He had to be put to sleep in April
due to islet cell carcinomas (insulin secreting tumors on the pancreas)
when his seizures got too bad.  He had also gone blind and deaf by
that time.  My little girl, Butterscotch just recently succumbed to
the same problem.  She was seven in September and I had to put her
down in November when the seizures caused her to lose all motor
coordination.  She was deemed inoperable because she had nephritis and
the vet was afraid that the anesthesia would kill her if we tried to
operate.
 
For anyone nursing and aging ferret with these tendencies, I've found
that they feel so poorly that they don't want to eat, and then their
blood sugar level drops, leading to epileptic-like seizures.  So,
what we did for the last 6 months or so was keep Karo and water in
a syringe and feed it to our little ones.  The sugar helps them feel
better and is quickly absorbed by thier system.  Then, we hand fed
them.  Giving nutrical also helps if it is a particularly bad seizure,
but you really need to get solid food into them.  They needed this at
least 4-5 times a day toward the end, and I'd also get up around 3am
to give the karo-water/food.
 
I miss my munchkins very much.  Reading this FML has helped with the
sorrow, but also makes me want to run out and get another.  However,
I want a little baby, so I guess I'll have to wait alittle longer.
 
Thanks for listening.
 
Cindy
 
[Posted in FML issue 0657]