Hey there!
 
I'm the remote co-owner of Anais & Bo, who are currently residing 200
miles away from me with the frequent contributor (of ferret down the
pants article fame), Colin.  Anais has been with me for almost 7 years
now & is doing pretty well, but I have a few questions about dealing
with aging ferrets.  1) How do you tell if a ferret is blind?  We've
suspected for some time that she's had trouble seeing, although she's
functioning just fine.  2) Bo (who is 2 1/2 & was rescued from a frat
house & serious neglect), wants to play even when she doesn't & thus
beats her up.  There are & always have been bite marks on one or the
other occasionally, but it seems that the damage is mutual, minor &
uncommon.  But Anais is harrassed all the time & this concerns me.
 
I'm also a little concerned about Anais' shaking, I had another ferret a
couple years ago that contracted epilepsy after I'd had her for four
years (she was an adult stray) & I'd really hate to see Anais have to go
through the pain & phenobarbitol treatments, too.  Anais isn't having
seisures or anything, but more info on aging of ferrets would be
appreciated to help guide us through this second ferret's last years.  I
still have had no satisfying news on the life span of the little
critters that escape the multitude of ferret accidents & actually die of
old age!!  What is the current concensus on that?
 
Thanks much!  Cynthia
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[Posted in FML issue 0415]