Hi everyone,  I am rather new to FML and love it!
 
In response to Kate's query on winter coats and also as a medical question:
 
We have two adorable silver mitts  Kili and Fili ( despite the fact that they
are jills, it seemed appropiate to name them after dwarves in the 'Hobbit'
since both like to dig down under things and make off with all the goodies! )
They are about 5 mos old and I am fairly sure are litter mates.
 
The more passive of the two, Kili, has fattened herself up and developed a
luxurious, soft coat.  The head and shoulders are  completely silver except
for a dark mask and nose bridge.   The undercoat on the rest of the body
has turned golden with thick dark guard hairs.
(silver and gold! maybe I should hang her on the tree ;-) )
 
The problem is Fili.  She has not fattened at all, thinner if anything.  Her
hair is much thinner than Kili's.  Not falling off in patches, just thin
enough that the pinkness of the skin is evident.  She eats much less than
Kili (Iams adult cat food) and her bowels appear more granular, as if the
food were not being digested as well.  Two weeks ago, she did find the foam
rubber camping sleeping pads that we hid between the mattress and box-spring
of our bed!  She was expelling pieces of it in her bowels for 2 days, but that
has stopped.  She is still very active but  I am concerned that she is not
getting proper nutrition.  Any suggested causes from the "FML medical team"
?  The vets around here are not much into ferrets so any recommendations as
to good ferret vets in northern New Mexico would also be appreciated.
 
Cheers to all
 
Edward, Danielle, Kili, and Fili
 
 
  +---------------------------------------------------------+
  | Edward Plumer                        [log in to unmask] |
  | Los Alamos National Laboratory                          |
  | X-3, Hydrodynamic Applications                          |
  | MS F663                            voice (505) 665-8610 |
  | Los Alamos, NM 87545               fax   (505) 665-5553 |
  +---------------------------------------------------------+
[Posted in FML issue 1029]