Dr. Williams,
 
>>> Most helpful treatment - probably a lot of attention and love.  Ferrets
love to be hand-fed - when we have one that won't eat, we take hours with them
daily offering food and water and plenty of attention.<<<
 
I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!!  I read
your post and went up and picked up Sam, who hasn't eaten a bite on his own
for the past 5-6 weeks.  I held him and scritched him for nearly two hours
straight.  He just layed there with his eyes closed and sighed some.  Then he
asked to be set down.  I thought he wanted to use the litterbox so I set him
in his cage.  He walked over to his food bowl and actually started to
eat!!!!!!  He ate for about 10 minutes then asked to be picked up again.  I
held him for another hour and he asked to get down, went in his cage, used
the litterbox, then ATE AGAIN!!!
 
Thanks for the advice.  Thinking back on it, the only time he was really held
was when we were trying to force feed him.  It seemed that all he really
wanted was to have someone show him that he *was* wanted.  The force feedings
just added to his stress.
 
Dick Bossart
[Posted in FML issue 1162]