Ann,  I expect you are seeing the damage of hard
living to a large extent.  As you know, we don't
have experience with as many ferrets as you do,
but have had 11 of our own through the years as
well as some abused temporaries who we
rehabed and then found homes for.  Of those who
lived extended periods with us 5 are deceased and
three of those (pet store ferrets) made it to 9,7, or 8.
 
Meltdown is from a breeder which sells to pet stores
but never was in a pet store and she is now a very
active six and a half year old.  As the alpha she HAS
to remain strong, active, and inventive.  Just last
week she came up with a new way to stop the
fastest ferret this home has ever seen.  When Warp
annoys the others (often by facing one, then
jumping over it lengthwise, waiting for it to turn,
and repeating the feat, over and over, Meltdown
will throw herself on the floor and roll into the baby's legs, sending her
tumbling.
 
How long have we had ferrets, anyway?  We had
them and had even lost one before we met Chris --
 that was over 10 (11?) years ago, wasn't it, Chris,
with something like 5 of us on the list?  Anyway, our years with ferrets are in
the teens.  (Hi, Pat!)
 
Warp had lived in two (2!) abusive homes before
joining us.  Unfortunately, we did something that
we know better than to do and introduced her (4
days to full inclusion, the second best we've had)
before her complete medical so then we had all 6
on albon for coccidea for 3 weeks.  Yipes!  We got
it down to less than a minute per, though.  What
we did was scruff, smear a bit of Nutrical on the
top of the nose close to a nostril so everything
tasted like it and wild licking began, then just
shot the stuff in the side of the mouth.  Piece of
cake.
 
Warp has now graduated from play digging of
food and most anything, to focused digging of
door barriers.  (They grow up so fast!)
 
Speaking of responsibility, here are some tips for
 those who are working to change laws and
 opinions.  The highly effective gentleman from
Michigan could tell you more.  Having been in P.R.
 (and a bit of time on radio) I learned that it is
 always better to avoid anger, and instead present
 facts and cute stories, and it is always ESSENTIAL
 to say thank you.  (Yes, we sent a thank you card to
 GMA and hope others did.)
 
Here's an opinion we need to change.  The BFF
programs have suffered large cutbacks, and Newt
Gingerich just called for them to be completely
eliminated as a waste of cash.  Writing Democrats
representing you may have some effect, writing
conservative or reactionary Republicans may have
some effect.  Perhaps the greatest impact can be
made by those represented by moderate
Republicans (considering current political stresses).
 
Dwarf ferrets live with other stresses -- ones of the
skeleton and cartilage.  Jesse, your's is very likely
just a very small one, but I suspect you confused
midget with dwarf.  One of our's (with several
other medical compromises) is an
acrondoplasic dwarf.  She would remind you of a
bodily cross between a skunk and a ferret, with an
absolutely gorgeous face like a malamute puppy's,
and a luxurious kit coat even though she will soon
turn five.  Her trunk is a normal to large size and
broad rather than deep, her limbs are so stunted
(like a dachund's) that she can't even wash her
own face or keep her belly off the floor when she's
chubby, and she's already showing arthritis, and
gets backaches requiring daily massage.  Her face
is broad and shallow.
 
 Meltdown has never agreed
to accept her and she is leery of all our current
ferrets (This is complicated by her being retarded).
On the other hand, once she learned that language
meant something she acquired maybe 2 dozen
words and has become very gentle (Life before was
SO frustrating for her.), a great performer of tricks
for treats, and a total joy.  (It took her 3 years of
consistency on our parts as opposed to almost
immediate learning with the others, except 'Chop
who is a bit deaf so needs floor slaps at times.)  She
 accepts few people but fortunately loves her vet,
 Hanan Caine of Basking Ridge Animal Hospital
 who is an exotics specialist and probably the best
 veterinary surgeon with whom either of us has
 ever had experience.
 
Chris, we have also seen each of those sleep
behaviors.  In addition, sleeping with eyes open
has always been an inadvertent, occassional quirk
of mine.  From a human perspective I tend to
wind what I see into a dream and it is going to
be an unpleasant dream because moving, dry eyes
HURT.  Whether the same applies to another
individual (let alone species) I don't know.  BTW,
I forgot to warn Steve beforehand.
 
        Hope all stay or become well and happy,
        Sukie, Steve, Meltdown, Ruffle, 'Chopper
        (with too much bottom ballast to be our
        living helicopter since she's in the beautiful
        3s), Spot, Meeteetse, and Warp
 
P.S.  Why were our ferrets the only ones mentioned
in the Morris Animal Foundation Annual Report
(or did I miss something)?
[Posted in FML issue 1074]