Anyone seen this before or have an answer?  Overnight someone had what is
otherwise a perfectly normal stool except that it has three bits of orange
stuff in it about 1/8" to 1/4" long. A second stool about half an hour ago is
similar. i.e. normal solid form and shape but about 20% of it is bits of orange
color.  This stuff doesn't seem to be darkening with age so I'm guessing its
not oxidising and probably not blood. (Color is definitely that of a ripe
orange rather than being red.) There have been no "treats" for at least a day
and a half so diet is purely Totally Ferret. Impossible to rule out something
that was found on the floor during excercise about 12 hours ago, but we are
extremely well ferret proofed. I can see no signs of chewed bedding but will
re-examine. No-one seems to be acting abnormally (except see note below).
 
I anticipate taking a sample to the vet later today for analysis. At this time
I do not know which of the four it is.
 
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One of the several books on ferrets that we have mentions that ferrets "don't
climb". We have a closed in deck off the rear door which they _were_
occasionally allowed out on so they could get some fresh air. Today, I let them
on to it while I went to the pool to check chlorine. On my return after about
five minutes, "Weasey" had made it up a 36" high plywood "faced" wall to the
ledge on the top of the low wall (including negotiating a 3" overhang) and was
now well on her way up the side of the house towards the roof gutter! (I only
clipped her toenails on Saturday!)
[Posted in FML issue 1211]