>Has anyone else ever noticed that ferrets don't just flop their feet on
>their stomachs like cats or dogs when they're sleeping? No -- their poses
>are carefully choreographed movements in which each paw is deliberately and
>aesthetically placed in the air, reaching outward in an exquisitely
>orchestrated gesture, as if beckoning to the ferret gods in the sky. This
>is called ferret ballet.
 
    What does it mean when they are stretched flat on their back with all 4
legs spread eagled and their tongue hanging out of their mouth?  :)
 
>A few posters have mentioned that ferret eyes should glow GREEN when light is
>flashed on them (as opposed to other animals). Well, my ferret's eyes glow
>RED (as several flash photos can verify)!
 
    I had a black eyed white whose eyes did this as well.  But he wasn't
deaf.  Joopie's a ruby eyed cinnamon (looks dark except in certain lights)
and his eyes glow red as well.  I have also seen one ferret (the only I
have ever seen) whose eyes are GREEN.  Now that was trip!!
 
    Anyhow, I have a question for Dr.  Williams.  or anybody else who might
be qualified to answer this:
     I recently rescued a ferret from underneath a woman's patio and the
first thing I noticed was that on eye is extremely protruded and almost
twice the size of her other one.  It does not appear to be pussing or
bleeding and doesn't seem to be all the painful if you try to touch it.
It's also a milky white colour and she's obviously blind.  She can blink it
and sometimes half closes it, but she is otherwise a very friendly (if a
little frightened) ferret.  I have her isolated and will try to get to the
veterinarian who handles our rescues, but that may not be for another few
days.  (He's very far from me and I have exams this week) It doesn't look
as though it will get worse if we wait, but I am very curious to know what
it might be??  I suspect it's a brain tumour that is pushing the eye
outward because of it's growth.  If this is the case, we will have to put
her to sleep.  Has anyone ever seen this before??  Does it sound as though
I may be correct?  When you appraoch her from that side, she looks almost
alien because they eye is so large!!!  She also had horrible fleas when we
brought her home, but I flea bathed her instantly and I seem to have gotten
them all.  While I was bathing her, she made the strangest noise, kind of
like a small yappy dog barking!!  I was on the phone at the time and my
caller suggested that maybe I had actually rescued a mutant puppy dog...
        I would appreciate any feedback on this.  I have her isolated, but
if a virus can cause this, I would be very concerned about the other 11
ferret in the house.  Especially my new baby Milo, who is a mere 7 weeks old.
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Ferrets & Friends Club & Rescue e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Meet Milo, the cutest ferret on the planet, of no particular colour whatsoever!
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[Posted in FML issue 1285]