>Krista's Nameless Does Have a Color:
>Yellow is usually a stain on an undercoat.  Living in pine shavings at a
>pet store for example could easily stain the coat.
 
Our oldest ferret, Ripple, has a true yellow undercoat, sort of a
butterscotch color in its darkest spots.  (That's what prompted his name,
as in "butterscotch ripple").
 
Speaking of Ripple, many thanks to all of the advice we've received from
FMLersa and STAR folks regarding what to do about Ripple's enlarged spleen.
Our vet, Dr.  Lena Roeder here in Colorado Springs, has an excellent record
and is confident (based on Ripple's tests, blood work, and overall physical
condition) that he's in wonderful shape for a ferret his (estimated) age
and that he should have no trouble pulling through surgery.  Since she's
getting ready to go away for Christmas, and since the spleen appears to
vary in size from day to day, and since Ripple's vomiting periods are very
irregular and (seem to) have stopped for now, we're postponing any surgery
decision until after Christmas.
 
Until then, we're taking the opportunity to pursue one of the more
'non-traditional' approaches to the problem, naming using Collodial Silver
as a treatment.  Anecdotal evidence from the Net and health-freak friends of
ours here indicate that there's at around a 60% success rate in using
Collodial Silver to keep enlarged spleen reduced, and at the doses we're
using there's no danger of harming him with the stuff.  We figure that if
we're successful over the next two weeks in using the Collodial Silver to
keep Ripple's spleen from becoming enlarged.  If it works, we'll continue to
hold off as long as he's healthy, the spleen doesn't enlarge, and he's
having no adverse effects.
 
Yes, we realize that using Collodial Silver is something most vets don't
approve of (Dr. Roeder at least had used it when she was a runner, and had
no problem with our at least trying it), but given the risks of operating on
a ferret of Ripple's age (~11 years old) it seems to be a reasonable course
of action.  If he's not any better in a couple of weeks, we'll have the
nasty organ removed.  If he is better, then we've avoided putting him
through the risk and stress of surgery.
 
We'll keep you all posted.....
 
On another topic:  Does anybody have any experience with integrating
African pygmy hedgehogs and ferrets?  We're strongly considering getting
a hedgehog and we're (pretty sure) it will be safe given its spines for
protection.  Any comments?
 
Steven and Colleen
Continually Matching Wits with Missy, Newone, Zebulon Pike,
                               Minx, Slinky, Puck, and Ripple
[Posted in FML issue 1417]