>The other place, PetCo, keeps them in a wire container, with rabbit pellets
>at the bottom of the cage, and whose staff is much more informed.  The issue
>is that PJ's only charges $130; PetCo $150.
 
SD,
 
Spend the $150.  Wouldn't you rather have a pet store that is more
knowledgeable about it's animals in any case (whether it be a ferret or ANY
other animal).  Also, if you're a brave soul, you might try to explain to
the cheaper pet store that they shouldn't cage their ferrets in the fashion
that they do.  Tell them you're on a ferret mailing list and heard that this
is not a good thing.  It may (or may not) change anything, but it's worth a
try.
 
>Tomorrow morning Grumpy is having his spleen removed.
>The vet also suspects a tumor, but, can't tell until he goes inside.
 
Stacy,
 
Best of luck with Grumpy.  Everyone feels the same love for their "babies"
as you do.  Let us know how things work out.  You mentioned him not waking
up.  Does this vet use something to put your ferret to sleep that is
something he inhales?  He shouldn't use injected anesthetic on ferrets
because it's riskier (I believe I read this, FMLer's correct me if I'm
wrong) and has more chance of the ferret not coming out of it.
 
Anyway, one of mine (Sweet Pea) was in for a tumor awhile back so I know how
hard it is to leave your baby with the vet.
 
>Theobromine is the culprit in chocolate toxicity.  Reactions to this
>chemical are not consistent but more like an allergic reaction by certain
>ferrets.  Based on the amount of ferrets who eat chocolate with no ill
>effects, it may be that ferrets (as a species) are not prone to the allergy
>like dogs are.
 
Thanks for the information about chocolate.  One of my ferrets (Sweet Pea)
LOVES chocolate and I only give it to her very occasionally as a treat.
I've only given her semi-sweet chocolate chips but now that I read your
message I may start buying milk chocolate ones instead!  She doesn't get
them very often (and when she does she only gets 1 or 2, never more) because
I've always worried about any bad reactions.  It's just leftover chips I
have from making cookies.  A ferret I had that died many years ago loved
chocolate too and I would sometimes throw 1 or 2 plain M&M's in my purse and
set it on the floor for her.  She LOVED to rummage around to find the
chocolate.  It was a game with a treat attached for her!
 
I found out Sweet Pea liked chocolate one night (many years ago) when I was
reading and eating a candy bar and heard a noise and looked over to see she
was on the arm of the sofa licking heartily at my candy bar!  My other
ferret Little Roo can't stand chocolate.  She, on the other hand (another
accidental finding on my part) LOVES wine.  I let her have little tastes of
my wine occasionally.  Funny thing is, she seems to like reds better, just
like me!
 
I wrote the NationalEnquirer as someone mentioned yesterday and spoke my
mind.  Hope others will too and I hope this will help on the road to
changing the laws they have there.  Uneducated people make uneducated
decisions!  The CA DFG are obviously uneducated and unwilling to attempt to
be educated about ferrets and what they are doing and how cruel it is and
undifferent from cruelty to any other animal.
 
Suzanne
[Posted in FML issue 1691]