From Fox, _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret_: "Nutritional steatis, or
yellow fat disease has been described in ferrets fed a high level of dietary
polyunsaturated fat ..."
 
I DO recall two mentions of ferrets who died after eating chocolate, but do
not know any details.  The individuals may have had underlying heart disease
(perhaps undiagnosed at that point since some types can be hidden) or other
medical problems, including intolerance.  One caution I'd certainly take is
to never give it to a ferret with heart disease (ditto any stimulants or
depressants, or licorice).  You know how it is -- choices often have to be
made according to individual.  (That's one reason we can nurse Meltie
decently: we know ferrets quite well after so many years (14?  15?), and we
also know her INDIVIDUAL physical and behavioral quirks.)
 
There's been regular mention here of the edible alliums (onion, garlic,
etc.) and bleeding.  Has anyone actually encountered this in ferrets?  We
have always shared some of our own foods every few months, and have never
seen a problem from garlic or onion.  Meltdown has had foods which have had
some cooked in with them every day for around eleven months.  She's had two
bleeding problems but one traced to a sudden and SEVERE reactive colitis
from heavy cream, and the other was a reaction to aspirin given in small
amounts every tow days for her circulatory problems.  Despite the alliums
she wound up throwing a clot once (which is why she was put on aspirin for
that short time since many ferrets tolerate it).  (Now she has Vitamin E
added to her diet because it inhibits K so MIGHT reduce the probability of
her throwing another clot.)
 
Sweet, late Ruffle used to like to filter her water through cloth; we think
that what she really enjoyed about it was sucking from the cloth so we
always called it "nursing".  As some folks will recall, Ruffle had to deal
with life-long serious medical problems and we think the sucking was
comforting.  (There are some researchers who have postulated that form of
comfort is one of the early reinforcements of smoking, BTW.) Since the FML
has become so large we've read what seems to be a handful of ones who do
this at any time.
 
The boys were yucking it up with a wrestling match so I got into it and
began alternating tickling first one belly, then the other.  If I tickled
Spot's too long Jumpstart would take my hand with one of his and draw it
over to his belly.  Meeteetse began to make big, sad, jealous eyes, so I
said, "Teetse Fly want belly tickle?  Where Teetse Belly-Belly?" and she
rolled over on her back and splayed her legs as wide as they would go, so
you KNOW she got a big tickle session.
 
Clare told me that the story of when we took Hjalmar to Wagner's Dairy Store
before it closed is in the latest Modern Ferret.  I remember that Pat
Lewis-Paley fell off her chair laughing when she heard it back when so
figured others might like it.  It's the funniest thing which has happened to
me in 46 years.  Still miss that funny guy after all these years.  Remember
him, Bill?  Boy, was he ever his mommie's baby for his whole life.  Remember
how when I had my surgery he would not willingly leave my side for 6 weeks
till the incision closed?  Remember how his head got bald on top with his
adrenal lympho and he used to get so annoyed when I kissed his silky-soft
bald patch?  Such a doll.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 1865]