Hi all:
 
I am horribly ill today, so forgive me if this gets goofy.  Three things on
today's list, for those of you who skim: (1) Keeping ferrets out of
cupboards (2) Caging 2 originally separate ferrets and (3) I need medical
help for Ricky, please help.
 
(1) To C.J. Ladybug: you said you can't keep your ferrets out of the
cupboards, and can't do too much to your rented place.  Go to Lowe's or some
kind of home improvement store, and ask where the childproofing area is.
They sell these things that make your cupboards latch, very easy to attach
and cost only a couple of dollars.  They work very well.
 
(2) To Nikole: here's what I did recently (and about 4 years ago) when I
tried to put 2 "single" ferrets together.  Warning, though, it involves
buying a new cage.  I bought a new, larger cage in both cases (the first was
to put Lilly and Trouble together, then recently I put Patches and Slinky
together) so that there would be no familiarity to either ferret in the cage
(plus, they're more tolerant of the change if the cage they're going to is
larger.) Then, I just put them in the new cage together.  They were so
concerned about the new surrounding that they ignored each other.  In my
case, it worked both times, and they figured out, well, I've got no choice
but to accept this ferret.  However, there are a couple of other things you
can do: before caging them together the first time, bathe them, at the same
time (you'll need help), let them run around to dry off, then cage them
together.  If you still find that they want to pick on each other spray
Bitter Apple over each of them (cover their eyes).  That way, if they bite
each other they'll be unpleasantly surprised.  Good luck.
 
(3) Okay, I really need to know if any of you have ever come across this
before.  I'll try to be brief.  Yesterday, I went to Vet #1 to get vaccines
for four of my guys.  Everything was fine.  I took them home, and after I
was sure I'd been with the ferrets for 1/2 hour to know there were no
reactions, I went out to dinner.  When I got home, about 2 hours after
putting the ferts back, I checked them all again.  Three were fine.  One was
not.
 
Ricky, my 6 year old male, was sleeping, but salivating heavily.  I picked
him up, tried to pry his mouth open, but he was clenching teeth (sign of
nausea.) I put him on the floor, and OH my GOD I freaked.  He couldn't walk!
He tried to, but it was like he was *extremely* dizzy and off balance.  The
poor guy couldn't stay on his legs, he kept falling over, either on the
floor or he'd crash into a cage or wall.  Now, this ferret has a history of
being a *little* shaky on his legs when he first wakes up, but nothing like
this.  So, of course, I immediately called Vet #1's emergency number.  By
the time the vet called back, Ricky was much better.  He was darting all
around, only stumbling a little, so I thought whatever it was was wearing
off.  The vet said that he should be fine, if the problem persisted to call
back.
 
I put Ricky back in his cage, and went to do some work.  By midnight, I was
really getting sick, and I felt that I had to lay down for a while.  I fell
asleep, woke up around 3 or 4 am, and decided that I needed to check Ricky.
Darnit, he was horrible!  Worse now than before!  It wasn't just that he
fell over, if he even tried to lift one leg all of the others went out and
he'd fling himself into the nearest wall, furniture leg, or the floor.  But
the poor little guy wanted to play!  He hadn't lost any energy, he just
couldn't do anything.  He'd start walking, then he'd start leaning over
while walking, making him walk crooked.  Eventually he'd trip himself and
fall over.  I was freaking out.  I decided to wait until morning to call the
vet, only because I was really, really sick and I wasn't sure I could drive
to the vet.  To be safe, I brought his cage upstairs so that I could watch
him while I laid down.
 
After a while he started to drink and eat, and I felt better (about him...I
was still ill).  He didn't seem to be falling over, but he curled up and
went to sleep.  I woke up this morning, far sicker than yesterday, and
checked on Ricky.  He was sleeping, so I picked him up and took him back to
his cage downstairs, where his sister Sassy still was.  He didn't seem to be
*as* disoriented, so I put him in the hammock with Sassy, and he and she
curled themselves up together, and I knew that he belonged with her.  (They
love each other SOO much, more than any other animals I've ever known).  I
went back upstairs, where I fell asleep.
 
Around 4:30 I woke up, showered, and got ready for work (couldn't find
anyone to go in for me).  I called the vet (#1) and told them what was
happening.  They said I could come in, but that they didn't know what they
could do other than run bloodwork.  I couldn't get to that vet in time to go
to work, so I called my regular vet (vet #2) and talked with him.  On
Valentine's day, 1995, Ricky had a very serious illness where all he could
do was walk in circles, and seemed as though he was dizzy.  This isn't the
same, but similar.  Vet #2 had treated him for this, and he always suspected
neurological problems, but Ricky one day just got better, so I think it was
an infection.  Anyway, Vet #2 suggested that I drop Rick off on the way to
work, and leave him overnight.  I insisted that Sassy go too, and he said
ok.  Now, that's where they are and I know nothing.  I'm sick, worried, and
I don't know what to do.  Please, if you have any ideas or experience with
these symptoms, e-mail me (feel free to Cc: it to FML as it may help someone
else someday) but I don't want to wait 24 hours to know if I can do
something.
 
Thanks for reading my  very long post, but I really need some help, plus I
needed someone to pray for Ricky.
 
Kymberlie Becker
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
[Posted in FML issue 1903]