Hi FMLers,
Glad my CaCaLand move is over and almost settled.  SFH's to all well, sick
and recent Rainbow Bridge kids, my heart is with all.
 
Haven't posted in awhile, so I hope BIG will forgive lenght of post. ;/
hehheh
 
For Aprille... corncob litter... I paid $14 for a 40lb bag and still have
35lbs, it is nasty, for some reason it increases the urine smell to
unbearable in only 1 day with 14 kids and as many litter boxes.  IMHO it
stinks!!
 
For Sandra... K-9 vacs... Personally, I've only used Fervac-D since it was
approved for our kids, without any adverse reactions (is this where I knock
on wood?).  My last kit, Doobit, was 11 wks of age when I got her (no
shots).  I firmly believe in a 4 shot series up to age 6 months.  Her first
2 were 2wks apart and last 2 at 3 wks apart.  This series is done regardless
what shots parents recieved or didn't recieve.  I also firmly believe in
better safe than sorry.  Here in CaCaLaCaLand most VETS DO NOT KNOW SQUAT
about ferrets and group them all under exotics- giving you the impression,
since 'Exotic' is in play, they make you feel ignorant about a pet you know
better than they, yeah right- like doctors think they know my body better
than me-HUMPH.  I try real hard to keep myself informed by actual occring
problems from my fav people FMLers, FAQ's, medical books exclusiverly for
ferrets and anything I can get my hands on about my kids.  Come to think
about it- Iwasn't as thorough with my real life kids as I am about my ferts,
go figure!  ;) Oh, real kids did turn out OK- So I'm a little pejudiced-
GREAT KIDOS!!!!
 
For Christy... PLEASE keep us apprised of your ferts with Cardiomyopathy and
Insulinoma, no 2 cases are ever alike and the more info we get here can save
another furkid.  I was so enthralled and moved by Sukis' posts of Meltdown,
it was almost like I lost one of my own.  I named my REW son of Ceazar,
Meltdown.  He goes by 3 names tho- Meltdown (said firmly) when he has been
bad, Meltie when I want him to be sweet or hadn't caught him being bad and
Melmel when he is so loving and giving mom many kisses and makes me think he
hasn't been bad!  hehe!  He just MELTS my heart no matter what he does -
good or bad!
 
For Michelle... VET said... what a crock (goes to prove my point about MOST
so called versed fert vets_ HUMPH!!  Thank the fert gods for FML and BIG!!!
Oh and the FEW vets who post here!  (wish there were more).  I've neutered
(had neutered) my males from 8 months to 2 yrs.  and weight growth from kit
to 2yrs had nothing to do with altering, my un altered males never exceeded
51/2 lbs.  I've never seen a ferret keep on gaining weight past maturity to
reach what that vet leads you to believe.  The smell disappears with the
neutering, after hormones settle down I should say.  The only problem I have
is almost kit like- whose boss over the food bowl first and soon that has
disappeared.
 
For Don and Janice... Yes ferret proofing is a neverending job... I just had
my _first_ harrowing experience after a few years of ownership/actually
being owned by;> The fert gods' must move with me.It starts with a Midwest
Cage (ok, no flames on my choices-just educate me please)... the 14 kids
have their own room and it is carpeted (yuk, makes me clean more), so under
all cages I put clear vinyl strips down or linoleum (this case was
linoleum).  Anyway I had let ferts out to play while I cleaned cage all the
way down to linoleum.  Once lioleum was cleaned, bottom of cage w/ wheels
was cleaned, put in place on linoleum and I continued cleaning the cage and
putting everything back as I go... lastly the ferts... I do a head count and
name check, as I always do... eeeck I'm missing a fert!  I repeat count and
name check... a lump forms in my throat, my chests feels like the breath has
been knocked out of me... I'm in a panic- I recheck... YES my Sa'ce is
missing, ifrantically tear aprt the room, no Sa'ce... I look at the cage-
bad feeling... I look at 31/2 ft tall plywood door gate... no way a 11/2lb
fert could scale that, as no other bigger, agile male hasn't.  I again look
at cage.  I hooler to hubby I have a missing fert.  We start tearing the
house apart... no Sa'ce.  I go back in fert room, I look at that damn cage
and scream for my hubby... he lifts up on wire part and I raise the bottom
with wheels... out comes my Sa'ce, panting and laying exhausted flat to the
floor.  I start crying and she starts licking to let me know she is ok but
hot.  What a relief.  She never once scratched or made any noise that I
could have heard while cleaning the cage and playing with 9 other ferts.
The noise she may have made went unnoticed.  She was probably to tired to
make anymore once things had settled down.  Moral to this event... always
listen to first instinct (mine could have proved deadly), always, I repeat
do a head and name count at least 3 times at all times... better safe than
DEAD.
 
Ok, soapbox is now yours,
SFH's and many dooks to all,
Firebrand, (formerly [DS])
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2047]