Hello FML!
 
Just a couple of things tonight: First off, I was in a local (not a national
chain) pet store tonight.  They had their ferrets, which were not MF, in a
pretty good size cage (about 6ft x 9ft by 2 ft high), had adequate food and
water, but no liter pan.  They have one ferret there that they have had for
about 6 months.  I picked him up and tried to hold him and he sunk three
teeth into my thumb.  Now, I was holding him by the scruff and he was able
to get the thumb on my other hand!  Needless to say I am going to have a
couple of good size scares.  The reason I am writing is that I am afraid of
what is going to happen to this ferret.  I don't think he gets handled that
much by the store, so he is not going to trained out of this habit there.
Also, because of his habit I don't think he will be sold.  He has two other
buddies that have been at the store for about 3 months, and they are
developing the same habit.  Is there anything that can be done?  They are in
a pet store in Latham, NY.  I would love to do something, but we have only
been owned by a ferret for 3 months (our first), so this would be way out of
our league, but maybe something can be worked out.
 
Second: I posted my intro last Saturday the 13th, in which I described Al as
one who seemed to sleep constantly.  Somebody suggested insulinoma.  My
parents have a sugar level tester.  Should I try and use it to test Al's
sugar level?  If so, where would the best place be to draw the blood and
what level should sugar be at?  Just an after note, tonight he has been the
most spastic we have seen him, which leads to the my third problem.
 
Third: Do you know the styrofoam that is used to pack breakables, such as
the x-mas village buildings?  Not the loose stuff, but the stuff that is
molded to the breakable.  Well Al got ahold of some of that and made a mess!
He was covered head to toe in the stuff.  Due to the static it stuck to him
and we had to use the vacuum cleaner to get it all off of him.  A good
portion of our room was also covered in the stuff.  All this from a small
rectangular piece of the styrofoam.  I am really worried that he ate some of
this and that he will have a blockage.  I gave him a good dose of hairball
preventative and some ferretone.  Do you think this stuff will make it
through?
 
Well, better be going, sorry so long.
 
Todd, Joanne & Al (boy did I have fun tonight!  Why does my stomach hurt?)
[Posted in FML issue 2162]