In reply to Chris VonSeggern, who wrote:
 
> A few minutes later he started heaving again, and after a few minutes spit
> up a little bit of what looked like just foamy saliva on a friend's leg.
> He was fine after that.
 
Sounds like hair is tickling the back of Scooter's throat.  Is he shedding?
If so, you can try giving him some Petromalt or another cat hairball remedy
to help the fur pass through.  A half-inch or so every day or two should be
enough.
 
> Also: What is the "greenies?"  I would just like to know, just in case it
> ever happens.
 
Ferrets with diarrhea often have rather green stool.  "The greenies," in
particular, is a disease which spread primarily on the show circuit maybe
a year ago.  It causes diarrhea (characteristicaly bright lime green) and
wreaks havoc with a ferret's intestinal tract, making recovery a very slow
and not at all certain process.  A lot of ferrets died.  The cause is not
known; it's presumed to be viral, but no organism has yet been isolated.
 
- - - - - - - - - -
 
About keeping ferrets in a certain area, we give ours the run of a large
room.  We've put a two-foot barrier in the doorway by sliding a wood-framed
piece of plexiglas down into slots attached to the door frame.  (Pixxel,
determined little thing that she is, managed to scramble over the 20-inch
door we had before.)  It's not hinged, but it can be completely removed for
taking furniture in and out; and it was easy to make and install.
 
- Pam in Rochester, NY   ([log in to unmask])
friend to Pixxel "How do I apply for the '96 Olympic high-jumping team?"
and Rusty "Is there an Olympic snuggling competition?"
Ferret FAQ - rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/pet-ferret-faq/general
 
[Posted in FML issue 0848]