Hello all!  We're new to the mailing list and want to introduce ourselves.
 
We're Cynthia and George, and we are currently owned by only one "ret," as
we like to call them.  His name is Chumley, better know to us as Chum-Chum
Rod-ri-gu-eez, compliments of WKRP.  Chum had a brother, Otto, until last
week.  Otto was a terrific ferret, just over three years old.  Last Thurs.
he went in for adrenal surgery - everything went great and he was doing well
(it was the left adrenal only).  However, late that night his little heart
went out, and we lost him a bit after 12 a.m.  We think now that he had
heart disease, but have decided against an autopsy to let him rest.
 
Needless to say, it hasn't been an easy week.
 
Anyway, Chum is obviously pretty depressed at the loss of his buddy, and
hasn't been eating much.  Mon.  he started sneezing/coughing/wheezing, and
started having the runs.  He went to the vet today (very traumatic) and was
diagnosed with... a cold.  His little sneezes are so hard they have a bit
of bloody water in them, but the vet said that's ok given how hard he's
sneezing.  Unfortunately, he's not eating or drinking on his own.  Right now
we're hand-feeding a mix of A/D canned food and dry ferret food, and that is
going over pretty well.  At the vet's suggestion, we're heading out tonight
for some kiddie Benadryl to help the sneezes, and will probably pick up some
Ensure and Pedialyte for Duck Soup.  Any other suggestions on how to help a
'ret get through a cold would be appreciated.  (When it's me, it usually
means getting drugged up and going to work.  Like my dad says, "Why be
miserable on a day off when you can be miserable at work?")
 
Also, the vet gave us amoxicillian incase it's bacterial, not viral.  He
HATES the stuff, and she couldn't believe it.  Anyone else have problems
getting a 'ret to take that?  Any ideas for making it taste different?
Apparently Chum isn't into bubble gum.
 
A couple of suggestions we have for discussions that have been going on:
 
Chumley and Otto decided that my couch, which was a gift from my parents
and is my baby, was a neat place to be.  One hole on the underside, and it
had to come down off its feet.  But a woman at a shelter up here suggested
buying cheap linoleum and a staple gun, and stapling it to the bottom side
of the couch.  This would probably work for box springs too.  (Glad to hear
we're not the only ones with that issue.) Chum's gotten in through the top
fo the couch, tho, so I think we're just going to have to do some heavy
duty rag stuffing.  To keep him from digging at the knit-type fabric, a
stern no and quick removal seem to get the point *somewhat* across.
 
For biting, George used the same approach with both of our 'rets.  When they
were kits and tried to bite, he would gently move his finger to the back of
their mouth so they had a slight gag reflex.  It only took a dozen or so
times, and all nipping ended.  Some people might not approve of this method,
but it worked quickly and well, and it's held.  Neither ferret EVER
bites/bit.
 
We're glad to be on the FML - we're learning a lot already!
 
Cynthia and George
Chumley: "Ahhh... ahhh... ahhh... CHOOOO!!!"
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[Posted in FML issue 2413]