Hi list.
I've been subscribing to this list for more than a year now and I have
posted now and then.  More often than not I read the articles and learn
what I can form everyones different opinions.
 
Last week my male ferret passed away.  We are still not sure what the cause
of his death was, but his vet believes it may have been cancer.  It was
very sudden and hit both me and his female companion very hard.  He was
only 3 years old, but was a Marshall ferret, so the door is open there to
many problems.  Also, I had given them a new hammock, which really seemed
to upset him.  They always had a flannel one with fleece in the middle, but
this was more a nylon material.  He had taken to chewing the edges on the
hammock I guess to persuade me to give them the old one back.  My female,
Sable, is going in for full bloodwork and diagnostics with a small animal
specialist on Wednesday to make sure she is ok.  It seemed to really change
her, these two have been together since they were kits and were very close.
I expected her to get depressed, but her syptoms went quite the other way,
to my shock.  She has actually gotten mean and aggressive.  I don't mean
to sound silly like she has human emotions, but it seems like denial.  He
didn't take on usual depression symptoms, but instead got cold.  She won't
play with me like she used to, or play with her toys.  She just eats and
sleeps.  I'm very worried about her.
 
Anyway, back to my question.  Today I went out and got a new kit, I thought
it might be the only thing that would help her.  She ignored it at first,
when it approached her she stared to bite his ear viciously.  I took him
out of the cage and returned him about 5 minutes later.  This time she was
fine, I did it again 5 minutes later and she attacked him again.  At this
moment they are both sleeping peacefully in the hammock, but I won't leave
them alone together.  Why does she hate him one minute and like him the
next?  Has anyone else had an experience like this with their ferrets?
 
Please help me!!!  Also, has anyone had a kit that "barks"???  When this
little guy gets frustrated b/c he can't reach something he whines and
barks, He sounds exactly like a whimpering puppy, I've never heard
something like that before.  Thank you so much!
 
         Beth & Company
 
                 Sable
 
                 Pepsi
                 In Loving Memory of Fidget
               ~ Gone but never forgotten
[Posted in FML issue 2738]