Hello folks!  I am a newcomer, but thought I would introduce myself.  My
name is Laura and I am a secretary north of Chicago.  My husband and I have
2 ferrets (Pico - a 6 m.o. sable mitt and Marshmallow - 1 y.o. albino), 2
cats (Merlin and Tabitha) and some fishies (they all have names, but too
many to post.) Our First Ferret (Winnie) died from lymphosarcoma over July
4th weekend.
 
My husband swears that they are "my" pets but I can't tell you the number
of times I've found him on the floor talking baby talk and playing ferret
(shhh.... don't tell him I know....)  If you have any experience with
electronics - you'll appreciate the humor in the name Pico Ferret.  I know
that my husband found himself pretty amusing when he came up with it.
 
Here's a little story that might help someone else.  FYI - Marshmallow
weighs 1.75 lbs and Pico is about 3.5  (He's starting to get the nickname
of Moose.)  They are in one of those 4 story cages with the tunnels at
night and when we are at work.  I started noticing that Marshmallow was
losing a little weight and hair and I became really upset, especially after
losing Winnie this summer.  Last Sunday, I was holding her and we were
deciding whether or not to go to the emergency vet .  Anura, my husband,
suggested we try feeding her to see if she would eat.  When we put the bowl
of food in front of her she ate and ate until she was so tired that she
fell asleep.  She woke up a few hours later and ate and drank some more and
played and played until she fell asleep again.  Well, our theory is that
Pico (AKA Moose) was eating all the food and Marshmallow, being the polite
and dainty little girl that she is, didn't bully her way into the food
bowl.  She wasn't used to having a male to contend with as her former
friend, Winnie, was another dainty female, and goofy us didn't think that
Pico could possible be eating ALL that food himself!  For the past two
weeks we've been putting her in a separate cage at night with her own food
and water.  She is still with Pico during the day and when they're out for
play, but now she has some time to herself with her own food bowl....
 
In regard to the fur - She had always had an absolutely beautiful long
silky cream colored coat.  When she began losing her fur, we were
petrified.  It turns out that now she has a beautiful coat of thick short
fuzzy fur.  She looks like a 1.75 lb. polar bear!  I'm sure some of you
can relate to how paranoid you can be after you've lost a ferret!
 
I'm sorry for the long post, but as I relatively new ferret owner, I'm
always amazed at what I don't know.  Thought this info might be useful to
someone else.... Thank you all for your postings - I've learned so much!
Also - for the person who is cataloging - feel free to include me!
 
Laura (and Marshmallow, Pico, Merlin, Tabitha, and the Fishies)
[Posted in FML issue 2887]