When I bought my first ferret in 1985, there were no ferret foods on the
market..Sable ate what my cats ate: Iams Cat and Kitten foods.  When Wolf
joined the crew (I laughingly refer to him as my first rescue - he was
found wandering) he also ate the Iams foods.  Sable lived to be 4.5 - we
had her put to sleep because of Lymphoma...Wolf lived to be 10.5 - with
one surgery at 9 for insulinoma/adrenals...They originally had cedar
shavings in their cage - I switched because I hated the mess!  I made
their own hammocks and sleep sacks out of folded over sewn-up
towels...Sable was a no dotted ferret, Wolf was MF.
 
I don't know why some live longer than others..Since then I've had many
go to 8 and 9 years of age.  Usually with a surgery for something.  I
continue to recommend to everyone that adopts from me to start a ferret
rainy day fund: $20 per ferret per month - it keeps hard decisions about
surgery from involving the cost.
 
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
www.ferrethaven.org
[Posted in FML issue 3957]