Hi, this is my first post to the list.  My name is Roger and my wife and I
are owned by two ferrets, a 9 month old light sable male named Mocha and an
8 1/2 month old cinnamon male named Cappuccino.  My question focuses on
Mocha's weight and bathroom behavior.  You see, he got sick about a month
ago, and my vet prescribed Bactril S (?) for five days.  Well, he eventually
got his appetite back, but he has gained no weight at all since then!  He
dropped to just under 2 lbs.  when sick and has stayed there, even though he
does eat.  Now granted, Cappy is a food hog and must be well over 3 lbs by
now, but I am perplexed.  Mocha eats, just not as much he (maybe?) should.
These are my first ferrets (first ever pet in fact at 27 years of age!) and
I'm concerned that when they mock combat, Cappy seems to always overpower
Mocha and instigate playful attacks.  It's almost as if Mocha is assuming
the submissive, female ferret role!
 
Mocha happily dooks away when running around the room (they have a three
level cage) and is otherwise a normal ferret.  The only other thing is that
since his sickness, he seems to have lost his litter box training!!  He goes
any old place in the room, even in the middle of the floor!  (the room is
about 9x9 feet).  I try to let him out only after he's gone to the bathroom,
but with my schedule, it's difficult to tell sometimes!  I've now taken to
laying litter in the corner of the cage, since Mocha refuses to use the
corner litter box (they had their own since they wouldn't use them same).
 
They are fed Iams Kitten (been seeing the info on TF and may try soon!) and
are both otherwise fun, happy and healthy ferrets!  My vet (not a ferret
specialist, but the only one in the area who's worked on them extensively)
says he's not concerned, since there are no other signs of sickness and his
stool is normal.  He also mentioned that ferrets, like humans, come in all
shapes & sizes.  I've read the FAQ and have three books on my furries (as my
wife's young cousins call them).  My wife and I are just being paranoid
parents because Mocha's sooo skinny!
 
Any help is greatly appreciated. Reply to the list if you think it will
help others, or just reply to me privately. Thanx!
 
Roger, aka Ragnarok
     **Live Free or Die- There are things in life worse than death**
 
Is there anybody listening...that sees what's going on?  What's behind the
words, images they know will please us...read between the lines, criticize
the words they're selling-- THINK FOR YOURSELF.
[Posted in FML issue 2076]