> In my experience (I have owned over 100 ferrets and have had almost
> 200 come through here counting shelter ferrets) I have known only ONE
> convenience kit to have made it to its sixth birthday.  I know of only
> three who have made it to five...
>
> =Fara
 
Hmm. So, could you be a bit more specific about your numbers -- like
how many (approx) got to what age? That is of all the ferrets. You had
only 1 conv. kit make it to six, and 3 (including that one) who made
it to five -- and how many others and how young did they die? And how
old did the others live to (again, I know you'll have to give
averages, unless you kept records for all 100+ of them). And where did
your 'convience kits' come from.
 
I had 3 conv. kits (Rikki, Kang, and Nose) and 1 fixed later (Imp).
I am wondering because my Rikki (who was always runty (thin)) made it
to 7 (although he had developed arthritis around 5).
My big brute Kang also lived to 7, he had the enlarged spleen and fur
loss for about a year before dying.
Nose was still going strong and hadn't been sick at all (or enlarged)
and escaped around the age of 5. :-(  (he was the smartest of the
bunch)
Imp, who is now about 4 is starting to look 'old' to me. Perhaps he
isn't happy alone. He also had a short bout of what looked like a bit
of rear paralysis (lasted a few days) during this past year.
 
Rikki and Kang were Wendy Winsted ferrets. Nose was a random pet shop
albino, and Imp we bought from a person who bred them (not a large
breeder). Imp was fixed at 10 months, but he *did* spray and no one
wanted to play with him much because he would spray whenever he got
excited. He got a lot more human cuddles *after* the spaying.
 
I had good vets in NJ who saved Rikki's life for us to the cost of
$500 (when he was only about 3 years old). We now live in CA, and
chose not to do exploratory surgury on Kang when he had his wierd
symptoms. We did have Kang tested and xrayed, but nothing positive was
identified. I care about my ferrets, but after all the times Rikki
nearly died and I hand revived him on NutraCal, I just don't rush them
to the vet.
 
                                        *Tigger*
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0155]