Dear Ferret Folks-
 
Many thanks to the nice folks at MAFF (Massachusetts Ferret Friends,
especially Diddy) for calling Petco in Shrewsbury, MA to check up on the
Kit with the unhappy looking bung-hole.  They did so a while back, I was
just too sick to post anything about it until now.  (I got some horrid
stomach virus, I think it was ECE...think ER visit, several liters of
fluid pumped into me.  Very nasty!)
 
I have always liked the condition of the Kits at that Petco.  They are
obviously handled, and kept in clean conditions with toys and both wet
and dry food at all times.  Whatever was going on with the poor little
guy's butt was dealt with there quickly.  It really looked to me like a
plug of dried feces distending an irritated anus.  Diddy spoke to the
Store Manager and the Small Pet Manager, and they dropped everything
to go do butt checks!  They found nothing but happy, pink little ferret
butts.  I assume that whatever the problem was, it was taken care of the
day after I brought the problem to the store's attention, just as they
said it would be when the vet came in on Monday morning.  (I saw the
unhappy butt on sunday afternoon.)
 
I have had several people write me and say that the odd "rod shaped"
feature I discovered about where the Kit's rectum was could well have
been his baculum, or 'penis bone', and it belonged there.  This is very
possibly true!  I have only owned one male ferret, and he is perhaps,
um...under-endowed?  I do not wish to speak ill of Ping is He, but I
promise you, when I explore his belly, I find *nothing* like what I did
in the Petco Kit's belly.  Perhaps the Petco Kit is just....hung like a
wolverine.
 
In any event, the Kit is fine, the store was pleasant, helpful, and
showed proper concern.  I always check out the Kits when I go to that
shopping plaza, and this is the only time I have ever found any problem.
Again, many thanks to MAFF for picking up the ball while I practiced
precision barfing last week.  I got *really* good at it.
 
Alexandra in MA
[Posted in FML issue 5209]