I haven't been on the list for a while so heres a grand update.  Binks
has been doing really well.  He's gained alot of weight and has recooped
from his time out in the great outdoors.  (A lady found him on the side
of the road in October.  He was skinny but otherwise okay.  I posted
signs.........but noone called.  so he stayed.  I got his shots updated
and my vet was thrilled I had another ferret.  They talked about how
sweet and pretty he was.....)
 
I've always assumed Binks was neutered.  All my other ferrets I've ever
had came from petstores and were neutered before I even brought them home.
Binks appeared to be neutered too.  However, some weird things have been
going on lately.  For one, he stinks to high heaven.  I thought it was
just bath time.......since I wait for long periods of time before bathing
my ferrets.  The other mystery was a slimy mess my husband found in the
corner of the room and a weird funky smell we just can't quite place.  We
thought something died in our blocked off fireplace.
 
Well, today......I let Binks out to roam as usual.  He did his usual thing
of playing with my feet.......dancing around the room, chewing on my dog's
Kong and doing other ferrety things.  I picked him up and snuggled with
his musky self for a bit......and then put him in his hammock in his cage.
As I was closing the cage I noticed something very odd about his hind end.
I did an immediate doubletake........and then lifted him back out of his
cage to examine his lower half..my jaw dropping to the floor.  Binks has
testicles.  TESTICLES!!  I swear I almost passed out.
 
So my mystery is solved.  Binks is a hob.......and hes just doing his duty
of marking his territory.  You have no idea how surprised I am about this.
I let him roam every night.  How did I miss this?
 
Why did he not have testicles until now??  Was it just because he wasn't
mature yet?  We were never sure of his age but we assume as did the vet
he was a young adult when he found him.  He was close to adult size, but
playful like a kit.
 
Anyway, this can't stay this way as he is very odorous now.  And I am NOT
going to do the breeding thing.  No No No!!  I guess I know where some of
my income tax is going.  to Bink's big snip.
 
Another question I have is will he still smell strongly if I get him
neutered but not descented?  I really don't want to do the descenting
as long as the neuter will keep his odor close to that of a descented
neutered male.  I know descenting is a tricky buisness and I'd rather
not put Binks through more than I have too.
 
I can't tell you how embarrassed I am that I didn't realize this weaz
still had all his parts.  I have had four ferrets in my life, so I
consider myself very ferret knowledgable.  Why do I still feel like such
an idiot?
 
Melissa and Binks who has to be laughing at me now....
 
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alabama,usa
[Posted in FML issue 3673]