Laura
 
Don't beat yourself up too much!  Ferrets are notorious for committing
what I call, "Ferret suicide." It is right up there with war dancing,
sock collecting and toe nipping.  It comes with the territory.  Ferrets
spend half of their lives trying to find a way to get themselves killed.
They never miss an open appliance, be it a refrigerator, dish washer, or
dryer.  If there is a less than friendly dog handy, they will swan dive
between it's teeth.  If they happen across anything that will give them
an intestinal blockage; down the gullet it goes!  They are constantly
throwing themselves under our descending feet in hopes of being
successful!  They are "steel" escape artists, and the outside world is
a "Magnet" to them.
 
They are always dreaming up new and improved ways to commit suicide.  Why
do you think they spend so much time sleeping?  If you are successful at
suicide prevention; and your ferrets fail to die young, well then they
will just dream up some ugly disease to ravage their bodies.  They become
the vet's new challenge to do all he can to prevent "Ferret suicide."
Try to keep in mind it happens to the best of us, including many a long
time ferret owner.  We all here can relate.  The more ferrets you have,
the harder it is to beat the odds every day.  Day after day, week after
week, month ... well you know what I mean.  And remember, that while you
are spending all this time and energy beating yourself up, blaming God,
and asking WHY; your three other ferrets are busy putting their fuzzy
little heads together and trying to figure out how they can join Angus
at the Bridge.  You're needed back on the job of suicide prevention!
 
Please accept my condolences, and my weak attempt here to help make it
better.
 
Pam
[Posted in FML issue 4681]