The way I was able to tell was when I brought Ammonia home and wondered if
she wasn't younger than the 6 weeks the store lady said due to her not
being as playful, inquisitive, investigative as I felt she should be.  She
was also one heck of a biter, holding on and not letting go.  I handled her
all the more for it and she came out of it where she now just naws on you
but somehow it is important to her to get her mouth on everything she can.
When I let her out of the cage in the morning she was oh so excited, come
busting through the door and then just stand there, me 2 feet away, and she
would look like she was searching, I called to her and it was a leap in the
air, full gallop and flinging herself in my hands.  I also found she
preferred to sleep in the tunnel than in the hammock.  She got where she
apparently knew everything and was as outgoing as one would wnat, never
really send her crash into things and did learn to leap from chair to
coffee table and other such stuff.  Yet if I took her somewhere, she froze
and only wanted to go back into the carrying case and curl up.  i took her
to the vet for her shots and he only had to flash his light into her eyes
to confirm it.  Yet this little girl is the first to me in the mornings
when I walk into their room, the most energetic, the most happy, the most
people oriented the thinker-upper-on-what-to-try next and a pure delight.
She wrestles with the best, doesn't seem to tire out, always on the go, and
just has herself a gold old time.
 
The vet can tell you very quickly for you can't hardly tell from their own
behavior.
 
Millie & her cleaning crew
Easy Off:  the most perfect ferret in the whole wide world
Ammonia:  No Grandma, she was not trying to fix the hole "someone" tore
in the tunnel, SHE did it,   she did, she did, she did
Cascade:  The Observer, help me out here girls, get in line and keep
kissing her back, she'l be all kissed out by the time she gets to me
Ajax:  yet to come, Oh Mamaaa, did you see the girl's latest email, you
never let me use language like that!
[Posted in FML issue 2407]