... where to start... we all have or know of ferret owners that use
Super Pet cages... the majority of ours are.  I had an unspeakable
occurrence last evening.  One of our petite little girls climbed up on
top of another groups cage, just like she & the rest all have hundreds
of time, under the cover (all our cages are covered with blankets or
something similar) and turned "just so" that her hind end slipped thru
the bars on the top of the cage, but her head would not and her neck
was broken instantly.  I had just walked out of the room with a ferret,
we were cutting nails in the next room.  I had a volunteer helping me.
She walked back to the room and found poor little Wiggles.  Katie cried
out for me and I went running.  I yanked the cover off the cage, pulled
the cage bars apart and she slipped free to the hammy below.

Immediately I started ferret CPR but soon realized her spirit had left,
yet I continued CPR.  I had to!  But her head just lay flaccid in the
palm of my hand.  I thought, "one more puff of air will bring her
around... get the heart pumping, ...count... puff.... count..."; her
eyes were closed, her little pink nose, now turning white, was cold to
my lips as I tried to revive her.  She was gone.  She never made a
sound.  My heart is shattered.  I cradled her close to my chest as
rocked back & forth on my knees, tears streaming down my face.  Katie,
my volunteer, a mere 13 years old, stood next to me sobbing.  Her
cousin had come to help too... her first visit.  Not a good day.

All of our cages are being fitted with solid wood tops now.  Nothing
fancy but much safer.  Please, if you have Super Pet cages, take heed
and be proactive.  Do it now, don't live thru what I just had to deal
with.  While it may only be a caution for the smallest of petite
females, why risk any injury, or as I experienced, worse.  Please.

Debbie

[Posted in FML 5393]