Perhaps I should explain more for those who haven't been there.  An  
example may help: Chiclet (nickname "Little" like in "Chicken Little'
because she not only was small but also because she always startled
easily) was not an individual who formed relationships easily. That's
okay, in every species there are some who have trust issues, sometimes
just from their personality but sometimes from things unknown to those
who didn't know them throughout life.

She was still warming up slowly to everyone (ferret or human) when she
became one of the first to be noticed with Myofasciitis (DIM) though
that was long before the syndrome was better understood and long before
the immunosuppressive approach was tried and helped others. So, we had
no idea what was going on except that we had a very squirrelly kit who
was seriously ill. There are several things that can look similar and
we thought it must be one of those until it came out that 2 or 3 other
ferrets had the same presentation slightly before.

Luckily, she must have realized people were trying to help because she
opened up then, and bonded more and more strongly during her illness
which let us bond more in return. Steve and i even slept shifts by her
for most of those 6 weeks. In the end we were all terribly close. Even
now I hate recalling her final day when everything unravelled for her.
Our vet was so upset that day that he fell to his knees after helping
her with a mercy shot.

The same effect happens with those to whom a person is already close.
That isn't to say the people weren't close, because they were, but that
the care makes the bond all that much stronger, and the more care given
then the more than particular bond increases. At least, that has been
our experience.

I could just imagine someone reading into my post and assuming that I
meant that other bonds weren't strong, which isn't at all what i was
saying. So, to avoid anyone freaking out and writing rather than re-
reading I am also posting this.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6081]