>From:    Catherine Shaffer <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Mithril has anal glands
 
I had the same situation w/2 of my crits - both marshalls.
 
I can only assume that because they're so tiny (ferrets & anal glands both)
at 4-5 weeks the surgery didn't completely remove all of the glands, or
someone made a boo boo & neglected to remove them.  But both were *fixed*.
So wait & see.
 
Has your vet discussed the possibility of clearing up the infection in lieu
of descenting?  In my case my vet thought it better to remove the infected
gland as well as the impacted gland.
 
>From:    Kim Hastings <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:  ferrets don't belong in cages
 
Usually a debated subject.
 
For the safety of the ferret, my opinion is that ferrets don't belong in
cages all the time.  If you can't be absolutely, positively, w/out a doubt,
completely confident that you have a ferret-proof environment, use a cage
when you're not there to supervise.  I've heard too many horror stories
about ferrets that always had the run of the house.
 
You should be especially careful when bringing a 1st or new ferret in.  In
both cases it could be a long time before you find out, from them, the
amazing potential for getting into trouble they have.  They might not find
it today, or tomorrow, but they will find it.
 
I've had a few near misses & we built the family room for the ferrets -
completely ferret proof.  The weasels had other ideas.  My flying ferret
figured out that if she could climb on top of the hooded litter box & jump
up to grab the top draw handle of a standard height cabinet more than 2 feet
away (just like a trapeeze act), she could chin up to get on top of the
counter & push her 30" x 36" cage off -  on top of her ferret audience on
the floor below.
 
Do you know how long it took me to figure out how she was getting up there?
She would never do it if I was watching.  And they continually come up w/new
& innovative ways to drive us crazy.
 
Ferrets are repeatedly referred to as 2 yr olds w/good reason.  They need to
be confined for their own safety whenever unsupervised.  (I know you get
arrested if you cage a 2 yr old, but that's another story.)
 
Juliana
Frodo, Rocks, Anola Gay, SNAFU, FUBAR, Tabu, Chaos & Tuxedo *who us?*
[Posted in FML issue 1768]