Years ago 3 of our boys who have since passed on would go kinda nutty
for Bath and Body Works Plumeria scented anything. They weren't biters
but if I had the stuff on, they would do the lick-lick-chomp! They
would also steal articles of clothing that had the smell. I'd find some
of my favorite shirts hidden away in their hidey holes with the boys
sleeping in/on the shirt. They didn't hate the smell, they wanted to
eat it! Maybe it has something to do with the Bath and Bodyworks line
in general? I know they blend many of their scents with hints of this
one and that one so maybe it is a common base scent that seems to get
some of them going. I've never really had any reactions from any of
our guys over anything else except Fenris, who LOVED Herbal Essences
shampoo and would climb all over your head just going nuts as soon as
we got out of the shower. Once my hair was dry he would lose interest
and go find something else to do.

We've had a couple of similar swollen belly with lethargy experiences
over the years the anonymous poster mentioned. One time it did turn
out to be a monster gas bubble that affected Loki so badly she had to
be put on an I.V. for 2 days because she wouldn't eat or drink and
even began vomiting, and well, you know how quickly they will become
dehydrated. We ran through loads of tests after tests only to discover
the monster bubble on the x-ray. It was pretty crazy and took a couple
of weeks for her to finally fully recover..... FROM GAS!! Can you
believe it?? Neither could we. Neither could the vet! It's funny that
something so simple could actually become life threatening, you know?

Our other experience with the swollen belly/ lethargy symptoms with
Izzy actually ended up being his liver, so if your vet hasn't done
any bloodwork yet see what he thinks about doing a Blood Chem-CBC +T4.
That will tell you if there are any kind of organ problems, anemia,
infections, blood disorders, thyroid, ect. It is really good for
helping pinpoint the specific problem and also for eliminating out what
is not the problem.

On to children and shelters....We have a 4 year old and an 8 year old
who have grown up with not just ferrets but dogs, cats, fish, iguanas,
hamsters, rats, ect. Our kids were taught right from the get go how to
treat animals. I have never run a shelter but I have been a volunteer
since I was a kid and we also foster from time to time and every
experience we have, I feel enriches our children that much more. I
have found myself a few times dumbfounded at some of the other parent
volunteers that I have encountered over the years. Oftentimes they will
leave it to the shelter operator or other volunteers to educate and
direct their children. For some folks it is simply because they are
unsure of the rules and procedures, and things that are common sense to
us simply do not occur to them, such as doing the ferret shuffle for
example.. and for others it is just easier to let someone else deal
with their kids and then ask "what did they do?" when there is a
problem. We have many children in our neighborhood who come over to
play and of course the want to play with the dog or the ferret as
soon as they see them. It might be helpful for shelters to have an
experienced child around if one is available to help explain the
rules and demonstrate how to act to new children. I have noticed that
oftentimes the especially special needs kids respond better to our 8
year olds directions than to us adults which does make sense. She's
really good at it too. She and our 4 year old will often reprimand me
for playing too rowdy with the ferrets! I will roll them around on the
floor in the crinkly sack, or gently slide them across the linoleum in
the kitchen which they love and the kids get me for it every time.
They will say "Mommy you can't play with them like that! If you slide
Nibbler too hard she could crash into the cabinets and get hurt!" I
really can't argue with them because this is what I have taught them.
To be gentile.

When other children are over, our 8 year old tells them first off that
they can't hold the ferret but that they can pet it while she holds it
if mom says it's ok. Then she goes through the motions of demonstrating
to the other kids the proper way to pet the ferret, while explaining
this is how to hold the ferret while sitting down, these are the rules,
etc. You must be very gentile because they are like a baby puppy or
kitty and can get hurt or dead if you aren't careful. If you are mean
to the ferret you don't ever get to pet it again. (That is our 8 year
old's rule. She came up with this one on her own and she gives no
second chances.) They aren't allowed to hold the ferrets unless they
are seated on the floor, and my husband or myself must be present to
supervise (we also explain and demonstrate)or nobody touches the
ferrets or the dog.

We also make sure that there are no more than 2 children at a time,
preferably one child per adult so things don't get out of hand.

I have learned over time that sending them home when they start getting
unruly is the best way to go for us. It sinks in very quickly that
there will be no tolerance for being unruly and not only do they not
get to play with the ferrets, but they don't get to play at my house at
all. We're not mean about it, just very firm and make sure to explain
why they are being sent home and that they can come back another day
but for today, they are done. Some parents completely agree and some
take offense but that's just kind of how it goes, right? I'd rather
have somebody think I'm mean and overprotective than to have one of
my pets injured or worse. If the kids know the rules and that your
boundaries aren't flexible and what the consequence is they adhere to
the rules very well, even the special needs kids. It was actually an
adopted special needs kid who helped us devise this strategy. He was
all in all a sweet kid but he could be impulsive and hyper at times and
could have violent tendencies when he got upset. Not so much towards
the animals but towards other people. He didn't respond very well to
timeouts, or no, we aren't playing with the ferrets today because you
are being too rowdy, etc. but it only took sending him home twice when
he started getting out of hand to calm him down. Then after that when
he started getting owly all we would have do do is say "Frankie, can
you be nice, or is it time to go home?" and he would either shape up
right away or he would tell me "I need to go home because I can't get
along today and I think I need to be by myself." Perfect! Once we
established this, he was much easier to deal with.

With any kids the key, I think, is to make sure they know the rules
and to try and be preemptive, but sometimes you can see it coming and
sometimes you can't. Even with kids you know very well. I agree with
Alexandra, Ardith, and Wolfy. They added some great methods that we
also use such as you don't pet any animal without asking permission
first, and no nose to muzzle, training with a stuffed animal, walking
through rules and procedures, etc.

With the kids that are around alot, I sometimes go through and have
them make little "Ferret Books" with paper and crayons. We go through
and write down simple things about how to handle and care for ferrets
and then draw pictures. Then we staple it together like a real book. It
is amazing how much they pick up from this and they are usually very
proud of their artwork and accomplishment. Also it helps to keep them
occupied!

Like Alexandra said, We must have a billion years of experience among
us. So lets chime in with some ideas!

 :)
Yvonne

[Posted in FML 6583]