As I sat and read Bob C's post on the hospital cage I came to a very sad
realization I had done it all wrong.  I sat and read the post and cried.
When my little girl, Ms. Coco Chanel, an old lady ferret of about 5 years
old, came home from her second adrenal surgery (I didn't have her when
she had her first adrenal surgery) I put her in a cage only about 16
inches deep and maybe 22 inches long.  Way too small.
 
Now I know.
 
I left her on the floor because I thought she would feel more secure
staying at the level she was used to.  She was free roam and never slept
in a cage.  Her most comfortable spot was in my shirt drawer.  I always
could smell ferret any time I wanted, I could just sniff my shirt.  HA!
HA!  But, I digress.  It never crossed my mind that it was cooler on the
floor.  I thought about drafts and wind currents but never considered
the colder temperature.  I thought she would feel uncomfortable being
up higher than she was used to.
 
Now I know.
 
Did I think of her warmth?  Of course I did!  Did it cross my mind about
a way of providing extra heating of some sort?  NO!  I put lots warm and
favorite things in her hammy, though.  I had her partially covered to
create some darkness over the hammy part.
 
Now I know.
 
Thank you SOO much Bob C.  You have just really improved, all 8, of my
ferrets lives.  I know that my precious Coco forgives me from the
afterlife.  She was such a sweetheart.  I miss her!
 
What is that stupid saying Oprah always says (I think) it goes something
like this "we did what we knew, and when we knew better, we did better"
why is that so bittersweet?
 
Also, for the scale idea a bakers scale works very well.  Not the
traditional bakers scale but the newer ones.  The digital scales are
pretty cool.  They have the tare and stuff.  Some even have memory.
Useful when using it to prepare duck soup and other weighted recipes as
well as weigh the ferts.  They have a removable, flat smooth rectangle,
stainless steel top for easy cleaning.  A drop of a treat and within a
few licks ferret is weighed or you can usually distract enough to get
the rapid fast reading it delivers.  They can be pricey.  Keep an eye out
in your local paper under business machinery and when you see a bakery
liquidating purchase it used, usually around $50- $75 depending on the
age.  Might even try E-Bay, that I don't know.
 
Bob C I have a question about the urine weighing.  Could you leave a tiny
amount of litter in the pan and just weigh the entire box after use,
minus any feces, as the urine output?  That is, after weighing the box
and litter together, taring it to zero, before it's use of course.  I
realize you would have to make absolutely sure of weighing every nugget
of litter but it seems less complicated to me.  Does the litter cause
the urine to evaporate too quickly or if you were right there when they
used the box then it might work.  What's your idea on that?
 
Thanks for the great education!
Mary Jo
[Posted in FML issue 4404]