Thanks, Sandee.  Please, remember to show him the ever-cleansing rays to
play in so that bathes aren't needed.  He will surf -- or more likely
water ski -- in the Ferretone once he realizes that it is always available
for drinking.  Jumpstart can further explain dancing to tamborines for
you.
 
>But 2 days later, my ferrets got sick.  they didn't have it nearly as
>severely - they're almost totally recovered already - but i'm pretty
>sure it was ece, because the symptoms were mostly the same (the odor and
>texture of the poops, the unwillingness to eat, the malaise) - although
>the poops were only a little bit green this time.
 
Sometimes when immunity is in place a milder infection can happen, but I'd
consider alternative causes.  There are MANY causes of diarrhea in ferrets
and the color simply reflects the rapid transit time.  If it doesn't
appear to be from excitement, too many treats, different food, etc.  then
have vet run fecal tests in case they picked up something like coccidia.
Recently, there has been a lot on the FHL about non-ECE diarrhea being
confused with ECE.  It's worth reading:
 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
 
also read
 
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
 
Often a ferret which has had ECE has some residual intestinal damage so
will react more strongly to anything that can cause runs throughout life.
 
The FHL is also someplace to look about the adrenal options for another
poster, one interested in adrenal neoplasia.  DO just call good vets and
ask, BTW.  I have even heard of some who traded labor for parts of costs.
 
Kat, sometimes secondary infections can happen from mites and some of
those have very dire consequences.  Trouble that spreads beyond the outer
ear, or worse -- beyond the auditory bollus, the boney area that cups the
ear structures, can be very bad.  Many, many, many years ago one person
here had a ferret with an infection that went along the auditory nerve and
infected the brain -- that's a way out there and vanishingly rare worst
case scenario.  I'd be more worried about balance, directional sensing,
dizziness problems from possible inner ear infection if such a thing takes
off -- also possible hearing loss or reduction.
 
BTW, in case there is anyone new here i am NOT a vet -- just someone with
around 20 years of ferrets in the family and some experience, references,
and resources.
 
Amanda, cover the cage at night and when he does it just make sure to
ignore him and he'll realize that it doesn't work.  It's like a kid who
has tantrums; if he gets attention he keeps it up because it works.
[Posted in FML issue 3707]